Framing around ductwork: pics

[Mikepier]

I recently gutted out a room in my basement and I am finishing off with sheetrock walls. I have ductwork running in the room.

As you can see, the ductwork is not just a simple box, but there are several turns and angles involved. I was debating as to whether or not I should box it in. I was planning on putting sheetrock right to the ceiling, and in fact the sheetrock can actually go above and the duct since the duct is about an 1" or so below the joists. I can paint the return duct white to match, but the supply ducts are wrapped in insulation so that would have to stay. Even though this room will be finished, it's not a room we will be in everyday. Any inputs? Should I bother?

[hrhofmann]

Should you bother "what"

[Ed Pawlowski]

Unless you are getting the room ready for meeting with the Queen or a visit from the President, I'd probably spray paint it white to match the ceiling and leave it at that. Boxing it to follow the contours is not going to be easy.

[Mike rock]

Should I bother to box in the ductwork? I like to add I went to my neighbors house since all the houses on my block are the same. What he did was put in a drop ceiling below the duct on the left in picture 1, then box in the rest of the ductwork. Looks nice, but obviously a lot of headroom is lost doing that.

[Master Betty]

I don't think anyone can definitively answer that question for you but it sounds like you may have already answered it for yourself.

Personally, I wouldn't want to close off access to my duct work. You're lucky to have such easy access. I'd decorate in away that leaves the duct work exposed or go with the drop ceiling.

[hrhofmann]

An alternative I have seen is to paint everything on the ceiling black, That makes the ductwork somewhat disappear. I am fairly tall and the lack of headroom when ducts are boxed in is annoying. I keep ducking.

[Hustlin' Hank]

If you want to do it right, box them in. Or, don't do anything to the ceiling and leave it as it is. Anything else, you're wasting time and money because it will look like some half-assed job.

Hank

[Mike rock]

I know I can paint the return duct because its bare metal, but the supply duct is wrapped in foil faced insulation. Can that be painted over?

[HeyBub]

Sure. The "foil" is metal, right?

I'd guess that latex would be more forgiving in that it'll flex (like a sheet of rubber). Latex paint from a cant would be, however, pretty difficult to apply.

If you use spray paint, be sure to squirrel away a few extra cans for touch-up in the coming years.

[aemeijers]

You can replace the insulation with something that can be painted, like foil-face board. Personally, I'd just leave it all be. It'll always look like a basement- no point in putting lipstick on a pig.

-- aem sends...

[benick]

I'd just leave it the way it is as well....It's just a basement....

[aemeijers]

Not that there is anything wrong with that, of course. I dearly wish this place had an unfinished basement, rather than the rotting striped indoor-outdoor carpeting, badly-done drop ceiling, and 1970s-style faux plaster and cedar beam finish on the walls and doors. I may be weird, but I like plain concrete and exposed joists. At the most, clear expoxy on the floors and a coat of white dry-lock on the walls to keep the dust down and brighten things up.

-- aem sends...

[benick]

Then I must be weird too...I like a basement to look like a basement and my garage to look like a garage...LOL....."Finishing" either one , but especially the basement , seem to cause more problems then they're worth...IMHO....

[Mike rock]

Actually, funny you mention that, because after I gutted out my room with old 70's wall paneling, bad 1X1 ceiling tile job, and lousy lighting, it actually looks great now with foundation walls I just Thorosealed and temp lighting I put in. I wish I could leave it , unfortunately it does get cold in that room, and I need to insulate. There was practically no insulation in that room before I gutted it. I started framing the walls with 2X4's to get R-13 insulation in there.

[Master Betty]

Actually, funny you mention that, because after I gutted out my room with old 70's wall paneling, bad 1X1 ceiling tile job, and lousy lighting, it actually looks great now with foundation walls I just Thorosealed and temp lighting I put in. I wish I could leave it , unfortunately it does get cold in that room, and I need to insulate. There was practically no insulation in that room before I gutted it. I started framing the walls with 2X4's to get R-13 insulation in there.

++++

I got to thinking about your problem with painting it and I thought you should consider "snow roof" or a similar product. It might help with the chipping. It's expensive but it pours out like bright white tar. One coat would do it. It would help with sealing it too. I used to have ducts on the outside of my house on a flattop roof. (It was a dumbass system.) It was insulated with spray-on foam and I had to paint it often with snow roof. Yours would obviously not need recoating as often.

You can actually see the system if you map Google "2323 Cardenas ne Albuquerque nm" and zoom in on the house. Very unusual.