A false ceiling makes maintenance easier for almost all building structures.
A false ceiling on a building structure can serve many purposes. It can act as a temporary ceiling during construction or renovation of a room or adjacent rooms. A drop ceiling also makes maintenance or repair considerably faster in many situations. The ceiling panels lift up and come out of a grid that is cut to fit any room or hallway. The advent of higher-end designs makes a false ceiling a decor option for those looking to refresh a room on a budget, too.
Instructions
1. Plan and mark the ceiling grid. Measure 4 inches down from the existing ceiling joists at multiple points around the room. Snap a level chalk line on the wall, connecting all points around the room. Snap a chalk line on the ceiling at the first joist from either the left or right wall. Snap another chalk line 4 feet away from the first line. Repeat every 4 feet across the room.
2. Install the perimeter molding. Measure the necessary amount of molding and use tin snips to cut it to the appropriate length. Butt the corners by using the tin snips to cut 45-degree angles. Follow the chalk line on the wall and nail the perimeter molding to the wall with galvanized nails.
3. Install the grid runners. Screw an eye bolt into the first joist near the corner. Follow the chalk line and screw an eye bolt into the joist every 8 feet. Repeat along each chalk line on the ceiling, making sure to screw the bolts into the joists. Once the bolts are in place, thread 16-gauge wire through the eye bolts on one end and through the grid runners on the other end, so that the wire suspends the grid runners 4 inches below the existing ceiling, even with the perimeter molding.
4. Install the cross tees. Slot the cross tees into the grid runners, using the existing tab-and-slot mechanism on the tees and runners. If the pieces connect loosely, tap the tees gently with a hammer to secure them in place.
5. Install the ceiling panels. Fit the ceiling panels into the grid one side at a time. It may be necessary to slide the far end of the panel into the suspension area for a moment in order to get the panel to drop neatly into the grid.
Tags: chalk line, grid runners, ceiling panels, false ceiling,