How To Install A Drop Ceiling
It’s always considered a convenient and easier choice to install a drop ceiling or most commonly known as a suspended ceiling than a drywall ceiling. One of the reasons being, a drop ceiling allows easy access to the overhead mechanical system. This means that if ever you face a plumbing or electricity issue, a drop ceiling just needs to be lifted and you get easy access to all the pipes and wires over the ceiling head.
Drop ceiling comprises of a metal grid that supports 2x2 or 2x4 ft panels. Though drywall ceiling is considered a more permanent option, it involves a lot of labor, material, cost and its just plain messy to install a drywall ceiling. You would rather opt to have a drop ceiling as it has some real good advantages over a permanent ceiling.
You can install drop ceiling by yourself which means you can save hundreds of dollars on labor cost. Let’s see how to install a drop ceiling. It requires only simple household tools. And if you are concerned of the look, nowadays you get drop ceiling panels or tiles in a variety of colors, shades, designs and textures.
After measuring the ceiling and deciding how many panels you will need, you need to meet the requirement of having the minimum height of the ceiling, which is 7 ½ ft. Also make sure you need to install the drop ceiling at least 5 inches below the original ceiling to tilt the panel in place and to accommodate any ceiling lights.
You get manufacturer’s instructions on how to install a drop ceiling. Follow them and you will never go wrong. A simple tip-start installing the panels perpendicular to the joints. This process requires the recommended types or hardware and wire.
You need to secure all the intersections of the grid careful with long pieces of wires. Cut them by using tin snips. Use a level to make sure that the drop ceiling is not installed in an angle. Once the grid is installed, you need to fit the panels to it. Cut the panel’s perimeter to fit into the grid as a panel is usually a bit larger than the hole in the grid.
Although drop ceiling is not a suitable option for all situations and rooms, it’s definitely a good choice for basements and in rooms with bathrooms overhead. So in case there is a leakage in the overhead plumbing, the pipes can be easily accessed from the suspended or drop ceiling. This means a lot in terms of cost, convenience, time and labor.
