A drop ceiling costs about the same if not more than a drywall ceiling. I'll tell you exactly why in just a minute.
When I was figuring out how to finish a basement I thought to myself "Self… should we save money and drywall the basement ceiling on our own?" Then I imagined the difficulty of recruiting my lazy friends to help me drywall the ceiling.
Then I thought "drop ceiling!" that's the answer. Cheaper, easy to do by yourself. The only problem...it screams BASEMENT!".
I did some research and pondered it for about 3 weeks.
That's the kind of guy I am. I get an idea, then I stew on it for a spell. I'm real old fashion that way. My wife thinks I should have been born in the 1820s.
After all that pondering I decided not to go with a drop ceiling also known as a suspended ceiling. Here are the reasons why I think know that you shouldn't either.
Cost of a Drop Ceiling
If you're thinking of going with a drop ceiling to save money… think again. The savings are slim to none. If you're hiring a drywall crew to do the walls anyway (which I highly recommend) then it's not a much more to have them do the ceiling as well.
In newer houses especially, a drywall ceiling is about the same or cheaper compared to a suspended ceiling. Why?
Because the real cost of drywalling a ceiling in a basement deals is in framing around the pipes and wires that were installed below the joists. In almost any new house in the last 10-15 years all pipes and wiring are installed above the bottom of the joist - there's almost no additional framing needed to accommodate drywall.
Here are two links discussing drop ceiling costs (this is for the plain white panels type). Around $2,000 for a 1,000 square foot basement. Link 1, Link 2
Basement Head Room with a Drop Ceiling
Look here basement friends. I'm a 6 foot 3 inch giant of a man. I do not like hitting my head on a ceiling or feeling claustrophobic.
With a drop ceiling you're going to lose 4-5 inches of room height. In a finished basement that is a ton!
You are probably already dealing with a low ceiling it's not a good idea to make it even lower.
Yeah, but What About Access
So as I was doing my research for this article I ran across a common reason people give for installing a drop ceiling. Access. Easy access to the pipes, wires, etc.
It's true. A drop ceiling provides easy access. Honestly though, how often are you going to need access? And what for? A leaky pipe? The other floors in your house have the same pipes and wires and you don't see people installing drop ceilings in their house?
Drywall is not that hard to cut out and replace. It's done all the time. Easy access is not enough of the reason to deal with the drawbacks.
3 Reasons for Not Installing a Drop-Ceiling
#1 They're Ugly and Weird - You will deflate the value of your house
Several real estate agents I spoke to said that a drop ceiling will negate some of the home equity you'll gain by finishing your basement. People want the basement to feel like the rest of the house. They don't want some bastard room in their house. (excuse my language, I've been watching a lot of Downton Abbey "bastard child" is their favorite phrase)
#2 A Saggy Ceiling
Sagging ceilings, yup, that's just awesome. Especially in the basement where there's a tendency to have additional moisture in the air. The tile absorbs that moisture and begins to get weighted down. Armstrong now sells drop ceiling tiles with "Humiguard" to try and prevent that problem… which tells me it really is a problem.
#3 Not That Easy to Install
I know they tell you it's easy but it's still a fairly big project to tackle. The biggest issue I read about was leveling. If you don't get it level the whole look is off and you may not notice it until you're done and someone points it out. At the very least you need to buy and know how to use a laser level. (If you decide drop ceiling is for you, here's a very good and inexpensive laser level)
4 Reasons FOR a Drop Ceiling
Great drop ceiling look! But very expensive.
#1 You Want A Really Cool Looking Ceiling.
Let's say you wanted a really cool tin or paneled ceiling look. Newer drop ceiling panel styles offer a lot more variety than the old white square blocks we grew up with.
But… could you just as easily buy that same finished panel without a drop-ceiling? You don't need the drop ceiling and it's drawbacks to get the same look.
Here's a great Pinterest page dedicated to ceilings - great ideas!
#2 Noise Suppression.
You need a lot of noise suppression for a movie room or recording studio. OK, now we're talking a real reason. Drop ceilings do help a lot with dampening noise. It's something to consider.
#3 Ceiling Mohawk
You're not installing drywall on the walls but you still want a ceiling. If this is you, email me, I want to know under what circumstance this style decision is occurring.
#4 Grandpa's General Comfort.
Your Grandpa had a drop ceiling and he'd feel more at home if you had one. 'Nuff said. Grandpas are awesome!
Alright, I give. For some people a drop ceiling (aka suspended ceiling if we're going to be respectful) IS THE RIGHT CHOICE. And for more than the 4 reasons above. If you're thinking it may be the right choice for you click here to read Adam's article on why he loves his suspended ceiling.
And another bonus - he wrote all about how to install a drop ceiling, click through to read that.
Final Thought On Drop Ceilings
My recommendation is to drywall your ceiling. I don't recommend installing a drop-ceiling. Primarily because of the look. It just doesn't look as good because it doesn't match the rest of your house.
If you insist AND you promise to go with a newer design... then I guess we can still be friends. If you go with the old outdated white panels... I can no longer associate with you. You are dead to me.
Hey, I'm a fair minded 21st century man - if there IS a good reason to go with a drop-ceiling and I haven't covered it here - shout at me in ALL CAPS in the comment box below.
If you want a bunch more information just like this article plus my entire basement story, basement design files and more - check out the ebook (over 1,237 people already have)
Cheers - Jason
More Drop Ceiling Links:
- Read Adam's article on why you SHOULD chose a drop ceiling
- Here's Adam's article on how to install a drop ceiling
- Good forum discussion on drywall vs drop ceiling
Great discussion on pricing if you do go with a drop ceiling
- A video about suspended ceilings from AsktheDecorator.com
our home is 15 years old and we have been here 7 months. in that time our kitchen sink has been clogged twice. the 1st time we had a plumbing company snake it for us. they snaked 45' from the kitchen sink and about 30' into that main drain tube. the 2nd time they wanted to see the angle of the pipes in the basement to see what could be causing the problem.
apparently it's not uncommon to find that the pipes that drain out of your house aren't at a good angle and this could be causing all the backups. because we have a garbage disposal you need a perfect balance so the liquids don't drain faster than the solids otherwise the old garbage can clog up the works.
this time the plumber went into our basement, looked for a specific pipe and took out a level and told us the angle that it needed to be and fixed it by 3/8". he fixed it at no charge and snaked the sink again. this time he snaked it we saw all this old muck came up that was stuck in this pipe in our basement for who knows how many years.
he was here less than 20 minutes and he was saying it was a good thing we had a drop ceiling so he could get to it easily (he still had to lift a few panels to find it). he didn't even charge for the visit. he said a lot of homes have it all finished off and he can't help them. it sounds like the builder doesn't always check this angle. our was only off by a bit, but enough to back things up over time apparently. i'm thinking our home isn't the only one like this. i know how quickly they build homes these days and i'm sure that's just one of the many tiny things that get overlooked and can cause problems over time.
Totally agree with this sentiment in this article.
Drop ceilings are absolutely horrible, as they quickly wear and become dingy looking. Worst of all, you lose a precious 4"-6" of ceiling height. One home I saw they were lazy and instead of boxing vents, they just chose the lowest point for the entire ceiling!
The more you can do to make the basement feel as part of the living space the better it is. At some point you can completely blur the line between basement and main living space.
