A ceiling is more than just a means of shelter, it can greatly enhance the beauty of your home. Framing a cathedral ceiling or vaulted ceilings add character and style. Check out the different ceiling options before you begin your project and find the ceiling design that brings out the creative you in your home.
Instructions
Frame a Ceiling
1. Frame your ceiling after all the walls are plumb, aligned, and secured. The ceiling's function is to tie together the outside walls of a building.
2. Space each ceiling joist 16-inch although 24-inch is acceptable. You will determine the size of your ceiling joist by the weight it carries and the span it covers from wall to wall.
3. Rest one end of the ceiling joist on an outside wall. The other end will overlap an interior bearing partition at least four inches. Use 16d nails to connect the walls together.
4. Strengthen the tie between the outside walls by nailing the outside end of each ceiling joist to the end of the rafters and wall plates. Try to make sure the ceiling joists run in the same direction as the roof rafters.
5. Cut the length of the ceiling joists before they are placed on the walls. As each joist is cut, hand it up to the builder who will lay flat along the wall, close to where it will be nailed.
6. Mark the place on the top of the walls where the joists will be fastened and nail them in place using three 16d nails. Install the ceiling joists on one side of the building and then install them on the other.
7. Secure the tops of the walls running in the same direction as the ceiling joists by laying 2-inch by 4-inch blocks over the top of the partition. Each end of the block is nailed to the joists with two 16d nails. Also nail each block into the top of the wall with two 16d nails.
Tags: ceiling joist, ceiling joists, each ceiling, each ceiling joist, each joist, Frame Ceiling, outside walls