Hi everyone. When Sandy came through our area here on Long Island, the flooding caused a nearby sewage treatment plant to fail, and we ended up with a few feet of sewage backing up from the toilet and shower in our finished basement.

It's been a rough month. The sewage was pumped out the next day, and we've been cleaning up as best we can ever since. Now it's down to what to do with the walls. Our walls are finished with wood paneling from the 60's or 70's, nailed to 2x4s, with paper backed fiberglass batting between the paneling and the cement foundation.

Even though I'm going to put in preventive measures for sewage backup or ground water intrusion, I want to refinish the basement with something that will be impervious to water, moisture, dampness, mold, etc.

I'm thinking of using Owens Corning rigid foam board between steel studs, and coving that with FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Panels). Also thinking of using a cement backing board? Or, maybe paneling on the upper 2/3 of the wall, with plastic wainscoting on the lower half? All I know is, I dont want anything organic that'll feed mold.

There are "basement finishing systems" and contractors out there, but since I'm having to do this largely out-of-pocket I'm trying to do it economically, on my own.

Thanks for any help and feedback...
Eric