Armstrong ceiling systems come in a wide variety of styles. Armstrong suspended ceilings are functional and easy to maintain if they are properly installed. Proper installation includes installing the L channel that attaches to the wall level around the entire room and the ceiling wires that support the ceiling's main tees. Renting a rotating laser will speed up the installation as well as ensure that the L channels are level. Laying out the main tee locations on the floor will allow you to properly locate the suspended ceiling wires.
Instructions
1. Measure the length of the room. Divide the length of the room by the length of one ceiling tile. Add the remainder to the length of the ceiling tile. For example, if the room length is 13 feet and you are using 4 foot long ceiling tiles, you would divide 13 by 4 and have 3. Add the left over 1 foot to your ceiling tile length of 4 feet, which is 5 feet. Divide the 5 foot length by 2, to give you the length of your border tile of 2 1/2 feet or 30 inches. Perform the same operation for the width of the room, with the exception of using the 2 foot width of your ceiling tile as opposed to the 4 foot length.
2. Determine the height of the ceiling. You need to allow a minimum of three inches to install and remove the ceiling tiles. Leave an additional 2 inches of height if you are installing drop-in lights. Place a pencil mark at the finished height of the ceiling. Hang the rotary laser per the manufacturer's instructions. Turn on the laser. Set the laser 3 inches below your finished ceiling height. Place the laser guide against the wall at one corner of the room. Place a mark 3 inches above the laser line to mark the finished ceiling height. Continue marking both walls at each corner of the room. Turn off the rotary laser. Snap a chalk line between the corner marks on each wall to show the finished ceiling height.
3. Locate the vertical wall studs with the stud finder. Place a pencil mark at each stud, 1 1/4 inches above the finished ceiling height.
4. Secure the L channel to the wall by running a 2-inch wood screw into each stud, while holding the L channel on the chalk line. Cut the L channel to length with the aviation snips if it is longer than the wall that you are attaching the L channel too. Install the L channel around the entire perimeter of the room.
5. Using the tape measure and carpenter's pencil, mark the center of the room's length on the floor of both sides of the room. Stretch the chalk line between the two centerline marks. Snap the chalk line on the floor to mark the center of the length of the room. On the floor of both sides of the room, place a pencil mark four feet from your center chalk line. Snap a chalk line between the marks. Continue the procedure until you have all of the four-foot main tees marked on the floor with a chalk line.
6. Place the laser plumb bob on the chalk line at the center of the room, 2 feet from the wall. Stand the ladder off to the side of the laser plumb bob. Secure a ceiling wire clip with the drill and a 2-inch wood screw on the ceiling joist nearest the laser point of the plumb bob, but in-line with the laser mark. Pace a 1 foot bend in a length of suspended ceiling wire; feed the wire through the mounting clip. Pull the ceiling wire over itself and turn the two pieces of ceiling wire over itself 3 times with the lineman's pliers. Measure over two feet and perform the procedure again. Repeat the process until all the ceiling wires have been secured to the ceiling joists. When all of the ceiling support wires are secured, turn on the rotary laser.
7. Cut the main tees to the length of the room with the aviation snips. If the room is longer than a main tee, splice the tees together per Armstrong specifications. Lay the main tee across the L channels you mounted earlier. Cut the ceiling wires 1 foot below the tee. Attach the laser guide to the main tee. Place a 90 degree bend on the ceiling wire, 3/4 of an inch above the bottom face of the main tee. Thread the ceiling wire through the pre-punched hole in the main tee that is closed to the ceiling wire hanging plumb. Pull the wire until the laser guide shows that you are at ceiling height. Secure the wire by making 3 tight wraps as described in step 6. Perform the same operation until all the main tees are suspended with the ceiling wires.
8. Insert the cross tees into the main tees. Start the first cross tee at the border dimension that you figured in step 1. Slide the cross tee into the main tee, and slip the cross tee tabs into the pre-made slot of the main tee. Repeat the process for the other side of the cross tee. Continue installing cross tees 2 feet apart until you have all of the cross tees installed.
9. Lay the ceiling panels into the suspended ceiling. Cut the border panels to fit with a utility knife. Always mark and cut on the finished side of the ceiling tile to avoid marring the panels' finish.
Tags: chalk line, ceiling wire, ceiling height, ceiling tile, ceiling wires, main tees, finished ceiling