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about to do a few more basement projects.... 97% complete. **Pics**

If anyone has experience with #4 or #5 below, please share tips and suggestions. I'm being cost conscious on this project so I don't want to spend a lot on materials. Also, I'll be doing the work myself over the next 4 weeks.

The plan is to:

1) install new cross brackets to convert the ceiling to a 2x2 grid
2) replace the 75 someodd 2x4 tiles with 150 2x2 tiles (this is probably the tile I'll get
3) replace the 8' long fixtures with 2x2 fixtures (these just rest on the tile grid and are easy to move around as needed)
4) Going install some combination of carpet and laminate over the 1970s tile that is down there now.
5) install baseboards and crown moulding.

The ceiling will run about 600 and take a day (i hope)
The carpet and flooring will be about 1000-1500 and I guess I'll install it myself

update1:

I'm about half way through the ceiling project. Should finish it up this week. I really like the look and the layout of hte lights. Lighting is very bright and evenly distributed...key for a basement family area IMO.

update2: I pretty much finished with the ceiling. I've got to put some bulbs in the last fixture, and I need to add some cans to a couple of tiles at the foot of the stairs.

All in all I'm very happy with this. I probably should have spray painted the old frame before I put up the new tiles though.

halfwayceiling.jpg
newceiling.jpg
newceiling2.JPG


Update3 (11/03):

Painted_carpet_waiting.JPG
Look_a_couch.JPG
pumpkins.JPG

Update4 (12/01):

We are pretty much done now. Still some trim to put on, and a few peices of furniture are a little haphazard, but the bulk of the work is finished. Here are some pics:

viewing_area.JPG
play_area.JPG
tv_center.JPG
D_9_and_onkyo.JPG
cerwin_vega_sweetness.JPG

I owe special thanks to yoyoyohowsdajello for helping to move the tv and armoir down. He also calibrated my surround speakers, hooked up the components, and adjusted the RGB on my TV.

I'm really happy with the space and the HTS especially. We use the basement area daily now! We basically added over 700 sq ft of really nice space to our 1250 sp ft ranch style home.

cheers and beers!
 
6) install front projection home theater

EDIT: you're not going to add ceiling installation to my job description, are you?
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
6) install front projection home theater

heheh that will be a while probably, but I did just get an ONKYO 790 and I will be moving it down there after the work is done. TV is just nothing special though...
 
4) Consider a floating floow made of wood. A bit more expensive but looks AWESOME. I think it's $4/sqft and an easy DIY job.
Never done what you want to do though. 12" laminite square shouldn't be so hard. Make sure to get the fist tile perfect though.

5) Read about coping joints. http://www.benchnotes.com/Coping%20Joints/coping_joint.htm
They are not hard to do at all. And look better when installed this way.
Trim is easy though .... Oh one piece of advice. Paint hte trim before installing and then go back and do touch up after the install is done. Much easier/cleaner way to do it.
 
Definately keep wood out of the basement, the wet , humid enviroment will lead to a bad experience. Id suggest a type of VCT flooring,maybe smaller than 1'x1' so you get rid of that commercial look.

Good choice on armstrong ceilings. Id do the same company for the floor as well. I wouldnt go carpet or long piece laminiate either. Tile is the best option, since you can always buy an extra box in case you have to pull some damage tiles up in the future.

I'm not too sure how crown molding would look with a drop celing. I would rather save the money and go with a better drop ceiling tile , rather than spend money on moulding.

If youre going the vinyl tile route, I would not go with wood baseboards, but rather covebase. Covebase can be had in a lot of styles, colors and materials. Vulcanized rubber is some of the best quality material i've seen. It will withstand anything you throw at it.
 
What are you going to do about the floor? I see those raises underlayment tiles all the time at HD and wonder if they work.
 
About #5, rent an air gun to install it if you do not have one. Nailing all of that (esp. 1/4 round) by hand is the devil. Don't know what to suggest about #4, I have always loved plain old sealed concrete floors in basements.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
What are you going to do about the floor? I see those raises underlayment tiles all the time at HD and wonder if they work.

I'm going to put carpet in over the whole floor. I was thinking some laminate near the fireplace, but for now, I'm just going with carpet and padding. I've also decide I'm paying someone to install it.


Originally posted by: jhayx7
About #5, rent an air gun to install it if you do not have one. Nailing all of that (esp. 1/4 round) by hand is the devil. Don't know what to suggest about #4, I have always loved plain old sealed concrete floors in basements.

I'll be buying a finishing nailgun for this. I'll need to get a little compressor too...

Something I've wanted for a while and this will be a good excuse.
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
6) install front projection home theater

EDIT: you're not going to add ceiling installation to my job description, are you?

Quoted for irony
 
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
6) install front projection home theater

EDIT: you're not going to add ceiling installation to my job description, are you?

Quoted for irony


😉

i'll post up pics of you handiwork soon...

:Q

As soon as you asked me yesterday, I thought about how I should have brought a camera to capture all the action 😉
 
Nice job.

Putting in a suspended ceiling in my basement is my next project. My biggest problem is where to put all the furniture (1,2, and a large sectional couch) I've got down there. I was actually thinking about renting a tent for my backyard.

 
Originally posted by: Squisher
Nice job.

Putting in a suspended ceiling in my basement is my next project. My biggest problem is where to put all the furniture (1,2, and a large sectional couch) I've got down there. I was actually thinking about renting a tent for my backyard.

Look Jeff, he got to keep using his speakers 😛
 
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Updated with pictars.

Many thanks to Yoyoyo for his help and expertise on the HTS!

:beer:

No problem. Have you hooked up the D-9s yet? :evil:
 
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