Whats the easiest way to attach drywall to a concrete basement wall?

Answer 1

First paint the walls with Drylock, (available in any hardware or lumber store) it will prevent any moisture from coming through. Next use a nail gun (uses a 22 shell to set a nail) and secure furring strips along the top, bottom, and vertically every 24" on center (for the vertical that is) Then put up your drywall, use screws not nails. Have used this method in two homes over the last 20 years and have had no problems.

Answer 2

If your basement is fairly dry or even capable of being finished, the easiest thing to use is sheet metal studs. You just use cement fasteners to nail in a top plate across the top of your ceiling joists, center and drop a plumb bob so it hangs free from one of the openings where you place the vertical studs, fasten in the kick plate aligned with the plumb bob, then the vertical studs just "click" in place. You can use special drywall screws that will go right through the sheetmetal studs and the wall will be just as sturdy as with regular wood studs.

A few things to keep in mind are: give yourself about 8 inches between the cement wall and your studs. If you put them too close, the moisture from the cement wall will soften up your drywall over time. Seal your cement block with any of the concrete sealers and some special plastic wrap that will keep the moisture down. This won't be as critical if you heat your basement. Use drywall that is meant for damp areas (greeboard, yellowboard, etc). It costs more, but is more durable and will last longer.

If you have other questions on how the metal studs go in just do some searching around on line. You can also go to home depot or lowes and get any of the "how to" books that walk you through step by step procedures for this sort of application. Again, I've been in all types of basements ranging from downright nasty (not capable of being drywalled) to downright awsome. It all depends on how sealed your basement is and whether you heat it.

Answer 3

I prefer drywall and studs since it allows moisture that seeps through the walls to more easily be dissipated into the basement instead of getting trapped in the walls. Some building code requires a vapor barrier on finished basement walls. Make sure that paper vapor barriers are used instead of plastic to prevent the insulation from becoming saturated from seepage.

Answer 4

Your concrete wall is probably crazy crooked

Sleepers
Use tapcons to attach pressure treated sleepers, shim out the sleepers to make the wall straight and plumb. (a lot of work)

Wood
Use a pressure treated bottom plate (regular SPF for the rest) Easier to keep straight than sleepers. This is the way it's been done for years.

Metal Studs
Metal studs require less precise cuts and are easy to keep straight. They cost less than wood (at least in my area) They go up fast. (make sure you wear gloves)

If your goal is just to make it presentable you should just spackle in any large defects and use some textured paint (or stucco as recommended in a previous answer)

If you are planning on just gluing the drywall to the concrete you should just send me the money your going to spend on the drywall, glue, and the cost of the tear out 6 months from now. I promise to put it to better use:)

Good Luck

Answer 5

Drive studs into the wall with concrete nails and a nail gun... if you don't really need drywall and just want a surface,try using stucco applied directly to the wall !

Answer 6

make sure the walls are dry. Put up a plastic vapor barrier, Fearing strips. then I would use a masonary waterproof sheet like used in shower surrounds. Check city codes on any electrical. Most allow groundfault outlets only and at a certain level. If you do it wrong it will likely cost you a bundle to correct it before you sell your house.

Answer 7

You would not want to do that. Concrete gets "wet", and would make the drywall damp and moldy. First you have to install 2x4s (you will need concrete screws and a special drill), then comes insulation, and THEN you do drywall. Good luck!

Answer 8

first of all you want you basement to be waterproof or youll be wastinting your time. if thats done you want to attach furring strips to the concrete wall.then you can attache the dry wall fom there. if it was me i would actually frame up walls like you would upstairs

Answer 9

Baton the wall with 2'' x 1"s with glue and a few masonry nails. Make sure you get countersunk nails as you don't want the heads protruding.
You can hammer them in if you can't get a nail gun

Answer 10

put up some studs