Acoustic ceiling tile can hold lightweight objects without structural support.
Often used in commercial buildings to hide plumbing lines, HVAC ducts and electrical wiring, acoustical ceilings also have some sound-deadening qualities. Their porous construction absorbs some sound waves. Acoustic ceiling tiles have three installation methods--glued, stapled and lay-in. Acoustic ceiling tiles of 12 by 12 inches typically use glue or staples to hold them to a structural ceiling. The larger ceiling panels use an aluminum grid to suspend them. Use the same method to cut both acoustic ceiling tiles and panels.
Instructions
1. Measure the opening in the ceiling that the acoustic ceiling tile will fit in with a tape measure. Mark the edge of the ceiling tile at the measurements with a pencil.
2. Place a straight edge on the ceiling tile's face, the painted side. Line up the straight edge with the edge marks. Using the straight edge as a guide, draw a line across the tile between the edge marks.
3. Score the pencil line at least 1/8 inch deep with a sharp razor knife. Go slowly and take care to stay on the line. If the surface starts to flake, use less pressure. Sometimes it takes several light-pressure passes with a razor knife to score the ceiling tile without flaking the paint off the surface.
4. Lay a two-by-four wood board on a flat surface.
5. Place the scored ceiling tile on the wood board, painted side up. Line up the edge marks on the ceiling tile with the edge of the wood board. The scored line should follow the edge of the board.
6. Fold the ceiling tile over the wood board. The tile should snap along the scored line. Run the razor knife along the break to cut the back of the snapped edge. Failure to do this will cause chunks of ceiling tile to fall off.
7. Smooth the rough edge with a coarse file.
8. Find the center of the hole with a tape measure. Place one end of a beam compass on the center mark. Use the other end of the beam compass to scratch a circle in the painted ceiling tile surface to lay out hole cuts.
9. Score the circle with a razor knife. Push a drywall saw through the ceiling tile. Cut out the circle, using long drywall saw strokes while applying light pressure to the ceiling tile. Push the hole out.
Tags: ceiling tile, razor knife, wood board, ceiling tiles, edge marks, straight edge