Peonies and Power Tools

learning to live alone, revamp my style, my house, and love every day

My BUDGET DIY basement is almost done! My goal for the new year is to finish it!

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One of the goals I have for the new year is to continue working on and finish up my DIY basement room.  Make it look like the above picture.  This has actually been my goal for a couple of years and, to be honest, I have run out of steam for this project.  Has that ever happened to you?  The grandkids are using it in its current almost done condition and it would be so easy to leave it as it is.  I want to be proud of this room, though, so I am determined to finish it up.  Here it is now. 

 

Almost done!

 

Where it started

I wish I had a before picture of this room, but it was such a disaster in the beginning that a picture wasn’t really possible.  Imagine if you moved into a house and put all of the boxes in the basement, piled up from floor to ceiling.  That’s what happened when we downsized. 

 

Similar

 

The dream in my head

  • Shiplap walls
  • Beautiful built-in cabinets, shelves and closets for storage
  • A stone corner wall with built-in fireplace and a TV over it
  • Wood floor, or one that at least had a wood look
  • A finished ceiling that didn’t look too commercial
  • Comfy furniture for the grandkids
  • Everything light and bright

In my dream I was going to accomplish all of this by myself on a tiny budget with a little help (or a lot) from Pinterest and YouTube. 

A summary of what I have done

I have done nearly everything in this renovation myself, having started out without much knowledge.  It has been very slow going.  Here is how I did it…

Shiplap wall

There was one outside concrete wall.  This is where I wanted to put the shiplap, so it needed insulation and studs. Since there is more than one way to stud a wall, I didn’t go with the old fashioned way, the way that requires two people or at least one very strong person. I did it another (easy) way, one that I, a grandmother, could do all by myself!  I didn’t invent this product, nor am I being paid to tell you about it.  However, this 2-in-1 product, called InSoFast, literally made it possible for me to finish my basement by myself!  I can’t tell you how much I love InSoFast.  

 

 

I did all of this in one day with the very easy instructions provided by the company.  Believe it or not, the panels are applied with glue!  Those black lines are the studs.  After the insulation/studs were up, I applied the shiplap planks with my ryobi brad nailer.  My favorite tool!

 

 

I used this tool for everything except nailing into cement.  Unfortunately, it wouldn’t do that.  With this tool and my table saw, I put up my planks pretty easily.  You can find more details here.

Wall of built-ins

This was fun.  I took my ideas to Lowe’s and sat down with the cabinet guy.  In a few minutes I had this:

 

 

I had them deliver (2) pantry closet cabinets (one for each end) and (4) 36 inch upper wall cabinets which I installed on the floor, plus all the lumber for the shelving units.

 

 

Since I was installing wall cabinets on the floor, I built a box out of 2X4s to serve as a base for each of them.  I used a lot of shims as the floor wasn’t even close to level.  For the wood counter, I used (2) 2X8 pine boards 12 feet long glued together to form a 15 inch wide counter. 

 

 

The shelving units were made entirely from half inch plywood.  I used this product to accommodate my budget.  

 

 

I made a 36 inch wide box with a back to fit over each cabinet.  Then I used 1X2 inch pine to hold up the each shelf.

 

 

I used the 1×2 pine to trim everything as well.  See that nasty pipe hanging in front of the built-in wall??  It was a pain in the a** to work around!

 

 

When the wall unit was almost done, I actually hired people to do the ceiling, the electric and the floor.  I realized my limits.  The floor is Pergo which I purchased from Lowe’s on a big sale.  I really wanted a much fancier ceiling, one that looked like beadboard.  Not in the budget, though, so I settled for this drop ceiling.  I don’t love it.  In the meantime I had:

  • boxed in the 2 lally columns
  • boxed in the I beam
  • built 2 closets with sliding barn doors

Fireplace wall

I originally wanted a gas fireplace with a remote, like the one I have one upstairs and love.  It turned out that with all the venting issues involved, the price was going to be way too high.  This is what I found instead when I went to the August West Fireplace Store .

 

Gorgeous!  Not gas, electric, but it looks real.  More or less.  Let me say that it was not cheap (about $1000) but I splurged on this one thing.  My sons built the diagonal wall in the corner to install it in and I put up the drywall.

 

 

After the drywall was up, I started to apply the ledger stone panels.  I bought them for a great price at Floor and Decor.  Each “tile” is 6 by 24 inches and put up with mortar.  I had to cut nearly every one.  Luckily I was able to borrow a wet saw.  The mortar I bought was already mixed.  That helped.  Really difficult to open that container, though.  Wow.  I have since discovered that there is a special tool for this purpose.

 

 

People told me this would be easy.  It wasn’t hard, but it took me forever.  Like I said, I had to cut nearly every panel.  Still have all my fingers, too.

 

 

What is left to do

I am still working on the stairs.  I have torn up the ugly carpeting and am refinishing the worn out oak treads that were underneath.  They will match the new floor and have white risers.

