The design of the basement in a private house +75 photos

To get started is to distinguish between the concepts of the basement, cellar and basement. The first room is part of the foundation, it is completely below ground level and is often adapted for the placement of communications. The ground floor is also called the "basement". This is a special room that rests on a foundation and is only partially recessed into the soil. It is often equipped for garages and storerooms. The cellar (subfloor) can serve as a separately constructed construction, or directly the basement itself. It usually store household equipment, harvesting and vegetables for the winter. Cellars have no windows, natural lighting does not get into them, and due to the thermal insulation properties of the soil, the same temperature is maintained here at any time of the year. After construction, they are rarely finished and are left in draft form, since the extra work involves additional expenses. In many private houses, basements occupy an impressive area, the conversion of which is sooner or later the owners think. As you know, nothing is impossible, so we will find out in detail what works need to be carried out for the "domestication" of this room.

How to make the basement comfortable

Convenient basement will be only if all the work on its construction and decoration will be performed in accordance with generally accepted standards. Then you don’t have to go annually to a “mortal” battle with mold; in the winter, remove the frost from pickle cans and sort frozen vegetables. To make a room suitable for living, it is necessary to complete several stages of work:

• Conducting heating, ventilation systems and electrical wiring. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to stay in a room without batteries even in summer time, in the absence of outlets, the use of technology is excluded, and neither guests nor owners will want to breathe stagnant air;
• Finish In this case, we are talking about the use of highly durable thermal and waterproofing materials that will help reduce the percentage of humidity and stabilize the temperature;
• Selection of furniture and decoration of the room.

If no errors were made during the construction and decoration, then the room will be no different from the usual living room in the house.

Planning at the design stage

A lot of questions arise before those who build it: from the number of floors of a house to the need for arranging a basement in it. The latter will significantly increase the cost of work, but additional space will never be superfluous either in the country or in the cottage. In addition, basements strengthen the foundation, which is especially important in those regions where there are flashes of increased seismic activity. Any construction must begin with a soil survey. The value will be its composition on the site and the depth of groundwater. Depending on these two indicators, the type of foundation is selected, and accordingly, the basement features:

• Monolithic (tiled);
• Ribbon.

The second type is suitable for deep-seated water and soil, ensuring the stability of the building. Monolithic is a continuous plate. It is used for more monumental structures in places where the groundwater level rises above the critical level - 2 m, and the soil is loose and consists mainly of sand. Construction traditionally begins from the basement. The first to dig a pit, lay the foundation, arrange blind area. There are two basic technologies for building a basement:

• With the preparation of the pit;
• With pre-casting tape walls (reinforced concrete).

Availability of basements

The entrance to the basement must also be present on the project of the building. There are only three options for its location:

• From the street;
• From home;
• Combined option.

In the first case, the basement will be considered as an absolutely independent room. Often, such an entrance is equipped with pantries, because it is inconvenient to constantly carry equipment for working in the garden through living rooms, soiling the floors with soil. Entrance from the house equip for permanent access to food stocks or residential premises. Doors can be wooden and metal. If the exit leads to the street, it is better to choose a more durable and strong material. Metal will cope with this task better than wood. The second is chosen for interior doors that are installed when entering the house. By type of performance they are classified into:

• Deaf;
• Shield;
• Paneled;
• Stained glass.

The latter must be purchased from heavy-duty glass. If the basement is not repaired for living, then in order to avoid being damp or chilled from the “underground”, choose double doors or combined doors with plating. In some basements there are two exits at once: one to the residential part of the house, and the second to the street immediately. In the first case, use the interior door, and in the second - the entrance.

How to make a finish

Before you start decorating, you have to go through a difficult stage of rough work. It is not so pleasant, but without proper decoration in the room will not appear ventilation, communications and heating. The basis of the future flooring or screed, as builders call it, is created first. In a monolithic foundation, concrete is impregnated with special solutions, which, in contact with moisture, crystallize and tightly “seal” the floor. If the basis of the tape type was laid, then a real “layer cake” of materials is laid on it:

• Sand pillow;
• A layer of ruberoid;
• Reinforcing mesh.

And only on top fit the screed. After the rough stage of work with the floor is finished, it can be safely covered with laminate, linoleum, parquet or ceramic tiles. The choice of material depends on the design project of the room. If the basement will be used for living, then between the flooring and the screed provide a heating system that will provide regular heating.

