Installing Decorative Plaster Ceiling Tiles

Plaster ceiling tiles can look great in a room and add a final, decorative touch. With many different designs of plaster ceiling tiles available, it’s easy to find something different that makes a room stand out. It’s not difficult to install decorative plaster ceiling tiles. You have to be willing to put in some work and preparation in order for the installation to look good.

Step 1 - Measuring

The first step is to know whether you need to have a border of partial ceiling tiles around the room. To do this, measure the length and width of the room. As most tiles are 12x12 inches, if the room is, say an even 12x10 feet, there’s no need for a border. If the room isn’t an exact foot measurement, you need to add 12 inches and then divide by 2 to know the width of your border tiles. For instance, if it was 10 feet 6 inches, you’d add 12 inches to the 6, making 18. Divided by 2, your border tiles would be 9 inches wide.

Step 2 - Furring Strips

You don’t apply the ceiling tiles directly to the ceiling. Instead you need to put furring strips on the existing ceiling. To do this, determine which way the joists run. The furring strips will run perpendicular to these.

Start by nailing a strip along one edge of the ceiling, using 2 nails to secure it at every joist. From here, put in furring strips on 6 inch centers across the ceiling until you are close to the other edge. Complete by nailing a final strip along the other edge of the ceiling. Where you have a border, add

Step 3 - Cutting Tiles

Where there’s a border you’ll need to cut the tiles. To do this, measure the width on the back of the tile on a firm, flat surface. Mark the line using a metal square, and start to score it with the utility knife. Complete the cut with a saw, and finish by sanding the cut edge smooth. Cut enough tiles for the border.

Step 4 - Installing Tiles

Start in one corner. You’ll need to cut one of the border tiles to a square and glue it in place on the furring strip. Put another border tile next to it along one wall and glue in place. Follow this with a border tile on the other wall. Have the cut edges of the border tiles facing the wall, where they’ll be covered with trim. After this, put in the first full tile, butting it up against the border tiles.

Continue to work outward into the room until you reach the other wall, and fix the final plaster ceiling tiles in place. Make sure each tiles is firmly bonded to the furring strips. Finish by adding trim all around the edges of the ceiling.