I have a 1948 home and I am trying to update the basement on a budget to make it a gameroom/utility room. My plans are as follows...

Phase 1 - Install track Lighting (Complete)
Phase 2 - Paint Ceiling
Phase 3 - Frame and Drywall Utility area
Phase 4 - Paint all walls
Phase 5 - Install carpet and linolium

I have the track lighting installed but now I want to paint the ceiling. The ceiling has lots of wires running between trusses and exposed duct work. I am planning on painting it all flat black. My question is this, what is the best way to do this? Would it be crazy to do all spray cans? Should I rent a compressor and do it this way? If so, what type of paint should I buy? How much to do about 750sq-ft? What kind of prep-work is needed? Any type of walk through info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Dave

 

If you paint the joists and floorboards flat black, it will look like a dungeon.

Anyway, what you will need is a good shop vac to clean everything, some

latex paint and an ''airless'' sprayer. A conventional compressor type spray

gun will put out too much overspray for interior use. The sprayer you need

to rent will have a pressure pot setting on the floor and hoses going to a

spray nozzle. You will also need a visit to your local chiropractor to get the

kinks out of your neck afterward. Be sure to use a respirator when spraying,

not just a particle mask. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info. Do you have a different recommendation on color choice? I have seen the flat black before and I thought it looked good but the main reason it to cover up all the wires and ductwork up there. Would you happen to know if there is anything against code (assuming you live in Michigan) regarding painting everything on the ceiling including ductwork and wires? Also, where can I buy or rent an "airless" sprayer? Thanks.

Dave

 

You should be able to rent the equipment you need in any well stocked

rental store. What you specifically want is something called ''high volume/

low pressure'' paint sprayer. They refer to it as ''HVLP'' in the painting trades.

Thanks for taking my tongue-in-cheek remarks about color choices in such

good spirits. There is no code issue regarding the paint project you have in

mind. One thing I've seen done, similar to what you want to do is spraying

everything a flat white and fastening some netting across the bottoms of

the floor joists. The white helps cheer things up and the netting kind of makes

all the ''stuff'' between the joists disappear.

 

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I am also planning on painting a portion of my basement ceiling. I was also thinking flat black. I have also seen the black used in basements, and it looks okay.

Has anyone else seen any other colors?

 

Oh, one other thing. One reason a lot of people who don't even use their

basements paint these areas white is you will have less cobwebs. Spiders

prefer dark places to do their thing. My experience looking at basements

done this way seems to bear that out.

 

Do you happen to have any pictures of any painted ceilings?

Dave

 

Sorry, I've just srarted taking digital photos of stuff like that, no pictures

of painted basements yet.