8. Drywall Basement Pole Ideas

Drywall remains perhaps the most popular material for encasing a basement support pole during basement renovations. Its clean finish can be painted to match the other walls, providing a continuity that helps the columns fade into the background instead of becoming focal points. Always finish drywall column covers with the same baseboard and/or crown molding that appears in the rest of the living space. 

If you’re building a new home or finally getting around to finishing an unfinished basement, you can actually hide your columns entirely. Lay out the floor plan in your finished basement so that the columns disappear inside the basement walls or get tucked within other drywalled areas.

Watch the following video to see a home improvement expert explain how to design a basement floor plan that will fully hide existing support columns. 

9.  Basement Pole Table and Bar Top Ideas

Turning your basement poles into tables or bar tops is another way to make use of wasted space in a basement living room or man cave. Whether designed as an end table between two sofas or chairs, or a long wet bar stretched between two distant poles, columns provide solid anchors for these useful zones.

In a playroom, construct an octagonal bar-height table around a support column and add a ring of colorful barstools. This area will become a favorite place for your kids to enjoy snacks, draw or do homework. A desk area can also be built between columns if you need an additional work area for yourself or your children. 

Basement Poles Ideas FAQ

I recently bought an older home with an unfinished basement. I noticed that the basement support post appears heavily rusted. How do I know if it’s safe to cover it or if it should be replaced?

Your best—and safest—bet is to call an experienced contractor or building inspector and follow their advice. If you poke a screwdriver into the rusted area and it goes straight through, that’s a sign that column replacement is necessary.