The Basement Project
kw18
Posts: 3,909
For the last three months, AfroAnnnie and I have been working on our basement, fixing it up to turn it from blah to AWESOME.
This is our journey.
Flooding damaged the carpet, so Afro decided to install hardwood flooring. Here's some before shots:
Most notable about the basement before we started work on it was a coy pond. Yes, some crazy dude who lived in the house before us decided it would be a good idea to install a fish pond in the basement. And he, like, SUPER GLUED the f-- out of it to ensure it would be hard as $hit to be taken out. Unfortunately we don't have any shots of the pond itself, but here's a shot of the pond destruction progress:
After that, we were left with an oddly shaped spot at the bottom of the stairs. What to put in it?
We already had a spot for the bar ...
... and the vinyl ...
(Before)
(After)
(with PJ CD shelf installed)
So with two of our deep passions covered (music, booze), we turned to our third: Books.
So right now we're in the process of installing a built-in bookcase for the basement. Here's how it's coming along:
(No more fish pond!)
(All the wood Afro kept talking about ...)
(Our living room during staining.)
(Our dining room during staining.)
(Finally!)
We hope to finish the bookcase by Friday, and we'll update the thread then. We'll also post some other pictures of the basement after it gets cleaned up, and as we start putting framed tour posters up.
Thanks for reading!
- AfroAnnnie & kw18
This is our journey.
Flooding damaged the carpet, so Afro decided to install hardwood flooring. Here's some before shots:
Most notable about the basement before we started work on it was a coy pond. Yes, some crazy dude who lived in the house before us decided it would be a good idea to install a fish pond in the basement. And he, like, SUPER GLUED the f-- out of it to ensure it would be hard as $hit to be taken out. Unfortunately we don't have any shots of the pond itself, but here's a shot of the pond destruction progress:
After that, we were left with an oddly shaped spot at the bottom of the stairs. What to put in it?
We already had a spot for the bar ...
... and the vinyl ...
(Before)
(After)
(with PJ CD shelf installed)
So with two of our deep passions covered (music, booze), we turned to our third: Books.
So right now we're in the process of installing a built-in bookcase for the basement. Here's how it's coming along:
(No more fish pond!)
(All the wood Afro kept talking about ...)
(Our living room during staining.)
(Our dining room during staining.)
(Finally!)
We hope to finish the bookcase by Friday, and we'll update the thread then. We'll also post some other pictures of the basement after it gets cleaned up, and as we start putting framed tour posters up.
Thanks for reading!
- AfroAnnnie & kw18
"Where's KW?"
"Let's check Idaho."
"Let's check Idaho."
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
As you can see, as soon as kw moved in I put him straight to work...
( :wave: sweetie!)
Once the bookcase is fully assembled with the books loaded we both plan to sit at the bottom of the stairs and stare at our finished work
Thanks!
Because that's totally normal. :P
"Let's check Idaho."
You should've kept the pond.
Tom O.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
-The Writer
Of course!
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
I've had some experience handling wood :shifty: , but kw is the more experienced one...he's built bookcases in the past...just not quite this magnitude... :shock:
We'll definitely get more use out of the bookcase
Basements are definitely nice! Aw...sorry you don't have one...but the next time you're in the US you can visit ours and bump it up your total to 4
How did you drain it?
Tom O.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
-The Writer
ive been in the basement of city lights bookstore so I guess im already at 4... but #5... im looking to that.. where abouts you at?
you would think a country as hot as Australia would benefit immensely from basements but alas were without them.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
That sucks. :(
I wanted to build a mini Batcave, but SOMEONE shot that idea down pretty quick ... :shifty:
:wave:
"Let's check Idaho."
It didn't have a drain, so I had to 'scoop" the water out using a bucket.. :fp: :fp: And thus, the fish pond was used as a cooler only once.
yeah see I already know that if I ever got a basement itd immediately become my library... I can picture the bookcases... the rugs... the sofa... im there, I just need the basement. in fact whenever im staying with a particular friend of mine ,whilst doing my laundry id lean against his washing machine and totally renovate his basement in my vision.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
We're in Pennsylvania...about an 1 1/2 hours from D.C. It gets really hot here too...with high humidity, so yeah the basement is awesome in the summer...it's at least 10 degrees cooler down there...
So why no basements in oz?
I don't know why no basement in oz. im thinking id have to look into the history of basements in america to see why you have them to figure out why we don't. right now im thinking that maybe its got something to do with fuel storing for harsh winters??? but that's only a guess and maybe an incorrect one.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
:think: Hmm...interesting...Some places in the US don't have basements, but it usually has to do with the soil, water levels, etc.
well yeah that makes sense.. if you have a shallow water table having a basement could be problematic... the soil where I live is clay so thatd be a bitch to dig through if one wanted a basement.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Part of the reason is soil and the foundation. Depending on which part of the country you're in, you need a foundation that is XX feet deep. The colder climates need a deeper foundation. So if you live in the upper U.S. and you need to have -- for example -- a 6-foot deep foundation, you might as well add another couple feet and get yourself a basement.
So my guess is that in Australia, your homes don't require that deep of a foundation because it never really gets that cold, so no one really bothers with a basement.
"Let's check Idaho."
stop teasing me. :P
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
"Let's check Idaho."
You would have loved it KW... Totally Bat-Cave... Got it in exchange for Jewlry
a 6 foot foundation? good god no... that's not a requirement here for houses. the vast majority(if not all) houses built on level ground here are built on a concrete slab. all that's required is level ground. my home was built at the beginning of the 60s.. it sits on brick piles measuring between 6 & 48 inches cause theres a slight gradient on our plot. the frame is timber and very solidly built.... the wooden floor is awesome but unfortunately its clad in fibrous cement sheeting, which a major health hazard. but so long as its integrity isnt breached all should be fine. some times when im day dreaming I wonder what itd take to raise the house and dig a basement.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Jewelry, huh? Maybe that's how I'll be allowed to build the bookcase door hiding the basement steps ... :think:
"Let's check Idaho."
allowed to??? jewelry bribes??? secret doors are awesome.. especially when concealed behind a bookcase.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Luckily our main living room is just about man-cave worthy, and it didn't cost me jewelry either
But I will accept bribes in the form of seeing pearl jam in Seattle, Europe or Australia. :P