Textured ceilings add a certain je ne sais quoi to any room. However, they can be expensive. The crème de la crème would have to be tin ceilings because of their intricate detail and design, but these are even more expensive. Fear not: there is a less expensive alternative in Styrofoam ceiling tiles that are so well crafted they can look like the real thing but at a fraction of the cost.
Instructions
1. Prepare the ceiling. Remove any loose paint with a paint scraper, and fill in any holes with drywall mud or gypsum. Sand smooth, and then clean to remove any oil, dirt or dust.
2. Use a chalk line to find the center of your ceiling. Snap a line from corner to diagonal corner (left to right and right to left). Snap a line from the middle of each side to the one directly across from it. Thanks to the first marks, you'll divide the ceiling up into four triangles. Thanks to the second marks, you'll divide the squares.
3. Apply dollops of ceramic adhesive to the back of each Styrofoam ceiling tile. Add dollops to each of the four corners and one in the middle. It's not necessary to smooth the adhesive to the back of the tile.
4. Press the first Styrofoam ceiling tile to the ceiling in the center of the ceiling, the edges lined up so that the upper-left corner touches the center part and its outer edge is lined up with the outside of the wall. Press the ceiling tile firmly with your hands. This spreads the adhesive evenly.
5. Continue pressing the other Styrofoam ceiling tiles to the ceiling using the same steps in Step 3 and 4. Be careful to line up any lines in the ceiling tile's patterns to make the finished product look like one large covering instead of many parts put together.
6. Fill in any gaps between the tiles with caulk. This will further the illusion of one continuous ceiling covering. Use a caulk gun to apply the caulk.
7. Use a wet sponge to clean up any excess caulk or adhesive.
Tags: ceiling tile, Styrofoam ceiling, , ceiling into, ceiling into four