Another question about installing liner panels
- Thread starter Ran58
- Start date
Jakemedic
Well-known member
If your trusses and pieces will need holes at the same locations, you can use a nail gun WITHOUT nails to mark stacked metal. Sorry it’s early and that may not quite make sense. I also marked and predrilled all holes to get it right. Beat the heck out of trying to line up and get the screws straight using the self tap. Once I wake up more, I’ll come back and see if my response needs tweaking.
jack stand
Well-known member
First off make the bottom chord of the truss straight.
From there it's not hard to screw in a straight line using a 4' straight edge. All of the panels are about 38" wide and just visually line up the straight edge from your last screw in the previous panel and the center of the truss on the leading edge.
A couple of one handed quick clamps will come in very handy if you don't have any help or some type of lift.
If you're very careful measuring, and have perfectly placed and straight bottom chords, you can pre drill 6-8 panels at a time assuring that perfect line of screws. I reserve this for wall and roof fastening. 3 1/2" or 5 1/2" is a much more "forgiving" target to hit.
From there it's not hard to screw in a straight line using a 4' straight edge. All of the panels are about 38" wide and just visually line up the straight edge from your last screw in the previous panel and the center of the truss on the leading edge.
A couple of one handed quick clamps will come in very handy if you don't have any help or some type of lift.
If you're very careful measuring, and have perfectly placed and straight bottom chords, you can pre drill 6-8 panels at a time assuring that perfect line of screws. I reserve this for wall and roof fastening. 3 1/2" or 5 1/2" is a much more "forgiving" target to hit.
ddurrett896
Well-known member
Most panels have some type of rib that makes it easy to follow. No way would I waste time pre drilling holes.
racecougar
Well-known member
I used a short piece of mason's string and a couple of magnets. Stick one end on a screw on the previous panel and the other centered on the ceiling joist.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Chalk line? Laser?
gizardlizard
Well-known member
Laser. Quick and easy
No magnets but I wrapped the string around the screw, just like a string line.
Augus7us
Well-known member
I'm about to do this myself so I'll add some questions:
Where do you start? Most things I've read say start in the center.
What is an easy way to measure your bottom chord solo?
What length of screws if you're just supporting the panels?
Where do you start? Most things I've read say start in the center.
What is an easy way to measure your bottom chord solo?
What length of screws if you're just supporting the panels?
jack stand
Well-known member
You have to run the panels perpendicular to the framing.
Maybe I just haven't seen panels with the ribs going sideways.
jack stand
Well-known member
What's the dimension of the ceiling? Many panels are 9" centers for the major ribs. Unless you're super picky and a little different reveal from a major rib from one side to the other would bother you, I'd start on the side. You could measure the distance between the walls (in inches) and divide by 9" to figure how to start so that it's even, or closer to it.
You can use 1" screws but those short bastards are not the easiest things to hold on to and drive in. 1 1/2" is a lot more friendly.
Plan out your seams and order accordingly. Seams facing away from your preferred perspective will help with the appearance.
Personally I'd rather see one or two nice straight lines (seams) over randomly (and wasteful) seems.
Measuring overhead by yourself, set a roofing nail and there's a slot on the end of your tape measure that'll accept it.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Or use an awl to punch the holes in all the sheets at once.
This does assume your trusses (or ceiling joists) are consistently spaced apart across their entire span.
ddurrett896
Well-known member
My garage is shaped like an L, so some panels were perpendicular and some were parallel. Regardless of the direction, there is a ridge in the panel to follow.You have to run the panels perpendicular to the framing.
Maybe I just haven't seen panels with the ribs going sideways.
racecougar
Well-known member
What ridge are you following across the 36" dimension of the panel?
No professional here but, why start in the middle ? Unless there's some secret I don't understand, you will have a whole row of panels that are going to be a PITA, to fix the overlap. Pull one panel down to fit the other underneath.
When I put up panels in the house garage, I used 1" screws, longer screws maybe easier and give you some leeway if you have to put a screw in at an angle to catch a misaligned bottom chord.
Most importantly, doing it yourself, get a drywall lift.