I'm finishing my basement and I'm looking at ceiling options. I'm considering a drop ceiling, but the overall ceiling height needs to be at least 7 feet (per code) and I only have about 3 inches to lose before I get to 7 feet (also accounting for height loss when I add my floor).

I saw on the Armstrong site that their installation guidelines call for at minimum drop of 6 inches. Does anyone know of other systems that use less drop?

Thanks

 

Why not just add furring strips to your existing ceiling and then add t&g ceiling tiles to that.
That would be as mimimum as you can go, I would think.

 

Jatco,

Thanks for the suggestion of T&G. That's my back-up if I can't go with the drop ceiling. I'd prefer the convenience of the drop ceiling for accessing the ceiling space to get at pipes/wires in the future, as well as ease of replacing the tiles should they get damaged or stained.

 

Three inches is the minimum you will have to work with, since the panels have to go in at an angle. I believe the T&G will be worth the effort, and will give you an additional 3".

 

I don't remember a brand name but I do recall seeing a lay-in ceiling that the grid attaches directly to the floor joists. I'll poke around to try and find it or maybe somebody else is familiar with it and will pipe in.

Also, if you use the fiberglass panels rather than the hard panels, it is easier to stay very close to the joists above. They flex and allow installation with near zero clearance.

 

Nap, I've seen those close fit drop ceiling systems, and had thought about it for the last one I did due to a close tolerance, but in essence, once it is installed, it is there, and ceases to become a "drop" ceiling, limiting accesss to what is up above, as my customer wanted. May as well go with a nail up ceiling. Just for info.

 

It does make sense. It has been awhile since I have seen anything with that ceiling.

Now just don't knock my idea of fiberglass tiles. (although actually I do not like them) They do aid in the close installations.

One suggestion. I like 2 x 2 better than 2x4 grid and tile. If you use fiberglass tiles, they tend to sag faster than a hard tile and 2x2 will support them better.

I also saw a neat installation tonight for a lay-in ceiling. Instead of regular tiles, a poly or lexan sheet was used (opaque white). Single lamp ugly (utility type) flourescent fixtures were mounted to ceiling above. Actually a very nice effect.

If your into the 60's thing, you could mount several different fixtures with different colored lamps up there and control them with some sort of controller to get that disco effect.

Just kidding about the disco thing but the actual install I saw was pretty neat.