Basement ceiling finishing.

Ruth
by Ruth
My new husband and I are disagreeing on how to finish our basement ceiling. I don't like the look of ceiling tiles and prefer drywall. He has the opposite opinion - because of risk of water damage and access to the pipes. Your thoughts or experiences...............

  7 answers
  • Russbow Russbow on Oct 18, 2017

    If access to pipes and/or electric wires, a suspended ceiling with easily removed tiles sounds like the best bet here.

  • Amy Nemeth Griffin Amy Nemeth Griffin on Oct 18, 2017

    You could also leave the ceiling open and paint everything one color. I had a friend that painted her basement ceiling, including pipes and all , black and the walls red.

    • Ruth Ruth on Oct 18, 2017

      I have seen this done myself. My hope is to have a "basement" that looks like rest of the house.

  • Roxaneg Roxaneg on Oct 18, 2017

    You can drywall and put in access panels in the ceiling for the pipes. My uncle did just that-- he put in wood accents on the ceiling which were really doors to access pipes. They ran the length of the joist and because the pipes went along the side of the wall, he ran his "door" along the wall and framed the ceiling all around the room.



  • Lynn Lynn on Oct 18, 2017

    Use decorative 2 by 2 ceiling tiles and it won't look so industrial.

  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Oct 18, 2017

    Unfortunately, due to all the workings of your house that are currently exposed now (wire, pipes, heating elements) you need to have access to it. If you close it up (and by code, some items like junction boxes can't be) you run the risk of a major issue somewhere down the road. There are panels for suspended ceilings now that don't look anything like the old ones. Do some research online and take a look at a few businesses to see what is available. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

  • Chachi Carrah Chachi Carrah on Oct 18, 2017

    I’m with Russbow98. Our basement ceiling was drywalled and access to heating vents, electrical wires, etc. is impossible without tearing out the drywall and then repairing it. BUMMER!

  • William William on Oct 18, 2017

    I'm with Ruusbow, Cynthia, and Reblenomo. Smooth drywall ceiling looks great until you need access to electrical, heating, and plumbing. There so many options out ther for suspended ceilings that do look great.