Dress Up Basement Ceilings

By Paul Bianchina

If you have a basement ceiling that's in need of some dressing up as part of a remodeling, you're likely to encounter a maze of pipes and ducts that you have to deal with first. Combine that with the already limited headroom in most basements, and the choice of how to deal with the ceiling becomes an important one. Here are a few options to consider.

Dropped Ceilings

One of the easiest solutions to covering up an unsightly basement ceiling is to install a dropped ceiling. Dropped ceilings, also called suspended ceilings, consist of a gridwork of metal bars in the shape of an upside-down T, which are suspended on wires from the overhead joists. The metal channels snap together in a regularly-spaced pattern - typically 2' x 2' or 2' x 4' squares - and the squares are then filled with lightweight acoustic ceiling panels by simply dropping the panels into the grid. The panels have different face textures and are typically white, but can be painted any color using standard latex paint. Fluorescent light fixtures of the same dimension can also be inserted into the grids as desired.

A nice advantage is that the easily-removed ceiling panels offer instant access to plumbing, ducts and wiring located above the grid, greatly simplifying repairs or alterations. It's also easy to add insulation on top of the panels, which, along with the panels' acoustic properties, all help to deaden sounds and keep the basement and the rooms above quieter.

The disadvantage is that a dropped ceiling eats into the headroom. Since the grid is suspended on wires and there needs to be enough clearance between the grid and the framing above to install the panels, you'll lose a minimum of about eight inches of headroom.

Furred Ceilings

If headroom is more limited, furring down the ceiling and then covering it with a finished material is a possible solution. It allows you to deal with the pipes and create a clean ceiling while not requiring as much room down from the ceiling joists as a dropped ceiling does.

The first step is to relocate any pipes or ducts that you can - move them up into the joist cavities, or out to the perimeter of the room. Next, wood framing is used to box in around anything that's still hanging below the line of the ceiling joists. Finally, wooden furring strips - typically 1 x 2 or 1 x 4, or 2 x 4 where extra strength is needed -- are installed directly onto the joists and perpendicular to them. The combination of the furring and the framed boxes give you solid backing for the finished ceiling treatment.

Drywall is one choice for covering the furring and the boxes. Drywall is quick, clean, and relatively inexpensive if you want to undertake it on your own, but installation and finishing can be a little tricky of the ceiling has a lot of angles or boxed in areas.

Acoustic ceiling tiles offer another possibility that may be a better do-it-yourself project, although they are not as readily available as in years past. Acoustic tiles are typically 12" x 12" squares with a face that is pressed into a textured pattern, then painted white. They resemble the panels used with a dropped ceiling, but have tongues along two edges and grooves along the other two that allow them to interlock without the metal grid system.

The tiles are easy to cut and their small size makes them very easy to handle. They are installed by simply stapling them to the furring strips - the staples go through flat areas behind the grooves so they're not seen - and you can use painted wood moldings to finish off the corners.

Wood offers a third option. Tongue and groove boards are installed perpendicular to the furring strips, and are either face-nailed or blind-nailed through the tongues. Matching wood molding completes the corners.

The Industrial Look

If headroom is too limited or the maze of pipes and ducts is too much to deal with, you can adopt an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude and turn this to your advantage - a remodeling tactic often used in the conversion of industrial space into offices, restaurants, or apartments.

After first cleaning the framing, pipes, and all the rest to remove dust, use an airless paint sprayer to apply a coat of primer over everything, followed by two coats of finished paint (lighter colors will give the appearance of more headroom). Some people will even paint the ductwork a different color as an accent.

If you opt for this approach, be sure and hire a contractor or home inspector for a consultation prior to doing the work - some equipment or electrical components may not be able to be painted safely, and you need to determine that before you begin.

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