10 DIY Projects for Your Basement

5. Dehumidifier

Even if you replace your basement's floors and do a perfect paint job, the space won't be ready for use if it has the quintessential basement scent. The solution? A dehumidifier, which can be purchased at home improvement stores for about $200.

And if your basement has a 'slop sink,' Palmarozza offers this tip when it comes to dehumidifiers: "Install the unit on a shelf near the slop sink and run the hose from the dehumidifier into the sink. This will save you from emptying the dehumidifier's built in reservoir."

6. Basement Garden

You probably never thought of having a garden in your basement, but aside from the fresh produce, it will make for a unique decorative addition to your newly renovated basement. Nate Lipton, owner of the garden supplies store Growers House, shares these simple tips for creating a hydroponics (growing plants without the use of soil) or a traditional soil-based garden...in your basement!

• Depending on the size of your basement, figure out how much vertical height you have and the size of your growing footprint, since growing tomatoes will take up more space than growing lettuce, for example

• Next, decide whether you want to grow your plants in soil or in a hydroponics system. Soil tends to be more forgiving for the new grower, since it requires little maintenance. Hydroponics systems can grow plants faster, yet these systems are more along the lines of a science experiment with variables such as pH and parts per million of your nutrient solution (see below) that must be monitored

• With a hydroponic system, decide whether you want to build your own or buy a kit. You'll also need to buy the liquid nutrients to add to the reservoir in your hydroponics system. These will be the sole supply of nutrients to your plants and the water must be monitored for the correct pH and parts per million of nutrient solution, which will depend on what plant you're growing.

• Next, determine your light source. If you have windows coming into your basement, take advantage of that. Alternatively, there are three main types of indoor lighting systems for gardening: High Intensity Discharge (HID), Fluorescent tubes, and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Talk to your local nursery and ask them for help in choosing which one is best for your budget and growing environment.

• Next, it’s time to start planting. Take precautions with how close the light source is to your plants. Too close and it can burn them; too far and the plants will stretch for the light.

7. Faucets

If your basement has a bathroom, replacing its faucet is a cheap, yet impactful way to update the bathroom. Sean Murphy, DIY specialist at Build.com, reveals these steps for replacing the basement faucet:

• Before you remove the original faucet, cut the water from the supply lines and turn the faucet handles to release any pressure and/or water stuck inside the lines

• Use your adjustable wrench to loosen the old water supply lines, then remove the handles and spout

• If your old bathroom faucet lacks a solid seal between the spout and the deck, roll out a thin line of plumbers putty to be placed on the spout base. This creates a watertight seal and prevents water from leaking down below the sink where it can silently wreak havoc. Remove any excess putty when it dries

• Now that your spout is in place, attach it using the provided brass nut and your adjustable wrench

• To save time and hassle, attach the hot and cold hoses to the corresponding handles before putting them in place (this, of course, assumes your new bathroom faucet has two handles.) Use your adjustable wrench to attach the handles

• Apply a strip of seal tape to the supply lines and tighten the hoses for a leak-proof connection