This is one of THE best video series for finishing your basement. Meticulous and perfect execution. If you want to a bomb proof basement that will stand the test of time, follow this guys series.
Thank you for your comments. I agree and admit that when I do a project for my home and family I want it to last and also retain the value for the future, so tend more towards brick $#!? houses. Hope this is useful for everyone watching.
Thank you. Everyone has an opinion. I have had a few framers come in they made me feel stupid for wanting to have them frame on top of the floating subfloor. Needless to say I will not be hiring them. I plan to do the whole project myself with the exception of framing with little experience. Anyone out there looking to do the same this guys videos are backed by science not a contractors “cheapest or fastest way to get the job done while still charging you more for an inferior installation. All of this guys methods have been talked about in detail in very nerdy building science articles. Most people don’t dig that deep into the details. I did and it was boring and took a long time to reach the same conclusions this guy did. Thank you Buffalo Bill. Extremely underrated video series and have no idea why this doesn’t have many more views than it does.
This is unbelievably helpful. I’ve been looking at Fine Homebuilding, This Old House, Matt Risinger, and a bunch of others who have all shown various parts of what you’ve done here. I was trying to piece it all together for a comprehensive plan, then came across your video. Awesome to see you’ve basically done just that and figured it out for me!
Looks good... and love the concise, detailed explanations. Starting to work on a similar project myself.. after the digout is done :-/ 100% agree on the advice not to use liquid-applied coatings. I just ground off ~500 sq/ft of the stuff which had completely failed (thanks previous homeowner!) Couple ideas for others watching this and looking for possible improvements: 1. Consider using EPS rather than XPS - it is much more environmentally friendly as no HFCs are involved in the mfg process. In addition, EPS will not retain moisture as long as XPS after being exposed (and you know it will be sooner or later.) And finally, while EPS has slightly lower R value, the two will most likely be identical in a few years after all the blowing agents have leached out of the XPS. Polyiso would have an even better R value, but is not a good option where moisture is a concern. 2. A thin layer of gardening/landscape fabric (weed barrier) under the dimple mat will prevent the 'clicking' noise of the mat hitting the concrete when stepped on, which a lot of people seem to complain about. (Or looks like maybe superseal carries a combo product?) 3. You could use 6 mil (or higher if worried about durability) poly under the stair supports so you don't have to worry about 'springiness' of the dimples. Another option would be products used for sill plate sealing/isolation, or butyl / epdm membranes. 4. Insulate behind your waste pipes if possible - looks like there could be a thermal bridge situation.
Thanks for he feedback. Regarding the super seal, I have never head a clicking noise or any noise for that matter. I can see how that could be with other dimpled products which have much larger dimples and higher profile. Likewise, I experience zero springiness from the mat itself...with such small, closely aligned dimples and relatively "rigid" material, there has been no such effect. Keep in mind also that in the construction program I have used, there is the subfloor and foam board on top of the mat, so that any load (including really heavy ones) are quite well distributed across the mat (across many many dimples) so these effects have not been realized. This was part of the design intent with this construction.
im inspired... thanks for the tips! i been wanting to finish half of my basement... i just need to get some water proofing done...research has been a pain. a lot of different companies and they all do things a little different and telll you how the other companies are wrong.
I did the same in my last house. I can say that the tyvek wrap on the joints is 100% a waste of time. I did some of mine like that until I realized it was serving no purpose whatsoever. I suppose you got the idea from mike holmes (I did also), but it's pointless for two reasons: 1) The tongue and groove foam joint is going to make a nice seal anyway, as they are squished together 2) Tyvek tape has terrible adhesion to this foam. Put some on and take it off. It pops off. It just doesn't work. If you do need to tape this the metal aluminum tape used on HVAC ducts attaches way better. If you insist on sealing the joints silicone caulk can be used, or spray foam or, the very best idea of all, is to run a thin bead of the PL300 foam glue along the entire length of the joint, thus gluing one sheet to the other.
This is a good video, I would add though, you should tape the back of the joints on the pink rigid foam panels or the water will seep into the joint and up to the tape on the front, then leak down; then the water is on top of the dimple mat. Also, the dimple mat under the stair/landing structure should be reinforced or be a few layers, because over time, tiny vibration and movement of those pieces of wood will rip a hole in something that thin and weak. Good info overall
Thanks for your comments and god ideas. Tough to add tape when installing as that would be between the board and wall so no access, and as I mentioned the tongue/groove joint included a bead of spray fam so there is no/limited gap. Finally if you have such an amount of moisture/water coming through your foundation the all that you have running / dripping concerns then there may be much greater leakage or foundation issue which needs to be addressed first. This design is combat moisture vapor, and not running water.
@@Buffalo-J Agreed. It's quite literally impossible to tape the back of those unless you did them all as one massive monolithic structure, but those joints sealed with foam are going to be good to go.
Hey Buffalo. Did you add rock wool insulation into the rim joist as well, or just the xps? Wondering if it’s needed or would do more harm than good. Thanks for the series.
Boy are you meticulous. Thank you ever so much for the heads up on Super Seal. Just what I was looking for. Plan is to install vinyl plank over concrete slab at ground level. Am in central Florida.
Great video, I'm doing a basement DIY with a stone/boulder foundation in Mass and this might be one of best vids I have seen...I need part 2 before I start my project. My plan so far is to go with rigid foam as my moisture barrier, gluing and sealing it as best as possible to my boulder walls. I'll put that product you used on my concrete floor, frame up the wall and use Roxul for insulation. Since I will be plastering my walls, I may use durock on the first 6' from floor just in case of flooding.
Thanks for the feedback. Rock wool is also a great solution not only for insulation but also to address the fire blocking requirements you may have in your area...that is exactly how I will address it myself. Parts 2 and 3 will be posted shortly....
spray foam contractor here, great job, ts always best to insulate the concrete from the cold then the concrete from the heat. buy the time the concrete crumbles from freeze damage we will be dead .
Around 6:24 you mentioned there was foam board across the rim. Is the rim made of wood? My basement wall is cinder block with a wooden sill on top then the rim joists on top of that. If I do the foam board on top of the sill, I'd be encapsulating the wood with the cinder block.
The sill was pressure treated wood but also with a vapor barrier in between the concrete and the sill which is current standard (at least here :). The wooden sill is inset from the interior edge of the foundation wall so I insulated the exposed concrete up to the sill and then spray foamed. Therefore the sill has not direct contact to the concrete and is still exposed and able to breath on the upper and outer surface.
