A super easy DIY option for your basement ceiling is glue-on tiles. Typically made of polystyrene or fiberboard, these tiles come in a variety of colors, sizes, and styles, and are also paintable. You’ll need to install a foundation, like plywood, to glue them to. But after that, it’s as simple as glue and stick. With this approach, consider:

If you don’t have obstructions hanging below your joists, you easily can finish your basement ceiling using drywall or paneling, such as 4-by-8-foot sheets of decorative grooved wall paneling. Sheet paneling is easy to install, but you’ll have to figure out what to do with the seams at the ends of the panels.