It is not true that he couldn't have help you had you had a finished ceiling. Taking down drywall to expose pipes that need to be repaired is done all the time. Drywall repair is not that expenses or difficult - and as the author of this article said - how often will you need to do it? Ummm... once? I'll take the finished ceiling and deal with repairs to it is necessary because drop ceilings are an abomination and a crime against humanity ( or at least good design )
And how many holes would he have to cut out to find the problem?
What if you have a textured ceiling? Ever try to match texture? It hardly ever works without being able to see it. I,m a kitchen remodeler, I love it when I can get at the ceiling under the new kitchen. Electrical, plumbing, duct work. I wouldn't do a cheap dropped ceiling, but something upscale that looks nice.
Anyone thinks that i ya practical to use drywall in a basement is in for an awaking. First the one who said ceiling tile will sag with moisture, what do you think drywall will do? If you have that much moisture you have a whole bunch of other issues that could result in a toxic environment. Next look to the future. You now want the office, or hamming room. Now y ya oh gave to run additional wiring , of lighting , much less of a hassle with a suspended tile ceiling.. ok the guy who said , do you get a leak , just cut the drywall and fix that spot. Not so easy , in my 40 years of doing remodeling, I have yet to find a dry wall repair that didn’t cast a shadow when lights are turned on. If you’’re anal about smoothness beware, it isn’t goin to happen. Additionally most drywall is s a poor insulator compared to suspended tile . Both for noise and temperature. Beware to that if you are on septic, many insurance companies do not pay for articles back-up damage unless to have a special wavier on your policy. Should you need to replace a damaged ceiling, it’s going to be on your wallet . .
PS. our basement ceiling definitely doesn't look very cool at all. but i guess in this one case i would rather have an ugly ceiling and a functional kitchen sink that was super easy to fix.
Hey, we have a 35-year-old house, and the rumor is that the original owners finished it out, which is why there are so many weird, poorly done things.
In regards to our basement, it has a drop ceiling that looks to me to have been poorly installed, and most of the tiles are in bad shape. The few fluorescent lights it has, well, it turns out that they are not hard wired. We have long extension cords running above the ceiling tiles.
So we know we have some work to do. My initial reaction was to say, "Take down the drop ceiling and lights, and drywall with recessed lights."
However, this is not my house, but my grandmother's. And since she is footing the bill, my dad says it would be cheaper to just hard-wire the existing fluorescents, add more fluorescents or some cans, and replace all the tiles. He also makes the claim about needing access to pipes, and considering that we just developed a leak that has ruined one of the tiles, he does seem to have evidence to support that point.
So who do you think is right?
Can you give me some arguments to use when talking to the powers that be on this subject?
Thank you!
Hello Laura - Thanks for your comment, interesting issues indeed. Sooo.... your Dad is right, in a way. It will be cheaper to fix the existing tiles and lighting in your grandmothers basement.
BUT... if you ever intend to sell the house - you would be much better off going with drywall and can lights. You'll get your money back and then some, even if it's ten years from now. It's really an investment.
As for accessing the pipes and leaks - Fix the leaks you have and fix them correctly. If you do that you shouldn't need to access to them down the road.
"Don't plan to deal with problems. Plan to not have them to begin with."
Good luck! Cheers - Jason
Another Issue to think about if you are going to Drywall your ceiling. You Have to have access to plumbing valves and electrical junction boxes by code, at least in most states. you cannot seal shut off valves or electrical boxes behind sheetrock or wood. so if you are going to sheetrock your ceiling, you might need to move the valves and junction boxes or have ugly access panels... just a thought
I have installed a drop ceiling in a basement ('50's house) much tighter than the "4-5 inches" buddy is referring to. To meet the electrical code, I would have had to install access panels for all the electrical boxes, shut off valves and ducting damper controls. As the main floor sagged, parts of the ceiling grid was at 2" and other parts as tight as the thickness of a tile. If you know what your doing, it can be done.
I'm a techo-nerd that does both computers and ham radio frequently; I actually do quite often run new cables and wires from room to room, and even occasionally have been known to change the way some of my filtered water is run. For this reason I will be putting in a drop ceiling in many parts of my basement.
I definitely don't think it'll be cheaper or easier, but the fact that it'll let me run new power, ethernet, etc later on is an almost instant sell for me.
I also don't know why I'd ever need to move out of this house, so I'm here for a long haul. =] I agree that most cases it's not practical, but for me? It's a really good option... if I can just figure out how to install it... :-P
You can run a 6” piece of PVC from one side of the basement to the other (and others to other most used rooms) to run cables/wires later.
I know this is an old post but l had to comment. After you run these pvc pipes from one side of the basement to the other and to the most used rooms........How do you access the pipe? You are still going to have to cut the ceiling, patch and refinish. What If the pipe you installed is at the opposite end of the room where you want to run the wire?
Got a quick question for you. My husband and I have an unfinished basement that we are planning to finish soon. We want to buy pre-made cabinets for storing lots of outdoor gear for one of the basement rooms. The pre-made cabinets are currently on sale for 50% off. They are 92 7/8'' tall, and the basement ceiling with no finishes (cement floor to wood beams in the ceiling) is exactly 96''. Do you think we will be able to carpet the floor and drywall the ceiling and still fit the cabinets in?
Hey Liz - Yes. That should be plenty of space. Drywall for the basement ceiling, .5 inch. Carpet and padding maybe .75 of an inch. Otherwise there are no framing elements on the ceiling or the floor. Unless you want install a framed sub-floor, but that's not the normal case for most finished basements.
Go for it! Where are you buying them from? I need those too! - Jason
Thanks so much, Jason! Crazy as it may sound, we're getting them from Ikea. They're called PAX Tonnes system.
Jason, You always strap the joists with 3/4" strapping prior to installing the 1/2" sheet rock to the ceiling. This is how you adjust the to make the ceiling level.
#3 Ceiling Mohawk
You’re not installing drywall on the walls but you still want a ceiling. If this is you, email me, I want to know under what circumstance this style decision is occurring.
To address your wondering about that. We have original stone walls in our basement that are nice and don't want to cover them, if we did it would be with more stone (after some good insulation) and not dry-wall, so a dry-wall ceiling would: 1. look out of place, and 2. possibly not have anything to anchor to properly or tidily around the edges, that doesn't mean we want the rafters -full of wires and pipes- exposed.
Noise dampening and access to the main wires and pipes are a part of the argument too (yeah other floors have them, but the ones in the basement are where they actually join together to the service panels and other useful stuff), but mostly it's that drywall has been worse for moisture problems -in my experience- and doesn't actually go with the basement. I'm sure you'll find that some people like their basements to have stone walls, it doesn't have to look bad or uncomfortable, or even "basement-y". Some home designs with stone walls look quite inviting, and there are plenty of reasons to be okay with stone walls in a basement (besides that, not all people are obsessed with dressing up their basement as something that it's not, but rather making it look inviting and functional in it's own right). Drop ceilings can also be replaced one panel at a time, if one gets damaged, without having to cut out and replace whole segments of ceiling. The air-space created by a drop ceiling is also helpful for insulating against the lower temperature of the basement and not just noise cancellation. We also have a decently high ceiling down there, and 4 or so inches doesn't matter so much. If it interests you the plan is to only finish half of the basement, leaving most of the main utilities completely accessible, so as to not have to worry about the drainage and laundry-room & etc... and so some "garage-like" work-space is still available down there. So certainly there are instances where people wouldn't be putting dry-wall on the walls, and certainly there are some instances where a drop-ceiling is more practical.
