ceiling wood plank installation question

[tonester]

Hi all, I just signed up in this board hoping to learn something and get some answers to my problem.

I am looking to replace the ceiling in my family room from the popcorn look to a wood plank ceiling. This room has a flat ceiling. It does not have an attic space. My initial plan is to keep the exposed ceiling rafters and install the 4" wood planks perpendicular to the ceiling rafters. I started scraping off the popcorn ceiling and it looks like they were sprayed onto some type of acoustic boards rather than drywall when they were initially installed. So my plan of using liquid nails on the wood planks and gluing them directly onto the drywall is dashed. Does anyone have any suggestions as how I can can install the wood planks onto the ceiling?

thanks

 

[nealtw]

Welcome to the site.
Just want to clarrify a few details.
Is this an outside addittion? Is there insuation or is there some needed? How big are the joists or rafters, 2x4 or 2x6 or?

 

[beachguy005]

I don't know that I would of trusted glue holding a board overhead on the sheetrock. I would either install something like 1x1 strapping in the top of the joist against the ceiling, running the length of the inside of the bay on both sides. That would give you something solid to nail the boards on to.
Or I would run the strapping or even a piece of molding 2" down from the ceiling and just lay the boards in like ceiling tiles. I think the second option is better because you will support the boards and trim it out at the same time so as not to see the cut ends of the boards.
Frankly, if you're going to be painting it, you could just use white aluminum L channel used for installing ceiling tiles.

 

[Snoonyb]

Hi all, I just signed up in this board hoping to learn something and get some answers to my problem.

I am looking to replace the ceiling in my family room from the popcorn look to a wood plank ceiling. This room has a flat ceiling. It does not have an attic space. My initial plan is to keep the exposed ceiling rafters and install the 4" wood planks perpendicular to the ceiling rafters. I started scraping off the popcorn ceiling and it looks like they were sprayed onto some type of acoustic boards rather than drywall when they were initially installed. So my plan of using liquid nails on the wood planks and gluing them directly onto the drywall is dashed. Does anyone have any suggestions as how I can can install the wood planks onto the ceiling?

The material is likely cellotex which is an insulation material used in your roof configuration.

Any material you use will need an additional molding attached to the rafters to keep it in place, so your plan is not lost, you'll need to install 1/4" or 3/8"
drywall to bridge the seams in the cellotex.

 

[tonester]

Welcome to the site.
Just want to clarrify a few details.
Is this an outside addittion? Is there insuation or is there some needed? How big are the joists or rafters, 2x4 or 2x6 or?

This space is an addition. This used to be a breezeway between my garage and the main house. There are currently no insulation. The existing joists are 3x4. The spacing between each rafters are 30" on center.

based on some of the responses here, is this what you guys mean?

 

[nealtw]

That is waht the are talking about, why wouldn't you just cover everything with the wood attached with real nails.

 

[beachguy005]

Your sketch is the right idea but as I noted earlier, my second option would be about 2" lower and instead of strapping I would use 3/4" cove molding or shoe mold and just set the boards in place. That would give you support for the boards and trimmed to cover the cut ends of those boards. Nail on the molding and no nailing needed for the boards.

 

[nealtw]

Your sketch is the right idea but as I noted earlier, my second option would be about 2" lower and instead of strapping I would use 3/4" cove molding or shoe mold and just set the boards in place. That would give you support for the boards and trimmed to cover the cut ends of those boards. Nail on the molding and no nailing needed for the boards.

The area likely isn't big enough to work a board in after the molding is in.

 

[bud16415]

I like the idea of beachguyoo5 but I would figure out a way to hold them up a little until I put the molding on. Actually a combination of both plans is what I might do because of the lumpy surface and needing to hold them up until you get the trim on. 1x1 strip down both sides, cut the wood 1/16 short and pin nail it up, then the trim. If that’s the look you are going for.

If it was mine I like the look Neal’s idea would produce better. I think a ceiling like that is going to look too busy with the joists and wood and trim. Not sure if you are painting the new ceiling but if you don’t with the white joists it will look real busy. Going over it you could leave it wood grain if you wanted.

 

[Snoonyb]

This space is an addition. This used to be a breezeway between my garage and the main house. There are currently no insulation. The existing joists are 3x4. The spacing between each rafters are 30" on center.

based on some of the responses here, is this what you guys mean?

That is one method, however I would question the wisdom of creating a void, that were there to be a roof leak, how long would it continue before detection and what would be growing, in there, in the mean time.

 

[bud16415]

With wood planks I think a roof leak would show up pretty fast.

 

[beachguy005]

The area likely isn't big enough to work a board in after the molding is in.

Depending on the thickness of the boards he's using you would just need enough area to tilt them up into the space. As if installing a tile in a t-bar ceiling.
Alternately he leave an opening at one end and just slide the plank pieces into place.

 

[Snoonyb]

With wood planks I think a roof leak would show up pretty fast.

And the OP has said only "wood planks", and has not clarified the material beyond that generalization.

Wood planks shrink and leave spaces, T&G mitigates that affect and would prolong the the time.

 

[tonester]

I'm using pine T&G wood planks that are about 1/4" thick.

you guys have a point about leaving a void between the planks and the cellotex board. Are there anything I can get from my local home depot to fill in that void?

 

[beachguy005]

Why would you either want to, or need to, fill the void above the planks?

 

[nealtw]

Why would you either want to, or need to, fill the void above the planks?

More insulation is always a good idea, what about filling the space with a foam board.

 

[beachguy005]

More insulation is always a good idea, what about filling the space with a foam board.

I understand the value of insulation... but the OP was going to just glue up drywall and never mentioned wanting to, or needing to, add insulation. If you do need insulation, just fill them with fiberglass and sheetrock over the entire ceiling. Given that they're 30" OC, you're going to want to cross strap it at 12 or 16 OC to prevent sag.

 

[tonester]

I wasn't planning on gluing any drywall over the cellotex boards. I don't think it's possible to glue anything onto these cellotex boards. I'm not against the idea of adding insulation in the void between the wood planks and cellotex.

so is foam board insulation the way to go? or use fiberglass insulation?

 

[nealtw]

If you are going to add 1x2 to the sides of the rafters, that would give that space to add insulation. That is not a lot but if you are interested this would be the time to at least think about it. I think spliting fiberglass to be 1 1/2 inch thick and try to keep it place while you work on the boards. Foam could be cut to fit snug and it will stay in place and it comes in the thicknesses that you might work. You will have to consider cost and R value and how you can make it work and whether it would be worth it.

 

[Snoonyb]

I'm using pine T&G wood planks that are about 1/4" thick.

you guys have a point about leaving a void between the planks and the cellotex board. Are there anything I can get from my local home depot to fill in that void?

CAN WE ALL SLOW THIS DOWN AND GET BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION?

This was my original response which went BALLISTIC FROM THERE;"The material is likely cellotex which is an insulation material used in your roof configuration.

Any material you use will need an additional molding attached to the rafters to keep it in place, so your plan is not lost, you'll need to install 1/4" or 3/8"
drywall to bridge the seams in the cellotex."

T&G is not 1/4" material but is 3/4" material and can successfully be placed over a drywall or not based upon if it is 1X6 T&G which will bridge the seams in the cellotex without difficulty resulting is an appropriate finished product, however you have to address the whole story from the get-go.