Leave extra space to install lighting in a bathroom drop ceiling.
Drop ceilings, also known as suspended ceilings, hold some advantages over a traditional ceiling. In a drop ceiling the lightweight ceiling tiles are installed on a metal grid and are easily removed to allow for convenient repair and remodeling. In a bathroom, a drop ceiling can conceal plumbing and wiring while providing fire resistance and creating a sound barrier. Make sure to check with your local building inspector to find out safety code requirements for a drop ceiling in a bathroom. A main concern is the height of the ceiling, since a suspended ceiling reduces headroom.
Instructions
1. Sketch the bathroom ceiling to scale on graph paper using 1 inch to represent 1 foot. Visit a retailer and choose a system that makes sense for your bathroom ceiling. Most systems feature an L-shaped perimeter bracket or molding that supports the at the walls.
2. Determine where you will place the lighting and indicate the location on your drawing. Install the wiring for bathroom lighting before putting in the suspension wires. Figure out the exact height for the drop ceiling, allowing a minimum of approximately 4 inches between the old ceiling and the new drop ceiling. Leave around 2 additional inches if you are installing recessed lighting.
3. Fasten the wall angles to the wall and nail them to the studs. For masonry walls, use screw anchors or other masonry fasteners. Make sure the wall angles are level. Miter wall angles on the outside corners, and overlap the on the inside corners. Stretch a tight line from the top of the wall angle to indicate where the main tees will be placed.
4. Install the main tees at right angles to the joists in the bathroom. Cut the suspension wires 12 inches longer that the distance between the old bathroom ceiling and the new guideline string indicating the position of each main tee.
5. Install the main tees every 4 feet along the length of the bathroom using a level. Add the cross-tees by inserting the ends into the slots in the main tees. Main tees are typically 12 feet long with cross-tee slots every 12 inches, starting at 6 inches from each end. Drop the ceiling panels into each position in the grid by tilting them and lifting them above the framework, and dropping them into place.
Tags: drop ceiling, wall angles, bathroom ceiling, main tees, bathroom drop