I'm really struggling with this for our basement. We're leaning toward a drop ceiling because we worry that we need better access to pipes, etc. (the reason we're renovating our basement is because we had an old appliance leak in the kitchen that flooded the basement). And the contractors who have quoted the project have told us a drop ceiling would be significantly--thousands--cheaper because of all the wiring work they wouldn't have to do. It's a 45 year old house, and the wiring in the ceiling is an archaic mess. They would have to basically rewire the entire space to put in a drop ceiling. So I feel like we're a bit stuck. I unquestionably would prefer a drywall ceiling. It would look great. But I don't feel like we have thousands extra to spend. I struggle with it, though.
Sorry, they'd have to rewire to put in drywall, not the drop ceiling. Mistyped.
Eric - I hear ya. If the wiring is all done under the joists (which is common in some older homes) instead of through the middle then yes, you'll have to rewire everything and drop ceiling would be better. I see two possible options. 1. Extend the joists by adding some "Extensions" for lack of a better term. Then you could drywall to those new, lower joists which would presumable now be below your wiring. (hard to tell without a pic). 2. Buy a nicer drop-ceiling. There are some really good looking tiles and frames out there versus 10-15 years ago.
Hope that helps a bit. - Jason
Or you could do it correctly and use strapping across the joists, just a thought.
hello,
I have a 30 year old house and the basement ceiling tiles are sagging and discolored. I have had several varieties of workers have to access the plumbing, or wiring through this dropped ceiling. Then the tiles are broken and left looking awful. Oh and none of the ceiling lights work. Plus, we have had leaks and there are multiple stains. What about just taking it all down and leaving it exposed? That would make it so much easier. Is that really a problem. It is a basement, right? I am trying to convince myself.
thanks
Terri - That's actually not a bad option at all. I think painted ceilings look really good. You can see a couple of examples on my Pinterest board. - Jason
In the process of remodeling my 25 year old home, and have been wrestling with this issue for some time. Contractor want $6,500 to replace current drop ceiling (8oo s. ft.) with drywall.
Because I have wiring, rigid copper pipes, and iron gas pipes running below (and perpendicular to) the floor joists 2"X2" board will need to be used as spacers before putting up the drywall, bringing it to about 1.5" above my current drop down ceiling.
My realtor says I'll never get $6,500 in appreciation. It looks like I'll be replacing existing drop down panels myself for about $650.
6500 to replace 800sq ft....that is ridiculously high. I averaged quotes of 3500 for 800 sq ft drop ceiling. I would shop around to a lot of other contractors. Yeah your realtor is right Good luck
You won't recoup the $6500, but you may lose additional $6500+ if you do not fix it or deter potential buyers
As I sat here trying to convince my husband we should drywall our basement ceiling, I found this article! Thank you!! I will admit, as we have been slowly renovating our basement over the last year or so, we've had several experts ( electrician and plumbers) advise us to use a drop ceiling instead of drywall. I DETEST a drop ceiling. We heard the cautionary tales about leaks and access needed for whatever utilitarian need by well-meaning friends and family, but... Still, the thought of one of those fake ceilings bugged me to no end. Yet, I had decided to go ahead with it at my husband's urging. I was on here just now looking at more decorative, more stylish options in the drop ceiling world when I came across your article. Understanding the risk of leaks and any other possible future needs that may require us to yank out loads of drywall only to replace it again once the issue is repaired, we have decided to go ahead with the drywall anyway. I feel it just looks better. We'll hire a drywall contractor and have them do it. Thanks for the other voice of reason!!
It certainly can be a difficult decision and it's specific to each families circumstances and needs. Glad the article could you help you make your decision. I think you'll be very happy Maggie. Your husband seems like very wise, compromising and good looking man. - Jason
I have been told that in my town if you frame out a wall and drywall the ceiling, the room will increase the property tax of the home. If you use drop ceiling, your taxes will not go up.
Sethro - Cool name btw; that is straight up crazy. I've never heard of ceiling type determining tax status. I'm not saying the that "person" who told you this is a straight up liar... cause I'm not that kind of guy... but I'd really like to know the name of this town so I can make a few calls.
In the meantime, I'm continuing my extreme dislike of drop ceilings. - Jason
Great discussion! I'm on the fence. Our basement needs to re-finished. It was nicely done, probably 40 years ago with knotty pine everywhere and 1x1 ceiling tiles that all sagging in various places. I am leaning towards a "modern" drop ceiling for several reasons.
The house was built in 1949, steam heat. The basement is not heated, but the exposed steam pipes and boiler room in the middle do a great job of keeping it warm and dry. They are about 6 1/2 feet above the floor, so I'm good at 6'3" tall except for a couple of places. The existing drop ceiling is at 7 feet 5 inches. So I think we have plenty of room overhead and there are a lot of pipes and things that we would need to drywall around anyway.
The purpose of the basement is to reclaim our living room and put the TV and kids down there. I like the idea of some noise insulation to keep noise in the basement from coming up. No issue with first floor noise going down. I found interesting articles on soundproofing...but that's usually to stop the footsteps from above...I want the noise below to stay below. And I want to be able to watch Sons of Anarchy without my kids hearing it all from upstairs.
We have some mold issues to resolve first...probably from lack of dehumidification in the past. I am a little concerned that a drywall ceiling would not allow the basement to "breathe" as well. It's a walk out basement but still, in the Boston summer, 3 walls are against earth, so you can get humidity down there and no boiler running to dry it out. I think the drop ceiling, coupled with running a dehumidifier might be a better plan to avoid condensation. There's also a radon remediation system sucking air from under the concrete. We are going to be adding insulation and air sealing to other parts of the house, but inside, I am thinking the suspended approach might be better.
I'm in the process of doing the basement now and after thinking about it longer and listening to the contractor, we are going to scrap the drop ceiling idea. The thing that had me on the fence was the acoustic advantage and "breathability," but I 've concluded those are not really good reasons. The sound is going to come up from the basement because the stairway is open (no door at top) and we plan to run a dehumidifier all summer anyway. I think with drywall all around, it will look much neater and have a healthy 7 1/2 foot ceiling.
Jason,
Take a look a Ceiling Link, it's a PVC based "drop ceiling" system that only costs you about 1" of space, only twice the space of drywall. A 1000 SQ Ft basement (assuming 20X50) would run you $707 in ceiling link parts, $40 in screws and $700 to 900 in panels (2' X 4'). 1 person can install and it doesn't require much skill... but a somewhat level basment ceiling studs.
http://www.ceilinglink.com/
Andrew - That's pretty cool. IF I liked drop-ceilings I would probably go for that, looks easy that the traditional install method. If anyone tries that out, come back and leave a comment with how well it worked. - Jason
My husband installed a traditional drop ceiling many years ago and then did a drop like this in a small room last year. He did not like this any better than traditional, he had problems with getting everything lined up right and said when you try to readjust you have to adjust several pieces, it basically all comes down. He is very careful and takes his time but in an older home that wasn't perfectly squared it was a hassle.
We are working on finishing the basement in our new home and he was pro traditional drop vs drywall for reasons of access. After my insistence and then the help of this article he is agreeing to drywall. The house is only a few years old and we want to boost the value. I believe a drop ceiling would definitely hurt that.
