The Concrete Advantage in Basement Walls
Concrete is always the first choice for residential basement walls. Consider these advantages:
- Its Strong
Concrete is much stronger than other foundation materials. What’s more, it actually gains strength when it ages. - Its Safer
Solid concrete has an ultimate compressive strength far greater than any other form of foundation. It acts as a natural barrier against such natural disasters like tornadoes or floods.
- Its Fireproof
Statistics show one-third of all home fires start in the basement. That’s why it’s so important that a concrete basement has zero flame spread — it will not support combustion. - Its Durable
A concrete basement is a single, solid unit with truly monolithic construction. It will withstand the test of time. Plus outlast your mortgage. - Its Less Porous
You get 40% more concrete dollar-for-dollar in a poured, solid concrete basement. That means it’s denser and has fewer pores or seams for water to seep through. - It Has Better Resale Value
Because of its advantages, a solid concrete basement adds value to a home. This results in a greater return on investment at resale time.
- Its Easily Finished
Solid concrete walls provide more finishing options. Some homeowners apply tiles, wallcovering or carpet directly to concrete walls. Others paint. Some use furring strips, adhesive or studs for wood paneling. - Its Maintenance Free
Clean, high-quality concrete construction allows you to spend your time and money doing what you enjoy, not working on basement problems. Solid concrete walls do not rot or support termites.
Poured-In-Place Concrete vs Block Walls
Is the difference really important? Yes!
While both poured-in-place and block construction methods can provide you with a foundation, poured-in-place walls have an advantage over block in many ways:
- Block walls have joints and seams that can allow water infiltration, drafts, mold, and insects inside the structure.
- Block walls are more prone to bowing, leaking and structural damage.
- Block walls are hollow, not solid, and may still require concrete be pumped inside for additional strength required to meet building codes.
- Block walls take more time to erect, increasing labor expense, project costs and overall construction time.
- Block walls require specialized crews that may be readily available when you need them.