Basement Suspended Ceilings vs Drywall

What are the advantages of suspended ceilings vs drywall? Which would be easier to install, maintain, and what are some of the issues with each, especially health concerns and future repairs? We will explore each of these areas in this article.

Regardless of which type of ceiling you select, planning is a very high priority. If your entire basement will be finished, then electrical wiring for the lights in the ceiling, and also for the rest of the basement must be planned carefully. Cable runs for cable-tv, telephone, speaker systems and alarm systems must be given careful attention. If you are planning to install a central vacuum or run a water pipe to your ice making refrigerator on the floor above, now is the time to install all of these items. Obviously, if you install a suspended ceiling, you will have the flexibility to remove some of the panels in the future to accommodate some of the above considerations, however with a drywall ceiling, you have much more work involved to install these types of appliances and cabling once the ceiling has been installed.

Drywall ceilings can be textured, stippled or painted. Although most people seem to apply a stippled finish, you have many more choices regarding the finish that you apply to your drywall ceiling. Suspended ceilings come in a number of varieties of finish and colors, however you generally do not have the same flexibility with suspended ceilings that you have with drywall.

If dust is a concern you may have already decided to use wood paneled walls and suspended ceilings in your basement. Dust from drywall finishing can be an issue for some people, either from allergies or just from the amount of dust that tends to be spread throughout the home during construction. If you are concerned about the gas emissions from paneled walls, glues etc, then drywall may be the answer even with the dust, which only lasts for a short time.

Installation time and difficulty are about the same, although they each will need different tools and skill sets. Both can be installed by the consumer or by a professional. Suspended ceilings are easier to repair, just flip out a panel and place a new one in its place, while drywall needs to be taped, plastered, dried, sanded and painted over several days.

Obviously the decision will be a very individual choice for each person and their family. The final finish, health issues, choice of colors, flexibility with regards to installing missed cables etc are all issues that each consumer will need to consider. Just the other day my neighbor was talking about buying a new fridge with an icemaker. I asked him if his basement was finished, to which he answer yes with a chagrined look. Although we could find a way to get the water pipe to his fridge, he did not want any part of messing up his new-finished basement and his drywall ceiling!

So to wrap up, if flexibility to add something in the future is important for you then maybe you want to consider a suspended ceiling. On the other hand if you prefer a more finished look and are not concerned about future modifications, then drywall is probably the best for you.

Useful Resources:

Books on Home Basements.

Resources for Home Basement Information.

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