Q. I recently bought a house built in the mid 1800s, in the basement it is all limestone: the walls, ceiling and stairs. I really want to keep the old look in the basement but I also live in Kansas and we have a lot of tornados so it needs to be safe. I just need to know how to seal it up and make it as strong as possible. Also the floors are dirt I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for the floors to go with the old look.

A. If the limestone is smooth and doesn't need any refinishing (or if you like it the way it is) you can just apply stone sealer (they have various tints, so you can choose). Old, sun-bleached barn wood always looks great on basement walls, if you want to cover the limestone. If the ceiling is high enough, you could add some character to that by putting in rafters (with the necessary support frame placed in the corners. As for the flooring, anything you put down would have to have some type of sub-flooring underneath to keep out moisture and dampness. Although it would be quite a job to accomplish, concrete would be best. Once you have that done, you could use concrete stain (there are beautiful choices for refinishing concrete these days) and then just use area rugs to accent the floor. http://www.concretenetwork.com/stained-concrete/ http://www.finishabasement.org/how-to-finish-a-basement-on-a-budget.html#more-56

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Q. I was wondering what to use to kill the bleach and what kind of materials are good for basement remodels. If it would be better to get mold resistant or moisture resistant. Also what kind of ventilation is required in a basement. And maybe some cons on wood paneling because that was what they were planning on putting down there and I think it's a terrible idea.

A. Before you spend all that money remodeling your basement make sure he is not going to flood again Have a waterproofing company install an internal perimeter drainage system to collect all the water around and under your foundation and divert it to a sump pump. The sump pump will then get the water out and discharge it away from the foundation. Only then you can safely remodel your basement. As for materials I recommend you avoid drywall, wood studs and fiberglass insulation. All these materials are know to absorb water and grow mold. Fiberglass also loses all its R-Value when humid. I suggest you look into finishing systems developed specifically for basements, considering that even basements that do not flood or leak, always have some level of moisture - usually ground moisture seeping in through the concrete basement walls. Since not all theses systems are created equal, make sure you pick one that is 100% waterproof, non-absorbent and inorganic. Cement core, rigid foam board insulated panels and plastic basement flooring tiles for example are made to withstand all sorts of basement conditions and will never get ruined even if your basement floods again. They also offer thermal and moisture protection and can be removed to access plumbing and wiring as needed - a very desirable feature in a basement.

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Q. Owens Corning is just to expensive are there and good competitors for the wall paneling system?

A. As an x employee I can tell you the Owens Corning system is intentionally over priced so the independent sales people can make money. You can get the system for 38% off list if you hold out until they recontact you after showing the sales person the door. However if you don't have any water issues which cause mold and mildew there are alternatives available.

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Q. I am remodeling my basement. The current exterior walls are 2x2 nailed to block and covered with sheetrock. I plan to add a 2x4 'bumpout' against the old 2x2 along the entire exterior walls that will be 36" high. The problem is if I do this the electrical wires in the the old boxes will not meet regulation of <=6" and <= 3" extending beyond the box. Can I abandon the old 15a electrical circuit (disconnect) and run a new circuit though the bumpout and new boxes I will install or can I not run electrical circuits through a partial wall?

A. As long as you plan to abandon the old, go ahead and wire up the new. Its fine.

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Q. I used 3 1/2" fiberglass paper backed insulation. Would water proof drywall be better? The basement walls have no leaks appears dry.

A. You've done everything right so far. Go ahead and hang green board while you are at this stage. It doesn't cost that much more and might save you down the road. Here are some links t5hat might help you...

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Q. Should I make it one open space that a buyer could use as a gym or game room, or make a closed-off bedroom and make the rest of the space as a living area? The basement has a separate half-bath and a walkout to the backyard. Thank you in advance

A. Check houses in your area. They will be your competition when it comes to selling. Also a real estate sales person can tell you the trends in your area. A half bath suggests a leisure space or maybe a guest room to me.

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Q. Because basements can sometimes get damp, i don't know if carpet is a good idea. But also for the same reason, would the wood shift if it became damp? What do you think works best both for practicality and also for future re-sale?

A. The best thing to do is to first check to see if you have an moisture in the basement. An easy way to do this is to get a 2'x2' piece of plastic and duct tape the edges on to the concrete floor. Leave it for 72 hours if you have no visible signs of moisture you can install almost any type of flooring. If you have moisture then I would either recommend sealing the basement or go with a vinyl tile that would look like wood. (they have some that look very real today). So that would be the safest choice. If you have no moisture problem you can install carpeting. I would recommend that it be made of synthetic product like nylon, polyester or olefin. Carpet is warmer & many people like that, however, it is not a feature item for resale, unless you install a branded product like CornCarpet or StainMaster recently. If you go with wood, I would recommend an engineered wood floor (like UA / Mirage) This can be installed by glued down or floating methods on concrete. These woods have a plywood construction of 5 to 7 layers. Small amounts of moisture can effect any wood but if you leave the expansion space and have no major flood your wood floor will last a long time. Also wood is always better for resale.

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Q. I was thinking at most 36" with for the hallway (pre-drywall width). Is this too narrow? Can I go smaller? The hallway leads to a bathroom and a bedroom.

A. TOOOOO SMALLL.. Nat. building code would put 36" pre dry wall as too skinny. I would go with a 42" min. so casing trim can be easily installed without riping it down. Good luck.

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