I just got done stripping the old walls out of my basement, which were furring strips directly nailed to the foundation concrete, with 3/4 inch EPS foam sheets in between them. The furring strips were a bit moldy in some spots, and a couple of the nail holes leak water. I'm hoping to patch up the concrete, than install foam board like you have here. Some people say to have the foam totally air-tight, even on the bottom of the wall. Since future leaks are inevitable no matter what, it seems like it would be better to not have the bottom be sealed up? I plan on building a steel stud wall in front of the foam, with sill sealer between the bottom plate and the floor. Another thing I can't get a straight answer on is whether or not to paint the concrete with sealer before installing the foam. Isn't that going to trap water behind the foam too? And it looks like the mold was growing on the sealer paint, so it seems kinda pointless.
So just a quick reply here because I've addressed this in other comments as well. You do NOT want to paint or try to seal concrete. It will eventually fail and the seal will never hold. On the foam "tight" to the wall, it is actually not very tight; poured concrete is not flat or co-planar, and with only small amounts of adhesive the foam is not air-tight against the walls...likewise,t he point of the dimple mat is exactly to create air and drainage space between then concrete floor and the insulation so that any small moisture you will inevitably get has a place to breathe and drain to...that is the purpose behind any type of basement flooring product.
Good video and nice job. Only question I have is caulking the base of the foundation wall and slab. I think you’d want to leave that open especially if you have a sump system. If any water gets behind the foam it can run down the wall and under the slab
Instead of using caulk for the dimple underlayment, use acoustiseal (its the same black goop that they seal the vapor barrier in a car door. the caulk will fail in 5-7 years, even less if the concrete floor is in an older home where the concrete is directly touching the dirt underneath. Using the acoustiseal will survive the life of the underlayment. In the older home style mentioned above, use the delta or ag foundation wrap as your underlayment to give the 6mm of dimple height. to actually allow the vapour to fan out rather than stay concentrated and cause your concrete to sweat lime over time. Overall, his hybrid setup meets Ontario subgrade building code of R20 for basement walls (realistically, you get r24 once all is said an done)
Thanks for the feedback. Good thought on alternative caulking / sealing products. Regarding the life of the silicone caulk, I can only comment that most manufacturers will state a minimum of 20 years and some longer: the GE product I used claims "lifetime" or for as long as you own your home which they claim up to even 60 years (which you can find here: gesealants.com/product-disclosures-guarantees/ ). On the dimple mat, yes there are other products out they with higher dimples and point taken on lime sweat, however, most of those products also do not have the same load carrying and stiffness characteristics of the product I use which is why I chose the one I did, also to minimize height (overhead loss). Additionally, just as the concrete will wet from underneath in wet conditions, it will also dry the same way quite readily so you don't need much space. Thanks for the comments.
Hello and apologies for delayed reply. It's great. Couldn't be happier. The basement is the most consistently comfortable room in the house from cold frigid winters to hot humid summers...not that I want the basement to be that, being underground and with this design concept it has worked out as good if no better than expected. I do plan to post an update video at some point, just haven't found the time yet to film and edit with work, kids, and family :). Hopefully soon.
This is VERY helpful, thank you! I’d like to do this as well. The on,y difference is that I have a floating slab. How should I handle the vapor/moisture insulation on the floor if I have a floating slab instead?
Hello and thanks for the comment. I'm not quite certain what you mean about a floating slab as with most concrete foundations the slab floor in the basement is floating to some degree albeit it is butted up against the foundation walls. Or are you possibly speaking about a slab foundation and no basement?
Would you elaborate further on which version of Great Stuff product did you use to seal between the insulation panels? Did you have any problems with the foam expanding and pushing the foamular panels apart?
It is the basic Great Stuff and no issues with the foam expanding and causing a problem. Keep in mind the goal was not to load the joint with the spray foam, just a small thin bead on the tongue/groove to get a seal. The tongue/groove in the foam board is not a machined tight fit and there is plenty of gap/space for the small bead of foam to expand and also squeeze out between the flat parts of the board joints.
Hey man, project is looking great. I'm going to be doing the same exact thing to my basement in Connecticut. I was wondering what to do about the staircase touching the floor and this helped alot. Any tips on attaching the bottom plates to a simple floor with foam board above it? Hoping part 2 is in the works!
Thanks for the feedback. The walls will be built on top of the sub-floor and I'm using deck screw to attach the bottom plates. The sub-floor system of dimple-mat, then foam, then sub-floor is a floating system as you do not want to drill or anchor through the foam and dimple-mat otherwise you completely compromise the water and vapor barrier you just created. The poured concrete basement floor is pitched towards the sump and generally not so flat anyway so the wall studs will be somewhat different lengths along the walls. I'll show and describe all of this in more details in Part 2 which will be up soon.
That sounds like a great idea. Thank you for that. In a way, the walls will keep the subfloor from moving or shifting because the bottom plates will be screwed to it and then attached to floor joist or blocking up on top. I like where this is going and look forward to the next video. You definitely just helped me out because I didn't want any breaks being in the dimple flooring either.
Hey, another quick question...what did you do behind your electrical panel? Did you pull it away from the wall and put foam behind it? If so, did you use long tapcons to connect the plywood to the wall through the foam?
mikecampanella1990: sorry for the delay. At this time I did not move the existing OSB board behind the electrical box, and plan to deal with that later when I am running electrical. However, the box is located in a “closet” that has a full height door and will therefore not be “enclosed” behind a wall....therefore I may not need to do anything to it immediately....still TBD. But it is bare wood in contact with concrete so I may take it down and coat the back side or put up a thin barrier.....
In an older home, would it be a good idea to Drylock the walls and floors first along with caulk the wall/floor seam prior to drylock to create that initial seal before doing this? Also, I have concrete block walls .. does that change anything with the wall setup? Thanks!!
Thanks but I disagree. I have replied to a number on comments asking or suggesting a sealant / paint (i.e. DryLock), and this has been proven to be a poor long term idea which can cause greater issues. The concrete needs to breath. Please refer to other comments and the referenced materials which describe this issue.
What are your thought on putting DRYLOK prior to the foamboard on cinderblock wall. No moisture issues and sump pump already installed. Looking to go above and beyond for future issues
Answered this same question many times so shows how common that is. Paints / coatings will not last on concrete and will eventually fail and lead to moisture penetration, and once the walls are covered up you can no longer maintain it. The concrete also needs to breath and coating prevent that which actually exacerbates the moisture problem. Lots more info out there on this topic.
The diple may seems like a good idea. The water wont make it to your sump unless the floor is perfectly sloped to the basket. Likely you have some areas of high and low throughout.
Thanks for your comment. Keep in mind the dimple mat also allows the concrete floor to breath, and so this will eventually drain to the sump via floor slope if there is enough water, or absorb back through the concrete as the concrete dries, or evaporate through breathing.
No need to spray or adhere the back of the foam board. Board should be cut to size or close to it, then the spray around the perimeter holds it well in place.
