How to Install a Tin and Beam Ceiling

An old ceiling is restored with new beams and tin tiles.

After: Resurfaced beams with tin tile insets restore some character back to this old farmhouse.

All About

Product Ideas

Materials and Tools:

sledge hammer
crow bar
tape measure
jig saw
utility knife
drywall gun
plaster knife
1'x1' chrome tiles
drywall
spackle
corner bead
drywall screws
construction-grade adhesive

Before: The ceiling was flat and boring.

Steps:

1. Remove all furniture and appliances from the room.

2. Using a crow bar and sledge hammer, tear down all the plaster or drywall from ceiling to expose the ceiling beams.

3. After clearing out the debris, the beams can then be measured and fitted for drywall.

4. Using a utility knife, cut the sheets of drywall to size.

5. Attach the drywall to all three sides of the exposed beams using drywall screws and a drywall gun.

6. Use the same process to drywall in between the beams.

7. After the entire ceiling is covered in drywall, attach corner bead onto the edges of the beams. This will create sharp, uniform edges on the beams.

8. Spackle the holes and corner bead until smooth.

9. Once the spackle is dry, the ceiling can be painted.

10. Measure the insets for the ceiling tiles.

11. The tiles must be cut to fit the measurements of the ceiling. This is done by first drawing the measurements with a pencil and then scoring the line with a utility knife. After the sheets are scored they will snap off accurately. A jig saw with a metal-grade blade can also be used to cut the tiles.

12. Use a generous amount of construction-grade adhesive on the backside of the tiles.

13. Place the tiles directly onto the ceiling.