I’m finishing a room in the basement (8ft ceiling height), and I’m thinking about how to finish the ceiling. I’d prefer to be able to access the joist spaces in order to run wiring, etc etc in future. However, the typical office style suspened ceiling I’d prefer to avoid, because you need 3-5″ min headspace in order to install the tiles, and due to the placement of a window, I don’t have this much headroom.
Drywall is not impossible, I just hate to put something up that isn’t easily removeable for access. I’m not opposed to something where the ceiling is, for example, screwed on in panels or something like that.
I’m wondering what innovative ideas people have tried. Anyone out there done something different?
Replies
For accessibility, the drop ceiling is the way to go. You can use a 2' x 2' pattern which looks more "residential" than the 2' x 4' panels. At your window, you can have a valance installed and have the panels butt to this point. Your valance would need to extend 3 or 4 inches away from your wall.
I'm in the middle of the same project, and have chosen antique-style pressed tin. See http://www.wfnorman.com/ for details. I can say they have the best product of this kind out there, but it ain't cheap. You can nail up 2x2 or 2x4 foot panels onto 1"x2" furring and give yourself access if you need it in the future. You would simply have to pull the nails. The clearance with furring and tin is less than 2".I've seen their plant and it's like traveling trough time. The building, equipment and methods are the same as they were 100 years ago. A calculator on a desk looks out of place there. Truly a gem of a business, it should be in the National Register of Historic Places.I've seen samples from other manufacturers of tin ceilings and they looked cheap.
I grew up with tin ceilings....bugger to paint when it's 13.5 ft up, I can tell you.
That's a possibility, though. The suspended ceiling with a valance just seems too "kludgy" for me at this stage....
We are having the same issues. We are looking at drywalling and putting is some strategically located access points, i.e., closets. This would allow us to have access to, just what you said, wiring and plumbing. It is the best solution we have come up with so far. I just cannot stand to lower our ceiling anymore and do not really like the look of ceiling tiles. I am interested in what other responses you get.
I was at a Red Lobster restaurant for dinner a few years ago .... noticed that they had attached corrugated metal roofing to the ceiling of the "room" I was dining in to give it a really different feel.
That got me thinking about my basement remodel I did five years ago. I had hung sheetrock on the ceiling, did the whole tape and texture bit, and the family room project turned out great...... But two years later I was wishing for access to run speaker wires for a surround sound system in the family room. The corrugated metal roofing would have worked great as a ceiling and for access too....
Cut it size and screw it to the joists. There is the corrugated trim boards to trim it up. Paint if you want. You want access? Just unscrew the section where the work needs done.
Here's an acoustic ceiling that can be applied directly to the bottoms of your floor joists and the panels are removeable:
http://www.ceilingmax.com/index.html