The walls before the final finish several times primed. Two or three layers of antiseptic composition will not only improve the “adhesion” between the surface and the material, but also reduce the risks of the formation of fungi and mold. In the future cellar or pantry, the walls are simply plastered or veneered with wood panels, moisture resistant gypsum plasterboard. The latter, if necessary, can be painted in the desired color. It is better to use mineral-cement plaster, as it is more resistant to moisture than lime and gypsum analogue. The wood will have to be treated with special solutions that will stop the processes of rotting and spread of the fungus. In living rooms, insulation is carried out with mineral wool, and on top of the plaster the walls are finished with PVC panels, wallpaper, wood, drywall or simply painted.

The ceiling in the basement plays an important role, especially if the room is being restored, and used to be used to remove numerous communications. Suspended version will help to "hide" competently all this splendor from pipes and wires, but at the same time leave them constant access if necessary. Unfortunately, this method is not suitable for basements with low ceilings, because its frame will "eat" too many precious centimeters. In this case, it is better to resort to moisture-resistant drywall. In the high basements of this material, you can make a multi-level ceiling, which will be a highlight of the interior. In variants simpler, the surface is primed and plastered.

Waterproofing solution, which is impregnated with the base to create a screed necessarily corner the corners and all joints of surfaces in the basement. This way you can protect the room from dampness and mildew.

Lighting

The wiring in the basement should be well insulated, since high humidity can play a cruel joke with the owners. If we are talking about the storeroom or cellar, then even ordinary light bulbs will not work here. It is necessary to choose special with a high level of moisture protection. This also applies to outlets: in their design provide for special caps that prevent the ingress of liquid inside. In residential basements, the lack of windows will have to be compensated by numerous lighting fixtures, which are located at different levels. If your ceiling has several "steps", then the point sources of light embedded in them will become an interior element of the room, emphasizing its style. At the top, a chandelier or several equidistant ones must be hung up from each other if there are two (or more) areas of the combined type in a room. Wall sconces are attached to the walls, lamps are placed on the tables, and floor hangers are placed on the floor.

A special touch to the basement room will bring a fireplace. Its installation will be expensive, because of the characteristics of the premises will have to attract a professional. The average person will not be able to cope with the task with his own hands. Fireplace is difficult to consider as a source of light, but it is definitely a "source" of heat and comfort in the atmosphere of the room.

Ventilation

Regardless of the needs for which the basement will be used, air exchange should be adjusted during construction. Even if the finishing of the room was done correctly, with the impregnation of the walls with special solutions, if the air circulation is disturbed, the moisture will stagnate. Unfortunately, it is fraught with mold and mildew. The spores of the latter can, along with inhaled air, enter the lungs, multiply there and provoke a number of chronic diseases, some of which end in death. Ventilation systems in the basement are classified into two types:

• Artificial;
• Natural.

The latter are suitable only for "cold" basements, which no one plans to equip for residential premises. Natural ventilation is a simple piping system that provides room communication with the street. The air in them freely circulates. Artificial or forced ventilation systems pump fresh air from the street into the room, and from it pull out the stagnant. Modern Split systems are able to regulate the level of humidity and temperature in the framework of the mode set on the control panel. Such "smart" ventilation will relieve from many problems and will become a universal "climate control" in the basement of a private house.

How to keep warm

To get a well-warmed basement, operate in two directions:

• Heating system;
• Thermal insulation of the “box” of a room: walls, ceiling and floor.

Heating systems will artificially raise the temperature and inject heat. The task of insulating materials as long as possible to keep him. The quality of the finishing and heating system directly affects the microclimate in the basement.

Basement arrangement options

The basement is adapted for a variety of needs depending on the needs of the owners. In most homes, this room has impressive dimensions, which makes it possible to make dreams of spacious playgrounds for games, entertainment or work come true. Most often from the basement create:

• Gym;

• Wine cellar with a tasting area;

• Miniature bar for gatherings with friends;

• Swimming pool or sauna;

• Workshop for work;

• Laundry for washing and ironing things. Actually, if the family is big;

• Billiard room combined with a platform for darts, table tennis;

• Room for games;

• Greenhouse for growing vegetables or mushrooms. Such a small household, which winters over the winter;

• Music studio with good sound insulation;

• Additional room for guests;

• Home theater;

• Library and miniature reading room.

Resting place

A place to relax in a spacious basement usually includes several functional areas:

• Reading corner;
• Bar counter for those who want to skip a glass or another wine;
• Playground for active games, and if the dimensions allow, then even a miniature dance floor;
• Movie viewing area.

