Plan the location of each ceiling panel for an even layout. Installing 2' x 4' Drop Ceiling Panels Determine the size of the border panels — To get the length of your border panels, divide the width of the room by the length of a single panel, add the remainder to the length of a single panel, and divide by 2.
To get the width of your border panels, divide the length of the room by the width of a single panel, add the remainder to the width of a single panel, and divide by 2. Install Wall Molding — Mark the desired new ceiling height on the wall.
Snap the chalk line tool to create this guideline. Repeat on all walls. Be sure to make sure all lines are level and match around the room. If you have a laser level handy, you can use that for a quicker way to mark where the molding will be placed. Next, nail wall molding to studs.
For concrete or stone walls use appropriate fasteners or substitute the wall molding by hanging a main beam runner from the joist closest to the wall. Install Hanger Wire or QuickHang grid hooks — — Mark the position of each main beam with a chalk line, which will run perpendicular to the ceiling joists.
For hanger wire: Screw in wire fasteners, and wrap hanger wire securely around itself 3 times. To locate where to bend hanger wire, suspend a leveling string between two nails. Bend each hanger wire 90 degrees where the wire meets the string. Repeat for each section and remove strings when finished. For QuickHang grid hooks: attach brackets to joists with fasteners and insert pre-bent hooks. Turn all hooks in the same direction, parallel to joists.
Install Fasteners and Hanger Wire. Pre-bend Hanger Wire. Cross-tee slot at border panel distance. Final Thoughts Preparations help the drop ceiling installation process go faster and more smoothly. How to Tie Hanger Wire. How to Cut a Tegular Stepped Edge.
How to Install Wall Molding. Drop Ceiling Calculator Tell us your room dimensions and joist direction, and we'll tell you how to layout your 24"x 24" or 24" x 48" drop ceiling grid and provide an accurate materials estimate for your space. Layout Grid and Estimate. Other Drop Ceiling Articles Basement Drop Ceiling Take your basement drop ceiling from drab to fab by swapping out those old 2' x 4' panels for fresh 2' x 2's.
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Compare the different methods for installing ceiling tiles, whether it's surface mount or drop ceilings. StyleStix ceiling grid covers snap onto an existing grid to add a coffered look without redoing the entire ceiling.
Learn more. Learn how easy a drop ceiling installation can be. Get instructions, watch videos, and see photos. Drop down ceilings come in a wide variety of popular styles and performance features and are a quick way to give a tired room a facelift. Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need.
Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Measure the length of each wall in your room. Write the dimensions of your room either in a notebook or directly on the wall 2—3 in 5. Make a line between 4—6 in 10—15 cm down from the tops of your walls.
Leave at least 4—6 in 10—15 cm of space from the top of your wall to your line so you have room for fixtures and to put in your tiles. Hold the string of the chalk line against your wall and snap it so the line transfers onto the drywall. If you plan on installing a large fluorescent light panel, make your line 6 in 15 cm down. Use a pair of tin snips to cut wall angles to the lengths of your walls.
Wall angles are long L-shaped pieces used around the walls of your room to support the tiles and runners. Since wall angles are usually sold in 8—12 ft 2. If you want a mitered finish in the corners, cut the wall runner bottom-most wall angle at a degree angle. If your walls are longer than the wall angles, butt 2 of them together by lining up the ends. Screw the wall angles into the studs along the line you drew.
Use a stud finder to locate the studs in your walls and mark their locations with a pencil. Part 2. Cut the main runners to fit the length of your room perpendicular to the joists. The main runners will support the bulk of the weight of your ceiling. If you've done it before, or can find just 1 person who has, I'd say you could knock it out in days. Someone that knows what they're doing it'd be only like half a day just for the grid or full day for the grid and tile.
Can't find this answer anywhere. On a long wall 35 ft. If overlap, how much? The strength of the wall angle pieces comes from screwing the L bracket to the wall. If your spacing is at the stud and it's no more than 16", then it won't make a difference. If you are at wider spacing, or just want to have less gap, but them together on the upright part of the L bracket and cut 1 45 or just a little square tab to over lap on the horizontal piece.
