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Best way to stud wall with blanket insulation?

8 years ago

Last night, I got this bright idea that I want to finish off my basement.

Normally, I would have studded the exterior walls and added insulation,
but my basement has this blanket wall insulation that was put on by the builder.

With that in mind, and me liking large rooms, what the best option to
minimize the loss of space? Should I remove the existing insulation, so
I can put the studs right against the wall, put the stud again the wall
on top of the insulation then cut the insulation so it puffs back out a bit, take a
hit on the space and move the studs out a couple inches, or is there
another option?

Thanks!

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Comments (11)

PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
Tear it off and sheet the walls in rigid foam (thickness will depend on where you are). Be sure to insulate the band boards. Google air sealing and insulation. Then insulate the wall cavity after framing.
crab_dae
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks! I'm going to have to go with R10, using foam board, based on being in MD... The thing I had the most about this is throwing away what's been hung....
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PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
PSK insulation is cheap. I get it that you don't want to put it in the landfill, but it doesn't work well.
crab_dae
Original Author
8 years ago
Will using 2x3s be ok, or will the odds of warping be much higher than 2x4?
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
I would use 2x4s. Boxes and most items are set to be built off of that wall dimension.
Andrew atKERR
8 years ago
After you fir the walls out, you could also consider spray foam insulation. It's a bit more expensive but you'll get a much higher R value. You will also get the maximum floor area as spray foam only needs 2" to achieve a good barrier.
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
Do you mean more R-Value than the batt insulation or the rigid foam? Same with the Air Barrier.
Andrew atKERR
8 years ago
I'm a big fan of rigid insulation but spray foam is more efficient and easier to install. No vapour barrier required, it's built in.

Rigid still has it's place in construction. I'm still going to use it under concrete slabs, there's nothing better.

Spray foam is a REAL alternative. It's super popular on the East Coast. Have you used it before?
crab_dae
Original Author
8 years ago
Based on code, I need R10, but based on my local inspector, I can do ZERO insulation. When I had the inspector inspect a shed I built, I asked him about basement finishing... I was told I didn't have anything to worry about since nothing would be load bearing (His primary concern was structural). He just said to make sure that when hiring an electrician, that the electrician pulled a permit.

Last night, when I had to take some stuff to the basement I noticed something that might be a problem. When I go down the stairs to the basement, there's a wall. And I'm worried about the space between the staircase and the wall, because I'd like to put a door to the right of the stairs for a room. You see, I have 9ft ceilings in the basement, so the space between the wall and the stairs might be a bit short.

How much space so I need to install a door with the trim around it? I guess I could measure one of my existing doors to see..

Thanks!
crab_dae
Original Author
8 years ago
Never mind about the space. I just measured a door from the outer trim to trim and it's 35 inches. The space between the base of the stairs to the wall is 44. I've got 9 inches to work with, so I'm good...
Andrew atKERR
8 years ago
The inspector was only looking at a shed. The shed is non-living space. Therefore, it does not require insulation. Any rooms in your house that are termed "living space" must meet minimum code requirements. If the code says R10 is required, you will need R10 in order to pass inspection.

He is correct, the additional framing against the foundation walls is not structural. Therefore, it is not subject to inspection. In most cased, you would frame to the size of the next building products (insulation, drywall, etc.) That's why we frame to 16" on center.

As to permits, talk to someone in the Planning Department at City Hall about the requirements for obtaining a permit. They are there to help you do your project legally and properly.

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