DIYbanter - View Single Post - Basement Ceiling Drywall, Is Finishing Required ????

willshak

on 8/13/2007 7:04 PM said the following:
If basement remains "unfinished" it's not taxed in most places.

Right. My basement is divided into 3 rooms. There are no doors,
moldings, or even jambs on the door openings, the floor is bare
concrete, the stairwell is unpainted and unfinished with the original
rough hand sawn staircase, and there is no permanent lighting. It has
been that way for 15 years.
On Aug 13, 6:46 pm, The Reverend Natural Light
wrote:

On Aug 13, 2:46 pm, wrote:

can i just put up the drywall per normal, using screws, but not finish/
tape/mud the joints? that way if needed i figured i could just
unscrew one panel, access whatever i need, then screw it back in.

It depends on what you eventually plan to do with the room. Finished
living area needs the drywall joints taped and mudded to meet code
(what the inspector told me). If you plan on finishing it eventually
then you'll probably want 3/4" drywall on the ceiling so it won't
sag. Removing 1/2" drywall intact sounds difficult but removing 3/4"
has to be much worse.

Anyways, leaving it unfinished certainly won't hurt the drywall, but
it sounds like a bad idea.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
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