Drop ceilings can be added to any room.
If you are looking to convert an old basement or an attic into a living area, a drop ceiling is an effective way to finish the room and create a comfortable living space. Many basements or attics have essential piping and duct work running along the ceiling that can't very well be removed or covered, but don't make the room look very appealing. Drop ceilings allow for easy and regular maintenance of duct work, piping, and cables while providing an aesthetically pleasing touch to the room.
Instructions
Preparing the Room
1. Clear the room of absolutely everything that is not needed for this project. A clean room will make for a better workspace.
2. Decide whether or not you will be installing any hanging fluorescent lights in the drop ceiling. This is important as it will make a difference in how far from your current ceiling you need to mount the drop ceiling. If you are not installing any hanging fluorescent light fixtures, then take your 4-foot level and work your way around the room measuring 4 inches down from the current ceiling. This allows enough room for the tiles to be tilted when you install them later. If you are planning on installing light fixtures then allot for 6 inches from the current ceiling.
3. Check your measurements all the way around to make sure they are at exactly 4 or 6 inches, depending on what you decided.
4. Locate all the studs around the room using the stud finder. Place a small mark on the line where each stud is. Studs will provide the most support for your new ceiling, so it is very important to mount into as many studs as possible.
5. Measure the length of each wall and use the tin snips to cut the molding to the right length. If the molding is not long enough to span the entire length of the room, then press two pieces of molding together to create a longer piece.
6. Place the top edge of the molding along the perimeter line and hammer a nail through the molding into each of the studs. Use your level to make sure that everything remains even.
Laying Out the Grid
7. Measure the distance across the room, perpendicular to the ceiling joists. This will give you a distance to compare to the size of each ceiling tile. Chances are that your ceiling will allow for several full-size rows of tiles and a couple rows of shorter tiles on the sides. It's best to take this measurement and then balance the room so that the partial rows on the sides are all the same width. Once you have decided on the partial row width that is balanced around the room, mark a line on each of the joists to indicate this distance from the wall.
8. Mark a line across the joists every 4 feet from the partial row mark. Continue this across the room. These marks will be where you hang the main runners, perpendicular to the joists.
9. Install a small eye bolt into every other or every third joist along the ceiling. The more eye bolts you install, the sturdier the ceiling will be. Drop ceilings don't usually require more than one eye bolt every other joist.
10. Tie a piece of string to the molding on one side of the room and extend it to the molding on the other side of the room. This string should run parallel with the joists and will act as the depth guide for the main runners. Create at least three of these depth guides: one on either end of the room and one in the middle.
11. Loop a 10- to 12-inch piece of wire through each of the eye bolts and wrap the wire around itself several times at the end with the eye bolt.
12. Hoist the main runner up and loop the other end of all the wires through it. Lower the runner until it is resting on the guide wires and tightly wrap each wire around itself several times to ensure it is secured properly.
13. Connect runners using the tabs on the ends of each. If you have to make a connection between runners, install another eye bolt and wire at that joint to ensure maximum strength.
14. Install the cross tees between the main runners every two feet. The cross tees snap into the main runners via tabs on either end. Try to start this process from the center of the room and work your way out, adding the ceiling tiles as you go. This will give you an idea of how balanced and square the runners are. If something looks off, it's easier to fix early than to take down every tile and start over.
15. Trim the for the outside of the room to the specified measurements before installing.
16. Trim the outside panels to fit the partial row along the perimeter of the room and put them in place along with any other tiles that have yet to be placed.
Tags: main runners, around room, cross tees, current ceiling, drop ceiling