Asked on Dec 07, 2014
Basement ceiling cover-up
by Stephanie
+16
We live in a rented duplex, so we can't really do permanent upgrades. However, we would like to do something with the basement "ceiling". Actually there is no ceiling---just bare wood, ductwork and wires. We have some furniture (you know--the old stuff!) down there, and we would like to make it our crafting area (sewing, scrapbooking, floral, etc). Does anyone have an idea of how to make it look more "homey"? It's just basic like in this picture.
I am debating what I am going to do to my basement, Just before I bought my house I practiced on the one I rented, the basement walls all were white so I painted them brick red and took a 1/2" brush and painted the mortar with light gray to give it a "brick" effect that really looked good especially at Christmas, and my coffee bar was a wooden workbench I got from a building supply that I covered with polyurethane until it shined, as for the ceiling I'm thinking of duplicating a bar I saw back in the 70's it was in the basement of an office building called the "Boiler Room" they painted the ceiling flat black and all of the pipes with florescent colors and lit the place up with a black light, I'm tempted to do that just to bring back memories. or I might polish all of the copper pipes valves and meter til it shines, while painting all of the iron pipe and PVC in Flat black, it's a simple theory "If you can't hide it make it a decoration". I am also leaning toward an office with the "Sam Spade" look with the antiques I have collected (roll top desk,1940's desk phone,file cabinet with real brass hardware, Grandfather clock with a Nixie tube display ("Steam punk" or "Dr. Who" style) that I built and a 1935 sears Silvertone shortwave radio I haven't fixed yet amongst other things.
anyway these ideas might not fit your taste but then again they might give you hints in the right direction, since you are renting avoid doing anything you can't undo.
Using an electric stapler, (stapling every inch) along rafter I first covered rafters with flame retardant plastic sheeting from Menards. Then over that, I stapled large canvas sheets (used for painting) that I got from Harbor Freight. It's been up 3 years and not one staple has loosened, all holding tight. It looks awesome and not difficult at all, I had fun doing it all by myself!
Kathy,
Sorry, I'm learning to navigate and just found your post!