basement ideas « Basement Remodeling

February 24, 2010

Finish your basement with less dust and save your furnace

Filed under: Basement remodeling design and planning, HVAC (Heating & Cooling), Products and Supplies, basement ideas — Tags: Basement, basement ideas, basement plans, basement remodeling, basement remodeling pictures — Basements @ 7:13 pm

When finishing a basement there is going to be dust spread throughout the house. It travels through the air and in the vents and on the shoes of the workers coming in and out of the basement. It comes mainly from rough framing, concrete demolition, installing insulation, drywall, interior trim and painting. There are ways you can help control the levels of dust in your home during the project.

Keep the dust down

Make sure that you or your basement contractor take these steps before starting the remodeling work.

Move all personal belongings out of the basement. If there is no room and they have to stay in the basement move them into an area that is not being finished and cover them well with plastic. It’s also good to hang plastic over the crawl space openings and Install a wall of plastic around the mechanicals area (furnace, hot water tank, etc.). Make sure when you do this that you leave enough room for the furnace and other gas appliances to breath. Stay at least 4 ft away from all of the mechanicals. You can also buy a system called a ZipWall that makes it easy to block off areas from dust.

Make sure the door at the top of the stairs is always kept closed when not in use. Open a basement window and place a fan in the window blowing out. This will create a vacuum in the room and blow a majority of the dust outside. Then when the door on the upstairs is opened the dust in the air will be drawn down and out the fan in the basement window instead of upstairs.

When installing the return air lines in the basement make sure you stuff a towel into the opening or tape them off with duct tape. Otherwise your sending all that dust and debris straight into the furnace and throughout your home. Make sure to remove the towel or tape when the basement remodeling is complete then you can install the return air grills

Change your furnace filter several times throughout the project. It is best to change the filter once after the drywall is done, after the painting and after carpet and your final cleaning. This will help cut down on dust in the upstairs and save your furnace. When all that dust gets into the furnace it gets into the blower motor and burns it up.

And finally when your basement is done hire a professional duct cleaning company. They will come and vacuum out the all the construction dust in the air supply and return lines in your furnace. Otherwise you might be seeing dust in your house for the next several months after the project is completed.

For more information on basement remodeling explore BasementSource.com

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January 25, 2010

Egress Windows

Filed under: Basement, Basement remodeling design and planning, Egress Windows, Fire protection & Safety, Uncategorized, basement ideas, basement remodeling images — Tags: Basement, basement ideas, basement remodeling, basement safety, basement windows, egress windows, finished basements — Basements @ 9:38 pm

Are you considering basement remodeling? You should be aware of your local building codes egress requirements. Most municipalities are now requiring emergency exit from the basement and proper emergency entry by firemen and rescue workers in the event of a basement fire. Installing a Egress Window not only allow natural light into your basement but more importantly it will provide a safety escape for you and your family and meet your local basement egress window requirements. The best installation option is to choose a contractor that is familiar with the local codes to be sure you are meeting the requirements. The following information should give you a general idea of the requirements.

Building Planning Codes
IRC Code Section R310

R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required. Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency and rescue opening. Such opening shall open directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with Section R310.3. The net clear opening dimensions required by this section shall be obtained by the normal operation of the emergency escape and rescue opening from the inside. Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a window well in accordance with Section R310.2. Emergency escape 52 2006 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE® and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

Exception: The ladder or steps required by SectionR310.2.1 shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 6 inches (152 mm) into the required dimensions of the window well.

R310.2.1 Ladder and steps. Window wells with a vertical depth greater than 44 inches (1118 mm) shall be equipped with a permanently affixed ladder or steps usable with the window in the fully open position. Ladders or steps required by this section shall not be required to comply with Sections R311.5 and R311.6. Ladders or rungs shall have an inside width of at least 12 inches (305 mm), shall project at least 3 inches (76 mm) from the wall and shall be spaced not more than 18 inches (457 mm) on center vertically for the full height of the window well.

R310.3 Bulkhead enclosures. Bulkhead enclosures shall provide direct access to the basement. The bulkhead enclosure with the door panels in the fully open position shall provide the minimum net clear opening required by Section R310.1.1. Bulkhead enclosures shall also comply with Section R311.5.8.2.

R310.4 Bars, grilles, covers and screens. Bars, grilles, covers, screens or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings, bulkhead enclosures, or window wells that serve such openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with Exception: Basements used only to house mechanical equipment and not exceeding total floor area of 200 square feet (18.58 m2).

R310.1.1 Minimum opening area. All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530 m2).

Exception: Grade floor openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5 square feet (0.465 m2).

R310.1.2 Minimum opening height. The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches (610 mm).

R310.1.3 Minimum opening width. The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches (508 mm).

R310.1.4 Operational constraints. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge.

R310.2 Window wells. The minimum horizontal area of the window well shall be 9 square feet (0.9 m2), with a minimum horizontal projection and width of 36 inches (914 mm). The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened.

Sections R310.1.1 to R310.1.3, and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool, special knowledge or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.

R310.5 Emergency escape windows under decks and porches. Emergency escape windows are allowed to be installed under decks and porches provided the location of the deck allows the emergency escape window to be fully opened and provides a path not less than 36 inches (914 mm) in height to a yard or court.

** Always be sure to check your local building department to make sure you meet the local requirements**

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December 21, 2009

Cabinet choices for Basement Wet Bars

Filed under: Basement remodeling design and planning, Cabinets, Products and Supplies, basement ideas — Tags: basement design, basement ideas, basement plans, basement remodeling images, Cabinets, finsihed basements remodeling ideas, ohio, wet bar — Basements @ 9:13 pm

The cabinetry and styles utilized for constructing basement bars often have more personality than cabinetry utilized in other rooms of the home. The homeowner feels free to create a more dramatic space in which their personal style can be expressed without the resale fears present when designing a kitchen or other predominant space in the home. The cabinetry style typically falls into one of the following three categories: traditional, contemporary, or transitional family friendly.