Hello, doing the same to my basement now. I am going with dmx dimple, 2 inch XP’s, SLEEPERS, Then ply to basically make my first basement step disappear instead of being left with a 3 inch fist step. (9ft ceiling). My question is can I install 2x4 sleepers vertical, on end, 16 on center and not worry about compression of the foam under the 1.5 inch 2x on end? My walls are old school cinder block and I am carbon fiber strapping one bowed section as well. And going with the non breathable- sealed approach to all walls and floors w radon seal, drylock, floor sealer. 1 inch XP’s on walls. Radon’s high here as well as the water table. 2 sump pits w French drain. 700 feet of backyard French drain has helped tremendously.
To give you a specific answer regarding your sleepers, you would need to calculate your expected maximum load you might see at any on sleeper and what that translates to at the 1.5" cross section of the stud on top of the foam. The foam you use will have a compressive strength limit; I used Foamular 250 which is 25 psi. However I also used a subfloor directly on top of the foam so this means any load point (like a foot from piece of furniture, a human foot, etc. etc.) will be distributed through the subfloor to a greater area of the foam so the foam stays lightly loaded at all times. In you case, you would have fairly concentrated loads at each stud so I suspect you will have significant risk of crushing / damaging / springing effect through the foam. In the end this can all be determined through calculations....if you are not comfortable in how to handle that contact a civil or construction engineer.
Buffalo J Thanks, I decided to have a new set of stairs ordered instead of the sleepers. The cost is a wash. About $400 for carpet ready pine stairs/skirt board/treads. Thanks for your reply.
Not sure I have a definitive comment for you other than if you have any moisture / condensation potential (i.e. interior temp can drop below the moisture dewpoint) and/or you have water leaking issues in your foundation, then I would suggest a similar system but you could probably go lighter on the insulation value. Otherwise not sure why you would insulate if it is already war, and no water / moisture concern.
Do not paint or seal concrete. There is plenty of info out there but concrete by nature is always wet and any type of sealing will in the long term be a futile effort and possibly cause more problems. Concrete needs to breath.
Answered this same question many times so shows how common that is. Paints / coatings will not last on concrete and will eventually fail and lead to moisture penetration, and once the walls are covered up you can no longer maintain it. The concrete also needs to breath and coating prevent that which actually exacerbates the moisture problem. Lots more info out there on this topic.
Same, I've seen many UA-cam basement rigid foam wall builds that don't appear to have any vertical or horizontal fire blocking that is often required by code. I'm not a big "rule and regulation" guy, but if finishing a basement I advise looking into the code for fire blocking to avoid headaches down the road.
insulating with foam board the rim joints (as shown with his flashlight) and leaving it exposed is not to code, at least in my area (not sure where you live). Foam board must be covered/finished with drywall. Foam Board gives off rapid toxic and suffocating fumes and must be covered in case of fire. Check you local codes.
@@DeeInTheHouse Yes, you're right. None of the foam is exposed .....keep in mind this is part 1 which addresses only the insulation & moisture proofing of walls...this is far from the finished basement.
@@DeeInTheHouse Yes, you're right. None of the foam is exposed .....keep in mind this is part 1 which addresses only the insulation & moisture proofing of walls...this is far from the finished basement.
Researching this currently but most videos show a poured smooth foundation finish. I have a poured foundation with the brick like finish can I still make an appropriate seal?
You foundation should not matter. The concept is the same regardless. Although your more rough foundation may require more measuring and layout work to get things square and also to keep the foam up against the walls...see the other videos I have done on framing.
Honestly, no. It's been working excellently. The basement is far warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than I ever expected...in fact it's the mots stable / comfortable room ion the house because it's always at the right temp....makes me think we should build houses underground normally ! :) No issues whatsoever with moisture, and despite this construction having the potential for small deflection due to thermal changes, etc., I have seen zero cracking in drywall (but I also used really good corner beading as well).
That's interesting but a very different situation. I suggest consulting with other water proofing and/or HVAC professionals about your case to understand if this would even work...that's a lot of moisture you're trying to control as anything you condense out I assume will go back to the drain and then have a chance to just vaporize again. My only other comments are that you should do a little more research about creating your vapor barrier on the back of the framed wall side and not against your foundation...otherwise you're kind of defeating the purpose. Also suggest plan for easy access to that for maintenance of the equipment if you do this.
@@Buffalo-J thank you. We were considering using 2 inches of closed cell spray foam on the cinder block down to the french drain as well that should stop the vapor. But we still leave that gap in case the french drain fails. It leads into a sump pump and hasn't failed yet
@@Officialbillyd23 Hi, I have the same basement as yours (HVAC, sump pump, 2 inch french drain). Did you finish your basement and how did you control moisture? Thank you.
I've been considering the same approach in my basement. The concrete floor and wall in this design are exposed to ambient air via the opening near the sump pump, and in my case also via an unfinished portion of the basement. Do you have any concerns about this?
None at all, in fact it's best to have the concrete be able to breath a bit, but you don't necessarily need to do that internally; if you have concrete exposed on the exterior of the home that allows allows a chance for the concrete to vent excess moisture it may accumulate. The key on the interior is that the concrete is NOT covered with materials which are organic which will then wick that excess moisture from the concrete but not be able to dry and then you get mold and mildew growth. Concrete which is exposed internal and not covered is no problem at all, it simply breathes to the ambient air in the home and you need some moisture in the air you breath...hence why dry climate need humidifiers :).
I have added a number of responses to comments about sealants / paints on concrete which is not a good idea. Please have a look on those comments if you are still interested.
insulating with foam board the rim joints (as shown with your flashlight) and leaving it exposed is not to code, at least in my area (not sure where you live). Foam board must be covered/finished with drywall. Foam Board gives off rapid toxic and suffocating fumes and must be covered in case of fire. Check you local codes.
Thanks for the reply. Yes leaving XPS foam exposed is not code and it is not exposed. All you are seeing in this video is the insulation and not the finished wall and ceiling spaces after fire blocking.
I get why you thought it was a good idea to seal off the top with your foam, but it is actually working against you. You don't want to completely seal off an area that collects moisture. You want it segregated from your living space, but you do absolutely want a path from your floor joists and band board to the damp air space, under the floor, and back out to the other side. This allows the space to dry out and prevent nasty mold and a bunch of moisture from being trapped around your finished space. Instead, run your foam board straight up in to the joists and maintain a 1/8" to 1/4" gap between your foam and the block wall using 4 big globs of glue on each corner. You can then spray foam around the gaps between your joists and subfloor above. Your moisture trapped behind the foam and in the concrete pad will then wick to the joist tails and band board, where the outside air can keep it dry and pull it away. Hope this helps.
