I hate dropped ceilings and it's prevented me from remodeling. I don't want to do paint because subfloor nails are still sticking out every few inches.

One thing that is important is for you to look at where the joists are. Those might need to be boxed in which might make the ceiling not level.

The least ugly drop ceiling tiles that I've seen have been Armstrong coffered drop ceilings. Maybe there's a style here that would work for you?

https://www.armstrongceilings.com/residential/en-us/suspended-ceiling-systems/coffered-ceilings.html

Dropped ceilings are awful. I would just paint everything on the ceiling black and give it an industrial/urban vibe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't do it then.

Simply paint all the overhead with flat black paint. Do that first before you redo the basement obviously.

You know, I thought about this but this house is over 100 years old and there is just a lot of crazy stuff up there in the ceiling— past generations of pipes and wires, random hooks and nails etc that I think it needs to be covered. If I had the budget to move or cull all that stuff I would!

Could put batting insulation over it and spray it black. Black cloud ceiling.

I'd go with the drywall suggestion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't do it then.

Simply paint all the overhead with flat black paint. Do that first before you redo the basement obviously.

You know, I thought about this but this house is over 100 years old and there is just a lot of crazy stuff up there in the ceiling— past generations of pipes and wires, random hooks and nails etc that I think it needs to be covered. If I had the budget to move or cull all that stuff I would!

Could put batting insulation over it and spray it black. Black cloud ceiling.

drywall

We had a dropped ceiling in the basement of my previous house and we didn’t pay it any attention. You’ll get used to the look. Decorate the rest of the space nicely.

Anonymous wrote:Don't do it then.

Simply paint all the overhead with flat black paint. Do that first before you redo the basement obviously.

You know, I thought about this but this house is over 100 years old and there is just a lot of crazy stuff up there in the ceiling— past generations of pipes and wires, random hooks and nails etc that I think it needs to be covered. If I had the budget to move or cull all that stuff I would!

Don't do it then.

Simply paint all the overhead with flat black paint. Do that first before you redo the basement obviously.

We are turning our basement (almost fully underground with little windows) into a playroom and office. We have to do a dropped ceiling due to the tangles of pipes and wires overhead. Is there any way to make it look better? I see some very decorative tiles online but I don’t want to draw attention to it. But at the same time I don’t want it to look like an 80s industrial park…help!