Intro - Materials - Plan - Lines/Molding - Chalklines - Wire - Ref. Strings - Runners/Lines - Grid - Panels - Options
Time. Installing either a tile or suspended ceiling in a 9' x 12' room will require 14 to 20 work hours, longer if unusual situations occur. This job is best undertaken by two people.
Tools. Suspended ceilings are hung from the ceiling joists with a metal grid. This creates the cavity between the joists and the ceiling where pipes, wires, and ductwork can be installed and worked on. A tile ceiling is either glued directly to an existing ceiling or onto "furring strips" that are glued or nailed to the existing ceiling. This type of ceiling works well either in covering over an older existing ceiling or where height is a consideration and a suspended ceiling would drop too low.
A suspended ceiling isn't hard to install and requires no exotic tools. The metal grid work especially the 12' main runners, requires two people to install it, however.
Everything you need comes in one kit.
Many of the tools needed for either suspended or tile ceilings are the same. These include:
- 20'-25' Metal Tape
- Putty Knife
- Straightedge
- Nails
- Framing or Combination Square
- Drywall Pan
- 2-4' Level
- Handsaw
- Sharp Utility Knife
- Nail Belt
- Ladder
- Face Mask
- Hammer
- Safety Goggles
- Chalkline
- Drill
- Pencil
- Miter Box
- String
- Coping Saw
Tools Needed for a Suspended Ceiling Only
- Pliers
- Wire
- Aviation Snips
Tools Needed for Tile Ceilings Only
- Fine-toothed Hacksaw
- Screwdriver
Materials for Suspended Ceilings
- Eyehooks
- Runners
- Hanger Wire
- Cross Tees
- Wall Molding
- Tiles
- Molding Nails
- Lighting Fixtures
Permits and Codes
You probably won't need a permit to work on your ceilings, but check in with your local building permit department to find out about it. Often there is a minimum floor-to-ceiling height required (usually 7'6"). Also, you may need at least 5" between any lighting fixture and the old ceiling.
Design
Ceilings needn't just look nice; they can also do things: muffle noise, support lights, retard flames. An acoustical ceiling with tiny noise-trapping holes or fissures in the design is a vase choice for noisy rooms like kitchens and entertainment centers.
For rooms where fires are a possible concern, you can get ceilings made of mineral fiber, which is noncombustible. If you want to put lights in your new ceiling and relocate them without a lot of trouble, a suspended ceiling may be your best bet You can buy fluorescent fixtures that easily fit into the grid system in place of a standard-size ceiling tile.
Suspended and tile ceilings have several advantages. The greatest of these is weight. The ceiling is the only area of the room where gravity is working against you. Installing and securing heavy ceiling materials (such as drywall) can be difficult. The acoustical ceiling uses space-age technology to create a ceiling that is both lightweight and durable. It is easy to install and secure because of its weight Also, many types absorb sound and thereby add to the sound control of the room. It comes in many different styles, sizes, and colors and is easily obtainable from any home center or hardware store. You can get tiles or larger panels that look like marble, oak, and other natural materials, with the designs authentically hued, shaded, veined, and striated. If you prefer traditional white, pattern choices have broadened to include reproduction of bleached wood, sculptured plaster, and rough-troweled stucco.
Most Common Mistakes
Because of the complexity of this project, the most common mistakes are listed:
- Not planning the ceiling layout on paper first
- Not checking local code for minimum ceiling height and clearance.
- Failure to plan grids so they do not run into posts or columns.
- Measuring the ceiling height line on wall from a sloping floor, which creates a sloping ceiling.
- Not laying out runners so border tiles will be more than half a tile.
- Not installing the runners level.
- Soiling the tiles during installation.
- Neglecting to do the rough electrical work for the ceiling light fixtures before installing the ceiling.
- Not allowing the required clearance between old ceiling joists or wiring and new ceiling light fixtures. Check your local code.
- Neglecting to correct any ceiling leaks prior to installation of new ceiling.
- Applying loose-filled or roll insulation directly on top of the ceiling panels rather than in ceiling joist cavities.
- Installing ceiling below an existing ceiling that contains embedded radiant heat coils.
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