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Question on Finishing a Basement Rob 10-02-2006
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Posted by Rob on October 2, 2006, 8:42 pm

> After the last one had me going, I can't wait to see how this one
> transpires..
> Searcher
>
The last one In retrospect dumping the salt OUT OF the bags into wheel
barrow ( clean) spreading around the pool with shovel might of been a better
idea, to bad I didn't think of that.



Posted by professorpaul on October 2, 2006, 9:39 pm


Both of my sons have dry walled the ceilings in their basement for just
this reason. However, make sure that you have access hatches or
whatever to get at any valvles, etc. If you do have to tear some up for
a plumbing job, it is no great thing to re-do the dry wall.
>
> 1) The clearance on the ceiling in the basement now is fine unfinished,
> but putting in a regular drop ceiling requires 4 inches as I recall, and
> I'd like to not take up that much of the overhead space. Is there any
> other drop ceiling technology out there that requires less space? If
> not, is a drywall ceiling feasible in a basement? I am reluctant to put
> one in because having access to the piping and wiring above is
> important. Any thoughts?
>

Do you mean a spiral staircase??? I have had one in a condo. GREAT
space saver, but one of my dogs was not happy about it, as he could see
between the treads!

I think I know what you mean, perhaps. A farmhouse my son lived in once
had such a staircase. Real PITA to move stuff up and down.

> 2) The current steps to the basement are somewhat steep and face the
> back wall of the basement. I would prefer the stair itself to turn 180
> degrees so that when entering the new basement den, you enter right into
> the room instead of having to do a turnaround at the bottom of the
> stair. I have lived in old homes before which had a "fan" type of stair
> (each step is about an inch wide on one side, and each step "fans out"
> to be full width on the other edge next to the outer wall). Would that
> be something I could easily get built by a contractor/carpenter
> nowadays, or not? (I'm just not sure if such stairs are commonly built
> today....
>


Posted by JoeSpareBedroom on October 2, 2006, 9:44 pm


>I would like to make a den in my currently unfinished basement and I have
>two issues I need to resolve in order to accomplish this:
>
> 1) The clearance on the ceiling in the basement now is fine unfinished,
> but putting in a regular drop ceiling requires 4 inches as I recall, and
> I'd like to not take up that much of the overhead space. Is there any
> other drop ceiling technology out there that requires less space? If not,
> is a drywall ceiling feasible in a basement? I am reluctant to put one in
> because having access to the piping and wiring above is important. Any
> thoughts?
>
> 2) The current steps to the basement are somewhat steep and face the back
> wall of the basement. I would prefer the stair itself to turn 180 degrees
> so that when entering the new basement den, you enter right into the room
> instead of having to do a turnaround at the bottom of the stair. I have
> lived in old homes before which had a "fan" type of stair (each step is
> about an inch wide on one side, and each step "fans out" to be full width
> on the other edge next to the outer wall). Would that be something I could
> easily get built by a contractor/carpenter nowadays, or not? (I'm just not
> sure if such stairs are commonly built today....
>
> Thanks in advance for any ideas.
>
>

About the fan type stairs: Have you given any thought to what it might be
like to move large things up and down those stairs, like furniture, or a new
furnace?



Posted by Rob on October 2, 2006, 10:29 pm


JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>> I would like to make a den in my currently unfinished basement and I have
>> two issues I need to resolve in order to accomplish this:
>>
>> 1) The clearance on the ceiling in the basement now is fine unfinished,
>> but putting in a regular drop ceiling requires 4 inches as I recall, and
>> I'd like to not take up that much of the overhead space. Is there any
>> other drop ceiling technology out there that requires less space? If not,
>> is a drywall ceiling feasible in a basement? I am reluctant to put one in
>> because having access to the piping and wiring above is important. Any
>> thoughts?
>>
>> 2) The current steps to the basement are somewhat steep and face the back
>> wall of the basement. I would prefer the stair itself to turn 180 degrees
>> so that when entering the new basement den, you enter right into the room
>> instead of having to do a turnaround at the bottom of the stair. I have
>> lived in old homes before which had a "fan" type of stair (each step is
>> about an inch wide on one side, and each step "fans out" to be full width
>> on the other edge next to the outer wall). Would that be something I could
>> easily get built by a contractor/carpenter nowadays, or not? (I'm just not
>> sure if such stairs are commonly built today....
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any ideas.
>>
>>
>
> About the fan type stairs: Have you given any thought to what it might be
> like to move large things up and down those stairs, like furniture, or a new
> furnace?
>
>

The house I am moving from was built in 1820 and it has such a stairway
and it is not too bad for moving things, you just have to move the item
straight up. There are limitations, but I have heard that any stairway
that turns, even if you use landings instead will have this issue...

Posted by Jack on October 2, 2006, 9:49 pm


From experience...there are alternatives to boarding the basement ceiling.
Some of the tile manufacturers sell a zero clearance type of ceiling tile
and grid. It is WAY!!! more expensive than board, but if you need to get
under the first floor to get at pipe etc, it is WAY easier than tearing down
drywall.
.
By the way, I boarded my ceiling, then had to tear part of it down to get at
something.
Good luck.


>I would like to make a den in my currently unfinished basement and I have
>two issues I need to resolve in order to accomplish this:
>
> 1) The clearance on the ceiling in the basement now is fine unfinished,
> but putting in a regular drop ceiling requires 4 inches as I recall, and
> I'd like to not take up that much of the overhead space. Is there any
> other drop ceiling technology out there that requires less space? If not,
> is a drywall ceiling feasible in a basement? I am reluctant to put one in
> because having access to the piping and wiring above is important. Any
> thoughts?
>
> 2) The current steps to the basement are somewhat steep and face the back
> wall of the basement. I would prefer the stair itself to turn 180 degrees
> so that when entering the new basement den, you enter right into the room
> instead of having to do a turnaround at the bottom of the stair. I have
> lived in old homes before which had a "fan" type of stair (each step is
> about an inch wide on one side, and each step "fans out" to be full width
> on the other edge next to the outer wall). Would that be something I could
> easily get built by a contractor/carpenter nowadays, or not? (I'm just not
> sure if such stairs are commonly built today....
>
> Thanks in advance for any ideas.
>
>



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