Hello,

I am looking for a very inexpensive way of safely covering a part of the ceiling in our basement under which our baby sitter will be sleeping.

https://*******/MMvJDJT
https://*******/fr852SR
Here are a couple of pictures of the area.

I searched on the forum and vinyl soffit caught my eye as potentially the most inexpensive option, but after searching around a bit the safety of that option seemed to come under fire. Looking for thoughts and ideas.

Thank you for your time.

Alex

 

Welcome to the forums!

Your links don't work. https://www.doityourself.com/forum/e...-pictures.html

A drop or suspended ceiling is likely your best bet. For a bed rm to be legal it needs a means of egress, does this room have a window? if so, what size?

 

Hi Mark,

Thank you for the warm welcome! My files were too big so I hoped I could get by with links. The pictures are attached here now. As you can see from the picture we had a legal egress window installed when we cleaned up the basement. It's not truly finished, just cleaned up and inexpensively carpeted.

Our baby sitter says she doesn't want to sleep under an open ceiling, so we're trying to accommodate without investing significantly as we'd plan to actually do the basement (bathroom, walls, ceiling) in 2-3 years.

So you don't think vinyl is a real option?

​​​​​ Thank you,
Alex

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Welcome to the forum.

Look into a drop ceiling using tiles. It's possible you can run a series of furring strips (assuming you have the clearance) which would be cheapest and glue the ceiling tiles to them or you can get a kit which would be easiest. Some electrical will probably be required as well for the lights.

Alternatively, you could use furring strips and put up sheetrock but then you'll have issues with gaps.

 

Not sure how the installation would be in that space but drywall is actually pretty cheap compared to most other choices. Doesn't sounds like you would need to mud and tape if you didn't want to finish it now.

 

With all the mechanicals below the joists you'd either have to use furring strips to get below them or use a drop ceiling.

 

So the first obvious question that should be asked, why not?

 

Marq1, you typically have a good perspective on things, so what's your thinking? Does her reason impact the solution?

 

Get her a canopy bed - problem solved!

 

Hi Tony, I looked into furring strips. So it's basically just pieces of wood nailed or screwed into the main ceiling beams (joists?) I'd glue foam tiles to them?

Do I stack the furring strips to lower the ceiling below the height of the pipes or do I place one perpendicular to the joists and then build off of the bottom, essentially creating a wooden frame similar to a metal drop frame?

Dan, I love the canopy bed idea!!
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I do not know why you seem against a drop ceiling?

It is the simplest solution.
When you do renovate the basement you can take it down and perhaps reuse it in a utility or laundry room where you want access to electrical, plumbing etc.

 

I agree with Stickshift, secure directly to the joists and then paint including the lines underneath, and the big ducts. It would be like a day project.

 

Lex, I understand your desire to do this cheaply / easily so that's the context of all my comments. It appears from the photos that 1.5" should be sufficient to clear the plumbing. If that's the case, use 2X2 furring strips screwed perpendicular to your joists, separated 24" measured at the center of each piece. For extra support screw additional furring strips 48" on center parallel to the joists - every 3 joists. Using fast grab adhesive, attach the tiles to the strips. Use a few screws to hold the tiles in place so you won't have to brace.