Basement ceiling needs finished! Been contemplating 10 years!...

PJ
by PJ
There is the pink insulation-which must stay for sound and warmth. But the ceiling is LOW and there is duct work dropping down 😟 I've seen pics of open basement ceilings painted black, but with insulation that wont work.
2 ducts running across length of room
  8 answers
  • Donna Knorr Donna Knorr on Mar 11, 2018

    I had the same problem. Your ceiling looks just like mine did. I bought fabric and 10 packs and just tacked the fabric kind of droopy over the entire ceiling it was not hard took a little while but I’m a woman and I did it myself and a couple of days looks pretty now. It’s not 10 packs, it’s thumb tacks.


    • PJ PJ on Mar 12, 2018

      Could u post a pic of yours? Not sure who that would work around recesse can lights.

  • Dfm Dfm on Mar 11, 2018

    I’ve been tempted to staple a white tarp acrose my basement ceiling.....just to brighten the area up. Unfortunately there are vents from the duct work to deal with.

  • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Mar 11, 2018

    I think drywall is your best option for this type of ceiling. It will feel a little taller when it's all finished and painted. And the ductwork can be boxed in.

  • Marsha Marsha on Mar 11, 2018

    Our basement is recreation only and we did not want to finish any of the walls, floor or ceiling as permanent living space. We used 4' x 8' sheets of lattice, which we painted white to lighten the ceiling, and attached it to the floor joists. We wanted to use vinyl lattice but it was too expensive ($15 a sheet and we needed 30 sheets). If your duct work sticks out below the joists, you may have to use a block of wood to drop the lattice below the duct work. We had to drop ours 2", so we used a 2x2 and screwed through the lattice, through the 2x2 then into the joists. This way a sheet could be easily removed if needed to get to pipes or electrical. Hope this gives you ideas rather than expensive drop ceiling or drywall. Good luck.

    • PJ PJ on Mar 12, 2018

      thank you! Could u post a pic of yours please? Would love to see how it turned out

  • Jcraw Jcraw on Mar 11, 2018

    Assuming you don’t have a damp problem, paint the beams black. Then get painters canvas tarp which you could cut and staple to the beams. To cover your insulation. it would make a decorative English cottage ceiling. Or modern urban - don’t cover the ductwork. That canvas is a substantial weight to hold its shape, but easy to cut. And reasonably priced.

    Or there’s always bead board, which is reasonably priced, not terribly heavy and east to cut.

  • Emily Emily on Mar 12, 2018

    we had black insulation and pipes criss crossing the basement to go to upper radiators. We had white finished fake bead board put up. Really brightened things up.

  • Donna Knorr Donna Knorr on Mar 12, 2018

    Will send photo soon.cut around the lights.