DIY Network

Prepping the Man Cave Work begins on transforming a plain basement into a dream-come-true man cave. From "Man Caves" episode DMCV-101

(Continued from page 1)

Prepping the Basement

The first order of business is to purchase and stack the lumber in the basement, and this is where man power comes in handy.

advertisement

	NFL muscle comes in handy when restoring a basement, as Tony Siragusa proves here! "If you're going to have a man cave, you need to be a man," Tony says.
	Figure B
	The 508 proves that with teamwork you can accomplish anything—especially when you're creating a Man Cave in five days!

Framing—Building the Walls

Materials:

Douglas Fir lumber (2 x 4 x 8's, 2 x 4 x 12's, 2 x 6 x 8's, 2 x 6 x 12's—studs and top plate)
Treated lumber (2 x 4 x 12's, 2 x 6 x 12's—bottom plates)
1/4" x 3" Tapcon concrete screws
3" 10d ring shank nails for framing gun
hammer drill
impact driver

1. Lay out the floor plan, using a chalk line. Transfer the wall plan onto the concrete floor, and make sure to note where the doorways or openings will be. Check and recheck the measurements.

2. Walls need to be built from the ground up, and this means installing the bottom plates, the base for the walls, first. Install the treated bottom (sole) plates along the lines, using a hammer drill with 3/16" concrete drill bit, 3" Tapcon concrete screws.

   Tip: Steady pressure (but not too much, as Larry found out when he broke the bit on his first attempt) is the key to drilling the screws properly.

3. Use an impact driver (figure B) to drive the screw all the way down into the concrete. (An impact driver not only turns the screw in, but it impacts it all the way in securely.)

   Note: Be sure to zigzag the screws every 12" to 16" on the bottom plate, which tend to warp if you "don't" anchor each side as you go along. And be careful "not" to put any screws in the bottom plate where an opening or doorway will be.

4. Once the bottom plates are in, it's time for the sidewall studs to go up. How you attach the studs depends on which direction the bottom plate is running in relation to the floor joists above.
   • A. If they are running perpendicular to the bottom plate then you can simply nail the studs to the floor joists. Using a straight 2 x 4, plum the bottom plate to the above floor joist and mark a line. Do the same at the other end of the bottom plate. Connect those two marks with a chalk line. This line is now plum with the bottom plate. Cut your studs 4 - 6" longer than the distance between the bottom plate and the floor joist. Using a pneumatic framing gun w/ 3" nails, attach each stud to the floor joist at the mark then to the bottom plate and level as you go. Floor joists are spaced 16" on center, so this works well for your studs.

   • B. If the bottom plate is running parallel to the floor joists then you will need to use 2 x 4 blocking every 16" between the floor joists to attach the studs. After installing all the blocking use the same procedure for marking, cutting and attaching the studs as in A.

5. Install 2 x 4 blocking between the studs about 4' from the floor.

6. Each stud will require a joist brace, which means you'll have to measure carefully.

   Note: The braces will connect the studs to the floor joists. This is an easy but crucial step.

7. Tack in the studs and make sure each one is level.

These studs will and braces will form all the walls for the Man Cave.

1 | 2 | 3