Metal ceiling installation questions

[bcparfitt]

Hello all.

I have a couple of questions regarding metal ceiling installation that I was hoping some others with experience could weigh in on.

I am using metal ribbed panels purchased directly from Morton.

Questions:
1) I have j-channel that gets installed around the perimeter of the room at the ceiling. Do I overlap the channel at the joints? Or just **** the channel sections up to one another?

2) Is there a recommended location to start the panels on the ceiling? I.e. from the middle of the room and then working out to either side? Or do I just start laying them in at one end and then working my way across to the other side of the room?

Thanks in advance for any tips. Looking forward to getting this ceiling up and the heat installed before the weather really sets in.

Brian

 

[Lelandwelds]

I've seen the accoustic channel and trim pieces. What's your j channel for?

Is this the tin ceiling squares from the last century? Or long sheetmetal panels? Is that Mortan the metal building company?

 

[bcparfitt]

The panels are long sheets, 3 feet wide by 14+ feet long. The sheets tuck into the j-channel at the edges of the ceiling to give it a 'finished' look. Similar to how vinyl siding is trimmed along windows or at corners on a house.

 

[Mattlt]

Assuming you'll have seams on the ends of the sheets, you'll want to start in the back of the building (the side away from where you are most likely to enter the building) and work your way to the front. When you walk in you won't see the seams as much this way. I find myself noticing this when I walk into shops / sheds that have sheet steel on the ceiling.

Follow mfg instructions as to how to install the panels. I can't remember off the top of my head whether you are supposed to go all the way across first or lengthwise first?

 

[chaosracing]

**** joint the J channel and start on one side of your room. Just make sure you start with the correct side of the panel for the correct overlap. Even though its not to restrict water like when used outside, but its easier to work worth.

 

[bullnerd]

Like Matt said.

Go to my build in my sig, you can see how I did it.

What are you using on the walls? More metal?

 

[rburke65]

I just butted my J channel. Right or wrong, that's what I did.

 

[bcparfitt]

**** joint the J channel and start on one side of your room. Just make sure you start with the correct side of the panel for the correct overlap. Even though its not to restrict water like when used outside, but its easier to work worth.

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated.

What do you mean when you say "start with the correct side of the panel for the correct overlap"? My entrance to the room is at the front, so I was going to start my panels at the back of the room to keep the seams facing rearwards and thus not exposed to the eye when you walk in the room. Is that what you are suggesting? Or are the panels not symmetrical and biased in one direction?

Note that my panels run the full width of the room so I will not need more than one course across the room from front to back. Makes it a fairly simple installation.

 

[bcparfitt]

Like Matt said.

Go to my build in my sig, you can see how I did it.

What are you using on the walls? More metal?

Walls are 1/2" plywood with drywall on top. The room is a bit of a shop/hobby room/sports bar....

 

[NUTTSGT]

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated.

What do you mean when you say "start with the correct side of the panel for the correct overlap"? My entrance to the room is at the front, so I was going to start my panels at the back of the room to keep the seams facing rearwards and thus not exposed to the eye when you walk in the room. Is that what you are suggesting? Or are the panels not symmetrical and biased in one direction?

Note that my panels run the full width of the room so I will not need more than one course across the room from front to back. Makes it a fairly simple installation.

One edge of the panel has a small lip while the other side ends at the bottom of the rib. The latter is the finished edge to be seem and the lip gets covered.

Watch a few You-tube videos and it will help explain it.



EDIT: Mistake #1.

 

[bullnerd]

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated.

What do you mean when you say "start with the correct side of the panel for the correct overlap"? My entrance to the room is at the front, so I was going to start my panels at the back of the room to keep the seams facing rearwards and thus not exposed to the eye when you walk in the room. Is that what you are suggesting? Or are the panels not symmetrical and biased in one direction?

Note that my panels run the full width of the room so I will not need more than one course across the room from front to back. Makes it a fairly simple installation.

Yes, that's what he meant. The overlap is away from you, like siding a house.

I didn't use j on the ceiling, I installed the j after the ceiling was up, then the metal walls went up in the j.

Getting the ceiling panels in the J on both sides of the room may be tricky, you'll need at least 2 people probably. Ive never done it, but I did 16'ers, and cant imagine trying to get the ends into J.

How do you finish drywall against the J channel? Never thought about that one.

 

[chaosracing]

As mentioned above, yest thats what I meant.

 

[bcparfitt]

I checked my panels yesterday and it looks like they are a little different then what you are describing. Instead of a longer lip on one side, I have a ridge that has an angled section where as the other ridges are all arches. I'll see if I can snag a picture of it later today. Either way, I plan to run the overlap so the seam faces away from you when you walk into the shop.

With regards to the j-channel, I am installing the channel with the long part of the 'J' flush against the ceiling nailer. This leaves a pocket for the ceiling panels
to slide into at the edges. Here's a link to a sketch to help illustrate what I am talking about.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/x3tlxerS3LzbxITf2

At least that is the plan. I'm a little worried that I won't be able to flex the panels enough to get them into the channel at the ceiling. Will find out later tonight.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I guess, I'm not quite understanding, why would you put the J-channel up after the panels are up ?

