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bob haller bob haller is offline
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Default Drop ceiling or drywall ceiling?

On Apr 16, 4:23*pm, Evan wrote:
On Apr 16, 3:39*pm, "CraigT" wrote:

I know everyone wants a drywall ceiling, but I have a walkout basement that
if I were to put a drywall ceiling in I'd have to put in 12 access panels
for electrical boxes, water shutoffs, vent dampers, etc. in an area 18' X
27'. * Here are couple pictures of what I've got in the way of *"stuff" I
need access to and what it might look like with all the panels. *Would I
just be better off going with a drop ceiling?


http://oi53.tinypic.com/2ry1y6x.jpg


http://oi55.tinypic.com/334nj2f.jpg


Craig:

I only see ONE thing you need an access panel installed for...

Your furnace duct vent dampers shouldn't need to be adjusted
unless you install a new furnace fan with a different performance
curve than the one in place now... *(subtract 7 access panels)

The water shut off for your refrigerator ice maker and filtered
water dispenser should be relocated above the floor behind
the appliance if you are going to finish the ceiling below --
then it is accessible... *(subtract 1 access panel)

Now for your electrical boxes... *Those can be extended
and or moved by a qualified electrician with no problems...
You did want to have lights in the basement after you
finished the ceiling ? *Or are there actually more electrical
boxes just being used for lighting ? *Anyway, they are
not immovable objects just because you can't seem to
figure out how to do it... *(subtract 3 access panels)

BTW: were you planning to seal the smoke detector
and its box in above the ceiling ?

Let's see, the only thing left that would be a true pain
to relocate would be the gas shut off... *So that is the
only thing that truly needs an access panel...

Your furnace is only going to be replaced fairly infrequently
so if you need to re-balance the duct system after that
happens then it is worth cutting into the sheet rock ceiling
to do that, but installing 7 access panels or a drop
ceiling just in case you ever need to make an adjustment
is foolish and would require quite a bit of extra labor or
losing several inches of finished height in the room...

So it is just a matter of doing the job the right way and
moving those things which are movable, realizing what
things can be concealed and installing a panel for the
one thing which you would actually need to get at above
the ceiling...

~~ Evan


DROP CIELING IS FAR BETTER, stuff comes up requiring basement
access.

dont seal it up, and you can get drop cielings with just a inch of
panel move space