Drop ceiling or Drywall

Hi all, this site is no doubt, valuable!

After reading all the threads posted from the past 6 months and asking questions and obtained answers from the past few days, I'm still debating as to what kind of ceiling should I plan for my basement.

My basement is about 92" from the joist to the floor. Should I use drop ceiling or simply drywall? Would there be a big different in terms of cost, works, etc.? I also plan to add a subfloor and not sure which ceiling would be more appropriate. Please advice. Thanks.

 

Well Godzilla, you're certainly covering all the bases.

The basement ceiling debate is one of those religious debates. There is no right answer. A lot depends on what you like.

Here's a couple of the major pros of drop ceilings:
- You can still get access to the pipes and wires and ducts above for maintenance and extensions. This is the #1 reason cited for drop ceilings.
- You get a one-level ceiling that looks smooth.

Here's a couple of the major pros of drywall ceilings:
- You retain maximum headroom.
- Your basement can be done pretty much exactly the same as upstairs.

I think both will cost about the same. I don't think your choice of floor will make any difference to your choice of ceiling.

I lean to the choice of drywall. But this is just a personal bias. My arguments are:
- I don't really like the looks of a drop ceiling.
- You have a lot of utilities between the first and second floor of your house too, but you didn't put a drop ceiling there.
- The basement doesn't feel so much like a basement.
- Drywall is pretty easily repaired if need be.

I recommend you make your decision based on looks alone. The other factors nearly balance on both sides.

 

Thanks John, you have been a great help. You're absolute right about the "look" which I prefer drywall than drop ceiling. After you mention that there are utilities between 1st floor and second floor, I feel much comfortable to go with the drywall.

Now I think I can start the planning phase of finishing my basement.

Thanks again.

 

For me, there's nothing worse that sanding drywall above my head, so I went with drop ceiling. It was more expensive, but two people can put up a finished ceiing in a day, while drywall is much more labor intensive. I agree that drywall looks better if done right, but it's not one of my best skills and I don't like doing it anyway, so it was a no-brainer for me.
Matt

 

I agree with Matt. I have replaced drywall ceilings before, sanding over your head is no fun and there are a lot of inside corners. From a pure finished look perspective I personally like the drywall ceiling better also. But the additional work is not worth it. Also, as people walk downstairs into your basement they will see the finished ceiling at eye level, any waves or imperfections will be easily seen. In fact any ceiling shows imperfections more than walls due to the way light reflects off it. This is one area you must be a perfectionist on. Unless of course you texture it.

My solution was to have the drop ceiling, but I am getting nicer (i.e. more expensive) ceiling tiles. I have looked at a lot of ceiling tiles trying to decide on the best look. I am probably 1 month away from installing the ceiling. Finally, I refuse to voluntaily give up access to my plumbing, electrial, & phone lines.

Mike

 

I also chose the drop ceiling. I too like the looks of drywall better, but I chose to go with the drop ceiling to retain access above for the following reasons:

I may decide to add a hvac system later
The majority of my cable and phone lines are run above the drop ceiling, very few are run between the main and second floors
If I have to I can still run wires from the basement to the second floor which would be very difficult if I had a drywall ceiling
The majority of my plumbing is on the main level, so I still have access to that
Ease of installation <------ big one!

Just my .02 worth

 

One more thing - I'm installing a home theater system later, and the speaker wires can all run through the ceiling.
Matt

 

I would chime in and say the access is the key here. Most Basements these days are being used as a Rec room. Dedicated Hometheaters are becoming very popular today and strictly from a resale standpoint a Drop ceiling enables future expansion/upgrades/repairs to be accomplished easily.

While appearance is a consideration in all remodeling projects, in this particular instance, the basement is more about what the space is used for on a regular basis than the final fit and finish.

Cappy!

 

I am finishing my basement too. I was adamant with the drywall ceiling, because I liked the look, until I realized just how many wires, pipes, boxes, etc is located there.

I had a major leak on my dining room ceiling. The 2nd floor bathroom was right above it. Now I have a big gaping hole on my dining room ceiling. The finish is the strange popcorn ceiling finish all over ceilings of the main and 2nd floor. I am going to have a hard time matching the finish. I have 2 choices. One is to patch it up and get the whole ceiling repainted. The Second is to cut a whole new drywall ceiling and pop it into place.

After this ordeal, the easiest choice for the basement ceiling is definitely drop ceilings. It is easier to replace a couple of tiles than it is to even patch and paint that drywall ceiling should something go wrong. There are alot of nice-looking drop ceilings in the market these days.

 

So are you going to put a drop ceiling in your dining room? If not, why not?

 

I can't do a drop-ceiling in the dining-rom ceiling because the rest of the house's ceiling (except the unfinished basement) is drywalled. Having a dining room drop-ceiling will not help re-sale value of the house. It would look really funny.

The way my basement has been initially laid out has just too much issues to contend with. The drop-ceiling seems like the easiest solution to use. I am a fan of a drywall ceiling asthetics. Another lifetime perhaps...

I am having basement flooring issues, however. Please see post by me. re: basement flooring issues. Appreciate any help.

 

OK, here's my rationale for a drop ceiling:

It's all about access.

Regarding existing utilities, in my house at least there is a LOT more to access in the basement ceiling - water shutoff valves, HVAC dampers, gas lines - than there is in the first floor ceiling.

More important to me is new utilities that I may want to add later - additional CATV, CAT5, phone, power, whole-house audio - who knows what I will need in five years? To be able to add utilities with minimum tearup requires easy access to (1) above the ceiling or (2) below the floor. My attic supplies above the ceiling access for the second floor (I also have an unused 2" conduit from the basement to the attic for future use). If I drywall the basement ceiling, I lose easy access for additional utilities for BOTH the first floor and the finished basement!

(Of course, I have a 9' basement so I can put in a flat drop ceiling and still maintain almost 8' ceiling height, so maximizing ceiling height is not one of my concerns.)

 

The only utility between the first and second floor in my 9 yr old house is wiring necessary for the ceiling lights. By choice, there is only one phone jack on the first floor and one cable outlet. They are on outside walls. The phone line for the second floor runs up to the "attic" then down to where they are needed. Plumbing for the second runs up thru the walls, not in the ceiling. Same for heat and AC ducts.

However in the basement - plumbing does run under the floor joists. Phone and cable wiring runs under the floor joists. The duct work for heat, AC, and cold air return all run under the floor joists.