# Hanging drywall on concrete foundation?



## Necrosaro420

In our basement, there is about 4 feet of the foundation, a little ledge, then another 4 feet of normal housing (Sorry, dont know what the term for it is). How would I go about drywalling the foundation part? I would also like to add insulation behind it (the foam sheets is fine). I really dont want to have to build out the wall or anything. What would be the easiest way of connecting this? Thanks


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## Mudshark

Necrosaro420 said:


> In our basement, there is about 4 feet of the foundation, a little ledge, then another 4 feet of normal housing (Sorry, dont know what the term for it is). How would I go about drywalling the foundation part? I would also like to add insulation behind it (the foam sheets is fine). I really dont want to have to build out the wall or anything. What would be the easiest way of connecting this? Thanks


It will need to be framed first. Some framers would frame out the bottom 4 feet then a shelf and then frame the rest of the wall. I am working on a house reno project now where the framer ran the framing around that bottom 4 feet and continued it right up to the ceiling. Waste a bit of space that way and windows are deeply recessed, but makes it easier to drywall and ends up looking better in the end IMO.


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## Drywall_King

Necrosaro420 said:


> In our basement, there is about 4 feet of the foundation, a little ledge, then another 4 feet of normal housing (Sorry, dont know what the term for it is). How would I go about drywalling the foundation part? I would also like to add insulation behind it (the foam sheets is fine). I really dont want to have to build out the wall or anything. What would be the easiest way of connecting this? Thanks


 
We do a lot of that in Australia is called a stick on use a cornice cement or some kind or some kind of hott mudd... put blobs of mudd in nice blobs so when the board presses the blob spreads out... use a level to smack the sheets on and use the level to make sure the sheet is on level... then let the mudd set boom done no nails or screws to coat ... main thing make sure the sheets are level and flat before the mudd sets .... called a stick on ...


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## SlimPickins

Necrosaro420 said:


> In our basement, there is about 4 feet of the foundation, a little ledge, then another 4 feet of normal housing (Sorry, dont know what the term for it is). How would I go about drywalling the foundation part? I would also like to add insulation behind it (the foam sheets is fine). *I really dont want to have to build out the wall or anything.* What would be the easiest way of connecting this? Thanks


Sorry to be blunt here......but WHY? Are you too cheap? Lazy? Do it right ferchrissake.


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## Necrosaro420

SlimPickins said:


> Sorry to be blunt here......but WHY? Are you too cheap? Lazy? Do it right ferchrissake.


Both. 

Right now it already has a sheet of the insulation and a wood panel around it, but its not framed and its up there very secure. 

Another reason I dont want to frame it, is because there is carpet. Framing it would put the frame/wall over the carpet itself.


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## Bill from Indy

unless you got some mystery foam, its going to be over the carpet anyways..why do you feel the need to insulate a wall that is 8" thick?

hang the wall vertical with dens armor..attach to framing at top and glue the bottom..run a few tapcons into glued area to draw it up till glue dries..you dont have to screw it off as you would on wood, just a couple to draw it in..if it is concrete, no worries...if it is block, try to hit the mortar joints if you can..run some masking tape for layout lines on adjoining wall and/or floor

not to be rude, but this is a site for professional drywallers...if you were, you wouldn't be asking how to do this

edit
sorry...missed the ledge part..only way your not going to be over carpet is to glue/tapcon board to foundation part....you can't do like I said above because i thought the framing part was flush with block/concrete


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## fr8train

You can frame it out with 1x3's on their face, 16 O.C. Use a hammer drill to drill holes through the 1x3 and into the concrete. Then secure it with a tapcon. Add the 1/2" board, you only lose 1 1/4" and you can place foam insulation in between the wood. Your only other option that I know of is to glue it to concrete, and hold it in place with tapcons until the glue sets.