The sill was pressure treated wood but also with a vapor barrier in between the concrete and the sill which is current standard (at least here :). The wooden sill is inset from the interior edge of the foundation wall so I insulated the exposed concrete up to the sill and then spray foamed to the sill so the concrete is sealed which is what you want. Therefore the sill has not direct contact to the concrete and is still exposed and able to breath on the upper and outer surface.
I was looking at a similar solution, but then this video (ua-cam.com/video/kwn0Vjw_ji0/v-deo.html) made me worried that trapping that moisture would push it up into my sill plate/rim joist. Do you think the exposed upper foundation wall that you mentioned is enough to mitigate that?
First apologies for the delay in this reply. Great question and that is a great video you referenced; I've watched that myself long before I started this project. I recommend watching for any who haven't. My first answer to your question is home construction should include a capillary break between the foundation and the sill plate specifically to avoid what you are referring to as both concrete and wood are porous and wick water well. This is also why sill plates should be pressure treated. If your foundation does not have a capillary break and is not pressure treated then you likely already face this problem regardless if you aim to moisture proof your interior, and the wicking wont stop at he sill, it will move up through your framing as well. in such a case you should probably consult a local expert or inspector to get an opinion on your specific case. The foundation, surrounding soil, and atmosphere above the soil are always working to find equilibriums with their relative water saturation state. The foundation below the soil surface will absorb water from the soil when the soil contains more relative moisture, and likewise the foundation above the soil (and on the inside of your home) will work to discharge moisture to the drier air and to the sill, plate if in direct contact. In my own builds we have capillary breaks between the foundation and sill and/or pressure treated sill.
Unfortunately, no I don't :(....just a great product which took me a long time to find and very pleased with how it turned out. Most all other competitive products are either substantially thicker and so you loose head-room and/or are integrated with a sub-floor which then defeats the purpose of a vapor barrier. ...but thanks for your comment :)
I wonder if you're referring to Tyvek wrap in which you are correct is not a vapor barrier itself as it is designed to breath. However Tyvek tape is polypropylene and is waterproof. From the DuPont website: "Tyvek® Tape is strong, easy to use, and highly waterproof. It is constructed of an oriented polypropylene film, coated with a specially formulated permanent acrylic adhesive". Regardless, the primary sealing between the foam joints is the spray foam.
I'm referring mostly to the adhesive portion of the tape. Moisture will propagate through the adhesive joint in Tyvek tape when attempting to utilize it for sealing purposes. You did mention "house wrap" when you were talking about the tape, which led me to comment, and people need to know Tyvek is not meant to be a moisture barrier. Nor should Tyvek tape be considered a good moisture barrier as it was not designed for this purpose due to the normal eventual separating effect of typical saturated tape adhesives, even when they are "specially formulated." Nonetheless, your spray foam in the joints in this particular project took care of it anyway. Great job overall.
@@Cotronixco Thanks, and sorry for delayed reply. And agreed. The tape is more of a belt to the suspenders which was the spray foam between the joints. I would use a different tape if I needed only for moisture barrier, but this was more to hold the panels and joints in place while foam does the heavy lifting on moisture barrier. The Tyvek tape doesn't seem to hold a solid long term bond to the foam anyway.
Thanks, but I personally disagree as most Polyiso products will require fixing methods to the foundation which would require compromise of the vapor barrier (i.e. anchors through the material) or otherwise will require additional work to ensure any such compromise is again addressed to re-establish a complete 100% barrier. Likewise some Polyiso products may have organic materials in the backings which is in direct conflict with what we are aiming to achieve on this indoor mold/mildew resistant application, sop buyers need to be careful. Finally there are studies which show Polyiso performs worse than other products the colder it gets. These are my opinions based on research and experience, but everyone will have their own. For the benefit of anyone else reading please do your own research and make you best educated decision between XPS, EPS, and Polyiso. Some references you might use as follows: www.owenscorning.com/NetworkShare/EIS/10019950-FOAMULAR-XPS-vs-Poly-FAQ.pdf www.ecohome.net/guides/2254/polyisocyanurate-foam-is-a-hot-new-building-product-learn-where-and-where-not-to-use-it/ www.wconline.com/articles/87430-the-finish-line-eps-vs-polyisocyanurate-insulation#:~:text=EPS%20boards%20are%20homogenous%20EPS,act%20as%20a%20vapor%20barrier.
just making it work and last well for the lifetime of the home, its contents, and the family. Maybe looks like a lot of work and some cost, but really not that expensive when doing it on your own and is by far better than any design concept you will get commercially. Glad you like it.
This is one of THE best video series for finishing your basement. Meticulous and perfect execution. If you want to a bomb proof basement that will stand the test of time, follow this guys series.
Thank you for your comments. I agree and admit that when I do a project for my home and family I want it to last and also retain the value for the future, so tend more towards brick $#!? houses. Hope this is useful for everyone watching.
Thank you. Everyone has an opinion. I have had a few framers come in they made me feel stupid for wanting to have them frame on top of the floating subfloor. Needless to say I will not be hiring them. I plan to do the whole project myself with the exception of framing with little experience. Anyone out there looking to do the same this guys videos are backed by science not a contractors “cheapest or fastest way to get the job done while still charging you more for an inferior installation. All of this guys methods have been talked about in detail in very nerdy building science articles. Most people don’t dig that deep into the details. I did and it was boring and took a long time to reach the same conclusions this guy did. Thank you Buffalo Bill. Extremely underrated video series and have no idea why this doesn’t have many more views than it does.
This is unbelievably helpful. I’ve been looking at Fine Homebuilding, This Old House, Matt Risinger, and a bunch of others who have all shown various parts of what you’ve done here.
I was trying to piece it all together for a comprehensive plan, then came across your video. Awesome to see you’ve basically done just that and figured it out for me!
Thanks for feedback. Good luck with your project.
Super informative. This is by far one of the better vids with reasonable explanations. Covers everything! Caulk. Adhesives, tapes, foams, etc.
Glad it was helpful!
Great attention to detail. Do your homework, take your time .the best contractor is yourself. Believe me .
Thanks 👍
If your walls sweat humidity or water, then don't you need to apply horizontal lines with the adhesive only vertical or put dots.
Good comment.
Looks good... and love the concise, detailed explanations. Starting to work on a similar project myself.. after the digout is done :-/ 100% agree on the advice not to use liquid-applied coatings. I just ground off ~500 sq/ft of the stuff which had completely failed (thanks previous homeowner!)
