Ceiling Tiles Installation

Everybody is familiar with floor tiling, but installing ceiling tiles is a wonderful way by which you can create impact in a room. It is also very good choice if you are remodeling an older house which has an uneven ceiling. There are different varieties, textures and sizes of tiles that are available for ceiling tiles. You can opt for ceramic, tin, acoustic or fiberboard tiles. Many manufacturers also stock special fire resistant tiles which are made by adding some particular chemicals. Acoustic tiles are a great option for your room if you are looking to deaden the sound of reverberating noise. Here we will guide you on installing ceiling tiles.

How to Install Ceiling Tiles

Before installing ceiling tiles, decide on the kind of tiles that you want whether acoustic, ceramic or fiberboard. Ceiling tiles comes in two basic sizes 12'' by 12'' and 12'' by 24''. Now decide on how you would like to install the ceiling tiles. The most common method for installation of ceiling tiles are to use adhesives or staple or nail to wood furring strips. Alternatively you can also install metal grids with clips to hold the tiles in place. This is a very time-consuming and labor intensive process, so it is better to use adhesives to apply ceiling tiles. If the ceiling is uneven and have exposed joists then you have to nail furring strips to the ceiling before installing the tiles.

The next step is to measure the distance carefully from wall to wall on the longer side of the room. If the length is exactly a whole number then you do not need to cut any tiles. But if the length is not an exact feet, just add 12 to the number of inches remaining and then divide this number by two. The number that you arrive at is the width of the border tile. For example if the length of the room is 12'4'' then add 12 to 4 which is 16 and then divide 16 by 2, which is 8. Thus the width of the border tile is 8''. Take the measurement in the same way on the other side of the room.

Start installing ceiling tiles on one side of the room. Cut the border tiles according to measurement and file down the corners so that they fit perfectly. Now check the condition of the ceiling and look carefully for any flaking paint or seepage as the tiles will not adhere. Test the surface of the ceiling by installing just three or four tiles at different places and wait for 48 hours. If the tiles have properly adhered to the ceiling and there is no dislocation of the tiles, then your ceiling surface can withstand the weight of the tiles. Now draw a line using a chalk along each side of the room and make sure that it is equal in size to that of your border tiles. Use these lines as a reference to make tiles perfectly parallel on the first row of the border tiles. Apply adhesive or cement on four corners of the ceiling tile about 1 inch from the edges and also on the middle of the tile. Place the border tile in the corner, aligning it with the chalk mark. Carefully install all the border tiles along the edges of the ceiling and then begin filling up with the full sized regular tiles. Then wait for the tiles to dry up and you are done. You can also install a border molding to give a finished and neat appearance.

Suspended ceiling tiles is a very good option in those homes that requires concealing ducts, pipes and cables. A suspended ceiling not only looks elegant but it also acts as a sound absorber and it can be easily modified. Installation of ceiling tiles does not cost a lot and it is an effective way to jazz up the look of a room.