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thescottyg · Mar 31, 2011, 07:08 PM

Puttin up drywall in my basement. Foundation is poured concrete with large brick walls, there is rigid insulation on the bricks that comes out 4" from the wall. The house was built in a bad spot and basically the water table is running right through. In the spring there are major water problems. I have an elaborate sump pump set-up using three pumps (usually only one is running) which keeps things under control... however in the event of loss of power or pump malfunction the water breaches the sump hole (obviosly) but more importantly cracks in the basement floor that are more than 50ft from the sump hole begin to seep water...

When attaching the frame for drywall it is suggested to fasten the bottom plate to the cement which I perceive will allow water to seep through as it does in the cracks. So what I want to know is can I get away without securing the bottom plates if the frame is snug and I use metal strapping (or whatever) to fasten the studs to the brick wall... I might be crazy...

cdad · Mar 31, 2011, 07:29 PM

Something else that you may be able to do and might not have considered. For your bottom plate you could glue it down with construction adhesive. That way you have a solid base and for added strength you could tie it in on the sides.

creahands · Mar 31, 2011, 08:57 PM

A sump pump with back up battery would help when u loss power.

Securing base as califdadof3 stated will work as long as studding is real tight.

Chuck

thescottyg · Apr 1, 2011, 02:28 PM

Thanks you was wondering about adhesive and I do have a battery back-up.. . on another note, the floor is uneven sometimes changing about an inch over an 8ft span, is it OK to use different stud sizes to acomadate for the gradual rise in height? It won't be perfectly square but it will fit the space..

cdad · Apr 1, 2011, 03:17 PM

Before going any fruther what is the purpose of this room your building?

thescottyg · Apr 1, 2011, 03:25 PM

The purpose is is just creating a surface to hang drywall.. and it is the entire basement not just a room

KBC · Apr 1, 2011, 04:58 PM

You can add silicone to the holes in the floor with anchors,this would not alow water to flow through the openings.

The adhesive can get wet and the wood might rot eventually if the water is such an issue,I suggest raising the studs up off the floor on hardwood plates(or man made blocks that won't rot in time),bolting through the floor and filling the openings as I said above)

The drywall needs to be raised 1/2 inch above the floor too to keep it away from this floor moisture.

The baseboard can be closer to the floor,but again,not touching,the wicking of the moisture can make you go back to the drawing board:(

I have even raised the floor itself to make an even floor(as you have stated,there are discrepancies in the floor height),treated lumber floor joists and perhaps treated sheeting(then you can lay carpet/padding,tile,etc) without the thoughts of moisture/mold.

Just a thought.

KBC

thescottyg · Apr 1, 2011, 05:20 PM

What if I tied every stud to the wall?

KBC · Apr 1, 2011, 05:44 PM

The water just isn't coming from the floor,it has to come from above somewhere, only you can actually tell where the water table is(perhaps in a slope somewhere nearby)

I have also attached to the walls only,the base plate can slip down,the weight of drywall on the studs can split them, the water can still penetrate the 'screws/anchors,etc' you use to adhere it into the wall.

cdad · Apr 1, 2011, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by KBC

The water just isn't coming from the floor,it has to come from above somewhere,,only you can actually tell where the water table is(perhaps in a slope somewhere nearby)

I have also attached to the walls only,the base plate can slip down,the weight of drywall on the studs can split them,,the water can still penetrate the 'screws/anchors,etc' you use to adhere it into the wall.

Im thinking the same way. Im wondering if when they built the house they did it incorrectly and now the OP is having to deal with it. It might be possible and better off to try to deal with the water before it comes into the house. Possible french drain if its on a slope etc. then seal the walls before even trying to enclose them. The OP did mention water percolating from cracks in the floor. My fear is if the walls aren't sealed properly and its against the insulation with that type of wettness factor it can become a mold hazzard.