Couple ideas for others watching this and looking for possible improvements:
1. Consider using EPS rather than XPS - it is much more environmentally friendly as no HFCs are involved in the mfg process. In addition, EPS will not retain moisture as long as XPS after being exposed (and you know it will be sooner or later.) And finally, while EPS has slightly lower R value, the two will most likely be identical in a few years after all the blowing agents have leached out of the XPS. Polyiso would have an even better R value, but is not a good option where moisture is a concern.
2. A thin layer of gardening/landscape fabric (weed barrier) under the dimple mat will prevent the 'clicking' noise of the mat hitting the concrete when stepped on, which a lot of people seem to complain about. (Or looks like maybe superseal carries a combo product?)
3. You could use 6 mil (or higher if worried about durability) poly under the stair supports so you don't have to worry about 'springiness' of the dimples. Another option would be products used for sill plate sealing/isolation, or butyl / epdm membranes.
4. Insulate behind your waste pipes if possible - looks like there could be a thermal bridge situation.
Thanks for he feedback. Regarding the super seal, I have never head a clicking noise or any noise for that matter. I can see how that could be with other dimpled products which have much larger dimples and higher profile. Likewise, I experience zero springiness from the mat itself...with such small, closely aligned dimples and relatively "rigid" material, there has been no such effect. Keep in mind also that in the construction program I have used, there is the subfloor and foam board on top of the mat, so that any load (including really heavy ones) are quite well distributed across the mat (across many many dimples) so these effects have not been realized. This was part of the design intent with this construction.
im inspired... thanks for the tips! i been wanting to finish half of my basement... i just need to get some water proofing done...research has been a pain. a lot of different companies and they all do things a little different and telll you how the other companies are wrong.
thanks for the explanation, the detail about the foot or more of concrete above allowing to dry was crucial to my knowledge
Thanks for the feedback. Good luck with your project.
Great video ! Thanks for making and sharing it !
Bump for the algorithm. great video.
I did the same in my last house. I can say that the tyvek wrap on the joints is 100% a waste of time. I did some of mine like that until I realized it was serving no purpose whatsoever. I suppose you got the idea from mike holmes (I did also), but it's pointless for two reasons:
1) The tongue and groove foam joint is going to make a nice seal anyway, as they are squished together
2) Tyvek tape has terrible adhesion to this foam. Put some on and take it off. It pops off. It just doesn't work. If you do need to tape this the metal aluminum tape used on HVAC ducts attaches way better.
If you insist on sealing the joints silicone caulk can be used, or spray foam or, the very best idea of all, is to run a thin bead of the PL300 foam glue along the entire length of the joint, thus gluing one sheet to the other.
This is a good video, I would add though, you should tape the back of the joints on the pink rigid foam panels or the water will seep into the joint and up to the tape on the front, then leak down; then the water is on top of the dimple mat. Also, the dimple mat under the stair/landing structure should be reinforced or be a few layers, because over time, tiny vibration and movement of those pieces of wood will rip a hole in something that thin and weak.
Good info overall
Thanks for your comments and god ideas. Tough to add tape when installing as that would be between the board and wall so no access, and as I mentioned the tongue/groove joint included a bead of spray fam so there is no/limited gap. Finally if you have such an amount of moisture/water coming through your foundation the all that you have running / dripping concerns then there may be much greater leakage or foundation issue which needs to be addressed first. This design is combat moisture vapor, and not running water.
@@Buffalo-J Agreed. It's quite literally impossible to tape the back of those unless you did them all as one massive monolithic structure, but those joints sealed with foam are going to be good to go.
Hey Buffalo. Did you add rock wool insulation into the rim joist as well, or just the xps? Wondering if it’s needed or would do more harm than good. Thanks for the series.
Built a kid’s playhouse under the staircase, with a small counter . Looks cool
Great idea
Boy are you meticulous. Thank you ever so much for the heads up on Super Seal. Just what I was looking for. Plan is to install vinyl plank over concrete slab at ground level. Am in central Florida.
Meena devi dasi: thanks!
Great video, I'm doing a basement DIY with a stone/boulder foundation in Mass and this might be one of best vids I have seen...I need part 2 before I start my project. My plan so far is to go with rigid foam as my moisture barrier, gluing and sealing it as best as possible to my boulder walls. I'll put that product you used on my concrete floor, frame up the wall and use Roxul for insulation. Since I will be plastering my walls, I may use durock on the first 6' from floor just in case of flooding.
Thanks for the feedback. Rock wool is also a great solution not only for insulation but also to address the fire blocking requirements you may have in your area...that is exactly how I will address it myself. Parts 2 and 3 will be posted shortly....
spray foam contractor here, great job, ts always best to insulate the concrete from the cold then the concrete from the heat. buy the time the concrete crumbles from freeze damage we will be dead .
Thank you.
Great video bud. Very well put together.
John L: thanks!
Around 6:24 you mentioned there was foam board across the rim. Is the rim made of wood? My basement wall is cinder block with a wooden sill on top then the rim joists on top of that. If I do the foam board on top of the sill, I'd be encapsulating the wood with the cinder block.
The sill was pressure treated wood but also with a vapor barrier in between the concrete and the sill which is current standard (at least here :). The wooden sill is inset from the interior edge of the foundation wall so I insulated the exposed concrete up to the sill and then spray foamed. Therefore the sill has not direct contact to the concrete and is still exposed and able to breath on the upper and outer surface.
Amazing video, step by step in detail. Just subscribed your channel. Thank you
I just got done stripping the old walls out of my basement, which were furring strips directly nailed to the foundation concrete, with 3/4 inch EPS foam sheets in between them. The furring strips were a bit moldy in some spots, and a couple of the nail holes leak water. I'm hoping to patch up the concrete, than install foam board like you have here.
Some people say to have the foam totally air-tight, even on the bottom of the wall. Since future leaks are inevitable no matter what, it seems like it would be better to not have the bottom be sealed up? I plan on building a steel stud wall in front of the foam, with sill sealer between the bottom plate and the floor.
Another thing I can't get a straight answer on is whether or not to paint the concrete with sealer before installing the foam. Isn't that going to trap water behind the foam too? And it looks like the mold was growing on the sealer paint, so it seems kinda pointless.
So just a quick reply here because I've addressed this in other comments as well. You do NOT want to paint or try to seal concrete. It will eventually fail and the seal will never hold. On the foam "tight" to the wall, it is actually not very tight; poured concrete is not flat or co-planar, and with only small amounts of adhesive the foam is not air-tight against the walls...likewise,t he point of the dimple mat is exactly to create air and drainage space between then concrete floor and the insulation so that any small moisture you will inevitably get has a place to breathe and drain to...that is the purpose behind any type of basement flooring product.
Good video and nice job. Only question I have is caulking the base of the foundation wall and slab. I think you’d want to leave that open especially if you have a sump system. If any water gets behind the foam it can run down the wall and under the slab
Yeah, but otherwise ground moisture can come up thru that gap, along with soil gases.