Also, do you have access to a drywall lift ? It'll make it alot easier to install the panels and you can do it yourself.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

With a 14' piece and a buddy it shouldn't be any problem to flex it enough to get it into the channel. Place one end and then have one guy in the middle of the panel and the other guiding it into the far wall channel.

Just don't get to rough with it and it should go well.

Make a T post out of 2x4's to place at the first end of the sheet, this will assist in holding that first end in the j channel and against the ceiling/rafters.

 

[86turbodsl]

Been there done that. i can heartily recommend NOT installing the j-channel AFTER putting the panels up on the ceiling. Really.

 

[bullnerd]

If you guys are referring to me, The J channel I put up is for the walls, not the ceiling. It covers the edge of the ceiling anyway so why put up J channel for the ceiling then cover it with another J channel for the walls?

 

[rburke65]

A drywall lift is worth it's weight in gold for a proj ct such as this.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you guys are referring to me, The J channel I put up is for the walls, not the ceiling. It covers the edge of the ceiling anyway so why put up J channel for the ceiling then cover it with another J channel for the walls?

That's what I was wondering, thanks for clearing that up.

 

[bullnerd]

A drywall lift is worth it's weight in gold for a proj ct such as this.

Yup, pics how I modified one in my build. I copied it from someone else here.

That's what I was wondering, thanks for clearing that up.

Yup, I'll get some pics.

 

[bcparfitt]

If you guys are referring to me, The J channel I put up is for the walls, not the ceiling. It covers the edge of the ceiling anyway so why put up J channel for the ceiling then cover it with another J channel for the walls?

I see what's causing the confusion here. I have my walls finished already(drywall). I will not be using metal paneling on the walls. I am looking to trim out the intersection of the metal ceiling with the wall that is already finished. Thus the need for the j-chan at the ceiling. Does that help clarify..

And thanks to all who chimed in. All your information is very much appreciated.

Sounds like I want to have my channels up before plopping up the panels.

I do not have a drywall lift handy, but do have a second pair of hands helping out along with a 2x4 T-support that we will use during installation. If it turns out to be a huge pita I'll grab a lift for over the weekend.

Bullnerd - Saw your lift adapter and cutting jig. Very nice looking work. If I get stuck having to work solo, I'll be building up a set myself.

Hope to have some panels in this evening.

Brian

 

[bullnerd]

Yes, that helps. The J in your sketch should be good then.

I was just playing with some panels for my walls, they don't like to bend long ways! LOL!

Like was mentioned earlier, you should be able to get it flexed enough to clear the J channel.

Good luck, throw up some pics when you can.

Where are you located BTW?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Brian, I had the walls of the house garage done before I did the ceiling. I had OSB on the wall and did ribbed metal on the ceiling. I have a siding brake and was able to bend up my own J-channel and screw it to the wall/ceiling. I was also fortunate to have a neighbor with a drywall lift and could borrow his.

 

[bcparfitt]

Had a pretty productive night last night.. There were 10 panels to install overall. We managed to get 6 installed before I had to break for a work call.

Getting the panels cut to the right length was a touch tricky. Too long and we couldn't sag them enough in the middle to get both ends to clear the channel lip. We had one panel that was just a touch too long that we wound up sliding down the open channel rather then trying to shave 1/4" off of. We were able to do this as we were installing j-chan as we went down the room.

Other than that, once we got the first two panels in we started rolling pretty well.

We did some head scratching as we started to think about how the last panel is going to go in. We'll need to overlap the first rib as well as getting the panel slotted into j-channel on 3 sides now (both ends of the panel as well as along the 14' front face of the room) instead of just 2. Cue the f-bombs! I'm hoping the fact that the panels want to roll themselves up along the axis of the ribs allows us to roll the front edge of the last panel up into the channel. Fingers crossed.

I'm just outside the Buffalo, NY area btw.

Thanks again for all the great tips!

Brian

 

[bullnerd]

"We'll need to overlap the first rib as well as getting the panel slotted into j-channel on 3 sides now (both ends of the panel as well as along the 14' front face of the room) instead of just 2"

Yup, this is basically what we were trying to explain. You can definitely work yourself into a corner with this stuff.

Probably too late but the diablo blades work good for straight cuts. Noisier than you can imagine and facemask is a must, but leaves a clean edge.

 

[bcparfitt]

"We'll need to overlap the first rib as well as getting the panel slotted into j-channel on 3 sides now (both ends of the panel as well as along the 14' front face of the room) instead of just 2"

Yup, this is basically what we were trying to explain. You can definitely work yourself into a corner with this stuff.

Probably too late but the diablo blades work good for straight cuts. Noisier than you can imagine and facemask is a must, but leaves a clean edge.

I've been using the Diablo blade to cut these to length and that was my first thought.. Holy hell is that noisy! First cut made without any ear plugs... That was quickly remedied.

Hoping to wrap this up middle of next week when I have a second set of hands around again.

 

[speedwaytaco160]

Do you have any pictures of your progress?