Acoustical Ceiling Tile Installation

A sharp utility knife is critical when cutting acoustical ceiling tiles to size.

Acoustical tiles are a decorative way to reduce the transfer of sound from one level of the home to another. Acoustical tiles can be adhered with construction adhesive, or furring strips can be screwed to ceiling joists and acoustical tiles can be stapled to the furring strips. Stapes work best when attaching the acoustic tiles to wood surfaces while adhesive works best when attaching the acoustical tiles to an already finished ceiling.

Instructions

Preparation

1. Remove fixtures from the ceilings. Sand any peeling paint and wipe down the ceiling to remove dust or debris.

2. Measure the length of the longest wall. If this is a full number in feet, the tiles will fit without having to be cut at the edge of the wall since the most common tiles are 12-by-12 inch squares. If it's not a full number in feet, add 12 to it and divide by 2 to determine the width of the border panels. For example, if a wall measures 11 foot, 6 inches, add 12 to the 6 to get 18. Divide 18 by 2 to get 9 inches. Your border tile will be 9 inches. This is necessary as border tiles must be more than half the width of one tile.

3. Measure the length of the adjoining wall and make the same calculations. Combine these measurements to determine the final size of the border tiles, if the length is 8 and the width is 10, the border tiles will be 8-by-10.

4. Snap two chalk lines onto the ceiling according to the width and length of the border tiles. In the example above, the chalk lines would be 8 inches from the wall and 10 inches from the adjoining wall, creating an 8-by-10 inch space in one corner. Use the chalk lines as a guide when installing the border tiles.

Adhesive

5. Cut the first tile to the size determined in the calculation above, using a sharp utility knife. Score the surface with the utility knife and a straight edge prior to cutting to avoid tearing or the surface of the tile.

6. Apply a dollop of construction adhesive in the corner and in the center of the acoustical tile. Adhere the first tile in the corner closest to where the two chalk lines intersect. The chalk lines should outline this first tile perfectly.

7. Press several border acoustical tiles into position in both directions and go back and fill in with full tiles. Continue this process until the entire ceiling has been installed. If the tiles have tongue and groove, snap them together. If the tiles do not have tongue and groove, install them flush against each other.

Furring Strips

8. Screw the first furring strip to the floor joist at the wall. Make sure the furring is at a right angle to the floor joists.

9. Place the second furring strip so the center of the second furring strip is the same distance from the wall as the width of the first acoustical tile.

10. Install each of the remaining furring strips so the center of each furring strip is 12 inches from the center of the previously installed furring strip.

11. Staple the acoustical tiles into position, following the instructions in section 2.

Tags: border tiles, chalk lines, furring strip, acoustical tiles, first tile