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stud walls in basement

antihandy
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antihandy

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when installing 2x4 for stud walls in basement is it necessary to use treated lumber for the floor

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October 18 2007 - US

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supercub
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supercub

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It wouldn't hurt to use a treated bottom plate if you are subject to flooding. Other than that, no.

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October 18 2007

Andy
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Andy

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It may depend on where you're located, but for the two basement projects I've done here in the Seattle area, not only was it recommended to use treated lumber for the floor plates, it was required by code to use treated lumber for _all_ studs that come in contact with the external walls. Internal walls can use untreated lumber for studs, but everything that's next to the foundation walls should be treated.

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October 29 2007

Michael Steen, "DayOne"
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Michael Steen, "DayOne"

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Yes, in most cases you want to use treated lumber for base, floor, as well as studs that contact your external walls. I would suggest contacting your local planner's office for the requirements, but you may want to do so in any event, as this could save large amounts of money in the future if you fall subject to a flood or other catostrophic incident. There may also be requirements for vapor barriers, types of gypsum or sheet rock and the like. And when installing new walls, sub-flooring and the like, you may be required to have a permit. Therefore, I re-iterate what I previously stated, contact your local planner's office and ask them. They will provide you with the answers that suit you the best and meet their regulations and requirements.

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October 30 2007

Andy
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Andy

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Good point about contacting your local planner's office, Michael. They'd know exactly what antihandy would need to do to be legal. They'll probably require a permit, but I'd be surprised if any place in the country allowed putting up new walls without a permit. And doing a project like this without a permit is a bad idea: if you ever have to make a claim on your insurance, they can potentially use that unapproved work as a reason to deny the claim.

Interesting side note about vapor barriers: when we finished off one portion of our basement several years ago, the inspector told us we needed to put up vapor barrier on all external walls. We just recently finished off the other portion, and I added vapor barrier as well. This time, when the inspector came out he saw the vapor barrier he suggested taking it down. Apparently, the new school of thought is that trapping moisture between the concrete foundation and the vapor barrier isn't such a good thing. It causes moisture to accumulate in the insulation and against the studs (though that's less of a concern since you're using treated studs). Anyway, it's interesting to see how even today, when so much thought and attention goes into home construction, they're still rewriting best practices for building a long-lasting home.