How to Get Rid of Dropped Ceilings

A dropped ceiling offers an inexpensive, practical option for areas such as the basement, but they aren't always desirable due to the look and the lowered ceiling height. Whether you installed it yourself or moved into a home with dropped ceilings, at some point you may want to remove it in favor of a drywall ceiling. The dropped ceiling involves several braces with a frame around the edge that you must remove to get rid of the ceiling.

Twist-on wire nuts
Wire cutter
Drill
Hammer
Spackle
Putty knife

Instructions

- 1
  Take down the panels from the ceiling. Push up one corner to lift each panel out of the grid. Turn the panel so it fits down through the opening.
- 2
  Shut off the power to the room if your lighting is installed in the dropped ceiling. Disconnect the light fixtures to remove them. Cover the ends of the wires left in the ceiling with twist-on wire nuts.
- 3
  Cut through the wires that hold the frame for the dropped ceiling. Remove the wires from the joists.
- 4
  Remove the runners to take down the grid. Disconnect the bars, which are typically held together with slots and tabs at the ends of each piece.
- 5
  Take down the perimeter track that's attached to the wall. Remove the screws that hold it in place, or pull out the nails with a hammer if the track is nailed to the wall.
- 6
  Patch the holes left behind using spackle and a putty knife. Let the material dry before sanding it to make it smooth.

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