People have many different ways to give their homes a whole new look. The complete remodeling of a room is the most extreme way to achieve that new look. An often overlooked area when planning a remodeling project is the ceiling. The ceiling of a room is a barrier that covers your ceiling joists, electrical wiring and pipes. A drop ceiling is an easier, cost effective and convenient alternative to rebuilding a drywall ceiling. Here you will learn to build a 2-by-2 foot drop ceiling to give your room a new look.
Instructions
Install 2x2 Ceiling Tile
1. Measure down 6 inches from the bottom of your ceiling joists. Mark this spot on your wall with a pencil. Use your level to extend this line all the way around the room.
2. Hold a piece of L-frame up to the level line that you drew around the room. Mark the L-frame at each stud in the wall. Start at a point 15 inches from one corner of the room and head away from the corner. Lay the L-frame onto a flat surface to drill holes into the back of the frame at each stud.
Hold the L-frame up to the level line and put a nail through each hole and into the wall holding the frame securely. Leave the last hole free for overlapping the next piece.
Hold your next piece up to the level line and slide it under the first piece so that they overlap by 1 inch. Mark the studs, drill the holes and secure with nails. Continue until the L-frame surrounds the room.
3. Cut the bottom of the frame and bend the back to turn any corners. Measure your wall and then mark that measurement on your L-frame. Cut directly into the bottom with your tin snips and bend the back, using your carpenter's square to get the proper angle. Grab both L-frame bottoms at every juncture (both overlaps and corners) with your tape-covered vise grips. Drill a hole through both bottoms. Insert a rivet into your gun, slide the rivet into the holes and squeeze the gun handle to secure these two pieces together.
4. Mark the walls above your L-frame track every 2 feet. Cut one end of your 10-foot T-frame sections off with your tin snips. Make this a 45-degree angle cut with the bottom of the T being the longest point.
5. Lay the cut side of a 10-foot T-section onto your L-frame and mark the ceiling truss above at a point within 1 foot of the end of the T. Drive a nail into the ceiling truss. Leave the head of the nail exposed. Tie a piece of tie wire to the nail and then to the T-frame. Clip another piece of T-frame to this one that is cut to reach the far wall. Hammer nails into the ceiling truss above every 4 feet and secure the completed T-frame with tie wire. Repeat this process every 2 feet to get your lengthwise framing.
6. Cut your 4-foot T-frame sections in half, giving you enough 2-foot sections to complete the job. Make the cut ends 45-degree angle cuts with the long point being the bottom of the T.
Install your 2-foot T-sections by snapping them into the holes on the 10-foot T-sections at 2-foot intervals. Alternate the snap and loose sides as you go along the wall. Use your level to flatten out your completed grid. Adjust the tie wires to raise or lower it as needed.
7. Mark the front face of your ceiling tiles at 2 foot. Place your level across your mark and score with a razor knife. Repeat the cut. Slide the tile to the end of the work table and press down to break the tile at the cut.
Slide the tiles into the grid. Lift them into the holes and let the tile lay on the lip of the framing. Pop them in and enjoy your new ceiling.
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