Intro - Materials - Prep/Layout - Joists - Squaring Rows - Installing Tiles
Margin of Error: 1/2"
The metal furring strips need to be nailed to something solid in order to hold the ceiling and prevent it from sagging. The ceiling joists, the wooden framing members that hold up the existing ceiling, will work fine when the furring strips are nailed perpendicular across them. Use a nail everywhere a furring strip crosses a joist. If the ceiling joists are exposed, this is a simple procedure. If there is an existing ceiling, a little more work is required.
First you must locate the joists and mark them on the existing ceiling so that you will be able to nail the furring strips to them. If there is an attic above, you may want to crawl up and determine the direction the ceiling joists run. Usually they run across the short dimension of the room. Using a hammer, and tapping on the ceiling, you should be able to determine where the sound is more solid. Drill a hole or drive in a nail to be sure you have located a joist You can also use stud finders. Some new ones on the market actually measure the density behind the finish materials to locate studs and joists. Locate either end of each joist where they rest on the wall and then use your chalkline to pop a line down the center of each joist Once you have located the first joist all the others should be located 12", 16", or 24" from each other. It is still best to test with a nail or by drilling, since, in many older homes, and some newer ones, these distances are not always dependably the same.
Installing the First Row of Metal Furring Strips
Margin of Error: 1/2"
After marking the location of the joists on your existing ceiling, you are now ready to install metal furring strips (tracks). These strips usually come in 4' sections. There are a few things to remember about installing these strips. They must be well secured to the ceiling joists, level, and parallel. In many old houses, the ceilings often have waves and buckles in them. This can cause problems, since the tile ceiling will be equally wavy if this is not corrected. Study the ceiling before applying the strips. Use a level, or straight board, placed against the ceiling, to see if you can determine any buckles or other irregularities. Note any particularly bad problems. As you install the strips, use wooden shims, placed between the ceiling and the furring strip, to fill out any dips in the ceiling. Smaller dips, 1/4" or so, usually will not need shims, since the strips can span these on their own. Just be sure that the strips are level within 1/4", even if the existing ceiling is not.
Begin with your first row by the wall. Do not nail this right next to the wall, but rather 1" away from the wall. Nail at each joist with the nails provided in the kits. It is a good idea to give the strip a tug to be sure it is well secured. Use 2 nails for every 4' of track nailed into the joists. You do not want it to start sagging after the tiles are up. Continue placing the 4' strips 1" from the wall. It is not essential that the ends of the strips butt right up against each other. There can be as much as a 1/4" gap between each 4' strip. Also, the joints do not need to meet over a joist Just be sure that the tracks are on line, since you may need to attach a clip over the junction of two tracks.
When you reach the other end of the wall you may need to cut a section of the 4' strips to fit the last section. This can be done with a fine-tooth hacksaw.
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