Agreed with @stephencosta6373.
...and the design is to allow any moistrue to stay behind the foam and under the dimple matt, not on top.
Instead of using caulk for the dimple underlayment, use acoustiseal (its the same black goop that they seal the vapor barrier in a car door. the caulk will fail in 5-7 years, even less if the concrete floor is in an older home where the concrete is directly touching the dirt underneath. Using the acoustiseal will survive the life of the underlayment. In the older home style mentioned above, use the delta or ag foundation wrap as your underlayment to give the 6mm of dimple height. to actually allow the vapour to fan out rather than stay concentrated and cause your concrete to sweat lime over time. Overall, his hybrid setup meets Ontario subgrade building code of R20 for basement walls (realistically, you get r24 once all is said an done)
Thanks for the feedback. Good thought on alternative caulking / sealing products. Regarding the life of the silicone caulk, I can only comment that most manufacturers will state a minimum of 20 years and some longer: the GE product I used claims "lifetime" or for as long as you own your home which they claim up to even 60 years (which you can find here: gesealants.com/product-disclosures-guarantees/ ). On the dimple mat, yes there are other products out they with higher dimples and point taken on lime sweat, however, most of those products also do not have the same load carrying and stiffness characteristics of the product I use which is why I chose the one I did, also to minimize height (overhead loss). Additionally, just as the concrete will wet from underneath in wet conditions, it will also dry the same way quite readily so you don't need much space. Thanks for the comments.
Use the Owens Corning foamular tape. It's definitely different from the rest and better.
agreed.
Really liking this video and method. After a few years of you having it all done, how's it holding up? Thanks!
Hello and apologies for delayed reply. It's great. Couldn't be happier. The basement is the most consistently comfortable room in the house from cold frigid winters to hot humid summers...not that I want the basement to be that, being underground and with this design concept it has worked out as good if no better than expected. I do plan to post an update video at some point, just haven't found the time yet to film and edit with work, kids, and family :). Hopefully soon.
This is VERY helpful, thank you! I’d like to do this as well. The on,y difference is that I have a floating slab. How should I handle the vapor/moisture insulation on the floor if I have a floating slab instead?
Hello and thanks for the comment. I'm not quite certain what you mean about a floating slab as with most concrete foundations the slab floor in the basement is floating to some degree albeit it is butted up against the foundation walls. Or are you possibly speaking about a slab foundation and no basement?
Would you elaborate further on which version of Great Stuff product did you use to seal between the insulation panels? Did you have any problems with the foam expanding and pushing the foamular panels apart?
It is the basic Great Stuff and no issues with the foam expanding and causing a problem. Keep in mind the goal was not to load the joint with the spray foam, just a small thin bead on the tongue/groove to get a seal. The tongue/groove in the foam board is not a machined tight fit and there is plenty of gap/space for the small bead of foam to expand and also squeeze out between the flat parts of the board joints.
Hey man, project is looking great. I'm going to be doing the same exact thing to my basement in Connecticut. I was wondering what to do about the staircase touching the floor and this helped alot. Any tips on attaching the bottom plates to a simple floor with foam board above it? Hoping part 2 is in the works!
Thanks for the feedback. The walls will be built on top of the sub-floor and I'm using deck screw to attach the bottom plates. The sub-floor system of dimple-mat, then foam, then sub-floor is a floating system as you do not want to drill or anchor through the foam and dimple-mat otherwise you completely compromise the water and vapor barrier you just created. The poured concrete basement floor is pitched towards the sump and generally not so flat anyway so the wall studs will be somewhat different lengths along the walls. I'll show and describe all of this in more details in Part 2 which will be up soon.
That sounds like a great idea. Thank you for that. In a way, the walls will keep the subfloor from moving or shifting because the bottom plates will be screwed to it and then attached to floor joist or blocking up on top. I like where this is going and look forward to the next video. You definitely just helped me out because I didn't want any breaks being in the dimple flooring either.
Hey, another quick question...what did you do behind your electrical panel? Did you pull it away from the wall and put foam behind it? If so, did you use long tapcons to connect the plywood to the wall through the foam?
mikecampanella1990: sorry for the delay. At this time I did not move the existing OSB board behind the electrical box, and plan to deal with that later when I am running electrical. However, the box is located in a “closet” that has a full height door and will therefore not be “enclosed” behind a wall....therefore I may not need to do anything to it immediately....still TBD. But it is bare wood in contact with concrete so I may take it down and coat the back side or put up a thin barrier.....
Great video!
Thanks!
Had me bobbin my head to the guitar 🎸. Lol
Glad someone likes the music :) don't need it but also have dull dead air. Get plenty of trolls hatin' on the music :)
In an older home, would it be a good idea to Drylock the walls and floors first along with caulk the wall/floor seam prior to drylock to create that initial seal before doing this? Also, I have concrete block walls .. does that change anything with the wall setup? Thanks!!
Thanks but I disagree. I have replied to a number on comments asking or suggesting a sealant / paint (i.e. DryLock), and this has been proven to be a poor long term idea which can cause greater issues. The concrete needs to breath. Please refer to other comments and the referenced materials which describe this issue.
What are your thought on putting DRYLOK prior to the foamboard on cinderblock wall. No moisture issues and sump pump already installed. Looking to go above and beyond for future issues
Answered this same question many times so shows how common that is. Paints / coatings will not last on concrete and will eventually fail and lead to moisture penetration, and once the walls are covered up you can no longer maintain it. The concrete also needs to breath and coating prevent that which actually exacerbates the moisture problem. Lots more info out there on this topic.
I thank you for this video! 😀 I would like to add as a friendly addition, have you considered painting the 2x4s almost as if they were canoe paddles?
Appreciate the comment, but not sure what you mean by "canoe paddles" ????
The diple may seems like a good idea. The water wont make it to your sump unless the floor is perfectly sloped to the basket. Likely you have some areas of high and low throughout.
Thanks for your comment. Keep in mind the dimple mat also allows the concrete floor to breath, and so this will eventually drain to the sump via floor slope if there is enough water, or absorb back through the concrete as the concrete dries, or evaporate through breathing.
Can you explain how and what you used to raise the existing staircase structure?
Did not raise the staircase other than setting it on top of the dimple mat described in Video #2: ua-cam.com/video/En3cNd-C29A/v-deo.html
For the rim joist , Should I use spray foam in behind the Foam board FIRST, then stick on the board?
No need to spray or adhere the back of the foam board. Board should be cut to size or close to it, then the spray around the perimeter holds it well in place.
