How to Hang a Tin Ceiling

By: Harry Sawyers, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. Pressed-metal ceiling panels
come in 2x2- or 2x4-foot sizes

2. Press-metal cornice
come in 4-foot-long sections

3. 3/8-inch plywood
creates solid nailing surface for ceiling panels

4. 2 1/2-inch decking screws
for attaching the plywood underlayment

5. 2x4s
used to build T-braces for supporting plywood during installation

6. 11/4-inch-long, 18-gauge finishing nails
for brad nailer to fasten ceiling panels; or use special cone-headed nails

7. Latex caulk
used to fill gaps at the seams

8. Metallic touch-up paint
for concealing caulked gaps and mistakes on an unpainted ceiling

9. 1x4 tapping block
used to seal panel seams

10. Fine-point indelible marker
for marking cut lines on ceiling panels

11. 1/8-inch drill bit
used to locate ceiling joists

12. 3/8-inch drill bit
for boring tin-snip starting holes in ceiling panels

Close
Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Circular saw,
  for cutting plywood sheets
- Jigsaw,
  for cutting holes in plywood
- Drill/driver
- Chalk line,
  for snapping layout lines
- Gloves,
  used to protect hands from sharp-edged ceiling panels
- Brad nailer and compressor,
  rent for about $40 a day
- Compass,
  used to mark round cutout holes
- Framing square,
  used to mark square or rectangular cutout holes
- Tin snips,
  for cutting ceiling panels
- Hammer
- 4-foot level,
  used to mark cornice layout lines on wall
Close
Product Gallery
Product selections for this project
Close

Photo: Kolin Smith

2. Hold plywood with T-brace

When you encounter an electrical box or other ceiling fixture, use a square or compass to draw its outline on the plywood. Make the cutout with a jigsaw.

If you don't have a helper to hold up the plywood, make a deadman, which is a T-shaped brace assembled from 2x4s.

Fasten the 2x4s together and add angled supports under the horizontal top piece. Cut the brace just slightly taller than ceiling height.