Basement Ceiling Finishing Options | Ask the Expert

Pete Westera is the owner of Basement Systems USA and one of the leading authorities on basement waterproofing, crawl space, and foundation repair in the Baltimore, MD area, also serving Philadelphia and Wilmington, DE.

In this episode, Pete speaks about options to finish the ceiling in your basement. Basement ceilings pose specific challenges because often, some of the main pipes, wires and ducts run through that ceiling and you will, at some point, need to access them for inspection, repair or maintenance. For that reason, conventional drywall is not the best choice for a basement ceiling. Should you ever need to fix a pipe, you will have to cut through the drywall, and then patch it up -- which can be a messy process.

The best choice for basement ceilings is a drop ceiling, as tiles can be removed and replaced as needed. Conventional, hardware store-bought ceiling tiles, however, are also not the best choice. Basements are naturally humid and prone to water accidents. Most generic ceiling tiles are made with paper which tends to sag when exposed to typical basement moisture. Besides that, paper is what Pete calls "mold candy".

Pete and his team recommend and install Total Basement Finishing Ceiling tiles, made with 100% inorganic and water resistant material. These tiles are able to withstand basement moisture without growing mold or sagging. In fact, they carry an impressive 30-year manufacturer's warranty against sagging.