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Suspended Acoustical Ceilings: Installation Tutorial for Sound Control or to Hide a Popcorn Ceiling

This article is a step by step guide to laying out and installing a suspended acoustical grid ceiling. It explains nailing up the wall angle (molding), installing hanger wires and the grid, leveling the grid and installing the ceiling tiles.

Why use an Acoustical Ceiling?

Why indeed? A suspended grid ceiling, otherwise known as an acoustical ceiling, can be a great improvement in some areas of your home. For example, if you’re remodeling your basement or turning it into a game room, a grid ceiling is easy to install and allows you to take advantage of can lights or florescent light fixtures that sit right in the grid.

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Let’s take a look at the tools and material needed to complete this project.

16 oz. straight-claw hammer
Tin snips (straight-cut aviation snips)
String line
Pop rivet tool and pop rivets
Utility knife
Small clamps or vise grips
Chalk line
Acoustical ceiling grid (12’ main runners, 4’ T’s, 2’ T’s optional). Brand names include Donn and Armstrong.
Wall angle (molding)
Ceiling tile
12 ga. hanger wire
Nails
Fence staples

Nail up the Wall Angle

Determine the height of your acoustic ceiling and strike chalk lines one inch above that on the walls. You may just measure down from the joists or use a laser level.

Allow about 4 inches below the joists or any obstructions. Nail up the wall angle; the chalk line is the top of it.

Making the Layout for the Ceiling Grid

The first step is to make the layout. It’s easy to determine which way the main runners (or, just mains) will go — they will run perpendicular to the ceiling joists. They are spaced at 4’ intervals, connected every 4’ with the 4’ T’s. To determine their location, find the center point of the room.

This can be either the center between two mains or the point where a main falls. Either way, it makes for equal borders.

Mark off every 4’ so you know where the mains are. Nail fence staples up into the ceiling joists and hang your hanger wire. Allow about 4” below finish ceiling level.

Determine Where the T’s Will Fall

Find the center point on the other wall; this will give you a mark where a border T goes. Measure back down the wall and make a mark each 2’ and at the last 2’ increment before reaching the opposing wall.

This is the first T. Now make a mark 6” past that. Measure the distance between the mark and the wall and make that mark on the opposite wall and run a string line from mark to mark (connected to the wall angle and pulled tight).

Hang the Ceiling Grid

Cut and hang two main runners so that one of the slots lines up with the string line. Fill in the 4’ T’s. Pop rivet the mains to the wall angle. Now check the second 2' X 4' grid opening for square by measuring diagonal corners for equality.

Pulling the assembly in the direction of the wall or pushing it away will allow you to find perfect square. Cutting a T to the proper length and securing it to the wall angle will keep it there.

You may have to cut that border T shorter or longer to achieve this. When you've got it, make sure it's straight by eyeballing down the 4' T and rivet it.

Now run a string line from the outside edge of that main along the main by the edge where you just established squareness and clamp it to the opposite wall.

Using the two strings you can hang the rest of the field and maintain square. Squareness is extremely important when it comes time to install ceiling tiles and drop-in fluorescent light fixtures. Rivet the border T’s on that wall and the mains on the string wall.

Hang the grid in a slight arc to make it easy to level down in the next step.

Level the Ceiling Grid

Simply run a taut string under each main in turn and level down to 1/16” from the string. If you’re making a 2’ X 2’ system, pop the 2’ T’s in. You're done!

Install Your Ceiling Tiles

This is the easy part. First, use your tape measure and utility knife to cut the border tiles. If you measure from the inside of the wall angle to just 1/8 inside the lip of the main or the T will give you good coverage. Don’t cut them too tight.

Next, install light fluorescent fixtures and air conditioning and heating registers. Finally, fill in the full ceiling tiles. This is a great time to add insulation on top of the tiles.