1960s Wood Framing - Paneled Walls
In the beginning, basements were finished using wood framing, paneled walls, and shag carpet. This way of finishing a basement has mainly become obsolete due to style changes, and paneling is a cheap material that deteriorates. In the 1960's wood paneling was the "fad."

1980s Wood Framing - Gypsum (SheetRock - Drywall Boards)
In the 1980s the move to Sheet Rock walls started. This solved the problem of decor and style changes. Homeowners simply could repaint the walls to keep up with drastic style changes. However, it did not solve the main issue of organic materials and deterioration. We all know that sheet rock falls apart when it gets wet.

Late 1990s through Present Times - Fabric Walls or Vinyl Walls
In the late 1990s, fabric or vinyl wallpaper installed over fiberglass insulation was introduced as a solution for basement walls. This type of basement wall has been referred to as "soft or removable" walls. The major shortcomings to this wall are its use of fiberglass insulation. While fiberglass insulation works fine for above-ground areas, it will allow mold to grow in high-moisture areas like basements. Also, fiberglass insulation should be enclosed in walls or installed in non-habitable spaces like attics and crawl spaces. The systems available today do not enclose the fiberglass and thus allow the fiberglass fibers to filter into the living space.

Other drawbacks to these systems is the limited décor, visible seams and the lack of structure (how do you hang a picture?). As did wood panel in the 1960s, so will fabric or vinyl covered walls become obsolete due to style changes.

What Makes Our Wall System The Best?

1. Magnesium Board - Water and Mold Resistant
Alligator Panels are made with Magnesium mineral board, the best known inorganic material that is waterproof and mold resistant, unlike gypsum (sheet rock). Magnesium has replaced gypsum (sheetrock) in Europe. In Europe, the uses of magnesium range from interior wall covering to exterior walls and roofs to commerical counter tops.

Magnesium is a mineral-based, green-builder product, and it is homogenous.
No organic solvents
No oils or toxic ingredients
No heavy metal salts
No asbestos

Magnesium is a multi-purpose, versatile, non-combustible building material. It is a hard, inert, and paperless construction panel that has superior characteristics over panels made from gypsum, cement, wood, and paper particles. Magnesium is environmentally friendly and a fire-, moisture-, heat-, and mold-resistant construction board that insects and rodents can't feed on. Magnesium also gives you better impact resistance and a higher sound attenuate.

2. Our Unique Design Provides a Seamless Wall
Hidden Seams without Divider Strips or Vinyl Tape

Alligator's unique paperless, seamless, and smooth-panel seam finish allows homeowners to design their basements to their own personal style. The unique process for finishing seams eliminates unsightly divider strips and vinyl tape. Our seamless walls connect so beautifully they look like the walls in the rest of the home. Our process for finished wall panels allows professional joints without taping and joint compound.

Healthy, Clean, and Quick: Alligator walls are designed to enhance indoor air quality and are manufactured without PVC (polyvinyl chloride), fiberglass insulation or other hazardous materials. Alligator Basements offers a "Green" basement system that is water and mold resistant.

3. Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS) Insulation - Closed vs Open Cell
Fiberglass insulation consists primarily of air trapped between strands of molten glass as seen under a microscope at 10x. It is an OPEN CELL insulation, since the air pockets are not fully enclosed and air can enter and escape the system freely.

EPS used in Alligator Panels is a CLOSED CELL insulation. Air within the system is permanently trapped, giving the EPS its rigidity and preventing any air or moisture leakage whatsoever.

Foam 10X

Fiberglass 10x

Mold thrives when three factors are present inside wall cavities: air circulation, moisture, and a nutrient base. All three factors are typically found in fiberglass-insulated walls.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) or beadboard, has been used as common household insulation since the 1950s. EPS is environmentally friendly as it is not manufactured using CFCs or HCFCs-both ozone-depleting chemicals. In addition to insulation, EPS is commonly used to make coffee cups and packing peanuts for shipping.

In other construction methods for basements, moisture gets into the wall cavities and leads to mold growth. Alligator Panels are immune to such mold damage because of their solid construction. With Alligator Panels, there is no cavity inside the wall!

Moisture problems in basements have lead experts to recommend against using fiberglass batt or blanket insulation in a basement. The old standard installation of fiberglass batt insulation between framed stud walls on the basement interior with a vapor barrier over the studs is no longer recommended because of excessive problems with mold, mildew, decay, and rot. To maintain its effectiveness, fiberglass must not be exposed to high-moisture conditions such as a damp basement. Moisture will negate the insulation value of fiberglass batts and promote mold and mildew which degrade indoor air quality. Installing a vapor barrier over the interior of the fiberglass will prevent the foundation walls from drying to the interior, a problem with mitigating capillary rise, groundwater leakage and construction moisture. Batts with no vapor barrier will not be effective either as interior humidity will still be a problem.

Don-t use fiberglass insulation in basements:

Should you be concerned about mold?
Read more about the Dangers of MOLD

4. Strength and Durablity 3 to 7 Times Stronger than Conventional Walls
Alligator Panels share the same structural properties as an I-Beam or I Column. The rigid EPS insulation at the core of an Alligator Panel acts as the web, while the Magnesium skin exhibits the same properties as the flanges.

The main benefit of Alligator Structural panels is the ability to hang anything in any location. Attaching a screw or nail to the magnesium skin is like attaching to plywood or fastening to a "stud" (2"x4") in an existing wall. You will be able to hang pictures in minutes with ease.

Loads are distributed across the entire panel.

Loads are distributed or carried along the studs and joist, typically at 16"o/c.