All the finicky details:

  • baseboard
  • closet doors
  • door hardware
  • sanding and painting
  • fix mistakes (yup, there are some)

The grandkids don’t notice these things but I do.  I have vowed not to start another room until this one is finished.  Bummer.  

So, onward I go!  Finish it up, Ellie!

 

Is It Really Possible To Put Up Shiplap By Yourself??

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So, is it really possible to put up shiplap all by yourself?

I have done it and the answer is yes!  I applied shiplap and finished my basement all by myself!

How I applied my shiplap

  • Lightly sand the edges and good side of the planks.
  • Now you should apply primer to the planks before hanging them.  I didn’t do this and immediately regretted it.  It’s really difficult to get paint in between the boards once they are hung.
  • Install the first plank.  I know some people start at the top, but I started at the bottom.  This is why; I knew that I would be installing planks to above the ceiling line and wouldn’t have to worry about cutting and fitting up there.  I did not want to bother cutting and fitting the last planks if I ended at the floor.  
  • Keep the planks level.  The first plank is the most important as it needs to be level.  My basement floor was by no means level so I had to adjust with shims before I nailed.  Here, I did need a helper.  My neighbor, Susanne, came over and helped me hold and level the planks while I nailed them in with my handy Ryoby brad nailer.  This is a fantastic tool!  It is so light that I can use it with one hand!  
  • Use spacers to keep the look consistent.  I used nickels for spacers between the planks and continued nailing the planks, being careful to keep them level and to keep the seams staggered.
  • Nail into the studs.  Nails elsewhere will be useless.  The studs in my Insofast Panels were easy to see as they were black.

 

                                 

 

Having great, easy to use tools sure helped make this project easy.

Here are the tools I used:

  • Ryobi Chop Saw to cut the planks when needed. This is the only corded Ryobi tool I have.
  • Ryobi Jig Saw to cut around outlets, etc.
  • Ryobi Brad Nailer.  My favorite tool of all!  It made nailing up the planks a snap!
  • Ryobi Cordless Sander

They can be seen here: https://www.peoniesandpowertools.com/how-i-fell-in-love/

So this is how I installed shiplap in my basement by myself.  You can too!

 

Fun With Shiplap

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So, what in the world is “shiplap“? Of course I’d heard of it, cause I don’t live under a rock and I watch the show “Fixer Upper“.  But what is it really??

Defined in the dictionary as “a type of wooden board used commonly as exterior siding in the construction of residences, barns, sheds, and outbuildings”, it may once have been used to construct the hull of a ship, the boards overlapping each other to form a watertight surface, making the vessel seaworthy. Possibly where the term shiplap originated – however for a different slant, see What Is Shiplap? Make Sure You Know About This Hot Decor Trend.

To read what REAL shiplap is, see what Scott Sidler of THE CRAFTSMAN BLOG says. Great article!

Today “shiplap” refers to a wooden board applied horizontally to create a decorative effect. You can buy these boards at big box stores already cut in various widths. Look up “shiplap boards” on the Home Depot site and you will find 140 results, ranging in price from $5.63 a board to about $50 a board. Wow! On my tiny budget even the least expensive board was too much.

So what did I do with all this new knowledge about shiplap? I bought myself some new cool tools and got to work. I cut my shiplap boards from 4 by 8 quarter inch underlayment plywood purchased from Lowes.  Only $14 a piece – such a bargain! https://www.lowes.com/pd/Underlayment-1-4-in-Common-Sumauma-Plywood-Underlayment-Application-as-4-x-8/1000750294  Another nice thing about this plywood is that it is super smooth.  I sanded the cut edges and ran over the flat parts of the boards with my mouse sander ever so slightly.  That’s all they needed!

Some stores will rip (don’t I sound professional? I just learned that word) the strips for you, but none near me offered this service, so I ripped them myself. I cut the first several with my Ryobi cordless circular saw. I divided them equally into 8 strips horizontally, giving me boards approximately 6 inches wide. This worked out OK, but what a pain in my back!! So I broke down and bought a table saw. I highly advise you to get yourself a table saw if you plan to do this  project. So much easier! I didn’t feel guilty about this fairly large purchase as I knew I would be using it many times during this total basement remodel.  This is the one I bought:

I bought the table as well:

 

I have since discovered the Ryobi has come out with a table saw!  If it had been available at the time, this is the one I would have purchased as I really love Ryobi products and it is so much more budget friendly.  This is the Ryobi model: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-15-Amp-10-in-Expanded-Capacity-Table-Saw-With-Rolling-Stand-RTS23/309412848

My basement remodel was on its way!

 

NEXT:  Putting up the shiplap.

 

The Miracle Product That Made It All Possible

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There is more than one way to stud a wall. Not wanting to bore you with the old fashioned way, the way that requires two people or at least one very strong person, I am going to tell you about the way I, a grandmother, did it all by myself!  I didn’t invent this product, nor am I being paid to tell you about it.  However, it literally made it possible for me to finish my basement all by myself! So, what is this product?

