This post is all about how to Finish a Basement Kitchenette.

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Published May 6, 2024
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Materials Needed to Finish a Basement Kitchenette

To finish the kitchenette, there are many tools to finish it. We need lights, ceiling grid, drop ceiling grid, landscaping cloth, outlets with covers, a sink, countertop and more.

To finish a basement, the requirements to add the square footage to the home, the ceiling needs to be finished. There are several ways to finish off a ceiling in a basement.

The first is to drywall the ceiling. The second is to use drop ceiling grid. The third is to use a different medium to finish the ceiling. We chose to use a different medium because we wanted to have a removeable panel system put in place if, in the future, work needed to be done on wiring or plumbing. Drywall is a pretty permanent feature and is not quite removeable once finished. A drop ceiling grid is a great medium to use, but the drop down and loss of ceiling height was not something we wanted to happen.

Once we decided on the countertop, we had to cut it down to size as it was quite longer than the base cabinets. The end also needed to be cut down, and once it was cut, the edge banding also needed to be installed. To finish the edge, there are wood pieces to glue in the gaps, then the edge banding can be glued on using a heat source like an iron. This helps to activate the glue to stick it on. Once glued on, you then carefully gut off any excess and file down the corners. This particular countertop was a remnant for cheap and the pattern was not available, so we used the closest design. As there will be a fridge next to it, the color didn’t really matter.

To do the edge banding, you need an iron, wood glue, clamps and a very sharp file.

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Finish a Basement Kitchenette with Insulation

Instead of using drywall or drop ceiling, we were able to use large sheets of metal for a ceiling cover. To make sure the insulation is not seen behind the metal sheets, we used a landscaping fabric that was stapled to the rafters.

We found this 6-foot by 100-food landscaping fabric at our local building supply store. By using staples, you can then adhere the fabric to the ceiling. Making sure the fabric is pulled tight is important in making sure wrinkles will not come through or cause the metal sheets to not lay flat.

In one corner of the basement, we had a little nook that was the perfect place to set up a home office. The metal ceiling material was cut down to look like a grid, and we dropped down the ceiling to cover the plumbing from the two bathrooms directly above. Doing so allows easy access to the plumbing. We also placed two base cabinets on top of each other as a tall cabinet for storage. The edges were unfinished, so we used a cabinet veneer to finish them off to look like one tall cabinet.

Wipe the Metal Sheets Clean

These metal sheets absolutely need to be cleaned prior to installation. As they are metal, they were covered in an oil residue. It would not be great to have the ceiling full of oil, so we had to wipe them all clean. Use a rag and rubbing alcohol to clean both sides of the sheets. This process did take some time as both sides had to be cleaned twice before the sheet was useable.

Once the sheet was cleaned, my husband used snips to cut them to size. Most of the sheets could go up just as they were, but quite a few had to be cut to size.

Carrying these sheets down into a basement is a two-person job. Once in the basement, using a drywall lift can aid in getting the heavy and awkward sheets up onto the ceiling.

Drywall lifts, by far, are the best in lifting heavy objects to a height above your reach. With each metal sheet, using the drywall lift to position the sheet on the ceiling, can then help to keep it in place while you screw it to the joists. The screws for these metal sheets were also a particular type with a tiny rubber washer between the screw head and the sheet. Each screw needed to have a washer put on them to protect the sheet.

Finish a Basement Kitchenette with Lights

Using a circle drill bit, cut a circle in the place where the lights will be installed, making sure to not drill through the wire. Once the circle was cut and the metal sheet was up, you then were able to pull the wire down through the hole.

The positions of the lights need to be done ahead of time, with the wiring. Mark a spot on the floor and use a laser level to mark the ceiling position as well. This step, deciding where the lights should go, did take quite a bit of deciphering and deciding and was done well in advance as the wiring has to be installed and in position before finishing a ceiling.

The lights we used were a 4-inch glare control slim recessed light kit. As the sheets were put directly onto the joists, we didn’t have room for drop down lights. Using a slim recessed light kit helped to keep the height of the ceiling intact. The glare control light features really did work, and once the lights are on, you do not see the white ring around them. The lights have multiple settings for brightness and lumens as well.

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If you missed any of the prior work on the basement kitchenette, check out the links below. It takes many steps to work on a basement kitchenette. There was painting, drywall, insulation, installing the base cabinets and much more. If you are interested in How to Make a Kitchenette, click the link below. Or, if you are interested in how to start drywall in a basement remodel click the links below.

Finish a Basement Kitchenette with a Sink

No kitchenette is finished without a sink. They are vital to wash hands, clean dishes and fill cups. Plus, having a sink near the party area or rec room is the best way to finish the space.

We found this awesome modern sink that is stainless steel with a top mounted basin. The edges are flat instead of the typical 90’s beveled edges or designs. The faucet is also quite modern, and we were excited to see that the design and shape of it matched our drawer pulls and handles.

Not being an expert or knowing how, this sink install was completely up to my husband. The whole in the countertop was measured and then cut, the sink dry fit, and then the countertop was installed and screwed down. Cutting out the hole was more intense than we thought as the base cabinets did have to have a slight adjustment. If you need to install a sink basin and the cabinet has wood in the way, make sure you reinforce it before continuing after cutting it out.

Once the sink was adhered in place and the underside brackets installed, the sink needed to rest for 24-hours before installing the faucet to allow the silicone to dry. The next day, the faucet was installed, and plumbing finished. It was amazing to have the water on in the kitchenette for the first time.

And that is it! The basement kitchenette project is done! This space went from a blank wall to having a useable kitchenette with outlets, cabinets and working faucet. The space needed a stud wall, insulation, drywall, wiring, plumbing, cabinets, insulation in the ceiling, ceiling covering, lights, sink, and outlets. All in all, to finish a basement kitchenette, this project took a little over a year as we were simultaneously working on many other projects.

Even though this kitchenette project is finally finished, we still have doors to install, trim to make and put up, and the entire flooring in the basement to not only install, but to decide upon. If you feel we should do carpet, tiles, or a laminate flooring, please comment and let me know as we are still undecided.

This post was all about how to Finish a Basement Kitchenette.
~Monica

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