Ceilings, like Rodney Dangerfield, get no respect. They're the most visible single surface in a room, yet most simply are painted white when a room is remodeled?
and are ignored until a leak creates a stain or turns the drywall to mush.
Invest a little time and money, and you can turn the ceiling into the focal point of a room. Or, "remodel" an entire room simply by sprucing up a blank, boring ceiling.
Several readily available, easy-to-install materials will help you do either of the above. Common choices include stamped-metal ceiling panels, plywood paneling, tongue-and-groove board paneling, acoustical tiles and planks, along with various wallcoverings and fabrics.
The most popular of these materials is a type of wood board paneling known as either beadboard or plank paneling. It's commonly used as wainscoting on walls and for the backs of Colonial-style cupboards and bookcases. These tongue-and-groove pine boards are about 5/16 in. thick x 3 1/2 in. wide and have a rounded bead milled along one edge and a second bead routed down the center. When the boards are installed, each appears to be two narrower ones.
Most well-stocked lumberyards and home centers carry beadboard in 8-ft. lengths individually or in bundles. Expect to pay about $1 to $1.50 per square foot.
