Suspended ceilings have come in for their share of aesthetic criticism, but you can’t beat ’em when it comes to masking an existing ceiling that is rife with cracks and blemishes. And, in places such as basements, they also hide pipes, shutoff valves, ductwork, and electrical work, yet still allow easy access to those items.
Additionally, they provide some noise insulation, and help prevent warm air from escaping into the ceiling above.
Suspended ceiling tiles also now come in an array of styles and colors, offering more aesthetic choices.
Finally, suspended ceilings are fairly easy to install–and without the dust and mess that comes with installing a drywall ceiling. They consist of a number of cross-connected metal runners that are hung from the existing ceiling and attached to walls. Then, a number of 2-by-2-foot or 2-by-4-foot panels are inserted and hung from the runners. Luminous panels can also be inserted for fluorescent lighting above.
What follows is a step-by-step guide for installing a suspended ceiling.
Planning, preparation
Key to a successful suspended ceiling is planning. “Your best bet is to first make a grid plan of the room,” says Geoffrey Stratton, a manager with the Fox Home Center in south suburban Oak Forest. “That way you can accurately lay out the system and order the right materials.”
One of the biggest mistakes do-it-yourselfers make with a suspended ceilings is not installing the panels symmetrically. “Some people start at one end of the room and just start working across,” says Stratton. “As a result, the ceiling looks lopsided and unprofessional.”
The tiles on suspended ceilings should be installed so that the border tiles on opposite sides of the room are the same size, much like installing a floor tile configuration.
In other words, you don’t want to end up with one full row of tiles on one end of the room and a half-row on the other.
The 2-by-4-foot panels of suspended ceilings are usually installed lengthwise across the width of the room.
Start the installation plan by measuring and then sketching the perimeter of the room on paper.
Next, locate the center of the room lengthwise on the paper and draw a line from one end to the other. Do the same for the width of the room.
Where the two lines intersect should be a starting point for four panels. Depending on the size of the basement, you may need to adjust the starting point a bit width-wise and/or length-wise to line up the border panels at the walls.
The best case scenario is to have at least half of a border panel all along the walls. The more panel at the wall, the better.
Installing the runners
Another mistake home improvers make is incorrectly installing the runners, resulting in a ceiling that’s not level.
To accurately hang the runners, start by measuring up from the floor to the planned height of the suspended ceiling. This should be at least 3 or 4 inches from the existing ceiling, exposed joists, or any projections such as pipes and ductwork.
To accommodate the latter in the basement, the suspended ceiling may have more than one level or “boxes” for runs of pipe or ductwork.
Any less than 3 or 4 inches between the old and the new ceiling may mean a tight fit for squeezing in the panels.
Mark the planned height of the suspended ceiling in as many spots on the wall as possible with chalk. Then, use tape and string to simulate the path of each runner as it would run along the wall. Tape the string so that it’s tight along the wall. You can also use a chalk line to do the same.
Use a level to make sure it’s all straight.
Next, use nails or screws to anchor the wall angle to the wall. The bottom edge or lip of the wall angle should be at the string or chalk line, and corners should overlap. Again, use a level to make sure it’s straight.
Next, locate the midway mark on the two length-wise or longer walls. Draw a chalk line between the two points across the existing ceiling. This line may be parallel or perpendicular to the joists, depending on where in the house you are installing the ceiling.
Then, following the grid pattern you’ve sketched earlier, mark the wall locations for the cross-T’s, the runners that run across the width of the room.
The cross-T marks should be at 2- or 4-foot gaps, depending upon the size of the panels and the way you are laying them out in the room.
Again, use string to determine if the cross-T lines are level and at precise right angles from the wall angles.
Next, you’ll need to do the same for the runners, which run along the length of the room, usually perpendicular (but sometimes parallel) to the joists. Again, check the runner strings to make sure they are parallel with the wall angles and at right angles from the cross-T strings.
Then, you’ll need to locate the joists in the ceiling if they’re not already exposed. “It’s important to anchor the runners directly into the joists so they’re well supported,” says Stratton. “Otherwise, there’s a chance the ceiling could start to sag as the weight of it builds.”
Next, you’ll need to attach the screw eyes into the joists. Adjustable wires are then hung from the screw eyes to support the runners.
Attach a screw eye into every fourth joist or so above the strings designated for the runners. Then, cut the wire into pieces that are six inches longer than the gap between the new and old ceiling.
Insert one end of the wire piece into the screw eye above and secure it by twisting the end several times.
Then, begin cutting the runners, making sure you center the notches designated for the cross-T’s so that they line up with the cross-T strings. Runners, cross-Ts and wall angles usually come in 12-foot-plus lengths and can be cut with a hacksaw or tin snips.
Using a ladder to prop it up, attach each cut runner to the wires so that the bottom edge is level with the string, again twisting the wires to secure it. “The wires are quite adjustable and as a result, you can do a lot of fine-tuning to make it level,” says Stratton. “You can change the height or depth of the runner simply by twisting the wire.”
The ends of the runners, meanwhile, are usually attached to the wall angles with pop rivets.
Runners below projections such as pipes and ductwork should be hung from the existing ceiling with longer wires. Again, check to make sure the runners are level.
With the runners in place, cut the cross-T’s so that their clips or notches line up with the slots on the runners. Slip them into the runners, making sure they lock into place.
When you have completed the grid system, begin placing the tiles through them. Push them through a grid opening on an angle and then let them fall into position.
Border panels, which are made from fibrous wood or fiberglass, should be cut with a utility knife. Always measure twice and cut once to avoid mistakes.
Panels that will be installed upright on boxes surrounding projections can be locked in place by cutting them slightly larger than the opening. Or they can be glued in place.
