You have a basement that is lying unused. You need a place to set up a studio. Put the two together and you have the hit the nail right on the head.
But there are issues in here. When you are turning your basement into a functional space, whatever be it, you need to have a proper ceiling. And finishing your basement ceiling involves sticking, and quite rigidly too, to certain guidelines.
There are certain things that are worth remembering when you are about to embark on a project of basement ceilings. Firstly, a drywall is a better alternative than a suspended ceiling. For one, the drywall is less of a pinch on your pocket than its counterpart and for another; with a drywall you have ample space to put up a wooden frame. The drywall is also easier to work with.
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But there are advantages with the suspended ceiling concept too. The ceiling tiles herein will help you keep off the noises originating from the top floors and is actually a good idea if you are planning to convert your basement into a work area. You will be away from Barney and his guitar-strumming and foot-stomping rock star ways.
With a suspended ceiling in place, you have easy access to the wires and pipes running above the ceiling.
When it comes to finishing basement ceiling, the acoustic ceiling tiles is another option that you can count upon to deliver the goods. They are easy to cut and easier still to assemble. They just need to be stapled to furring strips.
Which kind you want to go in for when you are finishing basements will obviously depend upon your particular need.
While you are on your “basement ceilings” project, make a mental note that basement ceilings tend to be low. So do not go in for fittings and installations that will further lower the height. In fact, it is better if you can move the ducts and pipes and the electrical wires to some obscure corner of the room so that you don’t bump your head in them while doing the laundry.
If nothing can be done about the height of the basement ceiling, then go in for some optical illusion. Invest in some indirect lighting that will reflect large amounts of light on the ceiling and make them appear higher up. Mirrors on the ceiling add to this effect. In fact, all this lighting will also impart that feeling of warmth in the room.
Insulation forms a critical area of finishing basement ceilings. If your basement isn’t conducive for wall and rim joist insulations, you can well go in for basement ceiling insulation. However, in this case, you will also need to insulate the heat ducts, pipes and the like.
It is a good idea to use fiber glass blankets to insulate the basement ceiling.
There is a design element involved in finishing ceilings. You can in fact, change the cramp, claustrophobic look and feel of your basement with a few skillful touches here and there. For instance, with a suspended ceiling you can use multi-colored ceiling tiles to give an air of vibrancy to the entire room. Color effects can also include using contrasting or complimentary colors for the tiles and the frame. For a bit of drama down under!
Count on your imagination to rake up design ideas to deck up the basement ceiling. Bamboo from the ceiling or fabrics strung across it. The sky is the limit when you have embarked on the designing aspect of your “finishing basement ceilings” project.
Go about your “finishing basement ceilings” project with intelligence and creativity and exhibit this once-neglected room as you do your designer den.
by Manuel Kupka
