The special environment in the basement is like no other place in the home. Drywall, with its organic lining and low resistance to moisture and water, is simply not designed for this environment. We cover the disadvantages of drywall and why it's not ideal for a basement finishing.
Old habits die hard. The same goes for buildingpractices. When it comes to finishing a basement, builders tend to dothe same thing they've always done- especially if it's a cheap solutionfor them. Why would they change what's making them money? I mean, it'snot like they have to live with the job, right?
The bottom lineis this: a basement environment is different than any other place inthe home, and drywall is simply not made for this environment. If youinstall drywall into a basement, it's probably not going to work, andeven if it does, it won't be the best building material for the job.Below are four good reasons to drop drywall from your basementfinishing plan.
Holding its Own
When itcomes to shelves, cabinets, or anything else that weighs over 10pounds, drywall is in for a real challenge. Generally, this means thatyou'll have to find wall studs to use to mount the weight, which can bea difficult and imperfect process. You'll be limited to places wherestuds are located and will find yourself at the mercy of sometimesunevenly spaced studs.
Unfortunately, it's very popular to wantto mount things such as shelves, cabinets, pictures, or perhaps aplasma TV on finished basement walls. And just as easily as it crumblesunder too much weight, it's very easy for you, your children, or awell-placed doorknob to leave an unsightly hole in it.
There arehardboard wall panels available with dense foam insulation availablethat can have things mounted at any point on the wall with no need tofind a stud. Because these panels are free-standing, they're also idealfor adding wall partitions for a bedroom or extra closet.
Drywall Dust
Dealingwith drywall dust woes is probably the most painful part of a basementremodeling. Drywall installation is dirty work! As the heavy panels arecut to fit your basement, a thick and extremely fine dust will coateverything in the area. The dust is invasive and can kill ordinaryvacuum motors as it quickly clogs their filters and causes the motor towork too hard and overheat. Professional drywall vacuums cost about$650, which is impractical for a homeowner and not often used byprofessionals. On top of that, the gypsum in drywall is irritating toeyes, lungs, and sinuses. Drywall should be installed carefully- withmasks, goggles and gloves. Whenever possible, drywall dust should becleaned up immediately after installation.
Service and Renovation Woes
Drywallceilings in a finished basement are a nightmare when it comes time toservice or renovate a basement. Drywall ceilings provide poor access topipes and wiring when they need to be serviced or new ones need to beinstalled. Occasionally, the drywall may even need to be removed ordamaged for the sake of the job. While a service panel will make thisaccess easier, it can't replace a drop ceiling, where every ceilingtile doubles as a service point. To make matters worse, installingheavy sheet rock on the ceiling can be a work-intensive and expensiveprocess, and if you later decide to renovate the basement or the firstfloor of your house, you'll spend hours and hours running wires andpipes under the floor and learning where already existing ones lead asyou're remodeling. And there's a reason that drywall is filling uplandfills all over the country! It's constantly being replaced andreinstalled as water from a leaking basement, plumbing leaks, andmoisture from concrete basement walls, mold, and impact damage ruin it.
Black Mold Blues
Evenmold and moisture-resistant drywall does not stand by their claim witha warranty. Why? Because drywall is made of a core of gypsum laidbetween layers of heavy processed paper. This paper provides food formold. As mold grows on your drywall, it becomes increasinglyaesthetically unattractive. Signs of mold include peeling and crackingpaint, bulging behind the paint, musty smells, and discolored walls.
Drywallcan support the growth of toxic black mold as well, which isparticularly dangerous. But even when toxic molds are not present, moldspores in the air can agitate asthma, and cause breathing problems aswell as other health issues. Very often, the entire drywallinstallation may need to be removed and replaced by a trainedprofessional.
A Better Solution
TotalBasement Finishing has products that are guaranteed to bemold-resistant that are made specifically for the basement environment.Their wall panels and ceiling tiles are perfect for a basementfinishing project. Our products install cleanly without the mess ofdrywall, make service easy, and our wall panels can hold 300 pounds perpanel without a problem! We offer free estimates, and we'd love to helpyou!
Article Tags: Finished Basement, Basement Finishing, Wall Panels
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