The basement is usually the most neglected part of your home, and the most neglected part is the basement ceiling. It is where you can find pipes, ducts and wires that keep your house running smoothly. Nowadays, a lot people now want to utilize the space and one of their huge obstacles is the ceiling.
There are some common ways to conceal an ugly ceiling that have proven to be effective. Although you have to exert some effort to see beautiful results, it is worth it.
One of the easiest solutions to your unsightly ceiling problem is to install a suspended or dropped ceiling. They consist of a grid work of metal bars in the shape of an upside-down T, which are suspended on wires from the overhead joists.
There are several advantages to the suspended ceiling:
– No need to move wires, pipes or ducts
– Joists do not need to be straight for the finished ceiling to be flat
– Access to heating, cooling and electrical systems and adding lighting fixtures is a simple matter of removing a panel
– Insulates unwanted noise from above
But if you already have a low ceiling, you probably do not want to sacrifice any more headroom. This is the suspended ceiling's biggest flaw, it eat ups into head space in your basement.
Another option you can try is to install a drywall basement ceiling. This is not an easy or simple solution but it does give the most professional look. To maximize the headroom in your ceiling, you can relocate some wires and pipes before you install the drywall. Big obstructions such as ducts need to be boxed in for a cleaner look.
Some benefits of using dry wall include:
– It is an excellent base for paint and other materials, such as wood panels
– It has fire-retardant qualities
– It gives the most professional look
– It is relatively inexpensive
It's worthwhile to take the time to think about what sort of basement ceiling you want or what type of ceiling concealment is best for your basement. There really is a decision to make because the types of ceilings have their own advantages and drawbacks as to their capabilities and appearance.