Replace bathroom ceiling with drop ceiling?

[Jennifer Rysdam]

I bought this 8-plex in April. A single older guy moved out of a 2nd floor apartment. We remodeled the whole thing. A family of 3 moved in and now the ceiling in the bathroom below has been leaking off an on. At first I thought maybe they had overflowed the toilet or tub. We fixed the ceiling and then it started leaking again. I went in and ripped out the whole ceiling above the tub and toilet. Turns out the drain pipe on the tub is leaking and the ceiling was just covered in mold. It must have been leaking for a while, but nobody ever noticed because the older guy didn't shower as much and it didn't ever get wet enough to show or drip. Thinking it might make more sense to put in a drop ceiling. That way future leaks won't be so hard to detect or fix, plus a small leak won't lead to a bunch of mold before you notice it. It would also allow for air flow up there too.
I'm looking for anyone who has experience and thinks it's a good idea, or anyone who can think of a reason not to do it. I'm not worried about it affecting value or anything. It's a small town and my 2 bedrooms go for $500 a month.
Thanks!

[Johann Jells]

A 4U I bought had drop ceilings in the baths for that reason. Large families with kids were routinely flooding the floors. I installed plastic "tin ceiling" tiles painted silver instead of fiber so they don't get ruined by leaks.

[Clayton Barnes]

Well drop ceilings look a little worse in my opinion, but in a rental I don't think it will be a significant issue. It should work with the caveat that you stay away from the standard tiles that are made of pressed cardboard or whatever it is. Those things are awful anywhere near water or moisture. If they get the slightest bit wet they will discolor and look awful, and if there is ever a humidity issue those tiles will hold a musty odor forever. The vinyl ones seem pretty bullet proof outside of costing considerably more.

[Clayton Barnes]

Originally posted by @Johann Jells:

A 4U I bought had drop ceilings in the baths for that reason. Large families with kids were routinely flooding the floors. I installed plastic "tin ceiling" tiles painted silver instead of fiber so they don't get ruined by leaks.

 That ceiling looks really nice. Well done.

[Jim Adrian]

@Jennifer Rysdam

Ceiling tiles are a bad idea due to the humidity of the space.  Over time they will sag.  You could add an access panel door at the plumbing locations for easy access.   It sounds like your mind is made up for ceiling tile.  Stay away from 2x4 tiles and use 2x2 tiles instead.  Make sure the product is "sag" and "mold" resistant.  Using a 2x2 will help avoid any sagging due to humidity in the future. I would look at the commercial line of Armstrong for different products.  You will most likely need to get products from a drywall supplier and not a big box store.

Residential:

https://www.armstrongceilings.com/residential/en-us/

Commercial:

https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-us/

check this one out...

https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-us/commercial-ceilings-walls/kitchen-zone-ceiling-tiles.html

[Michael Plante]

I would say a big NO to ceiling tiles in bathrooms for the reasons stated above

Access panel will do the same 

[Martin Spielvogel]

if you decide to go with dropped ceiling I would definitely go with drywall tile. It's 5/8" and it's faced with vinyl. They are used mostly in commercial kitchens as they are washable. 

[Jennifer Rysdam]

Thanks for the advice everyone. The ones I'm thinking of are fiberglass or plastic, so that they won't hold moisture and mold. Easy to clean and put back up or replace.

[Jassem A.]

I've done soffit in ceilings where I thought there might be leaks

[Jennifer Rysdam]

Something like this maybe. It would kind of match the white shaker cabinet doors that I made in the kitchen, plus it's plastic.

[Peter B.]

I use the "vinyl rock" tile for bathrooms.  It is vinyl coated drywall tile. You will see it in virtually ever commerical bathroom on the planet.. In a 500 per month rental it will look fine. Can buy all materials for about 1.25 a ft.

Another option is, armstrong and usg have a drywall syspension system that installs exactly as a suspended ceiling "drywall grid". You just install as you would for regular grid and screw drywall to it. It don't cost any more just a little more labor as you have to finish drywall and then paint.