Basement walls...drywall and cinder blocks

[DKAudio]

I tore off the cheap thin wood paneling in my basement living room. 2 of the walls had drywall underneath. The other 2 walls have 1X2 pine built of cinder blocks. Between the 1X2s was white styrofoam, the wood paneling was then on top of that.

I am deciding between painting the cinder blocks or putting up drywall to match the other 2 walls. What are my options for drywall? Is there a way I can glue it to the cinder blocks?

I realize I should probably keep the 1X2s as framing and screw drywall to it. The problem is that one of the walls is mostly drywall and 2X4s but it also has about 2' of cinder block as well (can't figure out why). If I screwed drywall to the 1X2s it would extend out about 1/2-3/8" farther than the existing drywall.

Any ideas?

[pushkins]

I am deciding between painting the cinder blocks or putting up drywall to match the other 2 walls. What are my options for drywall? Is there a way I can glue it to the cinder blocks?

Simple answer for the above is no, This would lead to a whooooole lot of problems from mold to drywall failure.

You could use 3/4 furring strips instead of the existing 1x2's this would bring your wall in closer to the 2x4 wall the rest could be mudded out to make the transition from one area of drywall to the next almost invisible.
OR
for the troubled area use 1/4" or 3/8" drywall instead of 1/2"

If you are going to install insulation behind the drywall make sure that you use a vapor barrier and have the paper facing in wards (to wards the heated area) First check to see if there is one on the outside of the basement walls, dig down a little and if you see black tar on the blocks, then no vapor barrier would be needed internally.
For the thin walled area you could use the sheet Styrofoam cut to fit between the furring strips.

Another option would be to do away with the drywall at the 2' section of cinder blocks and use a product called "quickwall" this is a fiber cement product that you trowel on and can be made as smooth as plaster depending on your patience and skill levels, or left a little rougher for a more relaxed feel. It can be painted like any normal wall product and is waterproof to boot

[DKAudio]

Thanks, you have some good ideas but I thought of one too that would be easier.

What if I put plastic over the block and then attach the drywall using tapcons? The cinder block is already painted and I have never had a problem with moisture on the walls or paint peeling. Would that work (remember this is only a 2' section. I will keep the 1X2s as framing for the other 2 walls and screw drywall right to it.

Thanks

[pushkins]

Nope, sorry that won't work, (well....you could put it up) BUT moisture doesn't have to be seen to be present, it will and I can assure you it WILL travel down the tapcon onto the drywall. Drywall will act like a huge big sponge and what is worse is that it will allow moisture into the drywall that is not near the tapcons, sheet after sheet after sheet.

You may have dry walls now but I can assure you in older homes water proofing wasn't a code issue and even though you have no moisture issues now, perhaps it is the paint acting as a sealer (drylock etc...) now your going to drill holes in the blocks for tapcons.....?

Plus Tapcons are great I use them a lot BUT never with drywall, for a tapcon to seat in firmly it needs to bind two objects together, you will never get enough tension in drywall and hence a loose tapcon.

Still don't see why you don't use 3/4" furring strips (pressure treated) with 1/4" drywall.....problem solved.

[DKAudio]

Ok, I will do that. The build out isn't PT right now, just pine. It looks fine to me but I will use PT anyways. How do I attach the PT to the cinder blocks? Can I use a gun powder nail shooter?

What kind of screw should I use on the drywall? It will have to be super short, otherwise once it gets through the 3/4" it will hit the block and not drive anymore.

BTW: 1" total out from the blocks will be perfect!

[pushkins]

Yes a Ramset or a Hilti (powder actuated gun) would work just fine.

You can get 1" drywall screws at most big box stores and at speciality drywall places 3/4" are available. If all else fails any course thread screw would do just fine it is only 2' after all, so there are not that many screws anyways.

[DKAudio]

I could not find a ram-set nail that would work. Either it would go all the way through the 3/4" wood or it would not go in far enough. I ended up using hammer set masonry expansion anchors. Those things hold like mad. HD did not have 1/4" drywall, had to use 3/8". It sticks out farther than I wanted but hopefully good feathering and a lot of mud/tape will hid it.

Next question, somewhat similar. At the bottom of stairs (after ripping everything out) has a thin duct. I am not sure what this duct does. The ducts that supply my air are about twice as tall (3.5" for the thin and 8.25 for my supply ones). I don't think it is my returns either. This duct goes to a couple spots where they stapled aluminum sheet between the joists. I cannot see what it goes to though.

First, do you know what this duct does?

Second, I want max height clearance to my already low basement ceiling. Can I gorilla glue drywall right to the ducts and then mud? It would only need to be on 2 sides of the duct with 1 outside corner and 2 inside corners. Can I attach my metal bead by piloting and using sheet metal screws going into the duct?

I realize I should probably build a frame but again, I want max height clearance here and it is only for a few feet.

[pushkins]

As for what the dust does, can you trace it's path back to anywhere at all?....a vent opening (new or old). I'd be doing my best to remove/move the duct before I dry walled over it, turn on your furnace and see if any air is pushed through the duct, gets warm etc.... Is it near a kitchen, sometimes I have seen weird ducting for exhaust fans.

Yes you could glue the drywall to this duct (it's not the normal practice), make sure you have never seen any condensation on it first though, if it has had condensation on it in the past then you may run into problems. I'd use construction strength builder adhesive to do the job.

As for the corners you can buy at H.D and Lowe's (Lowe's sell 1/4" drywall, I saw it today) inside and outside corners that don't need nails, they look like pre molded tape you simply apply mud to the corners of the drywall the apply the "quick corner" as you would normally lay tape, let it dry come back and lay on the second and third coats and your done....no nails, I've used them many times in situations similar to what you describe.

[DKAudio]

Great, thanks.

I took some staples out of the AL and peeked in. I guess it is for one of my living room returns.

[HayZee518]

anyplace you see sheets of aluminum or galvanized sheeting stapled to basement joist, you can be guaranteed they're cold air returns. something I learned while on the job, to hold something to poured concrete or concrete blocks, get a real small masonary drill bit. drill through both the material and the concrete or blocl almost full length of the drill. Now stick a piece of iron tie wire in there and drive an 8 penny nail into the hole. make it into an L shape before you put in the nail. I'll make a bet you can't pull out the nail. cheaper too!

[DKAudio]

Hmm, does it just use the wire as a friction fit in the drilled hole?

Bend the tie wire in an L so the nail doesn't push the wire all the way through, correct?