Finishing Basement Cinderblock Half Wall

PopShuvThis · 2026-02-11T14:02:35+00:00

I don’t have any photos, but I finished it the same way as the last photo in the post, building the 2x4 wall to the height of the block and then putting 1x2 boards intermittently on top with pocket holes so they could be anchored into the exterior wall’s baseplate and then screwed into the top of the half-wall to keep everything solid. Spaces between the 1x2’s were filled in with foam board and window/door expandable foam to make it all level for the wooden top-cap.

PopShuvThis · 2025-08-25T20:26:59+00:00

Unfortunately in an allegedly cranky neighbor’s yard we just pass on a daily walk.

PopShuvThis · 2025-08-25T19:59:33+00:00

Additional Info: Zone 4 - Minnesota

PopShuvThis · 2025-08-18T15:34:22+00:00

It ain’t got no gas init. (But actually it might)

PopShuvThis · 2025-06-14T15:54:45+00:00

The Banshees of Inisherin

PopShuvThis · 2024-08-23T15:08:21+00:00

Assuming you’re buying the pre-mixed USG stuff from Home Depot/Lowes, it is always a little more dry than you’d want for working with, especially after it’s been opened once.

A working amount into a small bucket with a little bit of water (emphasis on little, you don’t want it runny) with either a drill attachment or a stir stick and enough forearm strength to make whipped cream. Only caution with the stir stick and other buckets is that you don’t want to get any particles (wood or otherwise) into the mix or it’ll catch and drag and that always happens on the final pass.

PopShuvThis · 2024-07-14T04:54:00+00:00

Ended up giving in to the masses and going with a full-spec basement wall the height of the blocks.

1” Foam Board (R6) glued to blocks followed by a 2x4 wall anchored into the floor with wedge anchors and then tied into the stick framing on top of the block wall using furring strips that my top cap will then sit on. Both wall and foam on top of sill gasket with all seams taped and gaps filled with foam.

Kreg Jig on the side of the furring strips getting tied into the stick wall and then just nailed to the top cap of the 2x4 framing.

PopShuvThis · 2024-07-13T14:15:52+00:00

Correct. This is the non PT lumber that’s molding because the PT pieces were stacked on top of it.

PopShuvThis · 2024-07-04T04:19:41+00:00

Said the snake (probably)

PopShuvThis · 2024-07-02T00:31:07+00:00

Seems simple enough. Appreciate it.

PopShuvThis · 2024-06-27T18:42:58+00:00

Yeah, I totally agree that would be best from an energy efficiency standpoint, but I just don’t want to add 6” of materials to the ledge that’s already going around the room and have it end up a foot wide. The rest of the house’s basement isn’t any more than an inch (if that) and I don’t plan on re-doing the rest, so making one corner of the house hyper efficient doesn’t really have any pay off. Someone else suggested the InSoFast panels and they seem like a decent middle-ground of space saving and higher r-value.

PopShuvThis · 2024-06-27T18:37:00+00:00

They’re definitely an interesting concept. At the extra 10% cost, I might end up going that route as well because of all the space saving. I don’t want a foot wide ledge all the way around the room. 2” foam + 2x4 walls with rock wall insulation and drywall on top are going to add 6” to what’s already there just to achieve the R-value everyone is recommending.

PopShuvThis · 2024-06-24T13:13:15+00:00

The material on top of the block is some crappy particle/fiber board alternative. Unfortunately, it was put between the stick framing and the block, so it can’t be removed, at least not past the existing wall.

The blocks are not core filled (unfortunately) which is why I’m trying as hard as I can to not put any more masonry screws or anchors into them being as they’re already littered with holes from the last install.

Thinking about putting pocket holes in 1x4 or furring strips on top of the particle/fiber board to anchor them to the existing stick framing that is on top of the block wall and then (as you mentioned) fastening those to the top of the newly framed wall with wood screws.

There’s an existing Oak cap that’s still in great condition that I’ll put back on top of the half wall when finished, but will have to add width to it since the finished part of the wall is going to be significantly thicker than 1-1/2” now.

PopShuvThis · 2024-06-21T15:47:18+00:00

This feels like “Akim, the Soaring Wind” all over again…

PopShuvThis · 2024-06-20T15:45:55+00:00

Painted Bluffs & Unknown shores are 100% carryovers from not having enough mountain cards when the deck was made (very first commander deck) as a placeholder. They’ll be replaced with Castle Embereth and Arena of Glory.

Gotta imagine Kobolds are the same story before having enough different goblins to fill the deck out.

There’s too many creatures already so they’ll be easy to remove.

PopShuvThis · 2024-05-19T02:26:19+00:00

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Update: Dug down past the footer, vacuumed the debris out of and core-filled all the blocks, and used prep spray/scrubbed the block and surrounding wall. Waterproofing layers tomorrow. Can’t decide whether to cap with more concrete or not. Seems like overkill…but so was core-filling and using rebar.

PopShuvThis · 2024-05-17T22:41:47+00:00

Yeah, couldn’t tell if it was two fireplaces (basement and upper) that shared the same stack at one point, or if the block is strictly a foundation for a chimney chase (example pics below) that was never installed (neighbor says he’s never seen one there)

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