@@Buffalo-J Thank you~
Hello, doing the same to my basement now. I am going with dmx dimple, 2 inch XP’s, SLEEPERS, Then ply to basically make my first basement step disappear instead of being left with a 3 inch fist step. (9ft ceiling). My question is can I install 2x4 sleepers vertical, on end, 16 on center and not worry about compression of the foam under the 1.5 inch 2x on end? My walls are old school cinder block and I am carbon fiber strapping one bowed section as well. And going with the non breathable- sealed approach to all walls and floors w radon seal, drylock, floor sealer. 1 inch XP’s on walls. Radon’s high here as well as the water table. 2 sump pits w French drain. 700 feet of backyard French drain has helped tremendously.
To give you a specific answer regarding your sleepers, you would need to calculate your expected maximum load you might see at any on sleeper and what that translates to at the 1.5" cross section of the stud on top of the foam. The foam you use will have a compressive strength limit; I used Foamular 250 which is 25 psi. However I also used a subfloor directly on top of the foam so this means any load point (like a foot from piece of furniture, a human foot, etc. etc.) will be distributed through the subfloor to a greater area of the foam so the foam stays lightly loaded at all times. In you case, you would have fairly concentrated loads at each stud so I suspect you will have significant risk of crushing / damaging / springing effect through the foam. In the end this can all be determined through calculations....if you are not comfortable in how to handle that contact a civil or construction engineer.
Buffalo J
Thanks,
I decided to have a new set of stairs ordered instead of the sleepers. The cost is a wash. About $400 for carpet ready pine stairs/skirt board/treads.
Thanks for your reply.
Great video! Did you spray foam the bottom of your foam boards to achieve an air seal? Or have you left them open? Thanks in advance.
open
What kind of basement wall insulation would you use in southern climate? The coldest basement temp has been 52 degrees and hottest has been 72.
Not sure I have a definitive comment for you other than if you have any moisture / condensation potential (i.e. interior temp can drop below the moisture dewpoint) and/or you have water leaking issues in your foundation, then I would suggest a similar system but you could probably go lighter on the insulation value. Otherwise not sure why you would insulate if it is already war, and no water / moisture concern.
Is that super seal the double dimple version….? Looks as tho it is,
It is dimpled on one side (bottom) and flat on the other (top).
@@Buffalo-J I see, thanks.
I accidentally ordered their other dimple mat product. Hope it’s just as good it is a little thicker…
It worked great! But harder to cut and probably worse than their other version for heating.
is there any need to paint or seal the concrete walls prior to installing the Polystyrene?
Do not paint or seal concrete. There is plenty of info out there but concrete by nature is always wet and any type of sealing will in the long term be a futile effort and possibly cause more problems. Concrete needs to breath.
Hopefully you did the waterproofing right with Locktight
Answered this same question many times so shows how common that is. Paints / coatings will not last on concrete and will eventually fail and lead to moisture penetration, and once the walls are covered up you can no longer maintain it. The concrete also needs to breath and coating prevent that which actually exacerbates the moisture problem. Lots more info out there on this topic.
Do you need Fire blocking by code in your city ?
I hope i didn't miss this, but how did you address fire blocking requirements?
Same, I've seen many UA-cam basement rigid foam wall builds that don't appear to have any vertical or horizontal fire blocking that is often required by code. I'm not a big "rule and regulation" guy, but if finishing a basement I advise looking into the code for fire blocking to avoid headaches down the road.
@@bigworldparty Foam Board gives off rapid smouldering toxic and suffocating fumes and must be covered in case of fire. Check you local codes.
insulating with foam board the rim joints (as shown with his flashlight) and leaving it exposed is not to code, at least in my area (not sure where you live). Foam board must be covered/finished with drywall. Foam Board gives off rapid toxic and suffocating fumes and must be covered in case of fire. Check you local codes.
@@DeeInTheHouse Yes, you're right. None of the foam is exposed .....keep in mind this is part 1 which addresses only the insulation & moisture proofing of walls...this is far from the finished basement.
@@DeeInTheHouse Yes, you're right. None of the foam is exposed .....keep in mind this is part 1 which addresses only the insulation & moisture proofing of walls...this is far from the finished basement.
Researching this currently but most videos show a poured smooth foundation finish. I have a poured foundation with the brick like finish can I still make an appropriate seal?
You foundation should not matter. The concept is the same regardless. Although your more rough foundation may require more measuring and layout work to get things square and also to keep the foam up against the walls...see the other videos I have done on framing.
Would you have changed anything you did with vapor barrier and insulation after living with it for some years now?
Honestly, no. It's been working excellently. The basement is far warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than I ever expected...in fact it's the mots stable / comfortable room ion the house because it's always at the right temp....makes me think we should build houses underground normally ! :) No issues whatsoever with moisture, and despite this construction having the potential for small deflection due to thermal changes, etc., I have seen zero cracking in drywall (but I also used really good corner beading as well).
I have an interior french drain. Would be okay to have studs 18 inches from drywall and the the dehumidifier behind the unfished part?
That's interesting but a very different situation. I suggest consulting with other water proofing and/or HVAC professionals about your case to understand if this would even work...that's a lot of moisture you're trying to control as anything you condense out I assume will go back to the drain and then have a chance to just vaporize again. My only other comments are that you should do a little more research about creating your vapor barrier on the back of the framed wall side and not against your foundation...otherwise you're kind of defeating the purpose. Also suggest plan for easy access to that for maintenance of the equipment if you do this.
@@Buffalo-J thank you. We were considering using 2 inches of closed cell spray foam on the cinder block down to the french drain as well that should stop the vapor. But we still leave that gap in case the french drain fails. It leads into a sump pump and hasn't failed yet
@@Officialbillyd23 Hi, I have the same basement as yours (HVAC, sump pump, 2 inch french drain). Did you finish your basement and how did you control moisture? Thank you.
What kind of dimple mat is that?
Super Seal. Links in the description.
I've been considering the same approach in my basement. The concrete floor and wall in this design are exposed to ambient air via the opening near the sump pump, and in my case also via an unfinished portion of the basement. Do you have any concerns about this?
None at all, in fact it's best to have the concrete be able to breath a bit, but you don't necessarily need to do that internally; if you have concrete exposed on the exterior of the home that allows allows a chance for the concrete to vent excess moisture it may accumulate. The key on the interior is that the concrete is NOT covered with materials which are organic which will then wick that excess moisture from the concrete but not be able to dry and then you get mold and mildew growth. Concrete which is exposed internal and not covered is no problem at all, it simply breathes to the ambient air in the home and you need some moisture in the air you breath...hence why dry climate need humidifiers :).
This is exactly how I did my basement I also used a sealant paint on the concrete wall before glueing the boards
I have added a number of responses to comments about sealants / paints on concrete which is not a good idea. Please have a look on those comments if you are still interested.
