Framing

Step 4: Measure your top and bottom plates (green board--treated wood so it doesn't soak up moisture from the concrete) and cut to size. Next, mark each every 16" so you know where to place each stud (on center).

Line up a stud on each 16" marking between the top and bottom plates. For the basement, we also had to measure how long to cut the studs by finding the lowest point along our wall/ceiling. Upstairs, we kept all the studs the same length.

Use your nail gun to nail each stud into place.

Clean where your wall will go and place glue onto the concrete to make extra secure. Lift the nailed wall into place--remember your chalk-lines? Line up the green board along your chalk line. Use a nail-set (basically a small gun that shoots the nail into the concrete) to secure the green board into the concrete. Use a level to make sure plumb and level with existing walls and/or ceiling.

Basement Update

I'd like to do some more step-by-step updates on the basement, but I've been so swamped that I haven't gotten around to it and I'd like to post some kind of update. I'll hopefully get to this with actual photos within the next few days/weeks.

We are on track to meet our "finish the basement before Christmas" deadline. Our sheetrock mudding and texturing got finished yesterday. Our doors and trim were delivered today. And tonight we plan to tile around the fireplace. The doors and trim came many hours later than we hoped, so we'll likely spend tomorrow installing them (instead of husband doing it today during his day off). We were hoping instead to rent a paint sprayer to spray all the trim, doors, and ceilings. I wonder if that is still realistic? Probably not because I still have to paint prep. :(

Next week we'll be painting the walls with color. We've decided on a light blue; who knows for the bedrooms and the bathroom, though. It is hard to make color decisions, especially when you don't know what you plan to do with the decorating scheme yet! Volunteers are certainly welcome.

Next Friday the carpet is coming. After that we'll simply have to put the vent covers and light fixtures in. Oh, and get a mantle for the fireplace, tile the bathroom, install the toilet and find a vanity for the bathroom.

I can't wait!