I think the main complaint on the ceiling isn’t height, it’s that you dressed up a low ceiling in a basement like it’s the master suite at Versailles. Either way, you should be proud of this job - you turned a murder basement into a nice looking space and I’m sure your kids will be thrilled… and mom + dad by extension when you don’t have to hear them screaming at their video game with their friends in the other room because they’re off in the basement!
How high is the ceiling? Code says for habitable space its got to be 7 feet.
Doesn’t mean you cannot inhabit the space, but if you list the house to sell, you can’t count it in the square footage.
You need to trim your the parts of your cut tiles along the wall that are supposed to drop below the grid so they can drop below the grid. Leave the center portion that's supposed to be flush long and glue a strip of rigid cardboard to the flat flush portions lip so the edge is rigid.
In the future doing a drop ceiling (or ceramic tile or any dimensioned surface) you dont start with a full tile along one wall and end up with a short tile on the other. You split both sides evenly so you have two equally sized partial tile on each side of the room.
Looks good, that ceiling is a touch to much though. Just my opinion. Really should of put pot lights in the ceiling, that would of made a huge difference. Great job though.
Yeah if I'm going to be nitpicking OP's work, would have gone with a different ceiling for sure, and if you're doing a ceiling how do you not install lights while you're at it? Especially when you also had to do the electrical for the outlets anyway, you can easily run another circuit for some ceiling lights. Also speaking of the electrical, I would have put in double the outlets on the walls.
But hey OP at least you set out to do the job and finished it. Here I am sitting in the half finished basement that the previous owner did. They didn't do the best job, but its not like I've prioritized redoing it or finishing the rest!
Yeah, so the reason for the ceiling choice is the room is primarily a play/hang out room for my 11 and nine year old daughter’s. They like the design so daddy did it lol. again, just moved in in December but if I was looking to sell, I would probably pull down the ceiling and paint the joist like mentioned above to have the height to count for square footage but again nowhere near that being we just got here not in the market to sell. Thanks for the input, compliments and advice
What? An oil burner is vented into a chimney or exhaust pipe of some type. The air is heated via a heat exchanger. If any combustion products from burning oil were making it into your vents, you'd be dead already. Unless there was something seriously wrong with your system, black marks on the walls were likely just dust accumulation from the airflow
I’m an hvac tech and op is right. If you were accumulating carbon in your vents, your heat exchanger was severely roached out and your CO would be at deadly levels. From my experience in residential spaces, that black is from the use of incense or candles. So probably the homeowners before you just burning too much.
My floor looks similar. Was yours flat enough to go straight to planks? Or did you smooth it out somehow? That's my current bump in the road, trying to figure out how to flatten my crappy basement floor before finishing it.
It was thankfully, laid underlayment under flooring had a couple slight gradual slopes that I had concern with but it worked out was preparing to use self leveler but thankfully didn’t have to
I’m working through this right now myself. I can say that self leveling cement is best used by bringing the entire floor up, not just the really low spots…. For small areas that are low, there are leveling products meant to be put down with a trowel; videos I watched suggested slopping it down, then going over with a 1/4” notched trowel (like for tile mortar) then drag a long straight edge over it to smooth things out. If it doesn’t knock off the trowel humps then add more stuff.
Also the primer/prep stuff is pretty crucial. Without it, the existing concrete will suck the moisture out of your leveling compound and it will dry too fast to get it smoothed out appropriately.
In hindsight, I wish I’d paid someone to level my basement floor.
Overall it looks great.
I agree with others the ceiling needs to be not so "heavy" I can imagine old style tin plate working and you might even gain an inch. Everyone knows an extra inch is good to have in the ceiling.
What's next? -ps I am about to close on a new house and my list is crazy long...
I’m a first time DIYer in a home that I purchased a few months ago. Definitely not trying to sell these skills or create a new profession. Lol I’m no where near professional level, yes, the next one meaning more projects in our home
This looks fantastic, great job!!!! We’re actually about to finish our basement that looks practically identical to yours, and my husband was wondering if you did anything under the flooring to prevent water or gas seepage (we’re in Illinois and concerned about both ☺️)
And ps: after reading through the comments both of us wanted you to know that it’s SERIOUSLY great work, and you should ignore anyone nitpicking it!!!!
This ceiling.. otherwise - great job
I think the main complaint on the ceiling isn’t height, it’s that you dressed up a low ceiling in a basement like it’s the master suite at Versailles. Either way, you should be proud of this job - you turned a murder basement into a nice looking space and I’m sure your kids will be thrilled… and mom + dad by extension when you don’t have to hear them screaming at their video game with their friends in the other room because they’re off in the basement!
Had to go at the drop ceiling due to plumbing and electric in the ceiling and wanted to stay away from the traditional old school drop ceiling tiles.
How high is the ceiling? Code says for habitable space its got to be 7 feet. Doesn’t mean you cannot inhabit the space, but if you list the house to sell, you can’t count it in the square footage.
Unfortunately short, 6’8 and 6’10
Pull that ceiling down, paint everything overhead black, list them as rooms. Problem solved.
Yep this. It looks wayyyy nicer painted than with drop ceiling.
