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In a fairly recent issue of FH, there was an article on doing a basement floor using 2×4’s laid flat, 1 1/2″ insulation board, and 3/4 plywood subfloor. Sounds great, as I am building my own house and plan to live in the basement while I finish the rest. I can’t find any suppliers in my southern Illinois area that admits to being able to get 1 1/2″ blue board. Who makes it? Who distributes it? Thanks for any info.
Pete
We tried out a range of rotary and random-orbit sanders to compare their dust collection, quality of finish, and user fatigue after hours of sanding.
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Replies
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Somebody else may very well come up with a valid reason, but I cannot for the life of me find a reason that you couldn't just double the 3/4" thickness (use two 3/4" sheets instead of one 1 1/2" sheet). This would give you the 1 1/2" that you need, and the material should be readily available. I really don't know anything about basements and their moisture problems first hand. We don't have basements here. If the moisture in a basement environment would cause a problem with this solution, then I'm sure someone will speak out.
Just a thought...
James DuHamel
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Thanks James,
That is exactly what I am doing. It just seems that double the cutting and fitting could be avoided with the thickness that I need in the first place. Oh well, such is the life of someone trying something new.
Pete Bossardet
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pete, most of the basements we've poured since 1980 have 2" of Styro-SM, or Amoco Green board, or Foamular pink board UNDER the slab. Then you don't have to worry about the plywood and sleepers , etc,.
I've posted the whole process here or on JLC. If you're interested I could go look for it.
If not, that's ok, too.
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Mike, basement was poured last July, so its a little late to be putting blueboard under it at this time. I'm just insulating the shower floor in the downstairs bathroom, to do the rest of a 1600 sq ft basement seems a little too much for this area of the country. Thanks any way, you are entirely correct for anywhere North of here.
Pete
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In a fairly recent issue of FH, there was an article on doing a basement floor using 2x4's laid flat, 1 1/2" insulation board, and 3/4 plywood subfloor. Sounds great, as I am building my own house and plan to live in the basement while I finish the rest. I can't find any suppliers in my southern Illinois area that admits to being able to get 1 1/2" blue board. Who makes it? Who distributes it? Thanks for any info.
Pete