*
I have a customer who would like their basement finished(stud walls with dry wall ceiling) the fly in the ointment is that they already have carpet and pad down. Has anybody out there had any experience with installing walls(I like to use steel studs in a basement) over carpet?
I problem I can foresee would be the dry wall cracking at the top corner due to a slight up and down motion when someone walls close to the wall or maybe not if I attach the top plate firmly to the joists.
Any thoughts ?
Replies
*
Gary, Lay out your walls,cutout carpet under walls and install. Use wood plates as templates. PS: DONT USE RED CHALK ANYWHERE. mistakes cant be removed. Steve
*If you have a carpet installer, have them pull the carpet back or better yet remove it, roll it & store it out of the way on site. When you are done have it reinstalled. If you can't do that make sure the owner knows there is a possibility of damage.
*Steve,By cutting out the carpet for the bottom plate of the walls, do you have a floor layer install smoothedge and restretch the carpet around the new walls? Unless, however, the carpet is the glue-down type. I have to agree that removing the whole works and then having it re-installed would probably be the best route to go. Even if it costs your client a little more, I'm sure it's an expense they'll gladly pay to ensure the carpet isn't damaged or stained. But, if it is glue down, Steve's option is defineatly the way to go.
*Thankx for ideas guys. The carpet isn't glue down and if I cut the carpet I'll lose the tack strip then the carpet will be loose all around the perimeter where it meets the baseboard. I hate to take the carpet up as it is a large basement and it is seamed at the stairs and around support colmns. My thoughts were to lay down 6 mil reinforced visqueen first and take it up after all the painting was complete. You guys see a potential proble with that?
*Yup. It tears, the electrician pulled the romex with a can still attached & it went right thru. The owners dog likes the sound when he pees on it. Owners kids find they can dive on it cause it's slick. Etc Etc.
*
I have a customer who would like their basement finished(stud walls with dry wall ceiling) the fly in the ointment is that they already have carpet and pad down. Has anybody out there had any experience with installing walls(I like to use steel studs in a basement) over carpet?
I problem I can foresee would be the dry wall cracking at the top corner due to a slight up and down motion when someone walls close to the wall or maybe not if I attach the top plate firmly to the joists.
Any thoughts ?