Handyman Hints: Drop the ceiling?

Our contentious basement issue continues with the always controversial topic on whether to drywall the ceiling, or drop it with a suspended tile.

Drop ceilings are a long time favorite because they allow the homeowner access to the vast amount of wiring, ductwork, and plumbing pipes that tend to weave themselves across the joist system. As a result, drop ceilings tend to make homeowners sleep a little easier due to the fact they feel they can react more quickly to a leaky plumbing joint, or block in the drainage pipe, without too much disruption. Once youve buried your mechanical systems in behind the drywall, youve pretty well committed to never modifying or touching this stuff for the life of the home.

So, before deciding on either drywall or a suspended ceiling tile as your finished product, the question youre going to have to ask yourself is when was the last time you needed access to your ceiling? If the answer is never, then theres little risk in drywalling over an area that is, or has been up to this point, perfectly secure. However, drywall may not be the answer if you suspect that the mechanical systems running the course of the ceiling joists may be somewhat less than code compliant. This state of non-compliance is usually confirmed when clothes hangers and binder twine form the backbone of the support system keeping the duct work in position, or when your best home buddy is a plumbers snake, due to the mass of gnarled elbows and joints that regularly require your de-clogging attention. Thats why we fix the ceilings mechanical issues before finishing anything, even with a suspended tile. Sure, a grid system with tiles does provide accessibility, but it aint easy. Removing and manipulating tiles that are often installed in less than the four-inch suggested minimum space, usually result in damage to the product. Plus, any time a ladder is part of the repair process, the risk of injury and damage to the homeowner increases twofold.

So, lets get the venting and plumbing systems working at 100% before choosing either drywall or a suspended tile. Or, best case scenario, and if possible, have your plumber and heating/cooling contractor re-direct the piping and duct work to a non-finished part of the basement. What about using a combination of both drywall and suspended tile? Perfect! This way, areas that are to be drywalled can be further sealed with a Roxul, safe n sound insulation, providing a little soundproofing for any future theater room, or office space, since sound insulation works equally well in keeping sound out, as well as in.

Before installing the ceiling, youll have to first wrap the supporting beams. This can be accomplished with either pine planks, wainscoting, primed MDF, or drywall. If the idea is to have beams that are stained, or painted a darker color, and you see it as beneficial to emphasizing their existence, real wood is the obvious choice. Otherwise, most basement beams sit a little lower than what we feel comfortable with, and are better un-emphasized with the smoother finish of paintable MDF or drywall. Although Im not a big fan of steel wall studding, only because it wont accept a nail for picture hanging, wrapping your overhead beam, or framing any low spot in the basement with steel studs, is definitely easier than working with wood. All youll need are 2x2 steel studs and a couple of pounds of self-tapping steel screws. Steel studs are lightweight, cut easily with a pair of tin snips, and fasten together extremely well. Plus, steel studs are always straight, wont twist, and dont crack, so they offer a definite advantage over regular 1x3 or 2x2 lumber. Be sure to use a 1-1/4 inch, pan head screw, as opposed to a standard tapered, or wood type screw, when when fastening the steel studs to the wood joists or beam. The flat surface of the pan head screw is a better match for the steels thin construction.

Good building.

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Handyman Hints: Drop the ceiling?