Returning a Lowered Ceiling to Original Height

Remove the panels from the lowered ceiling by pushing up on them, turning them diagonally and lowering them down through the opening in the grid that supports the tiles.

Remove the plastic panels that are below any ceiling lights in the same way that you remove the other panels.

Remove the cross pieces from the metal grid after you have removed all the ceiling panels. The grid system in a lowered ceiling consists of long metal pieces that extend all the way across the room, with shorter pieces installed perpendicular to the long ones. Remove all of the shorter pieces, leaving you with a row of long pieces of metal.

Look above the metal strips and you will find pieces of wire that extend from them up to the original ceiling to support the metal grid. Cut these pieces of wire with a pair of pliers.

Remove all the long pieces of metal after you have cut all the pieces of wire that support them.

Remove the perimeter frame that is attached to the walls of the room by unscrewing them with a drill or by prying them off with a claw hammer or a crowbar.

Remove any remaining bits of hanging wire, metal and stray screws. The room should now appear as it did before the lowered ceiling was installed.