As housing costs slump and more and more people are finishing their
basements instead of selling their homes, companies are designing their
own basement remodeling wall panels. Unfortunately, many of these
companies have products that have been hastily produced, poorly
researched, or make misleading claims to the effectiveness of their
final product. Before you make a final decision on which basement
finishing products you want, ask yourself these five questions:
- Is this basement wall product water resistant?
A basement water leak at some point isn’t a matter of how, it’s a matter of when. With
all the pipes, sinks, and toilets in the house along with the water
heater, washing machine, and water storage tank, something is
definitely going to leak.
Additionally, rain and ground water can leak through foundation wall
cracks in the walls or floor as well as through the foundation
wall-floor joint.
- Will my basement wall product resist mold?
Even when your basement is not leaking, water can still come through
the porous concrete, stone, or tile foundation walls because of
hydrostatic pressure. This moisture will collect behind and under your
finished basement wall product. If it has any organic material, this
material is going to grow mold. Fiberglass, drywall, wood, and most
other building materials used for basement walls have at least some
organic material. Mold and dust mites growing on the organic material
will release spores and fecal material in the air that will travel
throughout the house and are two of the top allergens in a home.
- How durable will my walls be?
Once you finish your basement, you’re going to want to use it. This
means that you may want pictures, shelves, cabinets, a plasma TV, a
mirror, a wine rack, or any number of other items mounted on the walls.
You’re going to want a strong, reliable wall that can hold up.
Additionally, it’s important to have basement walls that can handle
daily wear and tear without breaking, scratching, or becoming damaged.
A product that washes easily is also important- especially if children
and pets will be in the room. A good test to see if your wall is going
to be able to handle stains is to draw a pencil line on a sample. If it
can be easily removed, then you should be able to wash most stains from
the wall. Beware of absorbent wall materials- if it absorbs moisture
easily, it will also absorb spills and other liquids.
- How much insulation does the wall product have?
In Canada and northern United States , a minimum insulation rating
of R-13 is being written into local building codes. Whether or not this
is required in your area, it’s a good idea to add to the energy
efficiency of the home by adding effective insulation to your walls.
Hard foam insulation will add to the strength of the wall product
overall, and if it also features a hardboard ceramic panel, then you
will be able to mount heavy objects on the wall without the need to
find a stud. Be sure that if you insulate your wall that it’s
completely covered with insulation around the entire perimeter, or your
protection will have a hole for heat to pour out.
- How well can my basement walls keep sound out?
If you plan on making noise in your basement, you’re going to want a
wall product that can soundproof your home. Many products do little to
keep sound out, and some products even help it travel around the house!
Hardboard products tend to reflect sound back when it strikes them,
making them a poor sound absorber but a strong sound barrier. Wall
panels with soft insulation and a cloth covering absorb sound well and
are effective at keeping a room quiet and peaceful.
Wood paneling and any type of
drywall (even mold-resistant drywall, whose warranty generally runs
from 6 months to 3 years) are ineffective materials for basement
finishing. Soft insulation paneling is a better material to use, with
an average of R-11 insulation and strong soundproofing qualities, but
it’s unfortunately among the least durable and cleanable of the
products, and mold and moisture can still damage it fairly easily.
Additionally, its spongelike insulation soaks up moisture very quickly,
making it very absorbent for unwanted spills and liquids. Wood paneling
is more resistant to spills and liquids, but it can swell with water,
causing it to warp, buckle, rot, and grow mold. Drywall deals with
moisture poorly as well, and when it gets wet, it will generally need
to be replaced.
While hard-board insulation wall panels do reflect sound, they have
the most advantages of all basement finishing wall products. Basement
wall panels like Total Basement Finishing’s EverLast Wall Panels
have a 50 year warranty against mold and are durable enough to have a
684 pound shear rating without studs. A half inch drywall board using
nylon wall drills has a 17.5 pound safe shear rating, and most soft
insulation wall panels can hold no more than ten pounds! Hard-board
wall panels with dense foam insulation can still act as a sound barrier
and will not allow sounds to pass through, and they’re much more
durable than any other material when it comes to impact damage. A
quality dense foam insulation product will easily meet the required
R-13 insulation rating, ensuring that the materials will be
code-compliant for many years to come. Additionally, hard-foam
insulation and paneling that’s properly installed will often have a
Class A fireproofing rating, making your home safer than ever!
To summarize: You want a water-resistant, mold-resistant, durable
material for your walls. It should have soundproofing properties and at
least an R-13 insulation rating. The best way to make sure you’re using
a product you can count on is to ask many questions, do a lot of
research, and above all
, check out the warranty!