t-bar ceiling diy

[awestruck]

Anybody out there know how to hang t-bar? I am a contractor in Calgary and have been asked to hang about 400 sq.ft. I have never hung it before and never back away form a challenge. Any tips or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[HayZee518]

easiest way is to get hold of a laser level that rotates. first to go up is the wall angle. determine your ceiling height and set the laser to point out the ceiling lines. start it up and install the wall angle. you might use red colored glasses so you won't hurt your eyes. then you figure out your grid placement. normal tiles are 2 foot by 4 foot. find the center of your room along a short wall and mark it. then from this center line mark out on either side one foot. do the same on the opposite wall. this mark two foot apart is where your main TEES go. two foot out from these two goes another main tee etc. the cross tees snap into slots on the main tee. these are usually spaced four feet apart unless you want to install 2x2 panels then they are two foot apart. screw eyes into the ceiling and put in hang wires about every two feet.use a level on the underside of the main tee, fasten the wires in the holes to hold the tees up. one wire per hole.

[awestruck]

Thanks HayZee518, sounds easy enough. I appreciate the information. I'll let you know how it works out.

[bjbatlanta]

It's not quite that simple.... You need to determine your borders first so you can work from a corner, not the middle of the room. Frame the whole ceiling 2'x4' to start and add you 2' tees between the 4' tees if you go 2'x2'. You MUST keep the ceiling square or your tile and lights will not go in. A laser would be nice and you can use it to level the ceiling. You can use a water level to set your wall mold and pull a string to level once you're framed. You need to use some clips (with plastic on the ends) to hold your mains and cross tees to the mold until you get it square. Then you need to pop-rivet every 2nd or 3rd tee and all mains to secure them in place. I assume this is something you want to add to what you already do to earn a living.....might as well learn to do it right.