How to Put up a Stamped Metal Ceiling

Fiona and Richard Lange had been living with an unattractive kitchen ceiling for years. Things got even worse when they had a plumbing leak in an upstairs bathroom. They wanted to replace the ceiling with something that was in keeping with the character of the house.

Ron suggested that they consider selecting a stamped metal ceiling - - an idea they liked very much. They selected and ordered a pattern from a company that has been making these ceilings for over 100 years.

For more information on stamped metal ceilings, visit the AA-Abbingdon Affiliates website.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

1. Remove old ceiling
The first step is the preparation, which includes removing the old ceiling. This can get messy, so rather than clear everything out of the kitchen, it is often easier to protect the kitchen surfaces with large sheets of plastic secured to the top of the walls with masking tape.

Begin demolition by dismantling and removing overhead fixtures. Make sure to turn off the power at the circuit box and then perform a final check with a voltage tester before disconnecting the wiring and removing the fixture.

Removing the old ceiling is usually relatively easy, and depends on how it was installed. In many cases, it involves simply ripping it down.

After most of the existing ceiling has been removed, you may have to remove crown molding or obstructions around the perimeter of the ceiling. When removing molding, first use a utility knife to score along the edge to keep from chipping the paint, and then tap in wide putty knives to protect the wall. Finally, use a pry bar to work the trim loose.

The final part of the demolition involves taking down the old furring strips (if these were used for the original ceiling.) In some cases you can reuse the strips, but they need to be located in exactly the right places to accomodate the new panels you are installing.

Did you know?
Furring strips were originally applied to walls so that animal pelts or furs could be hung from them, probably as insulation.

2. Install new furring strips
In order for the new ceiling seams to lie straight and flat, the furring strips need to be installed on a flat surface. To ensure this, check the bottom of the ceiling joists to see if there are any bows along the surface. Use an eight-foot level or a long straight edge, and place it along the bottom of the joist. If there are any variations, you will need to compensate for these later, after you have put up the new furring strips.

The first furring strips are set around the perimeter of the room, about two inches from the wall. Create a chalk line for a reference point. After the strips are put up around the perimeter, begin nailing up the remaining strips in the center of the room.

3. Level furring strips
Once all of the strips are in place, use a piece of string to test if the strips lie perfectly flat on the ceiling. Create a loop at each end of a piece of string and then slip the loops over a nail placed at each end of the room. The boards and the string should be even along the entire length of the room.

If any gaps open up between the string and the board, you will need to bring the furring strip down so that it is the same level with the string. This is done using shims, which are wedge shaped pieces of wood.

Wherever you need to lower a section of the furring strips, loosen the screw and then tap in the shim. The further the shim goes in, the more the furring strip will move downward.

4. Add blocking strips
Once the furring strips are up and flat, you will need to add blocking at the ends of the strips and at four-foot intervals to provide a nailing surface on all four sides of each panel.

To do this, add long cross strips across the back of the furring strips in four foot intervals, to provide a nailing surface. Then add a second length cut to fit between the strips. This will bring the blocking strips flush with the surface of the furring strips.

5. Nail up ceiling
It is helpful to construct a simple T-brace to help with the ceiling installation. One person can hold the panel in place while the other does the nailing. Use a decorative cone head nail to install the ceiling.

Nailing tip: Hold the nail with the pads of your fingers facing the hammer. A missed hammer blow is a whole lot less painful this way.

Each panel is aligned with the neighboring panel and the edges are overlapped. The decorative nails are driven in exactly every 12 inches and become part of the overall pattern.

6. Obstacles
When it comes to cutting and shaping stamped metal ceiling panels, about the only tool that is necessary is a pair of tin snips. You should have the type that is designed to cut curves. These are particularly helpful when cutting around obstacles like an overhead light box.

7. Metal cornice
After the ceiling is installed, you will need to cover the gaps along the edges. These are finished with what is called a metal cornice, which is a kind of molding.

First, attach a piece of flat lattice molding along the top edge of the wall. The cornice is nailed both to the wall and to the furring strip in the ceiling using the same cone head decorative nails.

To save time, you can order precut outside corner sections from the manufacturer. These are simply nailed in place. To blend the cut ends of the corner piece, first tap the edges gently with a hammer, and then with the head of a nail.

The inside corners can easily be cut using a pair of snips. To do this, the first piece of cornice is trimmed to length with a straight cut and slipped into place.

The second section is then cut on an angle. The angled section simply slips over the first. This is often called a coping joint. Each straight corner section is overlapped with the next and then nailed in place. Once the final pieces of molding are nailed in place, the ceiling installation is complete.

If you choose to paint your metal ceiling, be sure you use an oil base paint as the steel will rust if a water base product is used.

Results
The stamped metal ceiling that Ron installed was made in the same way, and by the same company as tese ceilings were made a hundred years ago. This is not a reproduction; but the exact same kind of ceiling you would have gotten if you had purchased it last century.