Acoustical ceiling tiles are typically installed on a dropped grid that hangs from the existing ceiling rafters. To correctly estimate the amount of tiles needed, the width and length of the ceiling need to be measured. While some rooms are exactly square, with even measurements, most are not. This means you'll need to cut some of the ceiling tiles to fit the room. Taking these measurements ahead of time not only helps estimate how many tiles you need, but it also helps you estimate the amount of work required.
Instructions
1. Measure the width and length of each ceiling tile. Most tiles are 12-by-12 inches, but some may be larger.
2. Measure the length and width of the entire ceiling. Get the measurements in inches to make the conversion process easier.
3. Determine how many whole tiles you'll need. If you have a room that's 130 inches wide by 145 inches long, you'll need 11 rows of 12 tiles each, or 132 tiles total, if they're sized at 12-by-12 inches. You'll need to trim the edge tiles around the room to fit the space.
4. Figure in broken tiles and mistakes. Acoustical ceiling tiles can break during transportation. You may also make mistakes when trimming the tiles. Factor this in to your estimation to save having to go back and get more tiles later. Add 10 percent to your figure to be on the safe side. Using the above example, that would mean ordering 145 tiles total, or 13 extra tiles.
Tags: ceiling tiles, 12-by-12 inches, Acoustical ceiling, Acoustical ceiling tiles, estimate amount, helps estimate, tiles need