Ceiling grids are normally found in older homes and in basements. They are a popular alternative to drywall and offer a much more unique look to any ceiling. Typically these ceiling grids come in 2-by-2-foot pieces or more commonly 2-by-4-foot pieces. Either way, calculating for these ceiling grids is the first step on the way toward having them installed. Estimating how many ceiling grids will be needed is a task any homeowner with a tape measure and a calculator can take on.
Instructions
1. Measure the width of the room with a tape measure, followed by the length. Record these measurements on a piece of paper. For rooms that are not completely square, it is necessary to measure each little nook and side and record those measurements as well.
2. Multiply the length by the width to determine the total number of square feet. For a 10-by-12-foot room the total square feet will be 120.
3. Decide on which size tiles will be used. This will determine how many will be needed. For a 120 square foot room, 15 will be needed to cover the entire area and 30 2-by-2-foot tiles would be needed. Always add an extra tile or two when purchasing in case any need to be cut or are damaged during installation.
4. Total up the square footage for any other size room, even if it is not perfectly square. Multiply the width by the length once again and record the total. For a room that is 10-by-13.5 foot, the total square feet would be 135 square feet. Divide that number by eight to get the number of 2-by-4-foot tiles that will be needed. In this case, the number is 16.875, meaning 17 tiles will be needed and one tile will need to be cut to fit to size.
5. A room with more than four sides will need to be divided into boxes and multiplied together. If the room is 10-by-12 foot with a smaller nook that is 2-by-3 foot multiply 10 by 12 to get 120 and 2 by 3 to get 6. Add the two together to get 126 square feet and divide by 8 to get the number of 2-by-4-foot tiles needed. In this case, the number is 15.75, meaning 16 tiles will need to be purchased and one will need to be cut.
Tags: square feet, will needed, tiles will, will need, 2-by-4-foot tiles, ceiling grids, case number