The BEST Wall Panels for Basement Finishing

[@scotrenz7100]

Can you mount heavy things (large TV) to them? Lags wouldn't have anything to go into and I don't know how much I'd trust a large toggle bolt to stay tight on foam.

[@TheCookster64]

These panels are $144/panel in the Northeast. That's insane. I don't see why I can't make my own 4x8x8 panels for way less. And if I frame the walls I don't need the OSB for stability. It's a no-brainer.

[@shonufftheshogun]

$169/panel where I'm at in the NW.

[@1993JosephS]

Or pay someone $200 per 4x8 to finish it

[@shonufftheshogun]

@@1993JosephS That's a good point! The cost isn't too bad when you look at it that way. 5/8th drywall, $26 Promax R-13 $56 Wood maybe $60 + labor

[@jaybutts5992]

I own a basement waterproofing company and have been in the business for 25 yrs. I use pvc or plastic panels with dividers and corners. It's paintable and I drop the bottom below the concrete into the gravel then cement. It looks like a new basement. 1/16 thick and secured with rivets. Everybody has seen the restaurant bathroom with the plastic walls. That's it! Now it's waterproofed and beautiful. $25 per sheet from home depot, $10 for 50 rivets, and the dividers and corners are $3/ pcs. You're welcome!

[@shonufftheshogun]

@@jaybutts5992 Awesome! Thank you for the advice. I'll look into this.

[@jessedevilbiss8436]

I do commercial construction. We use Z firring and foam. Have used it since the 90s

[@justice4all32]

Furring or furring?

[@jimmycorbett4611]

What happens if I lean on one of the walls and one of the panels falls back towards the cinder block basement wall and cracks the mud job you did?

[@markdavis9198]

Would love to see a price comparision breakdown, using these panels vs tradtional framing/insulation/drywall.

[@baileylineroad]

Hello Mark! Cost is somewhat higher overall for the panels. It's more for materials, but less for labour. That said, I've seen so many moldy basements that make people sick, and the cause is mold growing in fibre insulation in walls. There's no point in saving a bit of money on a basement, only to create a nasty mess down there. Thanks for watching my videos! Steve

[@jaybutts5992]

@@baileylineroad insulation in basements is something I never understood. I'm in ohio and our frostline is 12 to 24 inches below grade. The ground is a natural insulator. All insulation does is make concrete sweat! It's like a cold glass of water on a warm summer day. It will condensate naturally. I would never recommend insulation on a finish in a basement.

[@patty109109]

@@jaybutts5992 my house is quite a new build, and I have absolutely no moisture coming in the basement due to plastic on the outside of the house. The builder left some fiberglass insulation against the wall, and I have no sweating or moisture whatsoever. Without that if there’s any doubt and there’s any moisture in the basement and best practice is to put foam up against the concrete because then you alleviate this problem.

[@atravels1055]

Would moisture (warmer air from inside) find it's way behind the panel and in the gap between the concrete and the back of the panel.... causing condensation to drip? Would it be better to have a 2" foam layer pressed against the concrete, behind this dri-core panel? Overkill perhaps, but even better and safer? And/or a french drain on the perimeter?

[@AJourneyOfYourSoul]

You are right, so many think you want an air space, but that is exactly what you don’t want. Plenty of basements have been built with fiberglass insulation held a couple inches off the wall and they still mold as the warmer air leaks past it to the concrete. You do not want the warmer air reaching the wall and condensing. This is why spray foam works so well on basement walls. Complete air seal and thermal break. As long as you put a thick enough layer to make sure the wall surface remains above the dew point, zero chance of condensation. The con with spray foam is if there is ever a need to work on something covered with spray foam, it is a total pia to deal with. So a good compromise is what you suggest. 2” foam board on the wall. Then you frame your wall in front of that. The whole air gap let it breath is basically a manufactures way of trying to get some years out of their product when it doesn’t really work ideally.

[@4legdfishman]

These panels are great for the diy person except for the cost. It's probably very convenient and easy to use. I did a cost comparison, and my basement would be $10,500.00 using these panels. So, if I were to use 2" Kingspan XPS, sealed/waterproofed walls, 2x3s, and moisture and mold resistant sheetrock, it would cost me approximately $3,700.00. So it's a no-brainer unless you have disposable income.

[@gobbletegook]

But its attached to wood strips on the concrete basement floor? Even if you put a foam strip under it so that the wood does not touch the concrete, is will probably still get wet.

