What is the Correct Way to Install a Suspended Ceiling?

Perimeter

• The first step in the process is to attach the metal runners at the appropriate height around the perimeter of the room in which the suspended ceiling is to be installed. Be precise with your measurements to prevent an off-kilter ceiling. These runners form the outer edge of the lightweight metal grid, which will support even lighter weight panels. Unless the room is a perfect square, you're likely to have to do some cutting of odd shapes to get around corners, alcoves or other structural oddities. It's a great idea to measure the room and mark it out on grid paper before you install the first runner. This also helps to more precisely calculate the materials list.

Runners

• After the perimeter is installed, the grid is created by criss-crossing interlocking pieces of lightweight metal, which are supported by short lengths of wire attached to solid joists or beams in the original ceiling. Precisely cut the lengths of wire to fit through the provided holes in the runner grid system. Even though the panels are lightweight, the cumulative effect over an entire room demands that each wire be firmly attached to a structural element able to bear a good amount of weight. At this point, you should have your grid in place, supported by wires, and are ready to move on to fixtures.

Fixtures

• If you simply hang a suspended ceiling, unless you use lamps, it's a good bet the original lighting fixtures would be obscured. It's for this reason that you can buy fluorescent light fixtures that fit exactly into the panel squares in your grid. Look overhead in any classroom with a suspended ceiling and you'll see how it works. Remember that the fixtures are heavier than the panels and need more support with a wire at each corner. Keep in mind that installing the panels themselves is the last step in the process. Run electricity and install fixtures first.

Panels

• Once everything else has been completed, it's time to drop the panels into place that make your new ceiling look like a finished product. Hopefully, most of your panels will fit smoothly thanks to your excellent pre-planning. Expect some odd sizes to show up around the perimeter of the project. Panels can be easily cut to fit using a box cutter. As with most construction projects, measure twice -- to be sure you did it right -- to avoid the twin penalty of wasted materials and growing frustration.