Building a Basement Clothes Closet

Q: How should I build a cedar-lined closet in my dry basement for seasonal storage of clothing? Should the closet be raised off the floor and vented, or sealed where it meets the floor? Should the closet itself be vented or airtight?

A: You're wise to take details like these seriously when constructing any kind of basement clothes storage. Even with a dry basement, the potential for moisture and mold growth is present unless you do things right. I'd definitely raise your closet up off the basement floor with a fully ventilated open frame. In fact, it's best if you make this frame using something other than wood. The best material is a non-hollow, composite deck product like Trex. This 50/50 mixture of plastic and wood fiber can be worked just like lumber, yet it's rot-proof. Even in an otherwise dry basement, the floor is liable to get damp. That's why it's best to keep all wood off the concrete. As for the closet itself, I'd make it completely air tight, beginning with a framework made of 3/4-inch thick cabinet-grade plywood. This yields a strong, easily built structure that's perfect for holding the aromatic cedar you plan to install inside.