Next Up - The Basement Walls
The walls were built in place on the ground and then wall by wall erected into place. The walls are 2 x 8” permanent wood, pressure treated lumber. The studs are 16” on center and the walls are 9’ tall. Windows were framed in in the West and East walls and 2 double patio doors in the front south facing walls.
The walls were then clad with 5/8” permanent wood, pressure treated plywood. Over the plywood, a water proof barrier was applied that is called “Blueskin”, it is like a double walled swimming pool liner. It is glued in place with a special adhesive, lapping the footing and along the lower edge of the wall to the height of the back-filling material.
Once each wall was constructed it was lifted into place, using two men and two wall jacks, it was leveled and braced to stay perfectly straight. the walls are also bolted to the footings with huge lag bolts.The first wall was the west wall and then the north, east, and south walls.
The North wall being 48’ long was built on the ground then split to be raised in two sections.
You will notice there is a gap in the “Blueskin” in the picture above, this is where we intend to put a door.
After all the walls were up and all the “Blueskin” glued into place around the exterior, another layer of material was added. This layer is called “Mirradrain”, it is a drainage barrier in case there would ever be an incident of water getting into that area. It is a black plastic like material that is bubbles in 1/2” squares that resemble bubble wrap without the back layer. On the outside of this bubble layer is a thick felt like layer that resembles landscape fabric that prevents any fine sediment from plugging up the drainage properties of the bubble material. This product is tacked in place along its top edge and then held in place with the back-fill material around the entire foundation.
Below is one of the front corners when completed this process, permanent wood frame and plywood, with “Blueskin” attached then "Mirradrain” tacked in place and held firmly against wall with the back-fill material.
This is a roll of the “Mirradrain”, the fabric side is out when it is applied to the wall.
