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Ceiling in man cave

Jeeptj1

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Feb 19, 2012
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18
Just got the man cave done. Really dont want to drywall it. Anyone used anything unusual thats easy to put up thanks. 28x28 bullock garage in illinois.
 
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superdutymike27

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Oct 8, 2010
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SE Wisconsin
Most of the drop in lights, 2' x 2' or 2' x 4' need about 6" of clearance from the joist above. Can lighting may need around 7" because of the light housing unless you can figure out the light location between the joist's then you could probably raise the accoustical ceiling a little higher.

I think it would look nice because it would be different. Plus as mentioned above, you could lay insualtion on the top of the tiles or purchase insulated ceiling tiles.
 

lh4x4

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Nov 6, 2008
Messages
123
Location
Illinois
I used car siding for my ceiling. easy to install but time consuming. In the avatar it shows above the car on the lift is about the only picture that I have.
 

ddawg16

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S. California
Dropped ceilings can be flexible.....but they also damage easily.....and look like **** after a few years with stains and dirt....and you can't paint them....unless you want it to really look like ****.

I would suggest drywall....easy...sound deadning.....and nothing stops you from covering that with something cool later on.
 

OccupantRJ

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Eastern North Carolina
Dropped ceilings can be flexible.....but they also damage easily.....and look like **** after a few years with stains and dirt....and you can't paint them....unless you want it to really look like ****.

I would suggest drywall....easy...sound deadning.....and nothing stops you from covering that with something cool later on.

Actually John, the accoustical drop in ceiling tiles can be painted with flat white latex paint. I have done it at two places where I have worked. The tiles were removed and spray painted in one instance, removed and rolled in the other. Panels with sprinkler heads through them were jacked up with wood blocks off the grids and painted in place. Grids were rolled in both cases. The lab at work was one of the ceilings we painted.
 

PCO6

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Dec 25, 2008
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Location
Newmarket, Ontario
Vinyl soffit is easy to install, and to keep clean. I have it in my screened porch and its great.
I used aluminum soffit and agree - very easy to install.

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Kevin54

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Urbana, Ohio
If you are drywalling the sides, why not drywall the ceiling also? Just curious. It would be cheaper than a dropped ceiling. It would be the cheapest route all around really. You can rent a drywall jack for just a few bucks a day from a rental place. 25 sheets of 4x8 drywall will do it or 17 sheets of 12' drywall. If it is the mudding and sanding that is stopping you from drywalling the ceiling, you could cover the joints with say 1x4's and make a grid, or if you have a fairly smooth taped joint, they make many styles of rollers for compound that you can use to texture the ceiling. My wifes in her building looks like woodgrain. The drywaller rolled on the mud then went over it with a patterned roller.
 

TONE

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Jun 5, 2006
Messages
1,866
Since people are talking about drop ceilings, I figured I would mention something.

You can get all sorts of metal and neat decorative panels to fit them instead of the normal accoustical type squares.

Would look great in stainless or powedercoated metals.
 
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Jeeptj1

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Feb 19, 2012
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18
If you are drywalling the sides, why not drywall the ceiling also? Just curious. It would be cheaper than a dropped ceiling. It would be the cheapest route all around really. You can rent a drywall jack for just a few bucks a day from a rental place. 25 sheets of 4x8 drywall will do it or 17 sheets of 12' drywall. If it is the mudding and sanding that is stopping you from drywalling the ceiling, you could cover the joints with say 1x4's and make a grid, or if you have a fairly smooth taped joint, they make many styles of rollers for compound that you can use to texture the ceiling. My wifes in her building looks like woodgrain. The drywaller rolled on the mud then went over it with a patterned roller.

I just have these arm issues about doing stuff overhead and cant get in the mode of sanding and mudding the ceiling. Thanks john jr
 
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PCO6

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Dec 25, 2008
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Newmarket, Ontario
Can the aluminum soffit be stapled. Thanks john jr
I just tried it on a few peices of scrap and the staples went through with no problem at all.

In my case I used #6 x 3/8" white soffit screws. They have a #1 Robertson head and to install them I just put them on the end of my screw driver and peirced the aluminum with the screw. It's not necessary to drill holes.
 
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Cougar67

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Nov 19, 2009
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868
Location
Virginia
The white soffit may be just the thing for my little garage. How much per square foot is it? I wonder if the vinyl wouldn't be cheaper than aluminum?

edit: a quick trip to homedepot.com shows me it's 14.81 for a 144" x 12.75" section. It would cost $223 for my 11x16 garage. They don't show the aluminum on their site.
 
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PCO6

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Cougar67 - To be honest I didn't consider vinyl soffit so I can't comment on the price difference. In my case, each panel was about $16 per panel at Home Depot. They measure 16" W x 10' L.

It was definately more expensive than drywall. In my opinion though it was a lot less work in large part because I did not have to gut the garage to install it. I did it panel by panel and moved things around while I did it. The panels are very light and managable for one person.
 