I'm with ya Amy. I understand the desire to not commit (team drop ceiling team) but it's time to get on board. Built that basement right and you'll be super happy with traditional drywall ceiling. - Jason
TO INSTALL DRYWALL IS 4 TIMES CHEAPER THAN SUSPENDED CEILINGS. THEY ALSO ADD TO THE STABILITY OF THE UPPER FLOORS AND CAN PROVIDE A BETTER FIRE BARRIER THAN TRADITIONAL NON FIRED RATED DROP CEILING TILES. WHERE ACCESS IS NEEDED YOU CAN BUY ACCESS DOORS FOR THOSE AREA. ALSO IF YOU ARE TIRED OF THE COLOR YOU CAN JUST PAINT IT, POPCORN SPRAY IT ETC. SUSPENDED CEILING BY THE TIME YOU BUY THE GRID WORK, ACCESSORIES FOR SUPPORTS, SPECIAL LIGHTS ETC THE COSTS ARE 4 TO 5 TIMES MORE THAN DRYWALL, END OF STORY. THE ONLY ISSUE IS FULL ACCESSIBILITY. I PREFER DRYWALL OVER MY EXISTING 12X12 DAMAGED TILES. i WILL APPLY 3/8 A LIGHTER SECTION 42 FOOT LONG AND ONLY 11 SEEMS WHICH I WILL PLACE WOOD AND STAIN TO ACCENT MY WOOD PINE WALLS. IT ALSO PROVIDED A GREAT SOUND AND HEAT BARRIER TO THE UPPER FLOOR. BY PURCHASING THE 3/8 DRYWALL(WHICH IS LIGHTER) AND USING A DRYWALL LIFTING DEVICE AND TEES, THE PROJECT IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK
Rick,
in response to 3/8" on ceiling, watch out for sagging. Many are recommending 5/8" over 1/2" for this reason.
My fractions are a bit rusty but 5/8s is thicker than 1/2. For ceilings - you want 3/8" drywall. 1/2 is to thick and will sag unless reinforced and more importantly, throws off the dimensions of the drywall sheets for the walls below it. 1/4" is an option, but in my opinion is too thin. - Jason
Actually thinner is not better when spanning across framing. Ceilings with 3/8" sheetrock tend to sag between framing members over time.
Just like Andrew, I have looked at the "ceiling link" system, and like the look of it, and the ease of installation. Looks to me to be easier than drywall. It will account for varaiances in your joists, and with it being plastic, it should last forever. I have debated this as well (and see your argument that we don't have drop ceilings everywhere), but have two outdoor taps between joists in the basement to turn on each spring, and shut off each fall, and need access to those areas. Not sure what "access doors" look like to those who have spoken of these? Could you post a picture? I have a pipe 'clean out' that I'm going to be closing in (covering with drywall I'm thinking, as it is against one of the walls), and would still like to have access to it. Although I agree the 'look' of a drop ceiling is 'different', if I go with this option, I will be sure to by great looking tiles (my wife also does not like the traditional white tiles we all see in dentists offices and office buildings) and send you some pics... If you impress me with the "access door" option, maybe I'll be 'converted' to a drywall ceiling guy...
Soooo - these laminate wood planks will be our answer to the "to drop or not to drop" ceiling question.
http://www.armstrong.com/residential-ceilings/easyup.html?intcid=promo_Browse_Planks_EasyUp
I'm happy with it, at lease in theory. we are in the planning phase still. thought others might be interested, too... also, if you investigated it and found reason not to use it, i'd be interested in hearing that, too.
How did your project work out?
Wanting to hang drywall in my basement on the ceiling. What would be the best way to deal with floor joists that are uneven? Some come down almost 9.5" and some are only 9". They are pretty random and no set spacing anywhere.
Yo Travis - I would install some furring strips to drop the ceiling to the lowest point. In your case it sounds like you'd only lose about a 1/2 inch. It's a pain in the ass but you'll want to get this right, ceiling needs to be level or it's going to look bad. - Jason
Great article. Thanks for the help. As requested, I'm commenting because I'm considering installing a Ceiling Mohawk, at least temporarily. I recently purchased a 3 year old home with poured concrete walls in the basement. The basement is unfinished, and I don't have the funds to do a full professional finishing, but I want to clean up the space a bit to make half of it an exercise space and the other half a play area for the kids. So, I'm looking at painting the walls white with a water-blocker primer/finisher to brighten it up, throwing down some cheap remnant carpet, and installing a dry wall ceiling with brighter lighting. If I have more funds down the road, maybe I would consider dry walling the walls as well. Is there any good reason not to proceed with this plan?
John - Painting the concrete walls is great idea and will definitely brighten up the space to make it feel more usable. Remnant carpet, absolutely. As for the ceiling I would not install drywall until you're ready to do the whole basement. But you can install just recessed lighting, it would still be usable later when you go to add the drywall. One other option is to spray paint the ceiling white, a lot of people do this and leave it that way permanently.
So bottom line - for an inexpensive starter basement - 1. Paint the walls white with a moisture control primer/concrete paint. 2. Put down area rugs or carpet remnants 3. Install some lighting and maybe a plug or two.
Good luck and let's know how it turns out.
Jason
Thanks for the tips. I would be open to painting the ceiling, but there is so much exposed insulation, I'm wondering if that would really work. Is your reason for recommending against doing the drywall ceiling without the walls mainly aesthetical, or is there some other practical reason that this is a bad idea?
Ah, I see, I didn't know there was insulation already up there. The main reason was that you'll want to install your recessed lighting before putting up your drywall ceiling. Running wire afterwards will be much, much harder. Other than that, there's no reason you couldn't, but that's a big one if you eventually plan to put in proper lighting. - Jason
CEILINGS IS MY PROFESSION, I AM THE OWNER OF SCOTT CUSTOM CEILINGS. WE INSTALL BOTH DRYWALL AND SUSPENDED. IT REALLY ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOUR DUCT WORK, WIRING AND PLUMBING IS RUN. IN MANY CASES DRYWALL IS NOT A OPTION. IN MY OPINION ACOUSTICAL CEILINGS ARE A BETTER CHOICE FOR BASEMENTS. YOUR BASEMENT IS REALLY THE HEART OF YOUR HOUSE. EVERYTHING STARTS THERE AND WHEN SERVICE IS NEEDED (AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL BE NEEDED) IT CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY! I HEAR MANY PEOPLE SAYING... ACOUSTICAL CEILINGS AGE QUICKLY AND LOOK BAD AND THAT TILES SAG ETC...
ACOUSTICAL CEILINGS, IF INSTALLED BY A PROFESSIONAL CAN LOOK VERY NICE AND HAVE A LONG LIFE. I SEE CEILINGS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY BY SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT QUALIFIED AND WE ARE CALLED TO FIX THE CEILING THAT IS FALLING DOWN AND SAGGING ETC. NOT ONLY WILL A PROFESSIONAL INSTALL THE CEILING PROPERLY BUT CAN ALSO SHOW YOU MANY TILES TO CHOOSE FROM, DIFFERENT COLORS AND DESIGNS AS WELL AS DIFFERENT STYLES OF GRID. I DON'T RECOMMEND GOING TO LOWES OR HOME DEPOT AND BUYING TILE WITHOUT RESEARCHING WHAT YOU ARE BUYING FIRST. WE USE HUMIGUARD TILE ON MOST JOBS AND ALL BASEMENT JOBS. MOST OF THE TILE WE USE HAS A 30 YEAR WARRANTY AGAINST SAG AND CURLING THROUGH THE MANUFACTURE "ARMSTRONG" A PROFESSIONAL SHOULD INFORM YOU OF ALL THESE THINGS THAT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER WOULD NOT KNOW. ANOTHER BENEFIT TO AN ACOUSTICAL CEILING IS THE SOUND PERFORMANCE. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, BASEMENTS TEND TO HAVE A ECHO WHICH CAN BE DISRUPTING AND ANNOYING AND CAN MAKE CONVERSATION DIFFICULT WHEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE TALKING. SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T MIND AND SOME PEOPLE TELL ME IT DRIVES THEM CRAZY. ALL CEILING TILE HAS A NRC RATING (NOISE REDUCTION CONTROL) AND A DECENT TILE WITH JUST A MID LEVEL NRC RATING CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN SOUND, AND MOST OF OUR CUSTOMERS SEEM TO REALLY ENJOY THAT, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR BASEMENT IS YOUR MOVIE ROOM!
