I have a single-story brick house from '74 with a finished basement. The ceiling in the basement is original and looks the same everywhere from the boiler room to the family room. I'm planning to recess speakers into the ceiling and I'm wondering how easy it is and how much alteration is necessary, or if a "complete renovation" of the ceiling is required to avoid it looking too bad afterward.
Attaching a picture of the ceiling below. The "panels" are about 120x20cm in size.
My questions are roughly the following:
1. What is this type of ceiling called and is it possible to find new ones in the same dimensions to replace any that may be damaged?
2. How are the panels attached? Are they screwed into joists? Glued? Nailed?
3. Is there insulation above them or is it empty space? If there is insulation, can you just remove it where you want the speaker?
4. Are they "grooved" on the edges to interlock with each other or is it just paint that has flowed in between?
5. Any tips on how I can best go about cutting a 20cm hole, recessing a speaker, and running the cable discreetly above the ceiling to a suitable wall? Can it be done with "keyhole surgery" or do I have to take down the entire ceiling?
Attaching a picture of the ceiling below. The "panels" are about 120x20cm in size.
My questions are roughly the following:
1. What is this type of ceiling called and is it possible to find new ones in the same dimensions to replace any that may be damaged?
2. How are the panels attached? Are they screwed into joists? Glued? Nailed?
3. Is there insulation above them or is it empty space? If there is insulation, can you just remove it where you want the speaker?
4. Are they "grooved" on the edges to interlock with each other or is it just paint that has flowed in between?
5. Any tips on how I can best go about cutting a 20cm hole, recessing a speaker, and running the cable discreetly above the ceiling to a suitable wall? Can it be done with "keyhole surgery" or do I have to take down the entire ceiling?
120X20 cm. Probably not Huntonit, as they are in the size 120X 30 cm. It could be an older board made of chipboard or tretex. The next good question is, how is the ceiling installed, on joists or directly on raw planks or sparse paneling? Is there room above, you think, for your speakers? Older houses may have a layer of shavings/sawdust in a subfloor as insulation. No one knows that now.
It's not possible, everything is set from one side and inserted into a groove on the previous panel. So possibly a new ceiling it could be.
Take a very thin drill, make a hole in the middle of a panel and feel how much space there is above.
Take a very thin drill, make a hole in the middle of a panel and feel how much space there is above.