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Tips for Professional Ceiling Installers Tips for
Professional Ceiling
Installers
Over the years, Armstrong installation instructors and professional
installers have solved many ceiling installation problems.
Here is a compilation of their solutions ...
Before You Start
Tip 1: Allowing panels and tiles to
adjust to the jobsite . . . . . . . . 2
Ceiling GridWall Molding
Tip 2: Leveling wall molding . . . . . . 2
Tip 3: Installing wall molding on
drywall with metal studs . . . . 2
Tip 4: Installing wall molding on
solid or concrete walls . . . . . 2
Tip 5: Installing wall molding along
an uneven wall surface . . . . . 2
Ceiling GridMain Beams
and Cross Tees
Tip 6: Choosing your hanger wire . . 2
Tip 7: Bending hanger wires . . . . . . 2
Tip 8: Using Shenk clips . . . . . . . 2
Tip 9: Supporting the main beam . . . 2
Tip 10: Squaring the grid . . . . . . . . 2
Easy Up
®
Track
Tip 11: Installing Easy Up
tracks on concrete or
masonry ceilings . . . . . . . . . 3
Tip 12: Installing ceiling tile track . . . 3
Tip 13: Installing a suspended tile
ceiling using Easy Up
tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tile Installation Using
the Ashlar Method
Tip 14: Using Easy Up kit . . . . . . . . 4
Tip 15: Using furring strips . . . . . . . 5
Overhead Support Beams
and Ducts
Tip 16: Boxing around overhead
ducts and beams . . . . . . . . 5
Tip 17: Using grid to box around
obstructions . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Support Columns
Tip 18: Boxing in columns with
a suspended ceiling . . . . . . 6
Tip 19: Installing panels around
columns, pipes, vents
and posts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Windows
Tip 20: Boxing in basement
windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tip 21: Installing decorative molding
on boxed-in area . . . . . . . . . 8
Stairwells
Tip 22: Boxing in a basement
stairwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ceiling BordersPanels
Tip 23: Figuring borders on
scored panels or panels
with 12 x 12 patterns . . . . 8
Tip 24: Cutting recessed grid
ceiling border panels . . . . . 9
Tip 25: Cutting reveal border
panels for crown molding . . 9
Field Cuts
Step Edge Panels
Tip 26: Field cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ReplacementPanels
Tip 27: Replacing ceiling panels at
sprinkler head locations . . 10
ReplacementTiles
Tip 28: Replacing damaged tiles
using the Easy Up kit . . . . . 10
Lighting
Tip 29: Hanging 2 x 4 lights . . . . 11
Tip 30: Installing recessed lighting
in a tile ceiling . . . . . . . . . . 11
Lighting
(contd.)
Tip 31: Installing recessed lighting
in a suspended ceiling . . . 11
Tip 32: Installing surface-mounted
lighting in a suspended
ceiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Tip 33: Installing surface-mounted
lighting in a tile ceiling . . . 12
Ceiling Fans
Tip 34: Mounting a ceiling fan in
a tile ceiling . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Vents and Recessed Fans
Tip 35: Mounting ceiling vents . . . 12
Audio Speakers
Tip 36: Installing audio speakers . 13
Cathedral Ceilings
Tip 37: Installing plank on a
cathedral ceiling . . . . . . . . 13
Tip 38: Installing molding or trim
between a suspended
panel cathedral ceiling
and wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Insulation
Tip 39: Installing insulation . . . . . . 14
Miscellaneous
Tip 40: Installing tile where kitchen
cabinet doors are close
to ceiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Tip 41: Removing dirt from tile
and panel surfaces . . . . . . 14
Ceiling Solutions From The Name You Can Trust
TM 2 Before You Start
Tip 1:
Allowing panels and tiles to adjust to the jobsite
Remove tiles, panels or planks from their package.
Allow them to adjust to room conditions overnight. Install
at normal room temperature and humidity. Ceiling GridWall Molding
Tip 2:
Leveling wall molding
Its quicker, easier and more accurate to use a water
level or laser than a carpenters level. Follow the
instructions provided with the tool.
Tip 3:
Installing wall molding on drywall with metal studs
Drive
fence staples
in at an
angle. The
front leg
should ride
along the
face of the
wall molding;
the back leg
should go in
behind the
drywall.
Tip 4:
Installing wall
molding on solid or
concrete walls
Suspend main beams,
as a substitute for wall
moldings, next to any wall
surfaces that are difficult
to penetrate.