IN CLOSING THE MAIN THING YOU NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN FINISHING YOUR BASEMENT IS THE ACCESSIBILITY YOU WILL HAVE FROM A ACOUSTICAL CEILING. WANT TO RUN SOME WIRING OR MAYBE ADD A BATHROOM DOWN THE ROAD ETC. NO PROBLEM JUST TAKE A FEW TILES OUT DO THE WORK PUT TILES BACK AND YOUR DONE. PIPE LEAKS OR MAYBE A SINK OR TUB OVER FLOWS ON THE MAIN LEVEL AND SOAKS THROUGH FLOOR, JUST REPLACE THE DAMAGED TILES AND YOUR GOOD. IF YOU HAD DRYWALL YOU WOULD HAVE TO TEAR OUT DAMAGED DRYWALL, REPLACE DRYWALL, MUD, SAND, PRIME, PAINT, TEXTURE AND THEN TRY TO MAKE IT MATCH THE REST OF THE CEILING AND USUALLY TO DO THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO REPAINT THE WHOLE CEILING. ANYWAYS JUST TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN FINISHING YOUR BASEMENT AND WHEN YOUR DOING ANY TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION I ALWAYS RECOMMEND CALLING A PROFESSIONAL IF YOUR UNSURE ABOUT THE PROCESS OR WHAT MATERIAL TO USE.
BILLY SCOTT
SCOTT CUSTOM CEILINGS
BLUE MOUND, IL
I digress. My drop ceiling in the basement is 2" lower than the ceiling upstairs. If a pipe leaks i can fix the pipe and change a 2'-2' panel. I can fix it and be at work before lunch. It is not that easy with dry wall. My house is wired with Cat 5 cable. I will want fiber at some point. When ever i choose to add a plug or a phone and tablet charging station i can do it easily. I recently put a TV on the wall and ran all the cords in the wall. It would have been much more difficult with drywall.
Drop ceilings suck! That is all.
You guys know I'm kidding right? I'm stirring the pot. For me, my personal preference, I don't love the drop ceiling. But I have see some kick-ass basements with drop-ceilings. I may yet be converted, then again, wood paneled ceilings would be kind of bad ass.
- Jason
I would NEVER put drywall on a basement ceiling. At least with a drop ceiling you can trace wires, pipes, thermostat wires, doorbell wires, ice maker supplies. Sorry, drop ceiling wins a hundred times over.
Chris G - I respect your strong opinion and applaud you willingness to take a position. But agree to disagree - drywall is the best, drop-ceiling does NOT win... in my book. :-) - Jason
Sorry, however I would love not only to have this dropped ceiling in my basement but in my entire house: http://www.costco.ca/.product.100101650.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-ensemblepageVerticalRight-_-PopularProductsInCategory&cm_vc=ensemblepageVerticalRight%7CPopularProductsInCategory
It takes only 1-1/8" headroom space from the joints and I'm sure it adds value to the house. Hard to be matched by a drywall ceiling, in my opinion.
So what if you need to get into the ceiling in your basement abd you have a drywall ceiling? You need to plan ahead and move everything into an access panel so you can get into the ceiling. Drywall ceiling in the basement sounds ridiculous to me.
Bob - I would say you are squarely in the "drop-ceiling" camp. If drywall is so ridiculous, why does the rest of your house use drywall for ceilings?
When you need to access something behind drywall, which should be infrequent, you have to cut out the drywall, make your fix, then replace the drywall, mud it and repaint. There's not getting around that bit, but it's also not that big of a chore.
Cheers - Jason
I personally am contemplating a drop down as well. I had a drop down when we purchased the house, and I removed it myself and I put up the drywall ceiling myself. Now seeing the different tiles available I believe I made a horrible mistake. The ability to change out your ceiling with relatively inexpensive tiles seems like a no brainer. I'm going to rip out my ceiling, raise the joists, and put in a drop down ceiling. I personally don't see anything wrong with a white tiled ceiling. It has a lot more character than a solid slate of white above your head. To each his own, but honestly it won't cost me anymore to redo the ceiling than I initially invested with the drywall. If anything it will most likely be cheaper, as framing is not hard if you know what you are doing.
We are considering a suspended ceiling - the basement will be unfinished, but it is an old house we have renovated and putting n in-floor heat stringing pex for hte water. Underneat the pex you have to put insulation, but we can't use Kraft-back insulation without covering it to meet fire code and all the framing for sheet rock, plus mudding, taping, sanding .... expensive and time consuming, so we were considering a suspended ceiling. There are too many wires and other things to just attached the sheetrock to the joists, especially since the joist bottoms are not close to level, so it would have to be re-framed anyway. We don't want to have exposed insulation in the basement ceiling since we do go down there - small workshop area and hopefully a ping pong table - but not all finished off - still stone foundation. Thought/suggestions?
Hi Judy - Good points. In this case I would agree, a suspended ceiling is better than drywall. There's just too many work-arounds to deal with and since it sounds like you're okay with the look, which isn't bad at all BTW, I think you're right. If it was me in your house (which would be weird) I would also choose suspended ceiling... in this case. - Jason
I was installing a beadboard ceiling in my kids playroom in the recently renovated basement and I shot a nail into the newly installed hot water line. Luckily the plumber came out the next day to fix the pipe. But screw it, I'm starting over with a drop ceiling.
Kenny - I hate it when that happens, but I'm still sticking with drywall over drop-ceiling. To each his own though. - Jason
I have a basement window that interferes with where I would like to put a wall. It's a block glass window with a vent in the middle. The window was not supposed to be there in the first place, the builder made a mistake when putting up the forms for the basement walls. Can I just frame in front of the window or should I remove the glass block windows and replace it with something else? Our basement has enough natural light without this window.
Hi Craig - Normally I'd say don't put a wall over a window, but only because of the loss of natural light. If the naturual light it okay without there's no reason you can build an wall right over it. I think this is obvious, but you never know, make sure the window is shut and locked before you build over it. Good Luck! - Jason
Jason, thanks for your post. Let me explain my situation. I want to put a ceiling in my basement. The joists now are at the perfect height for the size of my basement, but having to lower it 3-4 inches might make it too small, considering I plan to lay self-leveling compound on my concrete floor and/or, perhaps, carpet or tile. However, I have radiator heat, and my radiator pipes are not inside the joists, but rather 3-4 inches below them. I have considered drop-ceiling, as it would cover the pipes, but it would make my ceiling really low. I am leaning towards dry-walling above the pipes, and just spray-painting them white and making them a "part of the basement scene". Do you have any thoughts on this? The pipes only hang low around half the perimeter of my basement, near the walls, if that helps give you an image. If I drywall above the pipes, how do I fit the drywall around the brackets holding the pipes up?