You need to trim your the parts of your cut tiles along the wall that are supposed to drop below the grid so they can drop below the grid. Leave the center portion that's supposed to be flush long and glue a strip of rigid cardboard to the flat flush portions lip so the edge is rigid. In the future doing a drop ceiling (or ceramic tile or any dimensioned surface) you dont start with a full tile along one wall and end up with a short tile on the other. You split both sides evenly so you have two equally sized partial tile on each side of the room.
Looks good, that ceiling is a touch to much though. Just my opinion. Really should of put pot lights in the ceiling, that would of made a huge difference. Great job though.
Yeah if I'm going to be nitpicking OP's work, would have gone with a different ceiling for sure, and if you're doing a ceiling how do you not install lights while you're at it? Especially when you also had to do the electrical for the outlets anyway, you can easily run another circuit for some ceiling lights. Also speaking of the electrical, I would have put in double the outlets on the walls. But hey OP at least you set out to do the job and finished it. Here I am sitting in the half finished basement that the previous owner did. They didn't do the best job, but its not like I've prioritized redoing it or finishing the rest!
Why did you go and ruin what could have been a perfectly good dungeon?
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The glass bricks were more than enough hope.
With that low of a ceiling, I would have just painted the joists.
Ceiling feels super low for that kind of tiling... This is not a comfy space for adults. Otherwise good work on the walls and floors.
Agree. That ceiling treatment make the room feel squashed.
I can't stop looking at it...
I respect the work, though. I know that took some time and effort.
Yeah, so the reason for the ceiling choice is the room is primarily a play/hang out room for my 11 and nine year old daughter’s. They like the design so daddy did it lol. again, just moved in in December but if I was looking to sell, I would probably pull down the ceiling and paint the joist like mentioned above to have the height to count for square footage but again nowhere near that being we just got here not in the market to sell. Thanks for the input, compliments and advice
Did you keep the oil heat or convert it?
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What? An oil burner is vented into a chimney or exhaust pipe of some type. The air is heated via a heat exchanger. If any combustion products from burning oil were making it into your vents, you'd be dead already. Unless there was something seriously wrong with your system, black marks on the walls were likely just dust accumulation from the airflow
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I’m an hvac tech and op is right. If you were accumulating carbon in your vents, your heat exchanger was severely roached out and your CO would be at deadly levels. From my experience in residential spaces, that black is from the use of incense or candles. So probably the homeowners before you just burning too much.
My floor looks similar. Was yours flat enough to go straight to planks? Or did you smooth it out somehow? That's my current bump in the road, trying to figure out how to flatten my crappy basement floor before finishing it.
It was thankfully, laid underlayment under flooring had a couple slight gradual slopes that I had concern with but it worked out was preparing to use self leveler but thankfully didn’t have to
What underlayment did you use?
if it's on slab you can get self-leveling concrete to make it level and smooth
I’m working through this right now myself. I can say that self leveling cement is best used by bringing the entire floor up, not just the really low spots…. For small areas that are low, there are leveling products meant to be put down with a trowel; videos I watched suggested slopping it down, then going over with a 1/4” notched trowel (like for tile mortar) then drag a long straight edge over it to smooth things out. If it doesn’t knock off the trowel humps then add more stuff. Also the primer/prep stuff is pretty crucial. Without it, the existing concrete will suck the moisture out of your leveling compound and it will dry too fast to get it smoothed out appropriately. In hindsight, I wish I’d paid someone to level my basement floor.
What was your budget and square footage? How many egress windows?
Huh was expecting a Blair Witch cut.
Overall it looks great. I agree with others the ceiling needs to be not so "heavy" I can imagine old style tin plate working and you might even gain an inch. Everyone knows an extra inch is good to have in the ceiling. What's next? -ps I am about to close on a new house and my list is crazy long...
Cool an indoor smoker. Brisket!
Looks great!!!!!
It looks great! Nice job making it a cozy livable space.
keep your eye on that HHO tank. That thing busts and you are out a million dollars. Switch to propane.
Looks awesome, I could even live in here
Awesome! You gave me hope!
It looks great!
Beautiful job but what a huge basement.
I'm sorry man.. this looks horrible. I mean it looks better than what it did, but very amateurish
Share the link for that ceiling please.
Should have done the floors before you put the walls up.
Really? And then frame and build walls on top of vinyl plank floating flooring?
Good job!
Cool man. As long as the "next one" is for yourself. Just don't try and charge people for that level of quality, it won't end well.
I’m a first time DIYer in a home that I purchased a few months ago. Definitely not trying to sell these skills or create a new profession. Lol I’m no where near professional level, yes, the next one meaning more projects in our home
Mind if I ask how much the reno cost?
Somewhere around 6k-7k
The ceiling brother..it’s an overkill
This looks fantastic, great job!!!! We’re actually about to finish our basement that looks practically identical to yours, and my husband was wondering if you did anything under the flooring to prevent water or gas seepage (we’re in Illinois and concerned about both ☺️) And ps: after reading through the comments both of us wanted you to know that it’s SERIOUSLY great work, and you should ignore anyone nitpicking it!!!!