How to Get Rid of a Dropped Ceiling in the Kitchen

A dropped ceiling, also known as a suspended ceiling, is a convenient way to conceal pipes, wiring or damage to the drywall or plaster of your kitchen’s original ceiling. At some point, however, you may want to remove the dropped ceiling panels and fixtures to expose the original ceiling. For a do-it-yourselfer, this is a job that can often be completed in a single afternoon. Removal of a dropped ceiling follows the same procedure in the kitchen as it does in any other room of the house.

Drop cloths
Work gloves
Safety glasses
Dust mask
Ladder
Wire cutters or pliers
Electric screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Cover the floor, countertops and appliances with drop cloths to protect them from any dust or debris that may fall while you’re removing the dropped ceiling. Protect yourself by putting on work gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask.
- 2
  Stand on a ladder, and carefully remove the ceiling tiles, beginning at one end of the room. Push each tile upward and away from the metal grid, then tilt it at an angle to pull it down through the opening.
- 3
  Detach the shorter sections of the metal grid from the longer ones by lifting the short pieces and pulling them away from the rest of the grid. They should come off without much effort.
- 4
  Disengage the longer sections of grid from the wires that secure them to the ceiling. The wires can either be untwisted with pliers or snipped with wire cutters. Work on one section at a time, and carefully lower each piece of metal to the floor as you go.
- 5
  Unscrew and remove the eyelets in the ceiling that held the wires in place. Remove the metal brackets that are attached to the wall around the perimeter of the room by unscrewing them from the wall with an electric screwdriver and carefully taking them down.

How to Install Trafficmaster Carpet Tiles

How to Make Flooring the Same Height

Floors & Ceilings