What is the difference between a basement wall and a retaining wall?
A basement wall is thus one kind of retaining wall. But the term usually refers to a cantilever retaining wall, which is a freestanding structure without lateral support at its top. These are cantilevered from a footing and rise above the grade on one side to retain a higher level grade on the opposite side.
What is best to use for basement walls?
6 Basement Wall Options
- ZenWall Panels. ZenWall panels have an insulated ocre and reflective backing. …
- BrightWall Paneling. …
- CleanSpace Wall System. …
- Foamax. …
- Basement to Beautiful Panels. …
- Total Basement Finishing EverLast Wall Panels.
What are the different types of basement walls?
Various materials can be used when building a basement, however there are three main types of basement construction: poured concrete, block or masonry walls, and precast panels.
What are the 2 main loads applied to a basement wall?
Since basement walls are exposed to the lateral loads from the soil and vertical loads from the structure above, they should be designed to resist those loads.
How thick is a basement wall?
Articles & Tips
| Soil Type | Sand | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Wall Thickness (4500 psi concrete) | ||
| (Wall 8’0″ high with 7’4″ of backfill) | 6 inches | 8 inches |
| (Wall 9’0″ high with 8’4″ of backfill) | 8 inches | 10 inches |
| (Wall 10’0″ high with 9’4″ of backfill) | 8 inches | 12 inches |
Why does my basement have a retaining wall?
Retaining walls are often installed to hold up soil outside of the building adjacent to patios or in sloped areas of the yard, or they are used for foundations where the interior grade is lower than the outside level such (in excavated basements, for example).
What can I use for basement walls instead of drywall?
15 Drywall Alternatives for Your Walls
- Wood Planks. Wood planks will be a fantastic option to consider for anyone who would like to achieve a rustic look. …
- Plastic Panels. …
- Plywood. …
- Veneer Plaster. …
- Pegboard. …
- Lath and Plaster. …
- Wahoo Walls. …
- Textured Wall Panels.
What should I put between drywall and concrete?
The solution is covering concrete with a vapor barrier, which acts like a resistant cell membrane instead. With a shield in place, the drywall is safe. Typically, a stud wall is then installed against the concrete, but furring strips are quick, easy and take up less space.
How can I make my concrete basement walls look better?
how to cover concrete walls in a basement
- using drywall and paint to cover concrete walls. …
- painting the concrete or block wall. …
- Brick veneer panels for basement walls. …
- cover your walls with real barnboards. …
- combination weathered wood and painted drywall. …
- use wallpaper to finish your basement walls.
How thick should a concrete basement wall be?
In general, poured concrete basement walls that are 8 feet tall or less and have no more than 7 feet of soil pressing against them from the outside function well at a thickness of 8 inches. When a taller wall or a higher level of soil or both come into play, the thickness should increase to 10 inches.
How do you frame a concrete basement wall?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And one of the first things we want to do to get started by finishing the basement is actually to frame the walls.
Should you seal basement walls before finishing?
Nothing will ruin a beautiful remodeling job like soaked carpets, moldy drywall and damaged furniture so it is essential that a basement be fully waterproofed before any finishing work begins.
How tall can basement walls be?
Basement Height
The standard basement wall height has been eight feet for many years. Once the concrete slab is poured, the actual headroom height is only about 7′-9”. Basement ceilings are usually strewn with pipes and ductwork that serve the floor above.
What size footing should be used with a basement wall?
For masonry or concrete construction, the minimum foundation wall will be 6 inches. The minimum reinforced concrete footing thickness will be 6 inches or 1-1/2 times the length of the footing projection from the foundation wall, whichever is greater. REQUIREMENTS.
How tall can a concrete wall be?
It is not uncommon to create designs with an h/t from 32 to 50. That could produce wall heights of up to 33 feet for walls built with 8-inch concrete masonry units (CMU), 41 feet for 10-inch CMU, and 50 feet for 12-inch CMU. Regionally, 14- and 16-inch CMU are available, which extend possible wall heights even further.
Can a 4 inch wall be load-bearing?
Therefore I recommend that all the walls should be at least 9 inch thick. 4.5-inch thick walls are not structurally safe if they are beyond 7 feet in height or carry some imposed load.
How thick is a typical foundation wall?
As a practical consideration, residential designers need to keep in mind that concrete foundation walls are typically 6, 8 or 10 inches thick (nominal). The typical concrete compressive strength used in residential construction is 2,500 or 3,000 psi, although other strengths are available.
How thin can concrete walls be?
Thin-Shell and GFRC
Thin-shell wall panels consist of a thin, outer-wythe of concrete typically ranging between 1.5 and 3 inches in thickness.
Are poured concrete walls better than block?
Poured concrete wall foundations are arguably stronger than cinder blocks. Poured walls have a better lateral strength, which means they are able to resist more pressure from the water and the soil from the outside. A poured wall doesn’t have joints like a block wall so it is easier to waterproof.
How thick does a concrete wall have to be?
Foundation Walls
For plain concrete walls — which are walls without or with little reinforcement — 7 1/2 inch thickness is adequate. They have to be 8 feet or less in height, with a difference of not more than 4 feet between the inside floor level and the finish grade on the outside wall.
