The time has come to hang steel in my shop ceiling. 32x48x12ft side walls with 3/12 pitch scissor trusses on 2ft centers. Looking for any tips to make it go smoothly, I’m in the process of putting up the J channel around the perimeter. I’m going to run a 1x6 the length of the peak (48ft). Gives me something flat to mount my ceiling fan too (ceiling fan box will be attached to trusses for support). Hoping by running the 1x6 with j channel on both sides will make the process pretty straight forward. Is everyone pre drilling there panels? Seems like a good option, so your not guessing and measuring overhead while screwing panels. Sheets are 25ft long so 2 sheets per run. I have an electric forklift in the shop to help with one side but thinking of renting a scissor lift as well. Would you guys start at the peak with steel and work your way down, or start at the bottom and go up? Thanks for any input!
Interior Steel Ceiling Advice
- Thread starter Lewit12
- Start date
Which direction are you mounting your panels? Are you running them parallel with your trusses or perpendicular? After installing metal on my pitched ceiling in my 40x64 shop, I can definitely give some advice, but it also depends on the orientation you have planned... Either way, you'll need a helper. A drywall lift might possibly work on 12' tall ceiling, but definitely won't go high enough for my 14', as I found out the hard way. Rent a scissor lift and the job will go much faster and safer.
Brian
Brian
alwaysFlOoReD
Well-known member
If pre-drilling you better make sure the rafter bottom are spaced correctly. Measure first. I find that if you mark the wall at the center of the rafter and then start screwing from the outer side first you can eye where the screws go pretty easy. You won't be able to tell that the screws are out of line from the floor. If **** use a straight edge. I don't pre-drill unless screwing into something wider than 1.5", but pre-drilling does make it easier. If you have a good magnetic bit just bang the back of the drill with the heel of your hand and the screw will puncture good enough. Chalk a line every 3 panels or so to make sure you're staying straight. When within 3 panels of finishing measure to the wall and make sure you have not drifted off line, you don't want an angle cut if you can help it.
Also I would start at the top and work down so the overlap isn't as noticable.
Also I would start at the top and work down so the overlap isn't as noticable.
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bad_idea
Well-known member
It appears we have the same shop with similar plans. Interested to see how this goes. Please post up your progress as you go and lessons learned. I hope to be putting up a metal ceiling by next fall. I'm a little behind you on progress and the funds are causing me to slow down a bit.
I’m running them perpendicular to the trusses, will have a overlap in panels so hopefully the seam isn’t very noticeable. What did you do at the peak of your barn? I plan on renting a scissor lift to help on the other end of panel
86turbodsl
Well-known member
i used a drywall lift on my 14' ceiling. it worked fine. Scaffold for screwing the panels up there. Way faster than ladder.
Since you are running your panels perpindicular to the trusses and you have a seam in your panels, be sure that the seam is over one of the trusses and not between them. You will need to be able to screw within 6" of the seam or the seam will tend to open up. At the seam you will have FOUR sheets overlapping on one rib, and this is the difficult part to get to look good.
If it were me, I would not have a seam, I would install a board at the end of one panel, maybe a 2x4, and then have J channel on each side. That way the panels have a clean start and stop point, it looks clean and intentional, and you don't have to mess with the overlap.
Also on my 14' sloped ceiling, no drywall lift went high enough. If it was a 14' flat ceiling, a drywall lift would work.
I would measure the spacing before each panel and predrill the panel on the ground. This makes installation much easier, especially when working overhead, holding a drill overhead all day.
If your panels are white, and you accidentally drill holes in the wrong places, you can buy white pop rivets (for gutters) to cover the holes if you predrill with a 1/8" drill bit.... been there done that.
Brian
If it were me, I would not have a seam, I would install a board at the end of one panel, maybe a 2x4, and then have J channel on each side. That way the panels have a clean start and stop point, it looks clean and intentional, and you don't have to mess with the overlap.
Also on my 14' sloped ceiling, no drywall lift went high enough. If it was a 14' flat ceiling, a drywall lift would work.
I would measure the spacing before each panel and predrill the panel on the ground. This makes installation much easier, especially when working overhead, holding a drill overhead all day.
If your panels are white, and you accidentally drill holes in the wrong places, you can buy white pop rivets (for gutters) to cover the holes if you predrill with a 1/8" drill bit.... been there done that.
Brian
When I did the house garage, I held the sheets in place with a few screws and after several sheets were up, I ran a string line from screw to screw. Just like a chalk line but no chalk to wipe off.
Lay your sheets out where you will see the least amount of overlap. I'd suggest going to Youtube and search out RR Buildings. Kyle has a few videos on doing ceiling and gives very good basic knowledge of how to put the ceiling up. . . not just the "Hows" but the "Whys"
I think this might help.
Lay your sheets out where you will see the least amount of overlap. I'd suggest going to Youtube and search out RR Buildings. Kyle has a few videos on doing ceiling and gives very good basic knowledge of how to put the ceiling up. . . not just the "Hows" but the "Whys"
I think this might help.
I also used a string. I didnt trust myself measuring the trusses alone.
I glued a small magnet to the ends of a string and stuck it right to the panel. Lined it up with the last screw on previous panel, and truss on other side since it was still exposed. Worked great.
You can see it in my build in my sig, Page 5
I use to stare at the seams until I put the lights up, haven't looked at since.
Good luck, your gonna love it.
I glued a small magnet to the ends of a string and stuck it right to the panel. Lined it up with the last screw on previous panel, and truss on other side since it was still exposed. Worked great.
You can see it in my build in my sig, Page 5
I use to stare at the seams until I put the lights up, haven't looked at since.
Good luck, your gonna love it.
alwaysFlOoReD
Well-known member
This.
Once it's done you will almost never look up at the ceiling. Don't sweat it too much.
crook038
Well-known member
I put a lot of time and effort into matching up the sheet metal at the seam. So true that once the lights are on and you have moved on to other projects, you never look at the seam again. With that being said, I am always glad that I take the time and effort to do something right the first time. When I installed my sheets, I used the cribbing that came with the stacks to hold it up to the ceiling joists. It was time consuming but turned out easier than I had hoped.
Sean
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Have you started this project yet? I have almost the same configuration to do.
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I did 21 ft panels in mine, 2 schafolds, 3 people 1 was the wife. Panels are a lot to handle. Did not pre drill no issues screwing in directly.
Planned on a contractor installing but he flaked out on me.
I left a foot overlay on the panels and cam back and rivited the ends.
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Planned on a contractor installing but he flaked out on me.
I left a foot overlay on the panels and cam back and rivited the ends.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
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Thanks! The wood blocking is letting me temporally open that door untill the garage door guy comes back. I’m having him install roof pitch tracks so the rails follow the plain of my ceiling. I didn’t want to make more holes in my ceiling because I didn’t know where the new support would land. So I spanned the trusses with a 2x4 and screwed into the existing sheetmetal screw holes.
akpingel
Well-known member
Great job! Looks really nice.
Awesome! I was going to suggest that, but didn't want to step on any toes! lol!
That's going to look really nice.