Basement Ceilings
Before you start your basement renovations, decide weather you will drywall your basement ceiling or install a drop ceiling. If you find it difficult to choose, consider some of the advantages and disadvantages below.
Advantages:
- The idea of being able to access the electrical wiring to add or remove some ceiling lights without having to damage the basement ceiling is one of the advantages of a basement drop ceiling.
-Air ducts might need maintenance at some point.
- How about water leaks from hot or cold water lines? Any repairs and modifications that you might need to do on these lines and ducts can be very costly if you have to open an area in the basement ceiling. But not with a dropped ceiling, just remove as many ceiling tiles as needed and put them back when you’re done. It’s that simple.In my opinion, drop ceiling tiles are by far the best choice for a basement ceiling.
Disadvantages:
- Reduction of head room - a minimum of 4in is required to slide the ceiling tiles in place.
- Cost, ceiling tiles cost more money then drywall, although there is a way to cut down on the cost of a drop ceiling. Later on. I will discuss briefly how to accomplish this.
- Corners of the adjacent walls must be built square in order to have square ceiling or your ceiling tiles will end up out of square. (See framing basement walls for instructions on how to build square walls).
If you decide on installing a dropped ceiling. Follow the step by step below.
Tools:
- A level of some sort is a must for this job. You can use a spirit level, the longer the better I recommend no less then 4-ft level. - Water levels are very precise and better then a spirit level.
- Laser levels are the choice of most contractors. They are fairly accurate and convenient.
- Chalk line is a good thing to have.(if you’re using a water level) 
- Air stapler makes the job quick and easy for fastening the wall anchors.
- A pair of tin snips to cut the metal bars as needed
- Measuring tape.
- Pliers to twist the wire that support the mains.
- A hammer (if you’re not using an air stapler).
- Drill and adapter to screw on the anchors to the floor joists.
Material:
- wire to tie down the main Tees to the joists
- caps to cover the corner joints. Caps make the job look very professional.
- staples or nails if you’re using a hammer to fasten the wall angles.
- anchors
- ceiling tiles (you can save some money if you cut dry wall to fit. You can either paint it or stipple it using spantex or pop corn stipple).
- main and cross Tees
How to install a basement drop ceiling:
- Measure and mark a minimum of four inches from the joists. 
Make sure there is enough height from the joists to the top of the windows and doors. (If not make adjustments as needed).
- If you’re using a water level. Mark a few places on the wall to use as reference points, or mark both corners (four inches from the adjacent walls) of the wall and chalk line from one mark to the other.
- Mark and/or chalked line all the perimeter walls. Drive a 3 inches nail at one of the corner marks and rest the wall angle strip on it while nailing or stapling the wall angles on all the perimeter walls of the ceiling area to be tiled.
- Measure the width of the ceiling along the floor joists and divide by two to get the number of main Tees needed.
- At one corner. Make a mark at 24 inches away from the wall and across the floor joists and drive an anchor. Leave at least one inch of the anchor showing.
- If you end up between two joists, nail a piece of 2x4 wood as needed to receive the anchor.
- Repeat this procedure at the other side of the wall.
- Attach a string to the two anchors to use as a reference line for the placement of the first main Tees.
- Thigh the first row of main Tees to the anchors with wire every 24 to 30 inches. Make sure that the Tees are level.
Note: For 2x2 tiles, place the cross Tees every 24 inches. For 2x4 tiles, place the cross Tees every 48 inches.
- Next, install the cross Tees between the wall angles and main Tees. (Cut the end of the cross Tee at the wall angle).
- Once you’ve installed the cross Tees all along the main Tee, start sliding the Ceiling tiles in place and finish the first row of tiles. You might have to cut the end tile to fit. Always check for level.
- Repeat the same steps for the rest of the drop ceiling.
Note:
You can use drywall panels and cut to fit the 2x2 grid. Paint or stipple the sheet of drywall and cut it to measure just shy of 24 inches square. For 2x4 tiles you cut the drywall panels. This method is way cheaper then acoustic ceiling tiles.
The above instructions are basic but good enough to help you with your basement drop ceiling. But please, if you need more help don’t hesitate to contact me by using the contact me page. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with you.
I do appreciate any comments you might have.
Tommy Tool Time.
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