I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of "permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

The suspended ceiling is nice for access,but it mounts lower than tiles or
sheetrock,especially if you want fixtures mounted in the T bar. If the
ceiling beams above the electric panel,run in the direction of an unfinished
area of the basement,it wouldn't matter since cables could be snaked above
the ceiling. If they don't it would be a good idea to provide some kind of
chase for future cables
"Scot" wrote in message
...
I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to
have the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where
the electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in
this rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of
"permanent" ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed
electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

On 12/21/2004 7:39 AM US(ET), Scot took fingers to keys, and typed the
following:

I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of "permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

Except for a 9'x16' corner room in my basement which has a sheetrocked
ceiling and a 5' x 3' closet in the outside corner where the electric,
cable tv, telephone, and well water come into the house, all the rest of
my basement has a dropped ceiling.
I am sorry that I used the sheetrock in that one room, because every
time I want to add an electrical circuit, tv cable, telephone line, add
another water line, or have to run anything across the ceiling to
another part of the house, I have to snake whatever it is through a
small gap behind the wall framing near the top of the concrete wall for
about 5' before I can gain access to the dropped ceiling to continue.
I have been here about 20 years, and routed all sorts of new electric
circuits (120 and 240), cables (TV, telephone, and Cat5), and a water
tube (direct water from well, bypassing water softener) across the
ceiling in that time. Except for that one 5' section, they have all been
a breeze with the dropped ceiling.
My next plan is to route another copper water line, bypassing the
softener, for the outside sillcocks, which are currently connected in
the entire water system. The only thing holding me up is that 5' section
of wall framing.

Actually that sounds like a fantastic idea. There is no basement, this is a
slab. But what I could do is attach something to one of the beams to act as
a chase, running this from directly above the electrical box into the
adjacent room. This run would only be about 6 feet, the adjacent room has
two drop ceilings unfortunately, but would at least be accessible. I could
leave one panel above the electrical box somewhat accessible for removal
when needed.

Thanks for the idea,

Scott


"RBM" rmottola1(remove wrote in message
...
The suspended ceiling is nice for access,but it mounts lower than tiles or
sheetrock,especially if you want fixtures mounted in the T bar. If the
ceiling beams above the electric panel,run in the direction of an
unfinished area of the basement,it wouldn't matter since cables could be
snaked above the ceiling. If they don't it would be a good idea to provide
some kind of chase for future cables
"Scot" wrote in message
...
I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching
ceiling tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper
and will probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be
nice to have the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get
at where the electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit
box is in this rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of
"permanent" ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed
electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

"Scot" wrote in message
...
I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching
ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to
have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in
this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of
"permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

What does your local fire code require? Where I live if the utility room is
conditioned by mechanical means it might need a drywall ceiling to meet our
fire code. If the room was a direct access to the main attic then for sure
it would need a fire rated ceiling, where I live.

A dropped ceiling is not that tough to install if you have a little
clearance. From the floor to the ceiling joists how much room do you have?

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.


"Scot" wrote in message
...
I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching
ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to
have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in
this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of
"permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

I understand that it won't be that tough, I do actually have plenty of room
to work with. That was just an additional reason to do a tile ceiling, as I
still believe it will be easier. I just think the ceiling tile will look
better and will be cheaper based on the pricing estimates I did. Just
wasn't sure if I was sacrificing too much versatility by going that route.


"Roger Shoaf" wrote in message
...
A dropped ceiling is not that tough to install if you have a little
clearance. From the floor to the ceiling joists how much room do you
have?

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube,
then
they come up with this striped stuff.


"Scot" wrote in message
...
I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is
what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching
ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to
have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in
this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of
"permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott

"Scot" wrote in message
...
I understand that it won't be that tough, I do actually have plenty of
room
to work with. That was just an additional reason to do a tile ceiling, as
I
still believe it will be easier. I just think the ceiling tile will look
better and will be cheaper based on the pricing estimates I did. Just
wasn't sure if I was sacrificing too much versatility by going that route.


I think by the time you screwed around with getting the furring strips
nailed, squared and whatnot the PITA factor would pay for the additional
cost of the suspended. Also lights and ducts are easier with the suspended.

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.

On 12/21/2004 10:29 AM US(ET), SQLit took fingers to keys, and typed the
following:

"Scot" wrote in message
...


I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching


ceiling


tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to


have


the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in


this


rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of


"permanent"


ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott



What does your local fire code require? Where I live if the utility room is
conditioned by mechanical means it might need a drywall ceiling to meet our
fire code. If the room was a direct access to the main attic then for sure
it would need a fire rated ceiling, where I live.

On the other side of my basement mentioned in a previous message, the
builder installed a sheetrock ceiling above the baseboard hot water
boiler. The exhaust pipe became triple walled before penetrating this
sheetrock, and remained triple walled until it terminated above the
roof. He said it was code (NY). It passed inspection.

--
Bill

Scot wrote:
I have a utility room that I am finishing. One of the last pieces is what
type of ceiling to install. I originally was going to put in a drop
ceiling, but am now considering throwing up some 1x3s and attaching ceiling
tile. My reasons are that it will be an easier install, cheaper and will
probably look nicer. My hesitation on this is that it would be nice to have
the suspended ceiling in this room to easily be able to get at where the
electrical runs from the circuit box are, as the main circuit box is in this
rooom and all the circuits in the house run from this room.

What are people's feelings towards having this easily accessible via a
suspended ceiling as opposed to having to remove some pieces of "permanent"
ceiling tile if there were to be a problem/upgrade needed electrically?

Thanks,

Scott


Ok, I will just go ahead and give my opinion. I don't
like suspended ceilings. If I can think of any way
around I will go with dry wall. It always looks better,
and is more durable.

Bill Gill

Hey Scott,

There is no doubt that the suspended ceiling will give you better access and easier maintenance over time. There is a suspended ceiling concept that is sort of the best of both worlds. Check out www.ceilinglink.com This is a low profile suspension system that attaches right to your existing ceiling or joists. Easy to install, yet still lets you use conventional ceiling tiles (so you get the easy access you're after).

Good hunting!

Ed