DIY Network

Getting Started: Prepping Concrete Walls The Concrete walls are prepped before adding the finished paneling. From "DIY to the Rescue" episode DTTR-702

The Detroit Tigers lobby area of their on-site dorm needs a serious makeover. After coming off the field from practice and into Fetzer Hall, the team feels less like world class winners and more like they’ve been benched.

But DIY to the Rescue hosts Karl Champley and Amy Devers, along with the DIY Crew and a few Tigers, have teamed up to make the dorm reception and study hall areas feel more like a home-away-from-home haven. They start by giving the walls a new look. First they prep the existing concrete wall and then add the subwalls.

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Detroit's dorm lobby and study finally gets off the bench and back in the game.

Materials and Tools:

nailer board
plywood substrate
case hardened T-nails
nail gun
wood furring strips
chalk line
level

Steps:

1. First attach a nailer board onto the walls along the bottom. The nailer board will be how you can fasten the plywood substrate (figure A). Because the nailer board is being attached to concrete block, we've used pressure treated lumber.

2. Next nail wood furring strips along the top of the walls using case hardened T-nails and a nail gun (figure B). Again, we've chosen a type of water resistant wood, like pressure treated strips, to attach to these concrete walls. Then place furring strips vertically on the wall (figure C). These are where the plywood will be attached.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Space the furring strips the width of your plywood(figure D). You want the strips to be right where the plywood pieces meet, to create a seam to bring the two pieces together. Continue to attach furring strips every 16 inches across the entire wall (figure E). Also, use a level to make sure each furring strip is straight and plumb on the wall. Now attach the plywood to the furring strips using a nail gun (figure F).

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

3. Now attach the plywood to the furring strips using a nail gun.

Note: It is helpful to use a chalk line on the plywood to mark the location of each of the vertical furring strips. This will make it easier for you to know that you are nailing directly into the strips.

RESOURCES :

Detroit Tigers
Website: Detroit.tigers.mlb.com

Major League Baseball
Website: www. mlb.com

Home Decorators Collection
Website: www.homedecorators.com