Bob - Tricky one. My first reaction is that you should spray the entire ceiling white without finishing it. Try this first. See if you like it. Go ahead and do the rest of the framing, you can always come back and add in either drywall or drop-ceiling. I think the pipes would actually make this look even more unique.
My second choice, although I really like the first one, would be to drywall the ceiling and cut around some of the pipes. As you suggested, leaving them where they are. They would add cool vibe to it. I would rough cut a hole where they come down from the ceiling and then finish it with some sort of white plastic trim collar - similar to what you might find around a bathroom pipe.
In this situation, a drop-ceiling would be third in line. No my favorite option. Especially if you have even the slightest concern with headroom.
Good luck! Take some pictures and email them to me; and I'll share them here on the website.
- Jason
We recently bought a 143 year old house in Minnesota. I think the drop ceiling was put in in the 60s and it is so ugly. My husband doesn't care but I can't stand it. The ceiling above it is in not the best shape so I would love to put in a new ceiling but I am not sure what the costs would be. We are totally new to the DIY home repair but would be interested in giving it a shot. What would be the cost and workload of this kind of project? Could just two of us do it? How can I tell what is above the current plaster ceiling before we start ripping it out?
PS It is in our kitchen.
Here's another option:
http://jayscustomcreations.com/2015/01/don-oystryk-removable-panel-batten-basement-ceiling/
Very cool! I'd love to see what that looks like once it's painted.
The people before me dry walled the basement... Had crown molding and everything. IT LOOKS AWESOME. Downside... They didn't insulate above that... I can hear the kids tip toe upstairs... Let alone when they are running and jumping!!!
The only fix would be to tear it all down and start over.
Also I wanted to install ceiling speakers for the surround sound... Really hard to do with dry walled ceilings. Very easy to do with drop ceilings. IMO
If you have ever tried to mud and tape above your head then do the dust cleanup, you will seriously think more about a drop ceiling. We have 1600 sq ft to cover. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have about $5,000 laying around to throw at a drywall ceiling
5k??? You're paying to much. Unless your basement is ginormous.
We're going with a drop ceiling. Our house was built in 99' and when I was negotiating the home purchase, both tubs were leaking into the basement. The owners had to fix it before I'd buy. Then, 3yrs later, both of them started leaking again. I had to fix it myself than of course. I'm convinced it's going to leak again. It also leaked through the grout in the tile surrounding the tub, through some minuscule crack we couldn't isolate. This entire basement section is to be a bedroom. we drywalled a ceiling outer "tray" and will use drop ceiling for the center with decorative vinyl tile. I put recessed lights in the outer tray area too. I think we're definitely getting a win/win for appearance and practicality.
Hey Justin - Sounds like you've got the right choice for your basement. If you send some pictures of your drop ceiling after you're done I'd love to post them to this article. - Jason
Hi, we are in the final stage of building our home. it's a bungalow however can't decide if we will go for drop ceiling or drywall ceiling... My mom & sisters will occupy the Main floor and the basement wil be for me & my hubby & son, so the basement will be our space, it will be have 4-28" windows and contractor told us that the standard house will have a suspended ceiling... If we want a dry wall ceiling we will pay add'l $2300++ for 1500sqft basement...pls let me know your thought in all aspect... Thanks - LC
An ADDITIONAL $2,300??? Just for the ceiling? "Additional" as in over and above the cost of the drop-down ceiling? That's crazy expensive. Hi Blaise. Sorry to kick off this comment with such surprise but that cost just seems way out of line. Can you get a second quote? Or ask why it's so much more?
If you are going to be living down there as your permanent living space I would really push for drywall. Office buildings have drop-ceilings. Not homes.
Jason
Jason,
I am currently trying to create a media room/full basement in my home and am looking to keep costs low (obviously). I understand that I will probably not live in this house forever, so I don't want to do anything permanent to the space downstairs that restricts it to only being viewed as a media room and not a full basement upon selling. That being said, I just ripped out the previous white dropped ceiling tiles and grid. My spouse and I are weighing the options of whether a black painted ceiling or black ceiling tiles would look better. The space is 15x20 with 7 1/2 ft ceilings when the drop ceiling was installed.
Acoustics would be an issue for watching movies/content, but those things could also be corrected with diffusion panels (possibly)?
All in all, my question is which choice would be a better look when selling the home. With the 2x2 tiles, the space felt very claustrophobic.
Thank you for your help.
REASON - DODGY WATER PIPES THAT HAVE RUINED YOUR BASEMENT IN THE PAST - LAZY PRE-TEENS WHO STILL CAN'T SEEM TO BATH WITHOUT SOAKING THE FLOOR, THEREBY OCCATIONALLY CAUSING A DRIP - AN EXTREAM HATRED OF DRYWALL DUST
Cathy- Haven't yet had to deal with the lazy pre-teens but I can see them coming around the corner. For you... I agree, drop-ceiling all the way. Anyone else with these three conditions - go for drop-ceiling. - Jason
I have a house built in the 60's, the basement was finished and a drywall ceiling was used and DAMNIT I wish it was a drop. Yeah other areas of the house have plumbing and electrical, not as much as the basement where everything comes and goes. I guess it depends on the type of person you are, I would rather buy something that doesn't look as nice but lasts longer, or is more easily maintained. I would prefer that when building a home, equal thought would be given to access for maintenance and upgrades as much as pure aesthetics. Like my utility area is a small closet cause it leaves more space for the actual room, but getting to anything back there sucks, it makes every plumbing/heating job more expensive. I lean more towards prioritizing function and ease over just appearance. I grew up in a house with a drop ceiling in the basement, never bothered me one bit, I don't think I even looked at it much. It's like builders/designers think once they install or fix something, nothing will ever go wrong with it again.....homeowners with older houses know otherwise.
I hear ya William. Drop ceilings have their advantages. But for me, aesthetics mean a lot. Plus, you know what, they SHOULD do it right. You shouldn't need to cut open your ceiling, so not shortcuts for sloppy work for me. It has to be built to last. Just my two cents on it. - Jason
The fact of the matter is that you only need to find yourself having to access the ceiling once to curse a drywall ceiling. I have electricians in today doing work and all I could think was that I'm not going to drywall it (it's open now) because the cost of what they had to do would have be much more if I had to cut that much drywall for the wires. They told me they had to cut about thirty feet of drywall to install a wire for a hot tub for a guy. I've repaired ceiling drywall and you will always see the line and that, to me, is more trouble and more unsightly than a nice drop. Having the drop also means I can add even minor items that I would otherwise avoid with a drywall ceiling. It's drop for me!
True. But let me put it this way. If drop ceilings are so great, why not just drop ceiling your whole house??? What's so different about a basement? There are pipes and wires on the second floor, but no one would even consider a drop ceiling there. What's the difference???
The difference is, you don't consider your basement to be equal to the other levels of your home. It's secondary. It's casual. It's "less than". Well not me. Not my basement. Mine is EQUAL! So... no, no drop ceiling for me.
Let the civilized debate continue. I appreciate all angles and considerations. - Jason
I can tell you why someone would not need drywall on the basement walls but needs a ceiling done! The basement in my future house has wood paneled walls and we will be painting over them. No drywall. It's a nice dry basement too so my plan is to replace the existing carpet with laminate approved for below grade installation. But the ceiling is paper tile. So here we'll be with nicely pained walls and new floor and the dingy ceiling and old lights. Now, if I can easily upgrade the existing lights I'll consider painting the ceiling that's there but we'll have to actually finalize our buy and move in for that. Just saying, that odd situation can happen. Your page will help us finish off 2 of the unfinished side rooms though to make a beautiful walk in pantry with deep freezer and new laundry room . ☺
No way!