Tip 5:
Installing wall molding along an uneven wall surface
As an alternative to scribing to an uneven wall, create a
wood fascia along the uneven wall. The top of the fascia
should be attached to the joist, the bottom even with the
height of the bottom of the wall molding. When installing
the wall molding, make sure the bottom of the molding is
even with the bottom of the fascia and secure with
screws. (See photo at top of next column.) Ceiling GridMain Beams
and Cross Tees
Tip 6:
Choosing your hanger wire
We recommend 16-gauge hanger wire for residential
work, 12-gauge wire for commercial jobs.
Tip 7:
Bending hanger wires
Bend hanger wires so
the bottom of the main
beams are level with the
bottom of the molding.
Tip 8:
Using Shenk clips
These handy Shenk
clips hold the leveling
line to the molding on
each side of the room. Its
an easy way to clip main
beams or cross tees to
the wall molding. You can
order Shenk clips through
your Armstrong ceiling
distributor.
Tip 9:
Supporting the main beam
Twist excess wire tightly around the
support stand three times.
Tip 10:
Squaring the grid
It is important that the grid is squared accurately.
Theres more than one way to do this:
Method One
1. Stretch a string from one end of the room to the other
where the first main beam will hang. 3
Squaring the grid (cont.)
2. Stretch a second string from one side of the room to the
other, where the first row of cross tees will be placed. The
cross tee notches must line up across each row of mains.
3. Square these strings by stretching the first string. Then
use a plumb bob and a 3-4-5 triangle to stretch the
second string. Or, you can use a laser to determine the
location of these strings.
Method Two
1. Stretch the first string from one end of the room to the
other where the first main beam will hang.
2. Install the first main beam of the first row of mains,
cutting the end so a cross tee notch falls at the
calculated border panel distance from the end wall.
3. Cut border cross tees to the side wall and clip to the
wall molding. Align the main to the string.
4. Install the first section of the second row of mains,
cutting the end so a cross tee notch falls at the same
calculated border panel distance from the end wall.
5. Place two 4 cross tees between the main beam
sections in line with the cut border tees. This will create
a 2 x 4 opening in the grid.
6. Measure across the diagonals of this opening. They
should be the same. If the measurements differ, trim one
of the main beam ends until the measurements are equal.
7. Now this section of grid is square. Stretch the second
string through the center of the cross tees where they
meet the two mains.
8. Use this string to measure and cut main beams so the
cross tee locations in each succeeding row of mains
are aligned. Easy Up Track
Tip 11:
Installing Easy Up track on concrete
or masonry ceilings
For tile installations involving unfinished ceilings of concrete
or cement block, use Black & Decker Tapcon
®
Anchors
#20617, 3/16 x 1-3/4 Phillips flathead to secure the ceiling
tile/plank tracks. Follow the Tapcon installation instructions.
Tip 12:
Installing ceiling tile track
1. Determine border tile sizes (refer to in-carton ceiling tile
or plank instructions)
2. Install the track
The metal tracks should be positioned perpendicular
to the joists. The first track should be screwed to the
joists 1 from one side wall. Use 2 drywall screws or
screws that will penetrate at least 1 into the joists
when the track is in its final position. The tracks do not
have to end on a joist.
Fasten the tracks end to end in a line until they reach
the other end of the room. The tracks do not have to be
butted tightly together. You may leave up to 1/4 gap
between track ends.
There are two methods for finishing each row of
tracks. One method is to cut the track to fit using
aviation snips. A second method is to offset the last
track section 1/8 to 1/2 from the established line of
tracks. Use whichever method is most economical.
The second row of tracks should be installed parallel
to the first row at a distance of 2 less than the border
tile from the side wall.
The third row of tracks should be installed 12 on
center from the second row. The remaining rows are
installed on 12 centers. The last row of tracks is
installed 1 from the other side wall.
Level the tracks as you go along, using a carpenters
level, water level, or laser to establish a level substrate.
When installing plank ceilings, the first and last
rows of tracks are installed 1 from the side walls.
The rows of tracks in the center of the room are
installed on 12 centers.
3. Install the tile (refer to normal instructions)
If you are scribing the tile
to all walls, you must cut
the last row of tile tight to the wall. Hold the tile in place
so you can mark where the track falls on the back of
the tile. Then insert a clip in the cut edge using the
marks to align it. Put the tile in place and push the tile
up so the clip snaps onto the track.
4. Rooms with offsets and angles
If the room has offsets such as closets, cabinets, or
chimney flues, where all angles are close to 90 deg.,
remember to run the ceiling tile tracks 1 from the sides
of these offsets. Treat them like side walls.