How to Install a Ceiling Frame

Measure down from the ceiling joists and mark the level of the ceiling onto the walls of the room. Make a mark every 12 inches along the wall. Use a laser level to make sure the marks are aligned.

Nail the perimeter molding into the wall with 6d nails, placing the top edge of the molding even with the marks. Trim the length of the molding with tin snips, if necessary. If you need longer strips, simply butt the ends of separate pieces of molding.

Place the runners onto the perimeter molding and space them 4 feet apart. To achieve a balanced look, space the runners so they're balanced on each side. Trim the runners with tin snips if necessary, but trim from the same end on each runner to ensure the slots for the crosspieces you'll be installing later will be aligned.

Screw small eye bolts into the ceiling joists about every 3 feet along the length of the runners. Loop 16-gauge wire through the eye bolts and through the holes in the runners. Stretch string across the room at the level of the bottom of the molding and perpendicular to the runners. Adjust the length of the wires to ensure the runners are even with the string. Twist the wires onto themselves to hold them in place.

Snap the crosspieces in place. Place crosspieces every 2 feet if you're using 2-by-2-foot tiles, and every 4 feet for 2-by-4-foot tiles.