Hey everyone! I'm planning a surprise for my husband while he's deployed by turning a section of our unfinished basement (which is about 26'x13') into a gym. I have a Peloton bike, Water Rower, Tonal, and a punching bag that I want to fit in there. I'm somewhat handy and ready to tackle this project myself after watching a ton of YouTube videos. Here's what I need help with:
1. I need to frame in a sewage ejector pit and add a door for access. I'm planning to hang the drywall myself before having a professional finish it. Do I need to remove the corner bead for the wall to be flat against the bathroom drywall?
2. There's about a 2" gap for a French drain between the concrete floor and walls. The current flooring is a nasty carpet, and I'm thinking of replacing it with either LVP or gym flooring. Can I run the new flooring right to the wall, or should I leave some space?
3. The walls are painted. Is there any special prep needed for repainting? Any recommendations for paint?
4. I want to paint the exposed ceiling and floor joists. Is there anything I shouldn't paint? Should I wrap the wires in foam insulation instead of painting them?
I really appreciate any advice or tips you all can share!
2 Answers
When repainting, make sure to wash the walls first, especially if they were previously painted. For the ceiling and joists, I’d recommend using a flat black paint if you want to hide the wires stylishly—just make sure electrical wires are insulated if you go that route.
Also, wrapping the wires in foam insulation is a good idea—better safe than sorry with any potential paint issues.
It sounds like a fun project! For your first question, yes, you’ll likely need to remove the corner bead to make your wall flat and seamless. Just make sure when you frame out the sewage ejector pit, the access panel is large enough for someone to get in easily.
About the flooring, I’d suggest leaving a slight gap around the flooring for expansion. You can use quarter round molding to cover the gap later which gives a cleaner look.
Great tip on the molding! It really helps with the flooring and gives a more finished appearance. Good luck with the framing!
Thanks for the paint tips! I’ll be sure to clean the surfaces well before painting.