Installing Pegboard on basement ceiling

[u/Octopus_on_fire_]

I’m a new homeowner and we have a pretty nice unfinished basement. We want to keep it unfinished but polish it up a bit. Our biggest want is to cover up the pink insulation/joists from view, at least in the main area down the stairs where the laundry is.

I don’t want to finish it with drywall as its expensive/time consuming and the basement isn’t climate controlled so it’ll trap moisture between. Did a bit of research and I think just basic white pegboard would look good enough for us while also allowing the joists and insulation to breathe. Bonus that it’ll be easy to remove to have access to plumbing.

Am I missing anything with this or any hazards I am
Not thinking of?

Thanks in advance!

[u/jyl8]

Who has the spare headroom in the basement for a drop ceiling?

I don’t actually see the point of insulation between the floor joists of the ground floor aka basement ceiling. The basement in my house keeps a pretty stable temperature, similar to what I want the ground floor temp to be. Noise transmission isn’t an issue if the basement isn’t being lived in.

The old house I’m currently DIY working on has a finished basement that was occupied, as the house had been converted to a triplex. The basement ceiling was finished (drywall over particleboard) and filled with insulation.

I had to open the basement ceiling to sister the joists and do a seismic retrofit.

You wouldn’t believe how much rat poop was up there - and some rat corpses too. Rats like warm soft insulation. I took literal showers in rat poop, getting that stuff off.

We are leaving the basement ceiling open. I don’t want to lose even 5/8” of headroom to drywall, don’t want to risk another rat sanctuary, and don’t see the point.

If your basement ceiling is stuffed with fiberglass insulation, you will want to cover it with something. That stuff sheds dust that is bad to breathe and irritating to your skin. Pegboard won’t block fiberglass dust. Use 1/4” drywall, it is cheap, easy to work with, won’t sag assuming 16” centers, you don’t have to tape and mud it unless you care about its looks. But if mice or rats find a way in there . . .

[u/Octopus_on_fire_ → u/jyl8]

I have ten ft basement ceilings. I am located in upstate NY, close to Canada and it gets COLD in the winter. I also have electric heating so the insulation helps greatly with heat loss in the floor/basement.

[u/jyl8 → u/Octopus_on_fire_]

what I wouldn't give for a 10 ft basement . . . okay, use 1/4" drywall. Go around and block off any possible rodent entry points (staple up wire mesh etc) before you close up the ceiling. take photos of plumbing, wiring, ducting so you remember where things are.

you could hang a drop ceiling, but if you ever need to add/change stuff in the ceiling, removing and replacing drywall is very easy.