Traditional cabinet styles and finishes are often used to create a pub style bar. Typically a designer would suggest a door style with lots of detail and applied moldings in a darker wood species and stain for this style. One way a homeowner can add their personal touch to this style is by ordering the cabinets with distressing or in a rustic wood species. These options give the cabinetry an older more authentic appearance with use of sand through, worm holes, and dents. Decorative wood overlays are another way the homeowner can add their personality to the bar. The overlays make cabinetry appear handcrafted; their intricacy makes the cabinets appear that they are custom built by an artisan. Homeowners should also consider the type of storage they will need in their basement bar. Typically in a traditional bar you will find stemware holders displaying wine glasses and lighted cabinets with glass doors displaying liquor bottles.

A basement bar found in a contemporary home is typically thought of as very simple; design flair and personality are not added necessarily by the intricacy of the cabinets, like in the traditional bar. These qualities are added by the accessories and cabinet finishes. Vertical lift door cabinets are being offered by most mid-level and up cabinet companies. This type of cabinet hinging is considered a more contemporary alternative to the typical hinging. Integrated appliances fitted with matching cabinet panels, creates a seamless and simplistic design—the bar may house a clear ice maker and the appliance would appear to be just another cabinet. Putting a dramatic finish on a contemporary door style will also create style and personality—cabinet manufacturers are offering bolder and a larger selection of paints and finishes. Although, a homeowner may fall in love with Washington Red Cherry paint, she may feel apprehensive about using it in her kitchen, but in a basement bar she can use the color that she loves.

A family friendly basement bar is possible with some of the options that cabinet manufacturers have. Typically family friendly cabinetry serves a dual purpose: storage for adult items as well as children’s items. The cabinets will often have roll trays and other interior accessories for games and children’s snack items. The adult cabinet storage available consists of locked liquor cabinets, as well as a safe out of reach cabinets for glass stemware. The most popular cabinet styles in family basement bars are simple in style so they are low maintenance and require little cleaning.

There is a great kitchen design book that can help you to design your space. Its Design Ideas for Kitchens (2nd edition) This book talks about layouts, cabinet types & styles, energy efficient appliances, hot new countertop ideas, and more. There is plenty of useful information that you can apply to the design of your new wetbar.

For more information or purchasing cabinets visit www.thecabshop.com

For more basement remodeling tips visit BasementSource

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December 17, 2009

Basement Bathroom Ideas

Filed under: Basement remodeling design and planning, Plumbing Fixtures, basement bathrooms & accessories, basement ideas, basement remodeling — Tags: basement bathrooms & accessories, basement ideas, basement remodeling images, bathroom, plumbing fixtures — Basements @ 9:28 pm

Today’s basement bathrooms: small spaces that can have big design

The bathroom in your basement is one of the smallest but it typically sees the most traffic, especially when you’re entertaining guests. It is the perfect opportunity to take a risk and design a space your guests won’t soon forget.

Before you start construction on the basement figure out the floor plan of your space. Then figure out your personal style. Do you want contemporary or traditional decor ? How will it fit in with the rest of the basement. To get great new ideas and keep current on trends, look at remodeling magazines, search for basement remodeling images on Picasa or Google images, visit a local plumbing – bath showroom, or check out home improvement websites. You can find articles on recent trends and new bath products that can help you determine what products best fit your needs.

When working with a relatively small space every styling detail counts. Some manufacturers product sets are making it easier for homeowners to coordinate their pieces. This way each element in the room is designed to perfectly match each other.

Lavatory Sink & Faucet

Most homeowners we deal with are trying to maximize space in their basement bathroom. Usually a pedestal sink is the best way to do that. A pedestal sink provides a clean, open look to the area. The only drawback is a loss of storage space. You can offset that by installing custom built ins or a small closet. If a pedestal sink isn’t your style you can use a sink base cabinet with a granite top and under mount sink. You can also use a vessel sinks. This is where the bowl sits on the top of a vanity cabinet. Vessel sinks are becoming one of the latest trends in bathrooms and add a unique design to the space.

There are many different styles of bathroom faucets. Popular versions include wide-spread faucets ,vessel fillers and wall-mount faucets. The faucet and finish you choose will help pull the decor together . Many of them have matching accessories for towel bars and toilet paper holders.

Toilet

The toilet is one of the most important elements. You want to choose a model that is not only stylish but also highly reliable. Again many toilets are now designed as part of a collection to match your sink and the other pieces in your bathroom. Most popular choice is the elongated bowl model with a good water efficiency.

Shower Surround, Doors & Valve

The shower can be the centerpiece of your bathroom. The latest trend is accented tile walls with borders or inlays and poured pans with tile floors. Add a seat or built in wall niche for a little pizzazz. The shower valve should match your faucet or you could even upgrade to a unit that has body spray jets.

The shower doors are also an important aspect to the bathroom. Our favorite and again most popular is a frameless shower door system. It has a track on the top, bottom and two sides but the glass has no frame around it. This makes it not only were appealing visually but also easy to clean. You can get the doors and the glass in several different finishes so make sure that the finish you choose compliments the rest of the bathroom.

Accessories

You’ll still have to pick out a mirror, light fixtures, cabinets and hardware along with toilet paper holders, towel bars, etc. That’s usually easily done after you get the rest of the bathroom fixtures picked out. Check out the recommended bathroom remodeling books below.

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