In small rooms will have to limit one or two of the most important sites. The decoration of the basement can be complemented by a cozy fireplace and a wood burning fireplace. They look especially colorful in rooms decorated in the currently popular chalet style. The decor of the room has references to a holiday home that is lost in the Alps, far from the bustling world. The chalet loves the abundance of wood, animal skins (their imitation), brown-honey color scheme. Of course, the Alpine style is difficult to realize without the presence of panoramic windows overlooking the mountains, but they are compensated for by false panels and an abundance of fixtures of simple shapes. The fireplace is an integral part of the chalet. It is decorated with stonework or brick, and furnace doors are decorated with intricate tie or ornament, which is reflected in the decoration of walls and textiles. Note that there should not be too many patterns, the monotony in the chalet prevails.

Home cinema

In the cottage houses the basement is often equipped with a full mini-cinema. The films are viewed both on a modern large-format “plasma” of impressive dimensions, and on a white wall with the help of a projector. The latter option fits well into the retro style. Seating places are organized in several ways:

• Single chairs in rows;
• Full chairs with common armrests, as in real cinemas;
• Several sofas, set one after another.

The latter option allows, if necessary, to use the room for other recreation, therefore it is considered universal. For a stylish cinema, a strict but sophisticated loft is suitable.

Library

A small basement can be converted into an individual “book” room. Shelving set solid: from the ceiling to the floor. In the corner make out a cozy place to read or work. Enough soft sofa with a pair of pillows, a table and a pair of poufs for guests. If you decided to put all your book treasures in the basement, then you should pay special attention to the fight against moisture. Paper may eventually “bloom” in a bad sense of the word, and you risk losing the entire library.

Children's playroom

Residential basement - a gift for owners of home "kindergarten". If you arrange it with taste, then the kids from there will be difficult to pull out. One zone is allocated for creative work: there are tables with chairs and a rack with sets for drawing, sculpting, carving, modeling or creating handicrafts. Another area is designed for active games: table hockey, tennis, twister, trampoline, ball pool, rock climbing, children's darts. The third zone is equipped with a place for recreation for children and an observation point for parents. Another site usually embodies a fairy tale for girls: with miniature castles, artificial trees and other attributes of the “kingdom of dreams”. Boys are given the opportunity to entertain themselves with designers and racing on typewriters as part of special tracks.

Gym

Spacious home basements are ideal for organizing a personal gym. For residents of small apartments, this dream remains unrealizable, but the owners of country houses are given a unique opportunity to translate it into their homes. The room is poorly decorated, not saving at the same time on the mirrors. As in the present gym, there should be a lot of them in order for a person to see not only the result of work on the body, but also problem areas that still need to be worked on. When installing the simulators, observe the recommended distance between them to avoid traumatic incidents.

Cellar

The cellar can be adapted for storing pickles or home-made wines. For the latter is suitable country style. The direction, which was born in the American outback, likes rough textures and a range of "wood" shades. The walls are trimmed with decorative bricks, the chandeliers are hung from the ceiling by decorative chains, and the empty glass containers are stored in barrels. Here they also place a wicker table for tasting and a pair of chairs to match. If you plan to store pickles and products in the cellar, then you can save on finishing. Heating in this room is not necessary to install, enough natural ventilation. To store pickle jars, discard wooden shelving in favor of their metal counterparts. For increase in term of operation of the last material is covered with a protective layer from corrosion.

Engineering systems

Initially, the basements were intended to hold all communication nodes here. In this room, set the pumping station, if the owners are connected to an independent source of water. A gas or electric boiler, which is responsible for heating the whole house, is also placed here, as is the electrical panel with traffic jams. Engineering systems rarely occupy the entire basement area. If it is set up under a dwelling, they are fenced off from the room by a partition or a decorative wall, so as not to spoil the overall look.

Digging the basement alone is not a good idea.

Digging a basement under an already constructed building is dangerous. Not even every professional will undertake such work. Для начала стоит вспомнить, что подвальное помещение - это часть фундамента. Ее разрабатывают еще на этапе проектирования. Самодеятельность чревата перекосом или разрушением самого дома.Wooden buildings can sink, and brick to crack. The walls of the basements are usually a continuation of the strip foundation, which is deepened, that is, the room and the base of the house are one. It is much easier and more economical to pay an estimate in the course of construction than to pay a tidy sum to professionals for the restoration of a house damaged by independent earthworks.

Conclusion

The design of the basement is chosen from the same variety of styles as for ordinary rooms. In comparison with them, the room on the contrary, only wins, because it usually has impressive dimensions that can be freely disposed of.

Naturally, the design in any case will be costly, but to remake an existing room is much cheaper than adding a new one to the house. The basement opens wide opportunities for the owners: it is universal and supports any ideas on arrangement.