Basement Stair Ceiling Odd

ryanb4614 · 08-19-2011, 11:46 PM

When going down into the basement you have to duck and then the beam is about 12 feet from where you have to duck.

I took pictures for a better understanding. The part I dont understand the is a closet that is oddly shaped. When you open it you can see the ceiling of the steps. Is there a way to adjust the ceiling where you have to duck, raise it somehow?

Maybe full around with the closet and make shelfs and raise the bottom part so I can raise the ceiling a little.

Ron6519 · 08-19-2011, 11:51 PM

There is probably a support beam running through the space at the bottom of the stairs. You would need to open the ceiling in that area to see what's going on.
It looks as though there has been some renovation there. Normally you would see the staircase to the second floor nested there in the closet.
Raising the ceiling would do nothing, you would need to remove the floor in front of the closet to increase the headroom.

ryanb4614 · 08-19-2011, 11:52 PM

the support beam is about a foot infront of this. The support beam is far enough coming down the steps you don't actually have to duck.

ddawg16 · 08-20-2011, 06:51 AM

I suspect that your calling that white 4x4 beam that is about 2' up the 'support beam'....it's not....the load bearing beam is going to be under where the door opening is....or, had better be.....

Assuming I'm seeing this right....the door opening that has the God awful yellow tile on it (sorry, I don't like yellow) is about where the left side of the stairwell is? Right? If so, load bearing....not a lot you can do unless you want to rebuild that area. What is interesting is that they installed door into the space above the stairwell.....very odd.

More odd is all the scaloped trim in there.....left overs?

Tough call on what to do with it....though it does look like you have some nice wood in there.....my gut feeling is that the previous owner was your classic "use all left over wood" type. That wood lap looks like flooring.

Remove the scalop but don't make any other structural changes...put in your shelves like you suggested and call it your junk closet.

ryanb4614 · 08-20-2011, 06:59 AM

I think when they put the ceiling in the basement they just framed the bottom because its just a odd angle how the have the ceiling. I am going to pull the panels down so I can get a better look. Maybe I can just can a couple inched by make the angle they went with to cover it. There is a steel beam going through the house which is 1-2 feet infront of the part where you have to duck. Yes I know 2 weeks is kichen lol thanks!