Raised ceiling panels can add depth, dimension and visual interest to a room. The type of material that the panels are made of determines how they should be installed over your existing ceiling. Tin and wood tiles need to be nailed up over furring strips, while foam ceiling tiles can be installed with adhesive, even if the existing ceiling has a popcorn finish.
Instructions
1. Find the exact center of the room. Use a measuring tape to determine the length and width of the ceiling. In the exact center of the room, make a mark with a pencil.
2. Snap a chalk line through the center mark horizontally and vertically. Have a friend hold the chalk line at one of the room. Go to the opposite end and snap the line to create your mark. Repeat going the other direction.
3. Find the ceiling joists with a stud finder. Install a line of furring strips if necessary -- one for every 12 inches, across the ceiling. Nail them into place into the studs with a nail gun.
4. Install the first tiles in the center section of the ceiling. Use the grid lines to know where to put the edges of the tiles. For foam, apply adhesive in a zigzag pattern over the back of the tiles. Press them into place. For wood or tin, nail the tiles into the with a nail gun.
5. Continue out towards the edges of the ceiling. Keep installing the tiles until you are left with a border around the room. In most cases, this last row on all sides will need to be trimmed to fit. Measure the space left and make the cut marks on the back of your tiles. Trim them to fit using either a utility knife, metal nippers or a circular saw.
Tags: furring strips, , chalk line, exact center, exact center room, existing ceiling, into place