If you plan to finish your plank ceiling with paint, you can do so after installation.
When it comes to creating a warm, cozy feel for your home, wood is an ideal decorating material. From flooring to wall paneling, it provides a natural element that gives a room a more welcoming vibe. However, wood isn't only for enhancing your floors and walls. Plank paneling can give a rustic, cabin-like feel that instantly makes a room more inviting. If you like do-it-yourself projects, you can save money and install the plank paneling yourself. While it is a straightforward project, a few basic tips can help ensure that the installation goes smoothly.
Choose Tongue-and-Groove System
To make the installation process easier, choose a tongue-and-groove plank paneling system for your ceiling. As the name implies, some pieces in this type of system have tongues while others have grooves so the different pieces lock together. You must still nail or staple the planks to your ceiling, but you do not have to nail the individual planks to one another, which can save time during installation.
Think About Finishing
Before beginning your installation, determine whether you want to leave your ceiling planks with a natural finish or paint them. If you are painting your ceiling, you can apply the paint after installation. However, if you plan to leave the planks natural and use a polyurethane top coat, apply it before you install the planks. You can also use ceiling planks that are pre-finished to save yourself additional installation time.
Acclimate the Planks
Whether you are using wood or laminate paneling for your ceiling, the planks may expand or contract depending on the humidity in your home. As a result, you should acclimate the planks to the room where you plan to install them for several days to a week. Expansion or contraction will occur prior to installation, so you don't have to worry about problems occurring once the planks are already on the ceiling.
Measure for Cuts
Measure the length of your room before you begin installing your planks. Because they come in predetermined lengths, they may not fit your ceiling as they are. If you need to cut the planks, do so before installation to avoid having to go back and forth between cutting and installing. You may also need to cut the final plank on your ceiling width-wise to fit in place. Measure the width of the planks and your ceiling, and lay out a test run of the planks to see if you need to trim the end plank.
Install Perpendicular to Joists
For the easiest installation, install your plank paneling perpendicular to the ceiling joists. If you install them this way, you can nail the planks directly to the joists, so installation goes more quickly. However, if you opt to install the planks parallel to the joists, you must install first, placing them so they are perpendicular to the joists. You can nail the plank paneling in place once the furring strips are attached to the joists.
Tags: your ceiling, plank paneling, ceiling planks, after installation, furring strips