[@richardh418]

In all cases I recommend looking for other ideas.

[@-2u2]

What about RockWool products? I have seen many fires in homes with foam insulation go up in flames, and the kinds of heat and toxic fumes put off by that stuff give me the Willys...

[@OfftoShambala]

Yep, that’s my concern… the high flammability.

[@TheCookster64]

Rockwool insulation is the key. Mice and bugs hate it. Fire and water proof. If any moisture gets behind the wall the rockwool will wick the water down. In my case it would wick down into my sump pump drain system.

[@JonathonNeville]

Why "no multiple coats of plaster"? The beveled edges are great for corners, but for straight walls, regular drywall has a smaller gap to fill. If regular drywall requires tape and multiple coats of 'mud', why would it be different rom Dricore?

[@lungelinecowboy]

Why are you using eps and not xps foam for a basement where moisture is a concern.

[@Manymoneymore]

Drycord smart wall, right?

[@welwyfm33]

If basement (new ) came with studs & bats would you pull the bats and use Drycore instead? Want it done correct for lasting quality?

[@inspiringbuilds]

What is behind the studs and bats? I also recommend foam board as a first layer.

[@pinkeye00]

Right but how would you ever tell when your basement wall is damaged or leaking?

[@RC.56]

Hello, I need guidance on my basement finishing project. It’s a large 1200 square-foot walk out basement. One side is a few large windows, a nook and sliding glass door, the back walls are concrete. We have a design and a framer will be coming out to frame the basement, must I put a vapor barrier on the concrete walls?

[@rhollyday]

Just paint the concrete with Drylok

[@PinkWillowRanch2024]

What about fire rating?

[@True5diy]

Insofast is a great diy product

[@rhollyday]

Waterproof the concrete with 2 coats of Drylok paint before building walls or installing flooring.

[@patty109109]

Sweet mother of God, $300 for 4 feet wide, because you need two. Contrast this with running 2 inch thick foamular, and drywall, and studs at $100 or so per 4’. I’m doing my basement now, and my approach is superior to this: I have foam glued to my walls and fully sealed on all sides. And fully sealed 2” XPS is plenty of insulation. The drafts from this dricore system will be significant unless you’re successful sealing the huge gap at the top, bottom, and sides. I will grant you this looks FAST, so if money isn’t a factor and you want something thrown up obscenely quickly this is probably the best system I’ve seen for that.

[@iamtoothewalrus]

Super Expensive!

[@AndrewAlgarin]

panel cost is insane

[@miketayse]

Drywall glued to flakeboard in a basement is just waiting for the day it gets damp/wet and needs to be torn out and repaired.

[@mariamaria2751]

Foam. Okay but just in the basement. That's it. Don't do it anywhere else because ..it's like you wearing a polyester suit

[@-MakeItGood-]

You too can finish your basement for around 80k! Yeah it’s way too expensive

[@andrewsbbq]

lol gotta be 20x the cost of wood framed wall, rigid board, drywall. Video says these are user friendly but this system creates a shit ton of drywall joints to mud and tape - drywall finishing is often the hardest part to get right when doing these projects, and these are all butt joints. No thanks

[@normadiaz-oc4sm]

So if you by any chance get mice you won’t know . Honestly don’t even finish the basement.

[@samsonhorvath3614]

Never mold and mold resistant do not mean the same thing. Nice try!

[@kanefamily9898]

the presence of the wood and drywall makes this a TERRIBLE solution. how are you an expert? what happens when the exterior footing drains silt and the basement floods???

[@baileylineroad]

Good Morning! You're right to be concerned about wood, but in the case of these panels the wood is minimal, the entire panel is held away from the wall, and the system is tolerant of small amounts of moisture. That's really all you can expect in a basement wall situation. It's vastly superior to the wood-frame-and-batt-insulation approach that's still used in most basement finishing projects. Another option that I discuss in my online basement finishing course is steel studs with spray foam. That's completely wood-free and works well, too. Thanks for watching my videos! Steve

[@cdb989]

Biggest waste of money is finishing a basement IMO

[@OfftoShambala]

If you live in a hot climate… the basement is cool in summer… it’s good to have an underground area to retreat to if need.

[@patty109109]

This is crazy. I’m in the Northeast and finishing a basement is the quickest and easiest way to add space to a house. I have 8 foot tall walls in my basement. I’m having a huge home theater room and doing all the labor myself for about $3000 in materials. Will look amazing.