The Virginia Basement – A Stellar Ceiling

The Virginia basement has come a long way since the old days of dirt floor cellars and cobwebs. Many homes are now getting spruced up and decked out with functional finished Virginia basement setups that are equally fun.

While many of us maintain tradition with our homes in bedroom and living design, the Virginia basement has gone from blah to hoozah and has received a heck of a makeover in the last 100 years.

Need a reminder of how your Virginia basement could use a tweak? Head downstairs, then look up. Those exposed pipes, the ductwork, the wiring, cobwebs, shadows and exposed wood are all grim reminders of where we came from and the condition of our current home. Thankfully, the situation is never permanent and you as a homeowner always have the option to do better – even on a budget

You don’t necessarily have to finish your entire basement, but a ceiling in your Virginia basement can be erected with very little effort and it will deliver something that’s every bit as pleasing as a completely finished basement.

A drop ceiling is the easiest way to install a ceiling in your basement, and it’s also the best method for providing access to any of the pipes and wires that remain in the supports. With a drop ceiling, you can easily add lighting within the tiles to bring more light to the doom and gloom of your Virginia basement, adding style along with functionality that will really awaken a room.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can use drywall as a ceiling like the other rooms in your home, just keep in mind that you may need to access certain pipes and shutoff valves that are up in the ceiling. Provide access to those areas and, to save yourself a nightmare after a ceiling is put up, check all your pipes and duct work for any maintenance before closing off access to them. The last think you want to do is replace or cut through drywall you just put up to fix an issue.

Paint can also make a big difference in the basement. Of course if you install new drywall you’ll likely want to primer and paint it so that it looks nice. If you opt for a drop ceiling you can also paint the tiles one solid color or different accent colors. Either way you go, keep in mind that even a finished basement is going to have some moisture issues, especially if you haven’t installed a proper ventilation system.

You’ll have to use a paint that will do well against moisture, so some kind of high gloss latex interior paint may be your top choice. If ventilation is an issue, don’t use an oil based paint because you won’t be able to vent the fumes from using that specific style.

Once your paint is in place, you’ll quickly see how much more comfortable your Virginia basement can be even with a solid stone floor and cinderblock walls. A little ceiling goes a long way.