I wrapped a block chimney once with no fastners. Used clamps and a couple of 2x4's on the front, and used the board along the wall behind it to hold the back edge in place. Also used a copious amount of glue on those boards.:thumbsup: Been over a year, other than some water stains caused by faulty flashing on the roof it still looks great.


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## Necrosaro420

I can frame it out, was just trying to get around doing that though. So if I frame it out, as stated above its going to be about 1 1/4th over the carpet. We plan on replacing the carpet but its going to be a couple years. Would this cause us to run into a problem then since 1 1/4th inch of the carpet will now behind a wall? Thanks for the help


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## rebel20

Necrosaro420 said:


> I can frame it out, was just trying to get around doing that though. So if I frame it out, as stated above its going to be about 1 1/4th over the carpet. We plan on replacing the carpet but its going to be a couple years. Would this cause us to run into a problem then since 1 1/4th inch of the carpet will now behind a wall? Thanks for the help


Gee thats why they make a carpet knife


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## SlimPickins

Bill from Indy said:


> ..why do you feel the need to insulate a wall that is 8" thick?


Wouldn't you rather spend your money heating the air and interior surfaces than on heating a concrete wall?



rebel20 said:


> Gee thats why they make a carpet knife


I was thinking about that last night. It was kind of a "der!" moment. If you can get it even _close_ the base will cover it and hold it down.


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## Bill from Indy

SlimPickins said:


> Wouldn't you rather spend your money heating the air and interior surfaces than on heating a concrete wall?


heating a concrete wall?....how much heat loss you have in a 8" concrete wall? But to answer your question, no...I would personally frame wall in front of concrete and create air gap between but he didnt give that option..i'm not going to get all technical because i'm just a drywaller ya know...but how many caves you been in that have blue foam on the walls because they dont want to heat the ground...the ground with 8" of concrete in front of it is about as efficient as you can get

just an opinion of course


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## SlimPickins

Bill from Indy said:


> heating a concrete wall?....how much heat loss you have in a 8" concrete wall? But to answer your question, no...I would personally frame wall in front of concrete and create air gap between but he didnt give that option..*i'm not going to get all technical because i'm just a drywaller ya know*...but how many caves you been in that have blue foam on the walls because they dont want to heat the ground...the ground with 8" of concrete in front of it is about as efficient as you can get
> 
> just an opinion of course


Don't be silly Bill.

I haven't been in ANY caves with blue foam :no: The ground is efficient, yes...at maintaining 55 degrees, that's where it wants to be. It's like a big sponge, sucking the heat away. Sorry Bill, not trying to argue with you...I am on the same page about the wall and airspace. As for the original request of the OP, I could tell him how to make soup out of sheep dung if he wanted me too....but that doesn't mean I'm going to eat any of it.

Besides.....are we thinking of a cave as the ultimate energy efficient dwelling now?


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## Bill from Indy

SlimPickins said:


> Besides.....are we thinking of a cave as the ultimate energy efficient dwelling now?


not sure its the ultimate.....but i bet my damn heat bill would be less...i was being silly though...friday humor i guess

I would be perfectly fine in a underground house myself...just have the rafters above ground..but im the type that is fine with 60 degrees....don't give a crap about windows...i could live in a basement comfortably i guess is what im saying


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## SlimPickins

Bill from Indy said:


> not sure its the ultimate.....but i bet my damn heat bill would be less...i was being silly though...friday humor i guess
> 
> I would be perfectly fine in a underground house myself...just have the rafters above ground..but im the type that is fine with 60 degrees....don't give a crap about windows...i could live in a basement comfortably i guess is what im saying


I KNOW my heat bill would be less. I live in an old plaster house with no insulation in the walls and single-pane windows. We keep the heat at 65 during the day and 58 at night....and when it's cold it seems like the furnace kicks on.....oh, I dunno.....every 7 minutes? :laughing:

I got your humor...and certainly wasn't trying to start an argument over someone else cutting corners in their own basement For myself, it's a little trickier cutting corners.....I'm liable if things go to sh!t:yes:


