View ChannelsFeatured: Finance
View ShowroomsFeatured: Radiantec - Radiant Solar Heating

BobVila.com

Home

Installing a Drop Ceiling to Hide Ductwork

Bob walks through the Manhattan Brownstone floor-through apartment with project manager Chris Vila, looking first at the ductwork that has been run in the ceiling for the forced air heat. He then joins John McEvoy of Thorough Construction for a look at the drop ceiling installation they will be using to hide the ductwork and mechanicals in the ceiling. This Chicago bar system allows the crew to hang a perfectly level drywall ceiling instead of following the uneven pattern of the existing joists. First an anchor is screwed into the joists. A pencil rod is then fitted into the hole in the anchor and bent to hang from the joist. A lasar level marks the exact position for the kelly clips that will hold the main stays or block irons in place. The Chicago bar is then clipped to the block irons with a spaghetti clip to create a grid for the new drywall. The drywall will be screwed directly into the suspended Chicago bar.

Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content.

Chapters from this episode

Individual Zone Heating and Cooling Now Playing

Individual Zone Heating and Cooling

Now Playing

French Door and Weep Holes on the Balcony

Installing a Drop Ceiling to Hide Ductwork Now Playing

Installing a Drop Ceiling to Hide Ductwork

Installing Oversized Double-Hung Windows on a Historic Property Now Playing

Installing Oversized Double-Hung Windows on a Historic Property

Noise Control Using Fire Batts Now Playing

Noise Control Using Fire Batts

Clip Transcript For:

Installing a Drop Ceiling to Hide Ductwork

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" We've put in all of our duct work for the air conditioner was -- in -- gonna be heated by radiators all the windows are much does all the ductwork is not complete. And we're putting in all of the Chicago bar which is gonna hold up as soon yeah Eddie is up there clipping -- John is down here. And it John I'm gonna ask you to help us understand how this dropped ceiling system works because this is pretty much. What's used in big buildings all over the place operations noses and tough decisions there isn't just -- it down. What -- what what are the different components that are used -- jancker justice. Fixed into the joists so it's basically a screw with a kind of flash. Takes depends on. And these can be any length. Get a common six -- offense we Clinton excised we bend the hopman and then you who have your your laser set up -- so that you can. Uniform even see on throughout found is that this is a contest in an inordinate consent Arthur -- Yeah if we tried to put. A dropped ceiling. Back onto the joists here it would be very complicated carpentry -- actually if you tried fixing trucks out it's just going to be yeah opened -- joists will what do you call this that's -- spaghetti clip slowness. The spaghetti clip sure it fixed -- talk about which -- Aniston and out. Fixes the two. The attacks this appeared not to Connecticut fixes to this. I think I present with the desert area. -- entrance into this. Fix and with us into -- fresh. -- so. And the spaghetti clip goes on -- Mexico's overdose. So yeah. -- Bill -- if this issue book. Until Bonaduce -- goes down here sure so that you can depending on the length of the pencil bar you can drop the ceiling just. Eight or ten inches like we're doing a sizing need to fit -- whatever you need to fit in over the top that's great."

[-]

More Videos »Related Videos

OpenJoist 2000

Open Joist 2000 is an engineered wood system designed to maximize solid-sawn lumber strength while minimizing lumber waste. This truss and joist system features fully trimmable joists that are ordered to length from an inventory that is maintained by the manufacturer. These joists feature an open-webbed design that allows wiring and pipes to be run through the joists, without the need for a drop ceiling or lost headroom.

Reviewing the Completed Demolition

The furred out walls from the 1940s, the oringinal lathe and plaster, and all the extra building materials have been removed from the 1890s Brownstone, leaving the original brick party walls. This allows for rigid insulation along the walls and built-out framing for the new windows. There has been a discovery during demolition -- original cornice work all around the perimeter of the front room, tthat was hidden by a drop ceiling, was found in near perfect condition. The plan is to restore it and skim coat the original ceiling, building back the areas where sleepers were hung to support the suspended ceiling. Now that the drop ceilings have been removed, the ceiling heights are 12.5 feet throughout. Looking up, Bob marvels at the quality workmanship of the craftsmen from the 1890s whose joistwork with cross bracing is still evident. Alongside the original joistwork is the cobbled job from a 1940s conversion that will need to be remedied during reconstruction.

Remodeling Before Baby

Bob talks with Nick Beasley, owner of a home in Melrose, Massachusetts. Beasley reviews how he and his family bought a two-family home in Melrose. The house was originally built as a single-family home but was later converted. Beasley and his wife are expecting a baby in six weeks. Maggie Beasley shows Bob the basic layout of the house and the improvements they have made. Maggie Beasley reviews the colors of the living room, dining room, and kitchen that were selected with the help of a colorist. She shows Bob the kitchen and expresses the hope that they will be able to upgrade their kitchen safety in advance of the baby's arrival. On the third floor, there is a nursery, two bedrooms, and a small room the Beasleys will convert to a bathroom. A larger master bath will be created during this project, with the smaller bath moving to the hall. Nick Beasley reviews the demolition of the existing small bath and the new partition wall that has been built to frame out the new space.