Great video what was the cost of the dimple mat?
You can find current costs at the manufacturer's website here: www.superseal.ca/
What kind if spray foam is good for foamboard in the seam?
A spray foam which is compatible with XPS, EPS and similar rigid foams will work fine. I used DuPount Great Stuff.
insulating with foam board the rim joints (as shown with your flashlight) and leaving it exposed is not to code, at least in my area (not sure where you live). Foam board must be covered/finished with drywall. Foam Board gives off rapid toxic and suffocating fumes and must be covered in case of fire. Check you local codes.
Thanks for the reply. Yes leaving XPS foam exposed is not code and it is not exposed. All you are seeing in this video is the insulation and not the finished wall and ceiling spaces after fire blocking.
Thank you so much 😀😀😀😀
You're welcome. Hope it was useful!
The video is great, but the music is distracting.
Thanks for the feedback. ...and apologies for the very belated reply.
I get why you thought it was a good idea to seal off the top with your foam, but it is actually working against you. You don't want to completely seal off an area that collects moisture. You want it segregated from your living space, but you do absolutely want a path from your floor joists and band board to the damp air space, under the floor, and back out to the other side. This allows the space to dry out and prevent nasty mold and a bunch of moisture from being trapped around your finished space.
Instead, run your foam board straight up in to the joists and maintain a 1/8" to 1/4" gap between your foam and the block wall using 4 big globs of glue on each corner. You can then spray foam around the gaps between your joists and subfloor above. Your moisture trapped behind the foam and in the concrete pad will then wick to the joist tails and band board, where the outside air can keep it dry and pull it away. Hope this helps.
The sill was pressure treated wood but also with a vapor barrier in between the concrete and the sill which is current standard (at least here :). The wooden sill is inset from the interior edge of the foundation wall so I insulated the exposed concrete up to the sill and then spray foamed to the sill so the concrete is sealed which is what you want. Therefore the sill has not direct contact to the concrete and is still exposed and able to breath on the upper and outer surface.
Holy over-kill!!
Thanks, and yes, ....been very happy with the end result, and better than many other systems I've seen.
I was looking at a similar solution, but then this video (ua-cam.com/video/kwn0Vjw_ji0/v-deo.html) made me worried that trapping that moisture would push it up into my sill plate/rim joist. Do you think the exposed upper foundation wall that you mentioned is enough to mitigate that?
First apologies for the delay in this reply. Great question and that is a great video you referenced; I've watched that myself long before I started this project. I recommend watching for any who haven't. My first answer to your question is home construction should include a capillary break between the foundation and the sill plate specifically to avoid what you are referring to as both concrete and wood are porous and wick water well. This is also why sill plates should be pressure treated. If your foundation does not have a capillary break and is not pressure treated then you likely already face this problem regardless if you aim to moisture proof your interior, and the wicking wont stop at he sill, it will move up through your framing as well. in such a case you should probably consult a local expert or inspector to get an opinion on your specific case. The foundation, surrounding soil, and atmosphere above the soil are always working to find equilibriums with their relative water saturation state. The foundation below the soil surface will absorb water from the soil when the soil contains more relative moisture, and likewise the foundation above the soil (and on the inside of your home) will work to discharge moisture to the drier air and to the sill, plate if in direct contact. In my own builds we have capillary breaks between the foundation and sill and/or pressure treated sill.
Does this guy get a kick back from "dimple mat"?
Unfortunately, no I don't :(....just a great product which took me a long time to find and very pleased with how it turned out. Most all other competitive products are either substantially thicker and so you loose head-room and/or are integrated with a sub-floor which then defeats the purpose of a vapor barrier. ...but thanks for your comment :)
Tyvek tape is not a moisture barrier.
I wonder if you're referring to Tyvek wrap in which you are correct is not a vapor barrier itself as it is designed to breath. However Tyvek tape is polypropylene and is waterproof. From the DuPont website: "Tyvek® Tape is strong, easy to use, and highly waterproof. It is constructed of an oriented polypropylene film, coated with a specially formulated permanent acrylic adhesive". Regardless, the primary sealing between the foam joints is the spray foam.
I'm referring mostly to the adhesive portion of the tape. Moisture will propagate through the adhesive joint in Tyvek tape when attempting to utilize it for sealing purposes. You did mention "house wrap" when you were talking about the tape, which led me to comment, and people need to know Tyvek is not meant to be a moisture barrier. Nor should Tyvek tape be considered a good moisture barrier as it was not designed for this purpose due to the normal eventual separating effect of typical saturated tape adhesives, even when they are "specially formulated." Nonetheless, your spray foam in the joints in this particular project took care of it anyway. Great job overall.
@@Cotronixco Thanks, and sorry for delayed reply. And agreed. The tape is more of a belt to the suspenders which was the spray foam between the joints. I would use a different tape if I needed only for moisture barrier, but this was more to hold the panels and joints in place while foam does the heavy lifting on moisture barrier. The Tyvek tape doesn't seem to hold a solid long term bond to the foam anyway.
Wrong foamboard. Polyiso below grade
Thanks, but I personally disagree as most Polyiso products will require fixing methods to the foundation which would require compromise of the vapor barrier (i.e. anchors through the material) or otherwise will require additional work to ensure any such compromise is again addressed to re-establish a complete 100% barrier. Likewise some Polyiso products may have organic materials in the backings which is in direct conflict with what we are aiming to achieve on this indoor mold/mildew resistant application, sop buyers need to be careful. Finally there are studies which show Polyiso performs worse than other products the colder it gets. These are my opinions based on research and experience, but everyone will have their own. For the benefit of anyone else reading please do your own research and make you best educated decision between XPS, EPS, and Polyiso. Some references you might use as follows:
www.owenscorning.com/NetworkShare/EIS/10019950-FOAMULAR-XPS-vs-Poly-FAQ.pdf
www.ecohome.net/guides/2254/polyisocyanurate-foam-is-a-hot-new-building-product-learn-where-and-where-not-to-use-it/
www.wconline.com/articles/87430-the-finish-line-eps-vs-polyisocyanurate-insulation#:~:text=EPS%20boards%20are%20homogenous%20EPS,act%20as%20a%20vapor%20barrier.
This guy act like I think!
I woulda sealed that concrete before putting the foam up.
Sealing concrete is not a good idea. See the other comments on that topic below.
Jesus Christ ! are your in Antarctica or are you making your basement / house into a submarine ???
just making it work and last well for the lifetime of the home, its contents, and the family. Maybe looks like a lot of work and some cost, but really not that expensive when doing it on your own and is by far better than any design concept you will get commercially. Glad you like it.
this is typical.