The Owens Corning Finishing System
New Life For Your Basement The Owens Corning finishing system is one way to turn a dingy unfinished basement into additional space that's attractive and comfortable. Owens Corning does this by applying their expertise in building science and system design to the standard below-grade basement. So now you might be asking, "aren't they the insulation folks, the Pink Panther guys?" and you'd be correct in that assumption. But what does Owens Corning have to do with finished basements? Everything, if you're talking about the Owens Corning Basement Finishing System™ as it's officially named. This 'system' is designed to turn your unfinished basement into a comfortable usable space in just a short amount of time. So let's take a closer look at what the Owens Corning basement is all about and what it could possibly do for you. Just What Is This Basement 'System'?A basement finishing "system" is really just a term that describes any means or process for finishing a basement. More recently however it's been used to describe finishing techniques that differ from traditional studs-and-sheetrock methods. One of those techniques is the Owens Corning finishing system. The Owens Corning finishing system is one process that uses alternative methods to turn your basement into a livable space. It does this using a modular panel system that forms the walls of your basement, replacing the traditional sheetrock (drywall) method. It also achieves the finished result in much less time than a drywall finish process. Sheetrock requires taping and mudding (the process of covering up the seams and screw holes with a plaster-like compound). Then it needs to be sanded smooth, primed and painted. The Owens Corning finishing system is cut and installed with none of the aforementioned muss and fuss. The heart of the system is the modular pre-built wall panel. It's a stack up of 2 1/4" fiberglass insulation married to a poly-olefin, Teflon coated fabric covering. The panels fit between PVC "lineals" (stud-like anchors) affixed to the foundation walls. The seams between panels are finished with small trim pieces called "battens" which also lock the panels in place. The fiberglass insulation provides both thermal and sound insulation. The work is accomplished by local Owens Corning Basement Finishing System franchise operators. All work that they do, including the electrical, is done to your local building codes. An Owens Corning basement also comes with a ceiling, additional walls (for instance, if you want to partition off part of your basement) and even flooring if you so choose. The cost is based on the scope of work that's determined up front during an initial design consultation. The Benefits & Drawbacks Of The Owens Corning BasementBefore delving into the pros and cons, it will help to understand a little bit about how your home "works" and the unique characteristics of a below-grade basement. Think of... | 