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    ttown's Avatar
    ttown Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Apr 12, 2008, 06:04 AM
    fasten stud wall to concrete basement wall
    Planning to finishout a basement with stud walls on concrete floor. Planning to use Tapcon fasteners and treated 2x4 for bottom plate. Trying to protect for termites and moisture from the concrete. Thought about using a sill gasket. That would help the moisture but what about termites? I asked people at Home Depot about a termite shield. All I got was a blank look. What would be a good material for a barrier?
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #2

    Apr 12, 2008, 08:09 AM
    The use of treated wood is to prevent moisture damage not termite damage. While termites will not attack treated wood they may build a mud tunnel around it, or any other barrier. Termites are subterranean, that is if they come out in the light they die. To get around barriers they build tunnels of mud. An easy way to know if you have termites is to look for mud tunnels. The only effective barrier is a chemical barrier.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #3

    Apr 12, 2008, 08:37 AM
    If you do a great job making your new basement termite proof the little buggers will just attack the rest of your home. You need to address the whole house for termites, not just the basement. HD does sell some products that are used to treat the perimeter ground around your home or call Orkin for an estimate.
    art in mich's Avatar
    art in mich Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Apr 12, 2008, 03:21 PM
    Attach the bottom plate with tapcons... good. It's a good idea to glue the bottom plate down with construction adhesive and use 3 in. tapcons. You don't want to go all the way through the concrete floor. Attach the top plate to the bottoms of the floor joists. Don't attach the individual studs to the block. Leave a little breathing room between the studs and block--like an inch or two. Plastic is not good to use as a vapor barrier. It will only act to hold moisture between the block and plastic. It can get very moldy.

    Prior to building your walls, first inspect the block and make sure it is dry. Look for any cracks in the foundation. If you have any major cracks they must be addressed. Epoxy injection seems to work well. Also, it's a good idea to go outside and check the perimeter of the house. Check the gutter and downspout system and make sure there is no blockage and everything is flowing properly--pitched toward the downspouts. Also, make sure there are no low spots in the dirt that borders the foundation of the house. It should slope away from the house everywhere and the downspouts should discharge away from the foundation a few feet. These are perhaps the most common reasons for a weepy, wet basement. If you are on a flood plane, that is a different story and you should really consider a sump system and drain tile around the perimeter of the house. If you are not on a flood plane, addressing the aforementioned "common reasons" should do the trick.

    For minor cracks or missing mortar you can use Drylok caulk. Also, it's a good idea to clean the "joint" where the walls meet the floor and lay a nice heavy bead of the drylok caulk where they meet. Using a wet sponge along the perimeter, wipe caulk into a smooth line. Let it cure for 24 hours. It remains somewhat pliable and is good for minor cracks and joints. Use Pittsburgh Paint's Aguapon WB (waterbased) 2 part epoxy and double coat walls and floor. You mix Part B into Part A and use a drill to mix it well. The "potlife" on the epoxy mix is about 4 hours, so you should have plenty of time to get a coat on. The coverage is about the same as a premium paint. However,like any paint job, it really takes two coats. It's a great product and will effectively lock the moisture out of the block. Any water will eventually get through if the underlying cause of the moisture is not addressed, however--it'll just take awhile. Now you are ready to build your walls!

    Orkin on the termites sounds like a good move. Curing moisture problems will certainly help with infestation and/or mold.

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