# unfinished basement ceiling questions



## CoconutPete (Jan 22, 2010)

I plan on spraying mine when I finish the room I have down there. It is my understanding that people spray it black because black hides imperfections better. It does have the potential to give you the "dungeon feel" though. If you don't mind the imperfections showing I would go with white or maybe off-white. I plan on doing mine in some sort of white. I'll give you the same advice my cousin-law just gave me since he just did his "Get a respirator, goggles, coveralls and prepare to still stink for 2 days after".


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## Amateuralex (Mar 17, 2012)

CoconutPete said:


> I plan on spraying mine when I finish the room I have down there. It is my understanding that people spray it black because black hides imperfections better. It does have the potential to give you the "dungeon feel" though. If you don't mind the imperfections showing I would go with white or maybe off-white. I plan on doing mine in some sort of white. I'll give you the same advice my cousin-law just gave me since he just did his "Get a respirator, goggles, coveralls and prepare to still stink for 2 days after".


We are going to cheat and hire a pro to paint it ;-) We got a good quote already. I read that you have to use a special primer on galvanized ductwork which our painter will use so I think some of the details are being covered.

White or off white isn't a terrible idea.

Another idea I just had is to install a beam or piece of molding as a cosmetic divider of the finished and unfinished spaces and paint them black and white. The beam might really help the differences work. Any opinions on this idea?


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## CoconutPete (Jan 22, 2010)

Are your ducts tucked up between the joists? I have 1 running up there but I think I might cover it with a thin piece of wood just for coverage purposes.


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## Amateuralex (Mar 17, 2012)

CoconutPete said:


> Are your ducts tucked up between the joists? I have 1 running up there but I think I might cover it with a thin piece of wood just for coverage purposes.


Actually no, there's several ducts hanging down, and there's lots of pipes below the joists too. Which is why we decided not to put drywall up yet, we don't have the resources to move all those pipes.

What do you mean by cover your duct with a thin piece of wood? Why not just paint it along with the rest?


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## CoconutPete (Jan 22, 2010)

My only thought was that the paint would look different on wood vs. metal and by covering where the duct was with wood I would get a sliiiightly more uniform look. Maybe i'm crazy...


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## Amateuralex (Mar 17, 2012)

CoconutPete said:


> My only thought was that the paint would look different on wood vs. metal and by covering where the duct was with wood I would get a sliiiightly more uniform look. Maybe i'm crazy...


Ah hmm, yeah maybe. Not sure. Though I kind of think you're doomed with consistency on an unfinished ceiling. Joists, and plywood, and pipes, and ducts, and romex....


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Please check with your local AHJ, the wiring may need to be run in conduit and the fire Marshall will have something to say on exposed light framing. Against all building codes too....

Gary


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Amateuralex said:


> ...there's two issues I wanted to ask advice on. First, along the external wall above there's insulation
> in the cavity and it looks ugly. Some of the cavities are clear and it wouldn't be too hard to install
> some luon or other kind of wood to block it, but some of the cavities have pipes and ductwork that
> would not work well. I thought I was brilliant to suggest getting some thick cardboard, installing it
> ...


Along the external wall there should be a pad of insulation (about 6 inches thick if fiber glass batting) inside 
each joist cavity. You could cut a Masonite or thin plywood panel to fit over that. However you should 
remove or refluff insulation so there is no insulation between any water pipe and the panel (or interior air 
space).

Incidentally it is common to paint the ceiling (suspended ceiling tiles and all) black or really dark gray if you 
will have a home theater.


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