Home Gym

I had a room in the basement that was not utilized and I needed a space to put my gym equipment. The issue I had was most of my basement had the drop down ceiling tiles and every time I rode my elliptical, my head hit the ceiling. So, i decided to rip the ceiling tiles down and raise the ceiling to the beams to maximize height. Below are the before pictures of the room.

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I then filled up any holes with plaster, sanded and painted it so that I could get rid of the yellow. I also removed all the ceiling tiles and the metal rods used to hold them up. (those went to the recycling depot)

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Once I had exposed the beams, I drilled holes into each beam and ran wires through each hole. The wire was for the commercial potlights I was going to put in the ceiling. (So much better than the flurescent lighting I had in before)

1610054_985210951541384_850884219276487423_nThe vent was in the ceiling but I needed to relocate it so I added another piece of duct and wrapped each seam with metal tape. This is a good idea to ensure no heated/conditioned air escapes through cracks.

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Once my wiring was done and my vent was secured in place, I started adding the drywall pieces. I had a bit of a gap between the wall and ceiling so I taped it and smoothed it over with plaster. You have to be patient during this process. Always let the plaster dry, sand, and then reapply. Use your hands to go over the spots so you know that it is smooth.

When I was done hanging the drywall, I used a drywall knife to cut holes in the ceiling for the potlights. (these are the kind you pop in after the drywall is up – not all potlights are made for after drywall installation) I had marked the ceiling beams on the wall before I cut the holes so I knew where the ceiling was open. I then pulled the wires through (about 10″ per light to give myself enough room to work)

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Once I had plastered and sanded the ceiling out, I did my first coat of flat ceiling paint. Do not use a glossy paint on the ceiling as you will see any imperfections more easily.

12642531_1005230569539422_8271577355925524337_nAll that was left after this stage was to add the potlights and touch up the walls. :) Fini!!

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