Basement bath ceiling ideas / concealment/ access to junction box/etc

[pen]

Finishing my basement off this summer to make some more room in this house but I'm stuck on what to do for the ceiling. For the family room part, a drop ceiling will work. I'm not crazy about it, but will do the job unless you guys can help me with a better idea to keep access to what's above. However, the real concern is the bath.......

I have a 1/2 bath in the basement now, but it's in a terrible spot, and elevated to meet a cesspool drain that really shouldn't have solids put down it. I'm moving the bathroom and putting in a saniflo upflush that will run to the actual septic system and making it a 3/4 bath.

With 88 inches of height from the concrete to joists, I'm tight on room but to the best of my figuring, should work fine with a sheetrock ceiling. However, I have one major junction box that can't be changed easily (garage feed, 6 ga) that's going to fall right over the vanity in the bath.

In all, I'm looking for a good idea to be able to conceal access to this junction box and go with sheetrock, or else another idea for doing the entire ceiling in this bath that will grant me access that the ill placed box needs.

Thanks guys,

pen

 

[seige101]

How about a plumbing access panel like this http://i21.geccdn.net/site/images/n-picgroup/77420.jpg ?? Maybe something slightly bigger to for more room should you ever need to work on that junction box. Paint it to match the ceiling and it should blend in.

 

[begreen]

Simple solution sounds like to live with an exposed (painted) junction box cover. It's a basement bath after all. This stuff happens. If you want to hide it, maybe cut the back out of a shallow, surface-mount, medicine cabinet to allow access?

 

[pen]

hadn't seen them, @seige101, thanks

@begreen , the junction box is secured to the side of the joist, and up rather high and there's not enough room to rotate it and set the cover flush with the ceiling. I tried that tonight, in hopes of just putting a smoke detector over the cover, but it was a no go.

 

[pen]

Just searched amazon for "access panel" and came up with a bunch of options that are looking decent. Of all the things I've searched for for ideas, that 2 word term just hadn't come to me! Thanks for the idea @seige101

I knew there had to be decent options, but I was just missing they key words.

 

[jebatty]

Probably bum advice from the electrician who did the wiring for our house addition 40 years ago. Ceiling junction box: he said leave it exposed until the inspector passes the work, then sheetrock over and forget it as you'll never need to access the box. 40 years have gone by and his advice held true.

 

[seige101]

Stupid advice from your electrician. I get all cranky when i find buried junction boxes. Makes troubleshooting real fun when there is a problem!

Pen your welcome, it's a simple solution.

/electrician

 

[fbelec]

agree with seige101. jebatty you've lucked out so far. at least for your sake i hope. btw get a new electrician if he's still around

 

[semipro]

I'm pretty sure the current building codes require that all junction boxes be easily accessible.

 

[seige101]

I'm pretty sure the current building codes require that all junction boxes be easily accessible.

You are correct

 

[brian89gp]

Surface mount drop ceiling.

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/walls-ceilings/186110-ceiling-max.html#b

 

[pen]

Surface mount drop ceiling.

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/walls-ceilings/186110-ceiling-max.html#b

I'm debating going that route for the main part / family room of the basement, but don't care for the idea of it in a bathroom.

Haven't spoken to anyone who's put that surface mount stuff up yet.

 

[john11756]

put a fake exhaust fane in done