HOW TO INSTALL A DROP CEILING
If your wish to install a new ceiling, don't
panic at the thought of overhead drywall work. In the right situation, a
suspended ceiling offers some real advantages over the permanent variety.
First, ducts, pipes and cables hidden above a dropped ceiling remain accessible
for repair or modification and suspended ceilings are better sound
barriers than drywall ceilings.
For the do-it-yourselfer,
though, the real bonus is that it requires only a few tools. Comprised of a metal grid that supports lightweight panels, a
suspended ceiling is well within the capabilities of most homeowners. If you're
worried about the institutional look, drop-in ceiling panels have become more
attractive in recent years, with a wide range of designs to choose from. You might need a strong tin snips and a power grinder if you are needing to do small areas.
While suspended ceilings
are not for everyone, or for every situation, they make a lot of sense in
basements and in first-floor rooms with bathrooms overhead. If a leak appears
in the overhead plumbing, a suspended ceiling can mean the difference between a
costly, time-consuming repair job and a minor inconvenience.
All you need for a
suspended ceiling is sufficient head clearance. Requirements vary, but most
codes stipulate a minimum 7 1/2-ft. ceiling height in new construction. Some
codes, however, will accommodate a lower ceiling height if it's part of a renovation
project, so it pays to ask. You'll need roughly 4 in. of space between the old
and new ceilings to tilt the panels in place, and an additional 2 in. if you
intend to install drop-in, full-panel fluorescent ceiling lights.
We installed our suspended
ceiling in a wood-frame drywalled room, though concrete or concrete-block
basement walls wouldn't have changed the installation much. In this case,
simply use masonry screws instead of nails to secure the perimeter molding that supports the
ceiling at its edges.
Choosing a system
The installation steps
vary from one manufacturer to the next, but not significantly. We chose an
Armstrong Tegular Ceiling (Armstrong World Industries Inc., P.O. Box 173058,
Denver, CO 90217). Tegular ceiling panels have a recessed flange that allows them
to protrude below the grid roughly 1/4 in. While these panels are more
attractive, they do require careful trimming when a smaller panel is needed.
Once you've chosen a
ceiling package, give some thought to the grid layout. Home Depot stores will be happy to work up a
parts list, based on a scaled drawing of your space, you should have a general
sense of how the components go together before getting started.