Ideas for a ceiling

[propav8r]

Ok, so I'm moving into my first home (hooray!) next week, and I'm tossing around ideas on what to do with the ceiling in the unfinished basement.

I want it to have an old-school feel, but it's going to be a job. There is plumbing (PEX), ductwork, and electrical that's just running all over the floor joists. I'll have to take my time and move all that up, running it through the floor joists, and take the flexible ductwork out and run some low-profile metal ducts. Anyway, I'm wondering what I should do for the ceiling.

Obviously, drywall/paint would be the cheapest/quickest option, but I really like the look of a wood ceiling.

I'm not sure what I should do on the insulation front...there's fibreglass insulation in there now. Some schools of thought say to leave it, others say to take it out.

It's worth noting that it's not a full basement by traditional standards-the house is built on a hill, so two walls are in the hill, two walls are exposed.

The basement will not be a conditioned space, and will be used as a workshop. Thoughts?

 

[StoneTrees]

That wood ceiling you show in the photos looks to have been salvaged from old pallets. I see those up for free on Craigslist all the time so you could actually beat the cost of drywall and paint, just be sure to mount the boards with screws should you ever need to remove them to access ductwork. In fact, if you could salvage hinges from somewhere along with plywood sheets, you could possible make them hinge down and latch up into position. You might be able to create some clever storage in between the joist. I'm all about innovative reuse! Can you tell?

Personally, I'd insulate up there, but I'd use fiberglass rolls or something similar, again so it can be easily dropped down if access is required. Blown-in insulation or expanding foam seams like it would not be the best solution.

 

[Falcon67]

"Old school" to me means bead board.

 

[The Cobbler]

I have a bunch of 6" pine v match T&G that I plan on using on my build . probably with a honey pine stain & urethane

 

[macgyver37]

I put the boxcar or car siding up in out kitchen, plan to do the living room as well. It is the same thing cobbler has. It was right at the same price per sq ft as sheet rock here when I bought it and I didn't have to mud and tape.

The short lengths like you show in the pic would make it easier to take down for repairs I think.

 

[propav8r]

Another option is reclaimed wood siding from a barn...craigslist is full of people tearing down old buildings in this area.

 

[Platonic Solid]

I'd sooner look at exposed joists with organized plumbing - wiring - HVAC than look at that mess pictured above. To each his own.

 

[propav8r]

I'd sooner look at exposed joists with organized plumbing - wiring - HVAC than look at that mess pictured above. To each his own.

Yeah, organizing the stuff and shooting some dryfall at it is a tertiary option.

 

[Rod N]

Another option is reclaimed wood siding from a barn...craigslist is full of people tearing down old buildings in this area.

Really? Barn board goes for big bucks here. It even gets stolen right off the barn!

 

[Joe Reed]

Pics would be help

I'd probably try to find some really cheap buy on engineered hardwood flooring (maybe discontinued, damaged, etc.) and use that. It's thin, sturdy and durable. If you like the look you pictured you wouldn't even have to find enough on one color.style to do the ceiling - which might lower the price even more.

 

[propav8r]

The only photos I have are with it crammed full of the seller's stuff.

You can see the main sewer line for the house in the second photo. The only way to really redo that is to run it straight towards the wall and then down along the wall instead of cutting diagonally across the space. More than likely that'll be left the way it is because I don't really want to mess with taking sewer lines apart. Yuck.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Wow, that flex duct has got to go. Flex duct should never be allowed to sag like that. Flex duct is less efficient than sheet metal to begin with. If feasible, I would definitely move that sewer line. It’s not that big a deal.
Looks like a decent ceiling height. Congrats.

 

[cdestuck]

Looks like it might be a bit tough dealing with the sewer line. On the left side of the picture it appears the sewer line goes under a main center support beam and then across the basement to the right wall. So to keep proper pitch I don't believe you'd be able to take it back up into the joist area before hitting the right wall

 

[propav8r]

Yeah, I think the only way I'm going to be able to do anything with the sewer line without moving it is just to paint it black and put up some better hangers/straps. That side of the shop is just going to be work area/storage anyway since the garage door is on the other side.

Ceiling is about 8.5' high, so plenty of room to work. I lose some space with the stupid flexible duct though, so that's going pretty quickly and getting replaced with this or something similar:

 

[e462001]

Is there any reason you can't fit round or oval duct in there instead of the rectangular duct? I've got almost an identical basement situation, wiring all over the place. Luckily my sewer line stays along he right side wall so I can box it in when the time comes.

I'm looking at replacing the flex duct that's about to fall out of the ceiling with round or ovular. Primarily concerned with how to insulate the floor above i when I put the duc up in between the joists. I assume for your rectangular setup you're thinking about putting rigid foam on top and/or beneath it?

 

[propav8r]

I could use oval I guess. Just depends on price really. With the X bracing between the joists, nothing can run more than about 5' in between two joists without dropping down to clear the bracing. I figure the ductwork will probably run on the surface of whatever ceiling I do.

 

[Mammyjammer]

You could run the sewer straight across the room and get the diagonal pipe out the way.The sewer line should not be that hard to deal with. If the fall is good, the pipe should be practically empty.......smelly, but empty.

 

[e462001]

I could use oval I guess. Just depends on price really. With the X bracing between the joists, nothing can run more than about 5' in between two joists without dropping down to clear the bracing. I figure the ductwork will probably run on the surface of whatever ceiling I do.

Ah, I don' have any x-bracing inbetween the joists, that does change things. The oval pipe is more efficient than rectangular from what my research indicates which is why I mentioned it. How tall is the ceiling? I assume a drop ceiling isn't an option. I've been thinking about using sound insulating clips to mount whatever I do for a ceiling so the noise from the shop won't bother the SO as much. No that she complains, I'm just considerate like that.

 

[Platonic Solid]

With 8'5" ceilings you have plenty of room to play with. Round straight sheet-metal and square duct is most efficient - then oval - then rectangular - flex is last. For best efficiency, it should be sized to match your furnace and house.

 

[propav8r]

Lots of good input here...

I'm just not fond of drop ceilings. I have yet to see one I like that's priced below $4/sq ft.

 

[Jeep Monkey RTR]

Just another 2 cents for you. If I were going to do the pallet wood ceiling, I might leave the sewer drain but change it to cast iron piping vs pvc. Might add to the rustic look.

Again, just a thought.


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