Framed and drywalled all in one (Townhouse #9)
I got the remainder of the basement framed in just two days! That’s gotta be some kind of record for me.
Here it is 3/4 done:
The reflective bubble wrap behind the wall is not only insulating but also acting as a vapor/moisture barrier for the stone wall. I have it running all the way up, under the air returns and folded around the closest edge in the hopes that it will prevent the condensation that so often discolors drywall under air returns… or if it doesn’t prevent it, maybe it will at least keep it from reaching the drywall underneath.
And then I totally forgot to take a picture when I was finished. OF COURSE. Because I am still me. But it was neat and lovely to see and I was proud of myself.
Once I had the framing in place the electrician was done with his work in two days, so I called the drywallers on the off chance that they were free. It turned out they had an opening the very next day – that NEVER happens! So I was literally hammering in the last few chunks of wood when they began working early that morning.
They did the office in about 45 minutes flat! Here’s a panorama while I stand in the office and they’re already 2/3 done with the family room: (click to embiggen)
It looks so different with the drywall up. The air return bulkhead looks a lot bigger that I’d pictured – partly because with the heightened floor and the framing, I can no longer quite stand underneath it.
Before:
Now:
I was worried that the can lights above would cast dark shadows underneath that bulkhead so I had the electrician put in two downlight boxes underneath. I’m thinking people can put a sofa under there and there will be some soft reading light.
And hey speaking of can lights, did you notice how much brighter the space is now? Look at the first photo above for comparison. Between the two photos the electrician finished installing all the lights. Even though only every other one of the lights is lit, it’s still so bright in there!
I finished patching up all the holes, gaps, and chunks of missing mortar in the “feature” wall back when the floor concrete was getting redone. Fun project – I really like working with concrete. (The patches are type S mortar mixed with liquid concrete adhesive, in case you were wondering.)
Didn’t look great at first. But once it dried, and now with the staircase boxed in, this area is so much closer to looking like a finished space!
Plasterers come tomorrow!