Installing Your Suspended Ceiling

by Murray Anderson

Suspended (drop) ceilings are an inexpensive and practical way to install a new ceiling in your home. Unlike traditional plaster or drywall ceilings suspended ceilings don't require any special skill or tools and can be installed by a component DIY'er. Here's how to go about installing your own suspended ceiling.

Installing your Drop ceiling

Your first tasks are ensuring your room has sufficient height for a suspended ceiling, then measuring the room and calculating your supply requirements - (number of ceiling tiles, main tees and cross tees and side or "L" brackets needed to do the job, see- Planning Your Suspended Ceiling ).
After purchasing your supplies the next step is to install the side (L) brackets on the walls that will hold the outer edges of your ceiling tiles. These brackets should be positioned at least 4" below the ceiling joists (to leave room to drop in the ceiling tiles) . Cut the brackets to fit, using tin snips, mitering them at 45° for outside corners and butting them together for longer walls.
A laser level ensures this starting point is accurate and level, but alternatively you can measure carefully then use 3' or 4' level to draw a line between the marks. or run a chalk line.
Attach the side brackets by screwing them directly into the side walls.
Before you start installing the main runners/tees,you need to determine how they are going to be laid out. The main tees need to be perpendicular to the floor joists and positioned 4' apart.
Determining the proper placement of the main tees requires you to first find the center of your room then measure out to the side walls. (By starting from the center, your ceiling will end up with similar size tiles on each side of the room).
Main tees are available in 8', 10' and 12' lengths and interlocked at the ends for longer lengths or just like the side rails can be cut to fit with tins snips for odd lengths.
The tees are hung from pieces of 16 gauge wire fastened to the underside of the floor joists and positioned so they're level with the side brackets. Use pieces of string run across the room between the side brackets to ensure the main tees are level with the side brackets.
After installing the main tees it's time to install the cross tees to complete the grid pattern. These cross tees are made to fasten and lock into the main tees providing a solid grid for holding (suspending) the ceiling tiles. Don't start installing any of the cross tees before you have totally installed the main tees or your grid may shift and end up slightly askew.
Once the grid is finished install your ceiling tiles by tilting them up to fit through the grid then simply "drop" them in place. Start installing your tiles at the center of the grid and work out to be sure it stays solid.
Cut your side tiles using a sharp utility knife to minimize dust and any tearing of the tiles.