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If your home has an unfinished basement or attic, you may have some unusable living space that you would like to use. To finish your basement and add the much needed living space safely, economical, and correctly, it is important to adhere to these tips.

• Do not nail studs directly into the block wall of the basement because you could damage the block wall causing moisture to get into your basement.
• Make sure your newly constructed walls and basement walls are plumb or even.
• If you decide to use steel studs remember steel studs conduct cold from the block walls to the drywall.

To correct or eliminate some of the latter issues:

• Use at least one inch thick sheet of foam insulation against the block wall.
• Install 2 X 4 stud walls an inch away from the foam insulation. This step will allow moisture to escape from the wall system and keep the foundation from being damaged.
• Screw do not nail drywall to studs. Nails can work themselves out of the drywall due to settling making for unsightly work and in secure drywall, so screw the drywall to the stud.

If your unfinished space is an attic, make sure that you have enough head room. Other important tips for finishing an attic are:

• Evaluate lighting placement for the new space. Determine how you will get maximum amount of light without changes the structural integrity of the home. You may consider adding windows.
• Most attics have narrow stairwells you may consider increasing the width of the stairwell.

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