Attaching wood strapping to foundation wall

tapcon concrete screw system.

tapcon.com

Menards

What are you wall made out of?  poured or block

They are poured.

I also have good luck with the Tapcon screws. Wouldn't hurt to put up a vapor barrier.

Clem

I used a Hilti Gun.  Make sure you have hearing protection and eye protection.

Can't you glue the Masonite directly to the wall?

I could but I want to maintain air flow behind the Masonite and there are some irregularities in the wall surface.  I am trying to avoid too much waviness in the Masonite.  I'm liking the Tapcon idea....I know that would get it done. 

If you glued it directly to the wall, and later wanted to remove it, it would not be pretty.

Could you not glue (Liquid Nails) the strapping to the wall and then attach the Masonite to the strapping? It would be a lot easier than drilling holes in concrete!

I hung mine from the "sill plate" at the top of the wall.   Basically I took a 1 x 4 (3/4 x 3 1/2) and ripped it in half but at a 30 degree angle.... then I attached 1/2 to the 1/8 inch masonite and the other half to the wall...    I didn't really want to start boring holes in the walls even though I do have a hammer drill.  Plus I think the masonite grows and shrinks with temperature and humidity changes, so I not sure if would bow if it was attached.... What I do know is by hanging it I have never had a bowing issue.

The 4 x 8 backdrops hang.  Where the seams are I glued a 3/4 x 1 1/2 piece of pine that overlaps the joint.   It's great, I have already moved once, just took them down and put them right back up...  I will try to post a couple photos tonight for you...

6:00 PM... 3.30.15.  So I took some photos,  the second photo shows the hanging method on a concrete foundation wall... Basically I added some 3/4 inch stock screwed to the sill plate then added some 1/4 inch plywood to lower the hanging point so that I could raise the backdrop and hang it on the wall.  The first photo shows the same system from the end hanging on a wall with wood studs. 

Last time I had to anchor something to concrete I used Tapcon screws. Worked great

I like to insulate basements walls. So I frame it with 2x4 and put up r11 insulation in. 

Thanks I would love to see that!..

Yeah that is the way I am leaning at the moment but I want to wait and see Chris a's work.

Thanks everyone for all the input...I appreciate it.

Chris,  I posted the photos in my original post above, seemed easier than re-writing all the text.     Whatever you do, it will look great, the masonite makes a really good backdrop material.   

Chris a

I concur with the Tapcon guys. I would use the smaller size, and since you have poured concrete, use the shortest screws possible. You only need about a 3/4" bite into concrete.

You should't need too many perlins for Masonite. Probably spaced two to three feet apart. I like Chris A'a use of the sill plate as the first anchor point.

Don

Thank you for taking the time to post those photos...I like it.  That was a great idea..hmmmm I have some thinking to do now.   Thanks for all of the suggestions guys, I appreciate it.

I am not a big fan of tapping into the concrete wall.  I would framed out the walls, and insulated and put up a vapor barrier.  

Probably not relative but this is what we require to shield our basements from the cold and damp.  Otherwise the extreme temperature and humidity changes can destroy a basement layout within a couple of years

It's common practice up here to build stud frames around the poured walls, a few inches away from the concrete. This not only forgoes strapping but allows for 4 or 6 inches of fiberglass insulation, much needed if you plan on making the basement into living space.  With the wood frame away from the concrete you can square a room, create super straight walls and there's less chance of wood rot or mold growth.  With any luck, before framing a new home builder includes a few inches of foam insulation over the interior concrete which doubles the insulating factor while creating an effective vapor barrier.

Maybe these steps are overkill in more hospitable climes but not in this god forsaken wilderness.

Bruce

Having recently done some research on the insulating basement foundation walls topic, I was surprised to learn that putting fiberglas batt insulation isn't the first choice any longer, at least at the 10 web sites I visited... and if you do choose to do batt fiberglass, a plastic vapor barrier really needs to be between the concrete and the insulation to keep any moisture coming through the concrete from building up in the batt insulation.  

The walls in my photos above, are not exterior foundation walls as I am living in a 4 unit condo.  On my exterior walls I ended up using adhesive and bonding 1 inch thick Tuff R to the concrete knee walls.  The Tuff R has the aluminum facing on both sides which both blocks all moisture and reflects radiant heat.   Anyway, just thought I would share.... I paid to have my other condo basement finished when I bought it and they put the vapor barrier behind the sheetrock, on the wall studs.  Ironically, I asked the builder specifically to put the vapor barrier up against the concrete and he basically refused.  Not my problem anymore as I sold the place. 

Agree. Gives you a lot more possibilities and keeps that wall integrity intact.

If/when I do finish the basement off I will spray foam the entire thing.  It acts as a vapor barrier and has a higher R value...which is what I did at my last home...But right now that is not in the cards.  The basement is dry year round and is heated and cooled along with a dehumidifier but it rarely kicks on as it is dry down there...thankfully.  I   actually have had a layout down there for a long time, I am just now remodeling it shall we say...   

In a perfect world I would take apart the layout and finish off the space but I just don't have that kind of time right now....I sure wish I did. 

Yes I understand... I decided not to "finish" this basement...  Being in a condo I would have to pull a permit, and then the town would increase my RE assessment and my property taxes, which isn't going to happen.....  But then again, that's also why I like the "hang them" approach.   If I change my mind about something I have done, I can simply lift them 3/8 of an inch and take em down and put them back up again....   If you do this, make sure you use a good wood glue on the back of the masonite, mine are glued and screwed.. I used Titebond III.