- 1). Determine the pattern of the drop ceiling you wish to have. You will have a choice of using square panels, two feet on a side, or oblong panels, two feet by four feet. With the 2 x 4, you will also need to decide which way the panels will lie. These choices will determine the look of the ceiling and will dictate the supplies you will need. With the 2 x 4 sections you will use less hardware, and the installation process should go a little faster.
- 2
Duct Work
Mount the wall angles around the entire room. It is very important to keep the wall angles square, straight and level. These are the foundation of your ceiling, and any errors here will cause major problems later. Check and double check your level and measurements as you work your way around the room. The distance you drop down from the floor joist will depend on your overall room height as well as on the height of any objects you are trying to avoid relocating. These may include wiring, plumbing, phone lines or data cables. The advantage of a drop ceiling is that you will have easy access to all of these should it be required after installation of the ceiling. - 3). Locate and mount any lighting fixtures prior to suspending your main tees. You will find it easier to run your wiring and locate the fixtures without the tees, wires, and cross sections in place. If you are installing fluorescent lights, carefully measure their location so they will fit neatly in place of a ceiling panel. There are both 2 x 2 and 2 x 4 light fixtures designed specifically for this purpose.
- 4). Measure for your main tee brackets and install a hang wire. Firmly attach the wire to the overhead joist using a nail, eye bolt, or any other device which is secure. The wire should hang 12 inches below the level of the tee. There should be a hang wire every 4 feet along the main tee. Attach the main tees to the wires, carefully measuring to make certain they remain level and square with the wall angle you previously installed.
- 5). Install the cross pieces into the main tees. The main tees will have a slot every 12 inches which the cross tees will insert into. Place these to match your ceiling tile size. Once all of the cross tees are in place, you may begin inserting your ceiling panels. You will need to measure and trim the panels for any alcoves, odd angles, or end pieces in your ceiling. If you have fluorescent fixtures you will need to install a luminous lay-in panel in place of a standard ceiling tile. If using recessed lighting, you can carefully measure and cut openings in a ceiling tile for these fixtures.
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