Suspended Ceiling or Drywall?

by Murray Anderson

If you're considering finishing your basement you're quite likely faced with the old question - should my ceiling be drywall or should I install a suspended (drop) ceiling? While drywall will give your ceiling a smooth, finished appearance while some people think suspended ceilings look cold, "institutional" or old fashioned. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to each type of ceiling so here's some thoughts on the pros and cons of each option.

Ceiling height

Particularly in a basement renovation ceiling height can be an issue and since drywall can be attached directly to the main floor joists you will lose less that 1" of ceiling height if you install drywall.
Suspended ceilings require anywhere from 3" to 6" of space below the floor joists (although some manufacturers claim their tiles require as little as 2" of clearance) so they will lower your ceiling.
In newer homes, the extra space a suspended ceiling needs is seldom a concern, however, in older homes basements are shallower and a suspended ceiling may not be a viable option.
Alternatively, if there are electrical wires or plumbing pipes running on the underside of the joists, it's impossible to install drywall before relocating the wires or pipes - a step that will add extra cost to your ceiling.

Suspended ceilings allow access

Since it's against building codes to permanently cover electrical junction boxes with drywall suspended ceilings have a definite advantage Covering junction boxes or plumbing with a suspended ceiling is not against any building code since access is simple.

Potential damage from above

We all know water flows downhill and a basement ceiling can be particularly at risk from water coming from the main floor. An overflowing sink, a backed up toilet or even a malfunctioning refrigerator ice maker can all send a lot of water down onto your basement ceiling, permanently staining it.
Water stains on a drywall ceiling generally mean large sections of the ceiling will need to be removed and the entire ceiling refinished. A stained suspended ceiling tile can be repaired by replacing the stained tile.

Acoustic properties

Are your kids going to have be playing their stereos or video games or planning on having a TV in your lower level? Drywall attached directly to floor joists will have very little sound blocking capability, so noise from the basement will come right up through the floor. While you can buy special sound blocking drywall or mount the drywall onto a "resilient" channel designed to block sound transfer (both will add extra cost to your project and minimize one advantage of drywall sine they will lower your ceiling).
Suspended ceilings on the other hand are generally made from sound absorbing materials that cut down sound transfer, helping keep basement sound away from the main floor.

Concerned about the appearance?

Ceiling tiles are now commonly available in different sizes as well as a number of different colors and finishes, (some even resembling an old fashioned tin ceiling), so you have lots of appearance options with a suspended ceiling.

Suspended or Drywall? | Planning | Installing