Why does nobody talk about using pressure treated lumber for interior basement framing?

I spent 6 months finishing my basement in Columbus using regular pine studs like an idiot. The moisture meter read 18% after a rainy week and I saw mold spots forming behind the drywall. A contractor buddy came over and just pointed at the base plate. Said I should have used pressure treated for anything touching concrete. I ripped out three full walls and lost $400 in materials. Has anyone else learned this the hard way with their own basement?

3 comments

3 Comments

emerym361mo ago

Watched my dad do the same thing in the 90s. Framed his whole basement with regular lumber, concrete floor, block walls. Six months later his base plates were black and spongy. Had to rip it all out and start over. He still brings it up every time someone mentions basements.

lilya761mo ago

His dad's story is almost exactly what happened to me. I ended up ripping out my base plates and the bottom foot of every stud, then replacing those with treated lumber. Been bone dry ever since. Plus I painted the concrete floor with a sealer before putting the new stuff down, just to be safe.

anderson.piper1mo ago

Did you ever look into those plastic basement subfloor panels? I heard from a contractor buddy that they create an air gap between the concrete and your flooring, so even if there's moisture seeping through the slab, it can evaporate instead of getting trapped. He swears by them for finished basements, says they save you from having to rip out moldy carpet or rotting wood every few years. Of course, that's just what he told me over a beer, so your mileage might vary depending on how wet your area is.