My thoughts.
1. People change kitchens like socks these days. You almost always need access.
2, You have to move all your pipes into the joists. Drilling holes that weaken them and the cost of a plumber to move water pipes ,
3. Lots of extra framing involved to go around problem areas like the one trap that wont fit,
4. you need access panels all over for duct dampers and cleaning panels.
5. All electrical junctions have to be rewired becasue they can,t be covered up.
6. Sewer clean outs.
7. Leaks make a big mess. Its bad enough that that tub up stairs keeps making water stains in the kitchen ceiling.
Its not the best idea to sheetrock the ceiling. There are a few exceptions.
Like if the only room above it is a living room. Or a very high basement ceiling.
I HAVE A DROP CEILING INSTALLED BUT DON'T CARE FOR THE LOOK. I'll TRY NEWER PANELS! What is better to reduce heat?
Hi Troy - Sorry, I don't really have a recommendation for drop ceiling panels that reduce heat. - Jason
I am in this same situation now, and decided to go with drywall for the following reasons.
1. It had a drop ceiling and I hated the look of it, plus my ceiling was lower and the drop ceiling caused it to be even lower, which made I feel crowded.
2. Both the kitchen plumbing and bathroom plumbing are in unfinished areas of the basement.
3. I already planned on furring down the joist to enclose ethernet and cable wires. I decided to add some conduit runs so I can pull wires through parallel to the joist if I need to add anything in the future.
I made detailed and accurate drawings of where my water lines, electric lines, duct work and lines for my hot water basrboard heat. I also am taking pictures of it as well. As for the ductwork over half of my duct are exposed in unfixed sections as well, I also bought registers with dampers so I can adjust flow without needing access to the ducts. I had two Junction boxes in the bedroom ceiling, one I was able to move into the closet, the other I brought down and installed a cover, I then covered this with a smoke detector and it is hidden. I also had two in the family room, one I replaced with a 4 gang box and added a switched outlet for the light over my pool table. The other one I did the same and put smoke detector over. Overall drywall was the better choice for me, and it looks better in my opinion as well.
#1 reason NOT to go with drywall is access to any runs of wire or pipe in the basement. There are surface mount grid ceiling products that require only 1" of head space, which compares to 1/2 drywall and furring. Also, I'm one of those you need to contact. On my outer basement walls, I ran T&G pine over plastic sheeting and foam board. Yes, it costs more than drywall, but it turns a basement into an all around great room to hang out without being antiseptic (and requiring paint).
i am currently remodeling my basement, the home is 40 years old, the ceiling is very low and the old owners had installed a drop ceiling with florescent lights that looks like crap. So originally i planned to drywall, but after i ripped out the drop ceiling i really like the extra space you get, so i am not just planning to spray paint the ceiling black, this will still allow access to any pipes and i really like the extra space
How much of the manliness earned by finishing your own basement would you estimate is negated by your admission of watching a lot of Downton Abbey?
I comptemplated between drop and drywall. My uncle, who is a professional contractor for 40+ years and used to "rec rooms" in the 70s and 80s, came by and looked and said drywall. It will look cleaner and you will need to put access panels in. The work to put in is to "build out around infrastructure(pipes, electrical, etc). Insulate the ceiling with at least R19 with the drywall to improve sound deadening, etc. Again, the hardest part is building around the stuff in the ceiling to prep it for drywall. FYI, took my uncle and I less than 8 hours to frame all the walls, including a bathroom, 3 closets.
Todd - Your uncle is a wise and skilled man. And apparently has a hell of a good set of framing skills. - Jason
I have a question. My basement ceiling has a lot of pipes, ductwork, and boxes at variable heights. Plus my beam. So I can soffit around some of this but am worried that a room with a couple of soffitseconds and 2 different ceiling heights will look a little choppy and disjointed (as opposed to a big space all below the lowest point of these obstacles). I don't want to drywall below the lowest one because that will be just under 7.5 feet and seems like it would be too low/closterphobic (and if went that route might as well do a drop ceiling to avoid framing or extensive furring strips). Thoughts?
Hi Lou - You won't love your options but here they are.
A. Using furring strips to drop the ceiling height down low enough to avoid all the obstacles. This kind of sucks because you have to do a lot of framing and it lowers your ceiling - but it keeps it from being choppy. Not my favorite solution.
B. Rewire, reroute all of the obstacles. PAIN IN THE ASS, a bit dangerous, risky and likely expensive. Again, I don't love it.
C. Frame around everything. Ceiling looks choppy. Not bad, but not great.
D. Forget about ceiling drywall. Leave everything where it is. Spray paint the ceiling white or black. YES! This is what I would do.
Here's a link with a few pictures of what that looks like.
Access, especially in the basement with all the pipes/wires/conduits converging is gonna win every time for me. Yes, if everything is done right the first time, drywall is a great option but I'm a firm believer in Murphy's law. And you can avoid a lot of cost renovating the main floor by doing much of the work of new installations from below.
Another thing to consider us versatility - a drop ceiling gives you options. It's not the bad old days of only one type of panel anymore. If you're doing a playroom an acoustic tile can keep the noise level from killing grown-ups without always shushing the kids.
Teens threw a party? Make them buy and replace the tiles their dart competition destroyed.
Craft/workshop project literally exploded? Only replace the damaged tiles.
Want sleek and sophisticated? Paint the track and install one of the funkier options - tin, wood, etc.
Decide you want to colour match to your walls or do a unique colour pattern? Cut drywall to fit the grid and paint them however you like.
The difference between the finished basement and the rooms upstairs is that they can be anything. A kitchen will (almost) always stay a kitchen. A bedroom might become an office or a craft room. That's about it. Your basement can be a workshop, a family room, an exercise room, storage, a bedroom... and your needs may change. The media room that's so important today may get suddenly changed into a teen's bedroom when Grandma has a fall and needs to move in. Or when the entire family decides they just can't handle his musical tastes anymore.
Versatility and practicality combined will always beat out yet another room that just looks like all the others in my book.
If I'm to broke to do the whole basement what are your thoughts about painting the rafters? Maybe frame the stairwell and the mechanical room. Maybe epoxy paint floors.
I also have a vent free fireplace for the corner.
Yes, I love it! Painted rafters actually look pretty good, I especially like white. The stairs and flooring would certainly help to make the space usable. Go for it! - Jason
What is your opinion on painting the basement ceiling and leaving everything exposed? They look super cool and seem like it would be a huge cost saver.
Hi Cassy - Yes, I think exposed painted ceilings look great! Go for it! - Jason
Drywall ceiling with 2 bedrooms, playroom, bath, laundry in 1980. 650 sq ft. Plastered walls with skim coat and ceilings with Random Old English plaster. Cost only 50 cents a square foot. Raised all pipe to fit between 1-1/2 inch space afforded by 2X4's run across bottom of joists at 16" on center. Used 16 footers straddling ceilings and used wall studs and room walls to lift joists to level. Placed closets and floor to ceiling cabinets to reduce joist spans and support upstairs kitchen and appliances. Wall to wall Berber tight loop carpet, walls painted with pastel colors and clam shell moulding in white. Couldn't tell the difference between the floors, Raised family and housed two newly wed couples until they got situated in their own homes. Highly recommend lift the pipes and plaster the ceiling just like the rest of the house. In 37 years only once had a pipe leak to deal with. Removed a 32 X 32 piece. Can't tell where it was done. Our ceilings are permanent. Best thing we ever did and made our modest 1000 sq ft ranch into a very livable 8 room 1700 sq ft house, nearly perfect for raising a family, Holidays or retirement. Made our heating bill go down. We insulated with R-13 and spaced studs one inch from concrete.
