Suspended Ceiling Hanger Wire Installation

A drop ceiling is a series of foam panels supported by a metal grid. The first step in installing the metal grid is attaching the "L" supports to the perimeter walls. Once you have installed these pieces, attach the hanger wires which will support the "T" supports that span the distance between the perimeter supports. The hanger-wire pieces must be attached in such a way that they will support the weight of the metal frame and foam panels. The hanger bolts in your drop-ceiling hardware kit are the solution to your support problem.

Tape measure
Fine-point marker
Hanger bolts
Lineman's pliers
Tie wire
Stud finder
Work gloves
Safety glasses

Instructions

- 1
  Stretch your tape measure along each joist. Make a dot on the side of each joist every 4 feet with your fine-point marker. Repeat this series of marks on every joist.
- 2
  Twist a hanger bolt into each of the dots you made on the side of each joist. Twist each bolt into the wood as far as possible by hand. Continue twisting each bolt with your lineman's pliers. Install every bolt so that the threads are completely driven into the wood and the holes in the bolt heads are aligned horizontally.
- 3
  Push 3 inches of tie wire through the opening in the head of each bolt. Twist the wire back onto itself to hold it in place on the bolt. Repeat this process on each bolt.
- 4
  Cut the tie wire 24 inches below each bolt. This will give you plenty of room to hang the grid pieces to support the drop ceiling.

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