Complete Your Renovation Project With Basement Ceiling Ideas

By The Home Renovator

Here are a few basement ceiling ideas that can provide a finished look and still allow access to the utilities hidden there ...

When it comes to remodeling the basement one of the toughest areas is the ceiling due to the number of pipes, wires and duct work routed across it, traveling to other areas of the house. While blocking them off may see like a good idea at the time, keep in mind there may come a time when access will be needed for repair or replacement. There are a few basement ceiling ideas that can provide a finished look and still allow access to the utilities hidden there.

The first thing to consider is the height of the ceiling and how many pipes and electrical wiring is hanging from it. Many times duct work can be moved to another part of the ceiling, preferably towards one side, and wires can be fastened up, inside the floor joists. Once everything than be moved has been moved, work on basement ceiling ideas can begin. If there is sufficient room, a drop ceiling is probably the quickest and easiest method of finishing a basement ceiling and still allows access to anything hidden there.

T-bars are suspended with wires and they interconnect to form a grid, usually two by four feet or two-feet square, into which lightweight ceiling panels are placed. The ceiling height can be low enough to enclose all pipes and ducts in the ceiling while still providing head room for walking. However, if the ceiling is too low, another of the basement ceiling ideas involves using furring strips instead of a hanging grid.

Ceiling Will Be Higher, Access More Difficult

In cases where there is not enough room to hang a ceiling grid, furring strips nailed to the floor joists can allow for fastening drywall, plastic sheeting or fiberboard sheets to serve as a ceiling. Not all duct work may be raised enough to accommodate the sheets and basement ceiling ideas include having the duct work boxed in with a wood frame and the ceiling material applied to the box directly. It is never recommended to fasten ceiling tiles of any type directly to duct work by any means.

When all else fails, and the ceiling is too low for a drop ceiling or attaching ceiling material directly to the joists is impractical, do what many commercial buildings do and paint it. This is one the basement ceiling ideas that is infrequently used, but many commercial buildings with open ceilings paint everything to make the interior more presentable. Before painting however, check with an electrician or contractor as some items in the ceiling can be damaged by painting. You will want to find this out before spraying the first coat of primary with an airless paint sprayer.

Next article: Prolonging Wall Life With Basement Walls Finishing Materials

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