I am happy I found this discussion. We are in the process of refinishing our basement. We opened it up by adding headers. Our current dilemma is the sewage pipe running down the ceiling on one side then cutting across to another. We trayed out the side and are now wondering if we should tray the whole ceiling for symmetry or just have 8 ft ceilings (I have high basement ceilings) with the one side having the tray. Also, has anyone just put up planks for the ceiling vs. sheet rock? Any benefits or problems? I realize it is more work but wanted to ask the masses here for input. Thanks
I am reading the comments about painted ceilings. What do you do about all of the wires, pvc pipes, copper pipes and the hideous octopus looking air ducts?
We are in the process of waterproofing/conditioning under our elevated house. For anyone who doesn't live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina - we have insane humidity year round with the exception of a week or two and our "first floor" is 10' off the ground. The foundation is built in concrete block and unless it is sealed up we can't even use it for storage unless we want everything covered in mold. SO, we are putting a Quickrete stucco product over the block to seal it quickly and to save as much space and expense as possible - ALSO, these spaces are uninsurable so we have to be especially conscious of potential loss during flooding/hurricane. The more outdoor and waterproof products the better. In the space we are tackling though, the rooms above are fed 7 HVAC vents, multiple plumbing lines, AND the under space is the home to the main septic line. All of this is run under the joists because they can't fit anywhere else. Therefore, it is clear that drywalling the ceiling will only work if I lose a lot of height (boxing things out is unrealistic as it is a spider web) and have a lot of framing done. I think a drop ceiling is our only option and that is fine as this room is strictly storage and workshop, but is there any drop ceiling system out there that doesn't cost a fortune? Or is there a way to build our own ceiling system? I know that sounds crazy but worth asking I guess... Thanks for any advice!!
PS - We are adding an air-conditioning solution as well. I know waterproofing alone won't solve the issue. The ceiling is just to clean things up and provide a fresher, brighter surface rather than the dark and jumbled existing situation.
We live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada - cold winters but to date (30+ years in this house) have had a warm basement (cement floors, undinished ceiling, gyproced and insulated walls. Now we're finishing the basement for our son and newborn grandchildren to live in. We will be living above them on the house's ground floor. How efficient is gyproc alone for reducing/eliminating noise, or do I need to add insulation between the joists/basement ceiling and ground floor? Ideas?
Hey Susan - Great question, I'll try to answer as best as I can. Gyproc (also commonly called drywall) is not a great sound insulator, it actually helps carry sound from the top floor to the basement - if you really want to cut down on noise then insulation the space in-between the floor joists but don't add drywall to the ceiling. The only other option is use "channels" to separate the drywall from the floor joists so that it can't carry the sound as well. A drop ceiling, in the this vein, may be a better choice if sound dampening is one of your primary goals.
Jason
I have your basement ebook, Jason and have just finished your ceiling article here (don't do a dropped ceiling). I was kind of thinking about doing a paneled ceiling instead of drywall, but you said if I did that I would be "dead to you". Don't want that to happen. I'm going to do the walls in 4 X 8 MDF panels, $34 each, shiplap design, 1/'4", glued over studs. I've seen that carried over to the ceiling also and it looked kind of sharp. But I suspect there is a good reason you feel it shouldn't be. Would it sag on a ceiling unless you drywall under it or something? If so, I would just drywall the ceiling and paint it.
Hi Terry - You definitely do not have to drywall your ceiling. And... even if you did do a paneled drop-ceiling I suppose we could still be friends. Shiplap MDF would be a cool look, go for it, you don't need drywall first. - Jason
Hi Jason, I'm curious about leaving the basement ceiling unfinished, at least no drywall or drop ceiling but instead painting it black or staining the joists. If I pursue this route, could I eliminate overhead blocking and secure the frame to the wall instead?
Thanks for any assistance!
Kevin
Hey Kevin - Sounds industrial, I like it. No need for overhead blocking but you will need to fire block behind your finished side walls.
-Jason
HELP!!! MY TOWN HAS A HIGE PROBLEM WITH PINHOLE LEAKS IN WATER PRIPES. (Plainview NY) 2019 NOW, some decent looking drop ceilings. I do want the sheetrock. Thoughts?
#3 Ceiling Mohawk
Hi Jason,
I don't really want to finish my basement. I just want to insulate the ceiling. The recommended insulation is fiberglass rolls with the kraft facing up. the basement is used for laundry, storage and my office so I don't want the fiberglass (or anything else) falling on me. I came to your site exploring for options. I agree with you that cheap drop ceilings look like a throwback to the worst of 1973 plus I don't want to lose the height.
I said to myself, 'why not just drywall it?' If I could find some small panels I could nail up directly to the joists I would think about that.
Thanks
Hi Jason,
Just found your website and I'm really enjoying diving into it. My basement in my 60 yr old ranch home was finished by the previous owner about 25 years ago. It currently has a drop ceiling, with track lights scattered about for lighting. I'm looking to add a full bath down here in one area/corner. I at a minimum would need to go to mosture rated tiles made for a bathroom, but inclined to go to a hard ceiling in the bath. The extra hurdle I have is that my home does not have the typical wood joists, but the more commercial open webbed steel joists so I think I would need to install/secure some sort of wood framing to the bottom of the joists in order to sheetrock to. Part of me wants to get rid of the rest of the drop ceiling as well, but may just look to update the tiles. Any thoughts or recommendations on either area?
Thanks in advance for any insight.
Frank
1 good reason for drop ceilings FLUSH MOUNT LED PANNELS! The only reason I'm concerning it.
That's a Pro tip Dean! I updated the article to highlight that as a benefit.
Thanks,
Jason
Jason, I’m so glad I came across this article. You saved me a lot of pondering for myself. I hadn’t considered just dry walling. I Agee. Your Friend, Bob
P.S. thanks for making me laugh too
This is genius. Drop ceilings are great. Thanks for making drywall to talk about!
Just got this post forwarded by my bud in the biz. Wish more people knew about the drop ceilings. It's such a great solution. Thanks for writing in an easy to understand and fun way too!
Loved finding this thread. We live in a 55 year old ranch built with very low ceilings and all the pipes are below joists. Our downstairs had been converted to an apartment with suspension ceilings throughout. When we bought the house we decided to live in both parts of the house, so we remodeled the lower level with drywall ceilings and a couple of access panels for water shutoffs. We have absolutely no regrets and the area looks beautiful. We do have a framed floor with hardwood flooring, so we lost some headroom but no more than the suspended ceiling was. Area is so much more livable now.
I loved it when you said that so as I was doing my research for this article I ran across a common reason people give for installing a drop ceiling. I can relate because I have a newly plastered ceiling that had an airline crack which I filled, it’s now bulging. I will take your tip and find the best residential plastering and insulation contractor in town.
I agree that you should drywall your ceiling. It does seem drop ceiling is mainly for aesthetics. Really appreciate you taking the time to educate us on this.