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## fr8train

SlimPickins said:


> I KNOW my heat bill would be less. I live in an old plaster house with no insulation in the walls and single-pane windows. We keep the heat at 65 during the day and 58 at night....and when it's cold it seems like the furnace kicks on.....oh, I dunno.....every 7 minutes? :laughing:
> 
> I got your humor...and certainly wasn't trying to start an argument over someone else cutting corners in their own basement For myself, it's a little trickier cutting corners.....I'm liable if things go to sh!t:yes:


For the love of God man, blow some cellulose in those walls! :thumbsup:


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## SlimPickins

fr8train said:


> For the love of God man, blow some cellulose in those walls! :thumbsup:


It's not my house


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## gazman

SlimPickins said:


> Besides.....are we thinking of a cave as the ultimate energy efficient dwelling now?


Some times it make a lot of sense. Mind you I dont think any one has a heater in Cooper pedy.
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/coober-pedy-underground-homes.html


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## Bill from Indy

gazman said:


> Some times it make a lot of sense. Mind you I dont think any one has a heater in Cooper pedy.
> http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/coober-pedy-underground-homes.html


would that be considered the "man cave"?...I could do that gaz


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## gazman

It is pretty cool. (Pun not intended) It gets real hot out there and the area is famous for opals. So the miners spend alot of there time under ground. Both at work and at home.:yes:


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## SlimPickins

gazman said:


> Some times it make a lot of sense. Mind you I dont think any one has a heater in Cooper pedy.
> http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/coober-pedy-underground-homes.html


That IS Cool! I love alternative housing, I think underground homes are the bees knees. You ever look at Earthships? 
They're only half underground, but cool nonetheless.


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## Bazooka-Joe

I like the insulation part, I mean come on any sulation is better than no sulation

felt some pretty cold walls mind you felt some cold women too


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## moore

2x frame 1' away from concrete wall ? I need no education on cold women!


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## joepro0000

fr8train said:


> You can frame it out with 1x3's on their face, 16 O.C. Use a hammer drill to drill holes through the 1x3 and into the concrete. Then secure it with a tapcon. Add the 1/2" board, you only lose 1 1/4" and you can place foam insulation in between the wood. Your only other option that I know of is to glue it to concrete, and hold it in place with tapcons until the glue sets.
> 
> I wrapped a block chimney once with no fastners. Used clamps and a couple of 2x4's on the front, and used the board along the wall behind it to hold the back edge in place. Also used a copious amount of glue on those boards.:thumbsup: Been over a year, other than some water stains caused by faulty flashing on the roof it still looks great.


 
Are you crazy, use a hammer drill? This will take all day to do. Your better off buying a Hilti or Ramset Trakfast and get them installed in an 1hr. Assuming you work an 8 hour day to install those tapcons with a hammer drill -(Save 7hrs x 45 = $315.00 - enough to buy a use Trakfast)


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## joepro0000

All you need to do if like mentioned, furr out the concrete with 1x2s or 1x3s or 7/8" hat channel. Install R5- Ridid Insulation or Foil Roll. Install 5/8" Greenboard or a dense-armour plus board and your good. If you want to get creative, you can frame a chase instead of a furr-out with 1-5/8" or 2-1/2" metal studs, and even create some niches for storage or an LCD inside.


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## SlimPickins

joepro0000 said:


> Are you crazy, use a hammer drill? This will take all day to do. Your better off buying a Hilti or Ramset Trakfast and get them installed in an 1hr. Assuming you work an 8 hour day to install those tapcons with a hammer drill -(Save 7hrs x 45 = $315.00 - enough to buy a use Trakfast)


The only problem with wood furring and actuated fasteners is that they don't pull through the material. Also, depending on the age of the concrete, they might either shatter it, or not go in. I've worked a few jobs where a hammer drill was the only option. It helps to have a Hilti roto-hammer though:yes::thumbsup:


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