Dropped ceiling question

[millinghill]

Hi, I'm finishing my basement and have hot/cold waterpipes running along the ma in beam in the center of the house, perpendicular to the ceiling joists. I was thinking about putting sheetrock on the ceiling everywhere except und er these pipe, so as to allow access to the many valves I have along this l ength. Under these pipes, I was thinking about installing a dropped ceilin g to creat a soffit along this length. But, I've never installed a dropped ceiling before and I'm wondering if the detailing I'm thinking of:

jpg is too difficult to install.

Please take a look and comment, especially if you've installed this sort of dropped ceiling tile before. Is this detail too time consuming? Is there an easier way you can think of to install a dropped ceiling here? Suggestions appreciated.

Thanks Theodore

[Terry Coombs]

You can use the wall L trim for the sides , you'll need to install the T-bars between them at the proper spacing for the selected tiles . Leave enough clearance above to tilt the tiles to get them in and out as needed . Those T strips are usually pop riveted to the wall strip .

[Meanie]

I would never sheetrock a basement ceiling. I assume those pipes are the mains and other pipes are teeing off of them to their designated rooms. Thus, problems can occur within those lines also. Though, it's not just pipes, it's also wiring, gas pipes, duct system and any other connective equipment for the house. Suspended ceiling allows entire access to everything needed for repairs.

Just my .02

[Thomas]

Here is my story. Had a beautiful finished basement with the 12 inch staple up blocks. One day having a beer I hear 'drip....drip....drip'. Oh no. I call my wife to come down to listen. Nothing. Some time goes by and I hear drip drip drip again. I know where the pipes are so I start ripping the blocks down. Nothing wet but I still hear it. Call the wife again to listen because now I'm thinking I'm nuts. Nothing. Later again, drip drip. I go upstairs to see her in a rocking chair right where the noise below is. Need I say more?

[clare]

Just my 2 cents - I'd MUCH rather have drywall than crappy suspended ceiling tiles in a basement. I have accoustic tile stapled to furring strips in mine - which is kinda half way between.. The problem wiyh suspended ceiling is it requires lowering the ceiling at least 3 inches - and many basements are low enough already - particularly for those of us well over 6 feet tall.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

That's why it's important IF you build your own house to have the basement dug to a depth of ten feet. Solves that problem having the feeling you're going to knock your noggin on a pipe or joist every time you go down there.

:-)

[trader_4]

Agree, if you have any intention of finishing the basement or value it's ability to be finished for future buyers. But in many areas you might run into problems of ground water being an issue, ie at

8ft maybe you don't even need a sump pump, but at 10 you do, etc. If possible, I'd go for deeper as I doubt it increases the cost all that much.

[millinghill]

How much clearance is "enough"? Does manufacturer provide direction?

[clare]

Drywall makes better sound deadening.

[clare]

As long as 10 feet deep doesn't make an indoor pool - - -

[TomR]

The drop ceiling design that you have in mind looks fairly straight forward and simple to do, in my opinion.

But, maybe another option would be to just sheetrock under the pipes as you will be doing in the rest of the basement ceiling, and then just install some low-cost access panels from Lowes or Home Depot in the areas where you want to retain access to shutoff valves etc.

[TomR]

P.S. If you are sheetrocking the rest of the ceiling, and if there are electrical junction boxes that will end up above the new sheetrock, I think that you are supposed to put access panels in those areas to allow access to the junction boxes.

[millinghill]

Thanks. Yes, I looked into access panels, but the location and orientation of the pipe shutoffs are very inconvenient, and so a drop ceiling tile wou ld give the most open access/elbow room. Also, absolutely no junction boxe s will be buried (I've either removed them back to the main panel, or moved them all to be flush and exposed with a blank plate).

[trader_4]

on of the pipe shutoffs are very inconvenient, and so a drop ceiling tile w ould give the most open access/elbow room. Also, absolutely no junction bo xes will be buried (I've either removed them back to the main panel, or mov ed them all to be flush and exposed with a blank plate).

Another question is whether you even need those shutoffs. My house, there is a main water shutoff in the basement and that's all. The sinks, toilets, etc have shutoffs on the lines there. Works fine for me, no problems or issues in decades.

[Terry Coombs]

Probably a couple or 3 inches . You need enough to lift one side far enough that the other side clears the L trim . Another thought is that you might not need to actually remove a tile , but just slide it over on top of the adjacent one to access a valve or something .

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

It wouldn't unless you are building in an area that has a very high water table. New Orleans comes to mind.........

[clare]

Lots of places in the world where an 8 foot basement is no problem, but a 10 foot would have the sump pump running pretty well full time. In the big easy trhe "basements" pretty well need to be above ground (house on stilts)

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

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