How to Take Out a Drop Ceiling
As the name implies, a drop ceiling is installed so it sits below the level of an original ceiling. It can be installed to lower the ceiling by a few inches or by a few feet. If you would like to raise the ceiling where a drop ceiling has been installed back to its original height, or just display the original ceiling again, take out the drop ceiling by reversing the installation process. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pliers
- Socket wrench
- Wood filler or concrete patch
- Putty knife
- Sandpaper and sanding block
- Sponge
Instructions
-
-
1
Push up on any tile in the drop ceiling and tilt it up at an angle above the ceiling brackets. Lower the tile through the brackets to remove it from the ceiling. Repeat the process for every tile in the brackets to remove them from the drop ceiling.
-
2
Remove all the wires securing the central brackets of the drop ceiling to the eyehooks in the ceiling. Use pliers to pull apart tightly wrapped wires.
-
-
3
Slide the ends of the central brackets of the drop ceiling off the wall angles on which they are balanced. Lower them from the ceiling. If more than one bracket piece was used to stretch the full distance across the ceiling, take the two pieces of bracket apart by removing the bolt and nut with a socket wrench and pliers.
-
4
Unscrew the eyehooks and remove them from the ceiling. Unscrew the wall angles that line the perimeter of the wall where the drop ceiling brackets were connected and remove them from the walls.
-
5
Fill in holes in the ceiling and the walls with an appropriate leveling compound, such as wood filler for wood surfaces or concrete patch for concrete surfaces. Sand down the filled holes in the ceiling and walls so they feel even with the rest of the ceiling and wall surfaces.
-
6
Wash down the ceiling and the walls with plain water after approximately 24 hours when the filler has fully dried. Washing down the walls and ceiling removes any chalk or pencil marks that were made on the ceiling and walls during installation of the drop ceiling.
-
1
