Old habits die hard. The same goes for building
practices. When it comes to finishing a basement, builders tend to do
the same thing they’ve always done- especially if it’s a cheap solution
for them. Why would they change what’s making them money? I mean, it’s
not like they have to live with the job, right?
The bottom line
is this: a basement environment is different than any other place in
the home, and drywall is simply not made for this environment. If you
install drywall into a basement, it’s probably not going to work, and
even if it does, it won’t be the best building material for the job.
Below are four good reasons to drop drywall from your basement
finishing plan.
Holding its Own
When it
comes to shelves, cabinets, or anything else that weighs over 10
pounds, drywall is in for a real challenge. Generally, this means that
you’ll have to find wall studs to use to mount the weight, which can be
a difficult and imperfect process. You’ll be limited to places where
studs are located and will find yourself at the mercy of sometimes
unevenly spaced studs.
Unfortunately, it’s very popular to want
to mount things such as shelves, cabinets, pictures, or perhaps a
plasma TV on finished basement walls. And just as easily as it crumbles
under too much weight, it’s very easy for you, your children, or a
well-placed doorknob to leave an unsightly hole in it.
There are
hardboard wall panels available with dense foam insulation available
that can have things mounted at any point on the wall with no need to
find a stud. Because these panels are free-standing, they’re also ideal
for adding wall partitions for a bedroom or extra closet.
Drywall Dust
Dealing
with drywall dust woes is probably the most painful part of a basement
remodeling. Drywall installation is dirty work! As the heavy panels are
cut to fit your basement, a thick and extremely fine dust will coat
everything in the area. The dust is invasive and can kill ordinary
vacuum motors as it quickly clogs their filters and causes the motor to
work too hard and overheat. Professional drywall vacuums cost about
$650, which is impractical for a homeowner and not often used by
professionals. On top of that, the gypsum in drywall is irritating to
eyes, lungs, and sinuses. Drywall should be installed carefully- with
masks, goggles and gloves. Whenever possible, drywall dust should be
cleaned up immediately after installation.
Service and Renovation Woes
Drywall
ceilings in a finished basement are a nightmare when it comes time to
service or renovate a basement. Drywall ceilings provide poor access to
pipes and wiring when they need to be serviced or new ones need to be
installed. Occasionally, the drywall may even need to be removed or
damaged for the sake of the job. While a service panel will make this
access easier, it can’t replace a drop ceiling, where every ceiling
tile doubles as a service point. To make matters worse, installing
heavy sheet rock on the ceiling can be a work-intensive and expensive
process, and if you later decide to renovate the basement or the first
floor of your house, you’ll spend hours and hours running wires and
pipes under the floor and learning where already existing ones lead as
you’re remodeling. And there’s a reason that drywall is filling up
landfills all over the country! It’s constantly being replaced and
reinstalled as water from a leaking basement, plumbing leaks, and
moisture from concrete basement walls, mold, and impact damage ruin it.
Black Mold Blues
Even
mold and moisture-resistant drywall does not stand by their claim with
a warranty. Why? Because drywall is made of a core of gypsum laid
between layers of heavy processed paper. This paper provides food for
mold. As mold grows on your drywall, it becomes increasingly
aesthetically unattractive. Signs of mold include peeling and cracking
paint, bulging behind the paint, musty smells, and discolored walls.
Drywall
can support the growth of toxic black mold as well, which is
particularly dangerous. But even when toxic molds are not present, mold
spores in the air can agitate asthma, and cause breathing problems as
well as other health issues. Very often, the entire drywall
installation may need to be removed and replaced by a trained
professional.
A Better Solution
Total
Basement Finishing has products that are guaranteed to be
mold-resistant that are made specifically for the basement environment.
Their wall panels and ceiling tiles are perfect for a basement
finishing project. Our products install cleanly without the mess of
drywall, make service easy, and our wall panels can hold 300 pounds per
panel without a problem! We offer free estimates
, and we’d love to help
you!