Install A Wooden Ceiling

Fix It Up! : Episode FIX-703 -- More Projects »
If you are looking to update an existing ceiling, consider a beadboard or wood ceiling. These ceilings were used long before plaster or drywall ceilings became popular and offer a warm feel to any room.

Materials:

beadboard planks (tongue-and-groove)
non-shrinking wood filler
100 and 120-grit sandpaper
tack cloth
high-quality latex paintbrush
primer
paint
studfinder
chalk line
drill
hammer
eightpenny finishing nails
nail set
crown molding
caulk

Steps:

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Figure A
1. Inspect each plank and fill in any cracks with a non-shrinking wood filler. After the filler has dried, sand with a 100-grit sandpaper. Follow with a 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe the wood clean and smooth with a tack cloth. Take the planks to the room where they will be installed and allow them to acclimate to the air for about a week, making sure that air is exposed to as much of the wood surface as possible (figure A).

2. Using smooth, even strokes, apply primer to the front side of the beadboard, as well as the tongue. After the primer is dry, apply a coat of paint.

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Figure B
3. With the power to the room turned off, and any vent covers and track lighting covers removed, use a studfinder to locate the ceiling joists and mark each with pencil. In most modern homes, joists are 16 inches on center. Be sure to mark the center of the joist, not the edges. And mark the opposite side of each joist, popping a chalk line between the two marks (figure B). Do this for each joist.
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Figure C
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Figure D
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Figure E
4. Measure out the width of your beadboard on both ends of the wall and mark with pencil (figure C). Snap a chalk line between these two marks. Double-check the distance between the chalk line and the wall at several locations.

5. Once you are certain the board will fit properly, pre-drill holes for attaching the board, then turn the tongue edge away from the wall and secure the board with eightpenny finishing nails (figure D). Nail at an angle through the tongue and into the joist. Set the nails below the beadboard surface with a nail set. To secure the board firmly, you can drive nails through the face of the beadboard--for the first and last boards only.

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Figure F
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Figure G
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Figure H
 Media
Click the icon above for a brief video about installing a wood ceiling.
6. Cut several boards to length and begin attaching them to the ceiling, with the groove fitting snugly over the tongue (figure E). Secure with eightpenny nails.

7. When you reach sections such as a vent, simply make measurements around the vent and cut the boards to size accordingly (figure F).

8. Once the beadboard is done, crown molding will be a nice touch (figure G). Be sure to caulk between the molding and ceiling, touch up any rough spots with paint and reinstall vent covers and lights. Turn the power to the room back on and after that, the project is complete (figure H). This will cost around 400 dollars and take several days to complete.

Also in this Episode
Fix It Up! : Episode FIX-703
•Install A Wooden Ceiling