Ceiling question

LittleRedHen · #1 02/14/07, 11:53 AM

My husband is finishing our basement. He is indecided as to whether or not it is a better idea to drywall the ceiling or to have a drop ceiling. He only wants to do half the basement at this time so it would be 11 feet wide by 38 feet long.

Which method would you do? What is the cost differences approximately? Time differences in putting it together?

TNHermit · #2 02/14/07, 12:14 PM

I'd lean to drop ceiling of some type. Usually there is plumbing and wiring you may want to get at in the future. Plus instead of regular drop in panels you can drop i foam and have a seperate area to heat and cool. As well as saving money upstairs. And you can get an inexpensive chalk line laser and put it in yourself.

I have even made the grid myself. Not that hard.

Hammer4 · #3 02/14/07, 12:22 PM

I like drop ceilings in the basement in case you need to run wires or pipes later....I've had several occasions where I have had to run phone, network, etc above the drop ceiling (that we put up) in our basement several times already.

And I have had to wire around the drywall ceiling that is up in the bathroom in the basement....and that has been a pain already.

NWMO · #4 02/14/07, 12:38 PM

We are also struggling with the same issue. Contractor has indicated that the sheetrocked ceiling would be cheaper alternative......but we are finishing off bedrooms in basement and then will remodel upstairs.......so I think to give us the flexibility we need to run pipes and such upstairs, we will go with the drop ceiling. My concern is the "suction" that often occurs in a house with windows / doors open and then ceiling tiles being "popped up"........but contractor indicates that we can put metal pieces in to "lock" the tile in place to prevent movement.......I am not sure that I like the look of the drop ceiling as well as sheetrocked.......but there are several different options for drop ceilings now........and of course, the ones we like are always the most expensive!

holleegee · #5 02/14/07, 12:39 PM

drop ceiling. If you have a broken pipe it is easier to replace a tile than fix drywall.

cfabe · #6 02/14/07, 12:45 PM

If that half the basement has utilities running through it, then do a drop ceiling, if it's mostly unused or just heating ducts, drywall will be cheaper and in my opinion more attractive.

If you want to do a removable ceiling but don't want to sacrifice the 3" or so of height it will take, there is a system called CeilingMax that uses plastic tracks fastened directly to the joists to hold normal ceiling tiles in place. One warning though, the ceiling max is not designed to be used with really heavy tiles, so if you're planning to use very dense acoustical tiles, you may want to check with the manufacturer first.

Ramblin Wreck · #7 02/14/07, 01:16 PM

Drop ceiling would seem best, for all the reasons others have noted above. It makes repairs much easier, and the one time I used it on a lower level, it seemed to help with muffling the noise. Best wishes in whatever you choose to do.

Hoosierdaddy · #8 02/14/07, 01:23 PM

As an estimator for a wall and ceiling contractor, I can honestly say I would never put a drywall ceiling in a basement. The cost of an acoustic ceiling is indeed a little more (+/- .50/sf) but for all of the reasons above, a much wiser choice. On an aside the little metal things - to "lock" the tiles in place -those are called hold down clips.

Brett

Ford8N · #9 02/14/07, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChickenLittle

My husband is finishing our basement. He is indecided as to whether or not it is a better idea to drywall the ceiling or to have a drop ceiling. He only wants to do half the basement at this time so it would be 11 feet wide by 38 feet long.

Which method would you do? What is the cost differences approximately? Time differences in putting it together?

I hate dropped acoustic ceilings EXCEPT in basements. I agree with the other posters about being able to access plumbing and electric. If you do drywall, make sure to use greenboard.

Macybaby · #10 02/14/07, 02:47 PM

When we finished the basement in our WI home, we did sheetrock where there was nothing running (the south half) and dropped ceiling on the other half where there was plumbing run.

I got pretty good at hanging suspended ceilings. Hard to say which is easier, as hanging the grid work was a drag, but so is taping sheetrock. The sheetrock was cheaper - we did all our own labor.

Had some problems with the cats getting up into the ceiling, and coming through - so be sure you plug up any access holes in adjacent rooms that you may not be putting a ceiling in.

Cathy

Hoosierdaddy · #11 02/14/07, 03:09 PM

Paul,

I'm curious as to why you say to use greenboard on basement ceilings?

Brett

Ramblin Wreck · #12 02/14/07, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoosierdaddy

Paul,

I'm curious as to why you say to use greenboard on basement ceilings?

Brett

I've heard this suggested by others too. The green board handles moisture much better than the regular wall board. That's why they use it in bathrooms and other high moisture areas.

LittleRedHen · #13 02/14/07, 04:36 PM

What is better.... nailing the drop ceiling "rails" ( or whatever they are called ) to the floor joists or lowering it a little (a few inches up to 10 inches) and having its own "frame" I wish i had better terminology here.

wrongwayrick · #14 02/14/07, 05:54 PM

The T rails are suspended on wire leaving at least enough clearance to tilt the ceiling tiles between them to install them

chukashtamoa · #15 02/14/07, 06:49 PM

Drop ceilings have there advantages but with time they all look like crap. Put drywall and you can always repaint and wala new again. Just be sure of your cutoffs. Just my choice from a drywall contractor.