 

                                                                      InSoFast insulation panels!!!

 See below for info from their website:

“An excellent, cost-effective way to insulate your basement interior is with closed-cell, injection-molded EPS foam panels from InSoFast!

Feature-Rich InSoFast Panels

InSoFast is a style of engineered continuous insulation that comes in 2-foot x 4-foot interlocking panels of varying thicknesses. The closed-cell, injection-molded EPS foam panels can be applied universally to any interior or exterior wall assembly in both new and retrofit construction projects.

The InSoFast UX 2.0 Panel is 2-inches thick with a flat surface that exposes the face of the embedded studs. R-8.5 continuous insulation, rot-resistant framing, drainage channels, electrical raceways, and a simple, stackable interlocking design make this panel the most cost-effective solution for base-level code requirements.

The InSoFast EX 2.5 Panel is 2 ½-inches thick. If you need a solution that goes beyond base-level, this panel’s continuous R-value of 10 outperforms traditionally framed R-15 batt walls and provides 20% more insulation than our UX panels. Its tighter interlocks and recessed studs keep the EX barrier truer and straighter, enabling it to bridge over cups, bows and other irregularities in concrete basement walls.

Panels include built-in chases that run both vertically and horizontally across each panel, enabling you to install electrical boxes anywhere you need them. They also provide a simple, easy way to insulate cold concrete floors. The attachment studs provide a secure surface to screw the subfloor.”

Not sure if you noticed this, but the STUDS are EMBEDDED in the panels!  See those vertical black stripes?  Those are the studs!  This means you can insulate and stud the wall, ALL IN ONE STEP! AND it’s done with GLUE! The other great thing about this company is that they are so consumer friendly.  On their website you will find step by step easy to follow directions and videos.  If you have trouble, give them a call.  They are friendly and helpful folks!

I accomplished all this in one day!

Getting Started As A New DIYer

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Getting started is the absolute hardest part! 

I love doing the research and planning, but as far as actually starting the project, I’m the worst. So, for this part, I spend many hours on the internet looking for products and tools to make a project EASY. That is, easy enough for a woman in her 60s to accomplish.

Pinterest has been been a wonderful help, giving me not only thousands (OK, maybe not thousands) of ideas, but also a place to keep them more or less organized.

I have found great products and tools that have made my projects easy and fun. My goal is to share all of this with you.

 

Planning the layout

The fun part!  One can spend hours on line dreaming over beautiful room designs.  How will the room be used and who will use it? In my case, this was easy. The room was for my grandchildren. I would need a comfy place for them to sit and view television and play their electronic games. Maybe something like this:

I also wanted LOTS of storage. Cabinets with shelving overhead. Maybe something like this:

Enough room for a couple of game tables would be nice as well:

See how much fun I’m having!  (I mean how much fun THEY will have, of course)

I didn’t need bedrooms in my new basement area, but if you want a legal bedroom in yours, you will need to install an egress window.  I, personally, am not up to digging out cement and would have to hire a contractor. BUT … it is possible to do it.

So, if you need an egress window here is a great article. This young couple did a wonderful job!

Before you start a basement project, you should check for moisture.  Great article on how to do this and how to fix moisture problems here.  I am so excited about starting this project!

Basement Project…the beginning of turning an ugly basement into something beautiful

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The Beginning

It was a typical basement; concrete walls, unfinished ceiling with exposed pipes and wires going every which way, lots of spiders and a few mice. Really ugly.  If I looked past this, though, I could see that it had some advantages:

  • It is really big
  • The furnace and hot water heater are already in a separate room
  • There is good ceiling height (over 7 feet)

My basement was an ugly mess, (I wish I had pictures) but I had a dream to make it beautiful.

Imagine moving into a house and piling all of your boxes into your basement, filling it from floor to ceiling, making it impossible to navigate.  This is what we did after a major downsize. 

 

We lived with this situation for several years while we worked on more pressing issues; a new roof, siding, kitchen, deck…. and then my husband died.

The basement was the last thing on our to-do list and I decided to just do it.  I was never short on optimism.

My basement dream

This room was going to be for my grandchildren.  A room for them to lounge in, watch tv, play their video games, read, nap, whatever.  I had a picture in my head which included the following things:

    • Shiplap walls
    • Beautiful built-in cabinets, shelves and closets for storage
    • A stone corner wall with a built-in fireplace and a TV over it
    • A wood floor, or one that at least looked like wood 
    • A finished ceiling that didn’t look too commercial
    • Comfy furniture for the grandkids to lounge or sleep on
    • Everything light and bright

In my dream I was going to accomplish all of this by myself on a tiny budget.  I had no idea how, but I figured I’d get a little help from Pinterest and YouTube.  It was going to be beautiful.  At the very least, it was going to keep me busy for a while.  I needed a project.  Crazy, you say? Stay tuned!