A drop ceiling is a metal grid that suspends from the original ceiling with metal wires. The grid holds ceiling tiles. This is a great way to reduce the height of high ceilings to help save on energy costs. It's also a great way to hide overhead plumbing modifications that don't fit into the ceiling. Expect the installation process to take a full weekend and employ a friend to help you install everything. A second person will make the task much easier.
Instructions
1. Measure the square footage of the room at the height where you want the drop ceiling to rest. Use a tape measure and take care to ensure accuracy in your measurements.
2. Draw the room to scale on graph paper. Decide if you want to use 2-by-2-foot square tiles or 2-by-4-foot tiles. The first type requires more work when installing the metal grid. Use the square footage and the drawing to determine the total wall trim requirements, plus the main tee, cross tee and tile requirements.
3. Secure the wall trim to the walls. Trim pieces are strips of metal bent into 90-degree angles along their length. One side of the trim secures against the wall and the other side acts as a lip for holding the tiles in place. When completed, you have a ring of trim around the entire room at the same level. Place the trim against the wall at a level position and secure it with screws or nails. If you need to cut pieces of trim to length, use a sharp coping saw or hacksaw.
4. Cut the main tees to length so they rest on the lips of the trim pieces. Main tees have an upside-down T shape. The flat portion of the T rests on the trim pieces while the vertical portion has holes for connecting the suspension wire. The flat side of the T also acts as a lip to help hold the tiles. Install the main tees 2 feet apart going across the widest part of the room.
5. Thread eye bolts into the original ceiling directly above the main tees every 12-to-24 inches.
6. Tie a metal wire to each eyebolt, then tie the other end of the wire to the holes in the main tees. This ensures the main tees stay suspended and the trim pieces don't bear the weight of the ceiling.
7. Place the cross tees every 12 or 24 inches between the main tees, depending on the size of your tile. The cross tees have clips on each end that snap into holes on the main tees.
8. Thread eye bolts into the directly above the cross tees every 12-to-24 inches.
9. Tie a metal wire to each eye bolt you installed in Step 8, then tie the other end of the wire to the holes in the cross tees. Again, this ensures the cross tees stay suspended and the trim pieces don't bear the weight of the ceiling.
10. Slide the tiles up between the framing and the original ceiling, then lower the tiles onto the framing. The tiles will fit into the recessed lips on the tees. If necessary, cut the tiles to size with a sharp utility knife so they fit into the framing.
Tags: cross tees, main tees, original ceiling, trim pieces, tees every, 12-to-24 inches