How to remove this aluminum porch ceiling
#1
11-20-12, 06:46 PM
How to remove this aluminum porch ceiling
I have a screened in porch on the back of the house and it has this ceiling that looks like some sort of aluminum siding (see pics).
I'm trying to figure out how to carefully remove several panels in order to gain access to electrical wiring above.
It seems like every two "ribs" is one piece, but each piece seems to interlock.
I'm trying to figure out how to carefully remove several panels in order to gain access to electrical wiring above.
It seems like every two "ribs" is one piece, but each piece seems to interlock.
#2
11-20-12, 09:17 PM
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 1
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
I think your best bet will be to remove all the corner trim. This will allow you to get a chisel under the ends of the pieces and the corners. Move in towards the middle, breaking fasteners as you go.
#3
11-20-12, 09:19 PM
Why do you need to get to the wiring?
To remove the ceiling panels, you pretty much have to dismantle them by starting at either one end or the other... so hope you're prepared to do that. I see now that it's aluminum soffit. So try to identify which end piece was the last one to go on, and start by removing that piece.
To remove the ceiling panels, you pretty much have to dismantle them by starting at either one end or the other... so hope you're prepared to do that. I see now that it's aluminum soffit. So try to identify which end piece was the last one to go on, and start by removing that piece.
Last edited by XSleeper; 11-20-12 at 09:35 PM.
#4
11-21-12, 03:16 AM
If you know about where you want to gain access, use a siding unzipping tool and find where two of the pieces interlock and unzip one piece. That will expose an area about 12" wide. If you need more room, unscrew the adjacent piece, keeping in mind it has to go back in the exact position when you reassemble the ceiling.
#5
11-21-12, 06:15 AM
Looks like aluminum soffit to me, Larry. If it was vinyl you could unzip it but I think aluminum soffit will get bent up if you try to unzip a panel in the middle somewhere.
#6
11-21-12, 07:00 AM
That's what I was afraid of. Tearing it up to the point of not wanting to reuse it.
I have a few spotlight fixtures on the outside of it, but they're in terrible locations. Id like to relocate them and install the proper wire/boxes.
Plus I'm sure it's full of dead stink bugs that i need to clean out.
I have a few spotlight fixtures on the outside of it, but they're in terrible locations. Id like to relocate them and install the proper wire/boxes.
Plus I'm sure it's full of dead stink bugs that i need to clean out.
#7
11-21-12, 04:33 PM
Whoops, believe you are right, Brant. Looked like vinyl. Scoob8000, better full of bugs than bear crap like the one I took down last year under a deck. It had no drop, so the rain never "flushed" it.
#8
11-22-12, 10:34 AM
Member
First photo shows a leak you might need to correct soon, to avoid serious structural damage to the roof framing.
