On 12/8/2010 5:53 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

"Ian Stock" wrote in message
...

I live in Toronto. I have an old (c 1920) brick home with an
unfinished basement. I would like to drywall the basement to give it
a bit of a finished look.

The walls are dry. There is some efflorescence on the brick below
grade. It powers and bubbles a bit, but it is a slow growing process.

I believe that what I need to do is put 1x3 wood strapping on the
brick, and drywall over the strapping.

1.) Any tips on fixing the strapping to the brick? Tapcons will be a
very laborious process. Can I use masonry nails to lag them onto the
brick (or mortar)?

2.) That done, any special tips on dealing with the drywall?


Thanks,

Ian

Use 2 x 4, insulate, then sheetrock. You can anchor the frame into
the floor and ceiling. You can also use something like
www.insofast.com but I have no idea if they are available in your area.
Good idea, however, if you really need the space, I've used 2x2s. A
2x2 can serve as the plate and header. You can nail, glue, or screw
the 2x2s to the wall in a few spots to keep it sturdy. In my case,
the bottom was concrete and the top was old brick which was
efflorescing (sp?). The wall was extremely uneven, but I attached
it where is seemed strong sometimes using shims to make the new wall
plumb. And, in Canada, insulate as much a possible, using 2" foam
and a vapor barrier.