Hanging Ceiling Installation

Determine the height for the hanging ceiling. Measure from the bottom of the ceiling joists to the bottom of the lowest obstacle mounted below the ceiling joists. Add 3 inches to this measurement. Mark this distance below the ceiling joists every 3 to 4 feet on the walls around the room.

Attach the wall angle or perimeter channels to the walls with the bottom flush with the marks made earlier. Nail the channels in place using 2-inch finishing nails. Work all the way around the room.

Locate ceiling joists 4 feet from one end of the room. Drive a 8d nail about 1/3 of the way into the joist about every 4 feet. Move to a joist 4 feet further from the end of the room and repeat the process. Continue this process all the way across the room.

Fasten a carpenter's string to the starting wall at the level of the bottom of the channel. Stretch the string across the room and attach to a point at the bottom of the channel. Place such a string every 8 feet across the room.

Place the T-piece or long suspended ceiling frame above the strings. One end will rest in the channel along the wall. Use wire to fasten the T-channel to the nails placed in step 3. Twist the wire around the nail and then drop it down and through the holes in the T-channel. Pull the wire up until the channel lightly touches the string but doesn't press against it. Continue the process along the first T-channel before continuing the process at the next 4-foot mark. When completed the ceiling will have a series of T-channels placed every 4 feet running in one direction across the room.

Place the cross pieces between the main T-channels. Depending on the ceiling tile used the spacing of the cross pieces can be either 2 or 4 feet. Snap the cross pieces into the appropriate holes in the T-channels. At this point a grid framework exists hanging from the ceiling joists.

Place the ceiling panels in the grid work. Lift the panels through the grid work at an angle and allow to settle into the supports created by the T-channels and cross pieces. Cut ceiling panels where necessary with a sharp utility knife.