Basement ceiling suggestions

I am in the process of finishing my basement.

Since I never seem to be done with electric, plumbing, cable, cat-5... I want to keep access to behind the ceiling.

I've completed 1 room and put in 4'x8' sheets of what is best described as wainscoating (in gloss white) and attached with very small screws with the heads painted white. Looks pretty decent and isn't too bad to take down but requires 2 people to remove a sheet.

I'm thinking of acoustical tile (drop ceiling) for the next room. The part that's discouraging me is that this will be a kids play room. I fully expect it to get hit with flying toys or whatever and in the area that goes up the steps, they can reach (read - push on) it.

So, thougts/ideas?

Thanks
Brian

Look at things this way Brian,
The drop ceiling is easier to access, only takes one person. And it's easier/cheaper to replace when the kids damage it, which you know they will.

My vote goes to a suspended too. I don't believe the cost is such, that after the little urchins grow up enough, you could finish it otherwise. I will say one thing here. I have a somewhat firm belief at times, that kids between the ages of 12, on up to around 30 in some cases, should be locked away somewhere, until the need for manual labor arises. Then put them away again until the need rearises.!!


PS, Brian, you've the ideal setup!!! That bunker, why you sly devil. That's what you planned all along. A place to keep kids!!

Thanks guys.
Sounds like a drop ceiling is the way to go.
Next question - The room(s) are around 14'x24'. For that size room, should I go with 2x2' or 2x4' panels.

johnday said:

PS, Brian, you've the ideal setup!!! That bunker, why you sly devil. That's what you planned all along. A place to keep kids!!

Click to expand...

Ahhh, John, close but no cigar. The bunker is for ME to hide. Once you lock yourself in, there's no way anyone can get in nor can you hear anything outside.

bczoom said:

Thanks guys.
Sounds like a drop ceiling is the way to go.
Next question - The room(s) are around 14'x24'. For that size room, should I go with 2x2' or 2x4' panels.


Ahhh, John, close but no cigar. The bunker is for ME to hide. Once you lock yourself in, there's no way anyone can get in nor can you hear anything outside.

Click to expand...

Brian; I've always used the 2'X4' size. It allows double the coverage with one pice, plus, when you have to get in the cieling it's 1/2 the pieces to fool with. I also think the 2'X2' looks a little too busy for my tastes.

A bunker sounds better every day!!

We have 2X2 in the lastest remodeled room. Each tile is split to look like a 12"X12" with a triple step edge......you wanna talk about "busy"

I think it looks good though.

Looks like this http://www.armstrong.com/commceilingsna/ceiling_data.jsp?itemId=44536.0

I guess since I started the thread, I'm allowed to take it off subject.

johnday said:

A bunker sounds better every day!!

Click to expand...

We haven't discounted just keeping the whole thing as a "clubhouse" but financially, it's one VERY expensive clubhouse. The option is somehow, still on the table.

More likely/probable is us sectioning off a piece of it and putting a small apartment in it. Just a place for someone to get away for an evening/day/weekend/week (or however long you want/need some peace & quiet).

A couple more questions on drop ceilings if I may.

How hard is it to install the gridwork? How about angles or where I need to run the grid/tile vertical (around plenum) or at an angle (up the stairs)?

I've always seen fluorescent lighting used. Is that the only option? (I like incandescent because I use dimmers).

Grid work comes in a variety of qualities. I suggest that you purchase the commercial grid work since it can always be purchased at a later date if you need a replacement piece. I have had to repair the grid at the store and the grid work was 30+ years old. Took a sample to the commercial supplier and they knew the brand and supplied the proper parts. The biggest hassle of grid work is getting started. You will need a laser level to get all the lines even. Hanging the wires is time consuming, but once you have then all in place, then it is just a matter of going back and making the 90 degree bends. The laser makes this easy also since you can see exactly where to make the bend. After that comes the running of the main grid line. Once you have the main grid line set, you install the cross pieces. 2 X 2 is only an additional grid cross piece. If you want to use incandescent lighting then you just cut hole and install the lights. I believe that they make special lighting cans just for suspended ceilings. Never messed with that aspect. Also, you can add track lighting to the grid if you like.

bczoom said:

A couple more questions on drop ceilings if I may.

How hard is it to install the gridwork? How about angles or where I need to run the grid/tile vertical (around plenum) or at an angle (up the stairs)?

I've always seen fluorescent lighting used. Is that the only option? (I like incandescent because I use dimmers).

Click to expand...

Don't forget, you can also get dimmable ballasts for your fluorescents.

Dave

dimmable ballasts are right up my alley!

we have some here available in the shop.

We're also considering a suspended ceiling for our basement for easy access, or ....I"m thinking of just spraying the rafters and everything up there black. We've seen it done in some of the theme resturants and it looks good. This is part of a basement with a pool room that we are slowly finishing. We keep the lights rather dim when playing pool anyway, so I think black would be much cheaper and still look good. (I know I have a warped sense of taste, and my wife reminds me quite often of that fact...)

Well, it's almost done.
The missing panels are where I need to run the main lights which have been ordered.
The track lights near the end are wired separate from the main and are on dimmers.
EDIT: The room isn't pink. It's like Bob's green desk... just something with the camera.

This area was a bit harder.

bczoom said:

This area was a bit harder.

Click to expand...

Looks great.........good job

Oh yeah.......and the "pink" is SO YOU

Yeah, nice job BC. Looks good!
That angle around the duct work looks pretty tricky.

Thanks guys

If I had the luxury of the 3-4" clearance they say to use, it would have been easier but I was dealing in the 2" range...

Jerry - Thanks on Mrs. Zooms color choice.
It's actually closer to the color shown in the pic where the angles are cut.