Ideas and Tips for Finishing a Basement Ceiling

Finishing your basement ceiling instantly turns your basement into a living area. 

Hiding Everything with Paint

One of the fastest and most economical ways to finish a basement ceiling is to paint everything. A monochromatic ceiling disguises all the pipes and ductwork — it’s a technique often used in urban spaces that are converted to coffee houses and shops.

Installing Drop Ceilings

A drop ceiling (also called a suspended ceiling) completely covers pipes and ductwork. It’s a metal grid that hangs on wires attached to the joists. Lightweight acoustical panels slide into the grid to form a continuous ceiling surface.

Using Fabric

The simplest way to mask overhead pipes and ducts is with fabric. Nail or staple it to joists and let it hang down so it hides all that overhead stuff. It might make your basement look a sheik’s tent, but that’s not bad! Certainly better than pipes and cobwebs!