PCO6

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Newmarket, Ontario
GOLF for LIFE - You're very welcome. If you decide to use it I'm sure you will like it. It has a nice industrial look and is just right for my small shop. I'm sure other people have used it but the idea struck me one day when I was filling up my car with gas. I looked up at the underside of the canopy over the pumps and thought ... "that would look good in my garage!"
 

OccupantRJ

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Eastern North Carolina
Some, but not all vinyl and aluminum siding supply places will sell to an individual off the street if money is not coming in, or you can convince them you are doing a "repair". I got hooked up to purchase this way by opening a "handyman" cash account. Prices will be lower than the big box stores, and they have caulking in at least a hundred colors to match your installation needs.
 

Cougar67

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Virginia
Great ideas. I was considering white beadboard paneling. It comes in 4 x 8 sheets and is 1/4" thick. It's very thin/cheesy on its own but looks nice once it's trimmed out. I was going to cut it into 4x4 sections and run 1 x3's on the seams. At a few cents less than $18 per panel, it would cost about $108 for my tiny beach house garage. The soffit is much nicer though.
 

draglink

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Jul 2, 2006
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Location
Hayes, Va
I used 1/4" luan. I stained a checkboard pattern using 'merlot' and 'ebony'. I recessed my florecent lights, but have halogens for party time. Yes its a dark color, I just installed more florecent lights to make up for it.....if I ever get tired of the dark color and paint it white or something I'll have to wear sunglasses in there!!:lol_hitti

You can kind of see it in these pics

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lh4x4

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Nov 6, 2008
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123
Location
Illinois
I forgot to say why I used 1"x6" car siding on my ceiling. I have a collection of 50 bicycles hanging by pulley systems from the ceiling. Needed the strength for the load.
 

Dustball

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Jun 25, 2011
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Location
Hudson, WI
Where I work- the office space has the ceiling painted flat back and has lights hung from suspended black ceiling tile grid without the usual ceiling panels.
 

marty_p

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Aug 1, 2008
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Location
SE LoUiSiAna
Where I work- the office space has the ceiling painted flat back and has lights hung from suspended black ceiling tile grid without the usual ceiling panels.

Hey Dustball, flat black suspended ceilings and bright recessed lighting fixtures seem to be the new norm for new commercial buildings, convenience stores, and restaurants here in Louisiana. It really isn't darkening like one may think, and I feel that it would keep your eyes focused low on your projects! :thumbup:

I'm really considering this combination for my space... :)
 

camarotoolman

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Mar 12, 2011
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cocoa Fl.
al. can stapled, screwed or nailed. It shouldn't nailed tight, so it can exspand and contract with temperature. I like it because you don't have to paint it. just wipe it down to clean it. Price of paint it out of site.
 

Mandryk

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Jun 5, 2012
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Location
Ontario, Canada
PC06,
This looks really nice, clean and bright.
How have you found the sound in this area if using tools. Does it echo or cause music to be distorted vs drywall?
With thanks from Oakville, Ontario!
 

driver

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Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
126
I used aluminum soffit and agree - very easy to install.

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Garage-Ceiling-3.jpg

I also used aluminum. More expensive than drywall but easier for one person to install and i didn't have to paint the #$@@%^& ceiling. The only disadvantage has been some complications in mounting anything to the ceiling as the material will crush.
 

PCO6

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Dec 25, 2008
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Location
Newmarket, Ontario
PC06,
This looks really nice, clean and bright.
How have you found the sound in this area if using tools. Does it echo or cause music to be distorted vs drywall?
With thanks from Oakville, Ontario!
Mandryk - Oakville ... I know it well. :thumbup: I grew up in Clarkson just south of the QEW.

I was concerned about "noise" but it has not been a problem at all. My ceiling is just under 10' high and I have no concerns about grinding, hammering metal (I do hammer welding on sheet metal), auto body work, etc. I have the radio blasting most of the time and it's fine too.
 

PCO6

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Dec 25, 2008
Messages
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Location
Newmarket, Ontario
I also used aluminum. More expensive than drywall but easier for one person to install and i didn't have to paint the #$@@%^& ceiling. The only disadvantage has been some complications in mounting anything to the ceiling as the material will crush.
driver - I have a few points where I drilled through the aluminum and inserted eye hooks into the strapping or joists. I hung all my flourescents that way and there was no damage to the aluminum. I also ran a 2' wide plywood panel from one side wall to the other. I hung my electrical conduits and air lines from it. I also have 1"x6" wood along the walls at the top which is handy for running lines and connecting them to the ceiling.

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Charles (in GA)

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Jan 11, 2006
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Location
50 mi south of Atlanta
Maybe do something different and paint the grid and tile black to give the illusion of a higher ceiling.

Then it really will qualify as a CAVE. No reflected light from ceiling means you need possibly twice the number of light fixtures to illuminate with. Reflected light means fewer shadows and more light under hood and under the car.

Charles
 
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