Even though wood is not the cheapest way to do a ceiling, the natural material does provide a nice-looking finished project. Reasons for tearing down an old ceiling and installing a new one can vary, but the most likely scenario is that your old ceiling was damaged by water or fire and you would like to replace the old wooden ceiling with something similar or even identical to the old one.
Instructions
1. Take a crowbar and start ripping out the old ceiling. A three-foot metal pry-bar is ideal, for it will allow you to tear out a ceiling in an eight-foot room with out standing on a ladder. If the ceiling is damaged, you can begin the removal process right in the center of the room. Just thrust the straight end of the bar into the ceiling. Aim for the seam between two boards and start removing the first piece with the tip.
Once you punch a whole in the wood, then you can do the remainder of the dismantling with the curved end. Take out one board at a time, remove all nails and make a nice, neat pile in one corner of the room. (If you have a dumpster on site, you can put the wood there or you can save it to use as firewood or even scrap wood.)
2. Remove all nails from the bottom edge of the ceiling joists. Again, the curved end of a three-foot pry bar should work great. Put the nails in an old coffee can or a similar container.
3. Bring the new supply of wood on site and to the room, where the new ceiling is going to be installed. Most home owners will opt for beaded ceiling board, but keep in mind that other possibilities for a wooden ceiling material do exist.
4. Nail the first board into place. It will run across the ceiling joists and this board will have to be installed with the groove end butted against the wall. To install this board you first will place some nails in the flat section of the wood and drive the nails through the wood and into the ceiling joists. Finish nailing with a nail set and drive the nail head until it is flush with the surface of the board. Then at each joist drive one finish nail into the lip of the tongue at a 45-degree angle. Do this for the whole length of the board.
Wherever two boards meet you will want to make sure each end is cut at a perfect 90-degree angle and that the joint falls right in the center of a ceiling beam. In fact all ends should be squared off before installation. And don't forget that for nails you will need to use #8 or #10 finish nails (bright).
5. After the first row is installed, measure out 6-inches from each end and make a mark on the two outside joists. Chalk a line from one mark to another and make sure your beaded board follows the chalk line and not the edge of the wall. As you progress, keep chalking a line across every several feet to insure an even looking ceiling.
6. After sliding the board into place, then nail each board through the place where the tongue meets the body of the board and make sure each gets one nail. Each nail will have to be finished with a nail set or drift pin, but you can leave the nail head flush with the surface of the wood. This saves the trouble of having to fill with putty.
The last row of boards will have to be ripped, by cutting off the tongue side and leaving the groove end attached to the board. Make sure the last board fits snug into the opening. Don't forget to start checking your distance between the wall and the row of boards before you get to the last row. If the distance is not the same at each end, then you can make the adjustments a little bit at a time as you approach the edge of the room.
Nail the last row of boards right through the flat part of the board and then drive the finish nail to a flush position with a nail set.
7. Apply your finish of choice to the ceiling.
Tags: ceiling joists, will have, with nail, board into, board into place