I have a room which changes direction by degrees. The floor joists also change directions. Do I run a main tee across the room where the angle changes and bend the ends of the connecting main tees to fit the 45 degree main tee? Consider what the overall view will look like. The position and flow of joist is not particularly important, although you have to find places to screw in your eyelets that will line up with the main T track.
It may be nicer to just have your T and flow to run in one direction, but if the room has a significant space on both sides of the change in direction, then consider following the contour. Take a picture of your ceiling and then use a photo editing tool to overlay each design to see what looks best. Great article I have 44 inches left from the last main to the wall on both sides of the room. So I the side rule will match around the room. Would it be more sturdy to put another main 2 foot away from the last main leaving 20 inches.
Or just use 4 foot tees cutting off the end to make the 44 inches. Which is more sturdy and which is faster. I am having a similar dilemma and wonder what you ended up doing here. My assumption is to use the 4-foot T method, but seems like a lot of weight to be sitting on the L.
Have drop ceiling in basement but am having a hard time cutting a hole for box and getting back in place. It broke the first try. It's very tight in the area. What's the secret??? Hi Jason. This is a very helpful article. We want our tiles to run perpendicular to our floor joists.
So my plan is to run the T channel every 2 feet and then connect them with 2 foot sections. But I would love an opinion on that. I was wondering the same thing The tiles though would be perpendicular to the floor joists. Not sure why the main ts can't run every 2 feet instead of Tiles and grid can run any direction that you want. Just as long as you have a wire every 4' on your main runners.
You can span joists with studs for a plumb wire or you can put 2 wires in from each adjacent joist tied in the same spot so it doesn't create tension from just a single wire. Also install wires on all your tees over 8 inches. Don't overlap wall angle it's best to butt factory ends.
Pop rivets work best for 1'' grid all others should be tied in with L- Clips. If a tile is in a tough spot to get it into , go to an area in the ceiling that you can easily get the tile through and into the ceiling space between the grid and the joists.
Once you have the tile all the way up inside the grid just pass the tile over all the grid pieces until you get it to the space you want it in. Hope that makes sense. You cut a narrow strip at 45 degrees and attach that first to the area were the stairs are. Then attach your L angle to the strip. I reconfigured my basement and need to add to existing drop ceiling grid.
Looks like the previous contractor used a staggered method for installing the T bars, meaning I would have to dismantle a good portion of the ceiling.
Are there adapter clamps to make this easier? Should I look for a ceiling contractor, do you know anyone in the Chicago suburbs? House built in Hi Susan - Wow, old house. Those are my favorite! If you won't lose to much space you can square of your room with the framing, this way your drywall and flooring will all work correctly. There's not much you can do to fix the "un-squareness" of the external walls. Good luck!
Jason, I appreciate your article. I bought a house a few years ago that was built in I ripped out the carpet upstairs and put in wood flooring. I do notice that the basement is a bit louder as a result.
The ceiling in the basement is that old 'cardboard style tiling. I'm going to put in some drywall on the outside walls overtime. This article has convinced me a drop ceiling is the way to go though. This means I can fix some things over time - like grounded electrical to the refrigerator - speaker wires to the surround sound - cat6e plenum to reduce my tenancy for wireless - and copper piping for an icemaker in the fridge.
It might cost a bit more to do the drop ceiling. I'll gain it back in access as I work on these other minor issues over time. I have a ton of electrical capacity - so I may end up reworking some of the circuits over time. I have a home built in , the area I live in has constantly shifting foundation. The ceiling is high and has no insulation. I want to drop my ceiling and add insulation at the same time. Currently it has a cardboard type ceil that was hung in panels.
I have paneling on the walls as well as furring strips about 14 inches below the ceiling. Do you still recommend the dropped ceiling you discuss in the video?
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