Hi,

I'm installing a suspended/drop ceiling in my basement; what is the best way to make sure the drop ceiling is level?

Do I really need to use a rotary level or can I just measure down from the joist or drywall frame?

Thank you!

 

A rotating laser level does make the job easy and level regardless of variations in the joists above. If you've got it I would use it but I don't think it's worth buying one for just one job. Measuring up from the floor or down from the ceiling can also work well. Just make sure to sight down the lines to make sure you don't have any minor humps or dips.

 

Once you have your wall angles up, you can use angle clamps made for this and string across the ceiling. The string will keep you on track with the installation.

 

When I started in the trades we used water levels. Water finds it own level always perfect better than a laser but slow If you take a 1/4 hose and put it through a one gallon jug fill 3/4 with water now let the water run out of the hose and make sure there are not any air bubbles in hose bend over the hose to make air tight or put a cork in hose. Hang jug without cap so water level in jug is at or around ceiling height. Now put hose against wall above ceiling height and take cork out and bring hose down so water is about 3 inches down form the top of hose mark wall with pencil go to next corner and mark and so on. Now you have 4 marks or extras in the middle of long wall. Now if ceiling is say 8 feet and the marks are at 7'5'' measure up 7'' inches to top of molding snap lines around room. Screw molding on walls every 16 inches or less holding the top of molding to chalk line. Figure your lat out and whatever the main is say 16 inches string a line across the room at 16 and 1/2 inches that is the side of tour main. Cut main and put up clamp main and string on side of main at wall cut tees by holding tee against molding and cut at string line. Use clamps to hold tees so main is on the string all the way down. Next cut another main like the first one and put up. Now install tees now measure corner to corner with tees in and you should get a measure of 52 1/4 + or - 1/16 once the mains are square pop rivet them to molding. Now look down your tees make sure they are straight and rivet every 4 feet apart make sure your main edge is on the line. Now level the ceiling to the string line leaving 1/16 of an inch between string another line for the next main and so on. I use a Dewalt line laser when i'm not at work it self levels and puts a line around room and it shoots a plumb line also or both at once I paid 149 for mine and it clamps right on the molding and has a magnet that will clamp on anything metal corner bead, door frames anything metal