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When it comes to the ceilings in your home, there are more options than just drywall and stucco
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Wood look ceiling planks are one modern alternative that delivers classic good looks
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while also solving several practical problems that traditional ceilings bring. I often recommend plank ceilings to people looking for something classic and in this video
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I'll give you a close look at one of the best ceiling plank systems I've seen so far
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It's from Armstrong Ceilings, it's easy to install, and it solves three problems common with traditional ceiling plank treatments
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Are you tired of looking at boring drywall above your head? Plank ceilings are anything but boring. Want to avoid the cookie cutter look of a stucco or popcorn ceiling
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Ceiling planks deliver classic good looks that's quite special. Maybe you've got an ugly ceiling and poor shape that needs to look better
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Wood look ceiling planks can be installed right over cracked, flaking, and stained drywall stucco or plaster
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You can even use ceiling planks as an alternative to the institutional look of suspended ceilings in finished basements
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Ceiling planks can be installed directly over joists or existing 15 16th drop ceiling grids instead of over drywall or old plaster
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The specific product I'm showing you here is called Woodhaven Planks. It's made of pre-finished medium density fiberboard, that's MDF, with real tongue-and-groove edges and the ends
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The wood look surface pattern is almost indistinguishable from solid wood when observed while standing on the floor
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but more importantly it saves the trouble and hassles of the traditional approach of nailing and finishing solid lumber
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tongue-and-groove planks overhead. Some ceiling planks in the Armstrong line are also paintable if you want to change the color down the road
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So here's a quick look at the three reasons I'm impressed with Armstrong Woodhaven
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Reason number one, factory finished. This is a huge advantage because ceilings are a pain to finish on site
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especially if you're working in an already finished living space with a finished floor underfoot
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Factory finishing means no sanding, dripping stained varnish or paint in your face or on the floor because you never open a can of anything
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Reason number two, authentic plank design. Since these are real tongue-and-groove planks, not just some sheet goods made to look like planks
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the appearance is authentic and classic. If you're aiming for a beachside cottage style for instance or the Cape Cod look
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these planks deliver. There's also an installation option that's easier and faster than other methods and I'll show you that in detail coming up next
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Reason number three, fast easy installation. As I mentioned before, Armstrong ceiling planks can be installed directly onto any ceiling with clips and screws that come in the package
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But an optional system called EasyUp makes things even faster and better
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It's a system of metal strips and brackets that offer a huge boost in installation speed and quality
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This system is also ideal when you're installing over popcorn or textured ceilings
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It allows some access to pipes and wires underneath when wood look planks are mounted directly over joists with no drywall
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So if installing and finishing solid wood ceiling planks is beyond your DIY capabilities
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then a wood look system with something like the EasyUp clips may be just what you need. Here's what goes into a typical installation
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Step one, remove any existing crown molding. If your room doesn't have crown in place now, then move immediately to step two
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But if crown molding is present, use a thin flat bar to remove it from the nails that are holding the trim in place
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Even if your room doesn't have crown molding now, you'll need to add some later to cover the screws holding the outermost pieces of ceiling plank
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Step number two, mark ceiling joist locations. Use a stud sensor to find the location of ceiling joists
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then snap a chalk line to extend those lines across the whole length of your ceiling
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Step three, install EasyUp ceiling tracks. These anchor with screws driven through drywall and at least one inch into the underlying joists
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Use a four foot level or straight edge to assess the relative position of the tracks
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They should sit in the same vertical plane with no dips or crowns beyond about an eighth of an inch from track to track
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If you find more deviation than this, then shim the highest track downwards so it's in the same plane as the others
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Step four, install the first row of ceiling planks. Saw the first row of planks to a width such that the last row of planks on the ceiling at the other side of the
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room is about the same size as this first row and no less than two inches wide
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You'll need to use screws to anchor the first strip to the ceiling since the clips can't work right next to the wall
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Leave a half inch wide gap between the wall and the edge of the first strip for possible expansion to happen
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Step five, install the rest of the ceiling planks. This is when good things start to happen fast
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Wherever a plank crosses a metal strip, snap a clip onto the track, then slide that clip tight into the groove on
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the first edge of the first row of planks. Next, lift another plank into position on the ceiling
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interlock the tongue of this new plank into the groove of the existing row, then snap on more clips and fit them tight into the grooves of the planks you've just installed
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Continue the process until the entire ceiling is covered, including that last row of planks fastened with a single screw per plank
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driven near the wall, and don't forget to leave a half inch wide space to allow those planks to expand if necessary
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Step six, install crown molding. Some kind of molding around the perimeter of the ceiling is necessary to hide the screw heads and the expansion gap
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Pre-painting this molding saves you the trouble and risk of keeping paint off your new plank ceiling
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Ceilings can be more than they usually are. Borrow some design details from yesteryear, combine them with modern materials and methods, and you've got a simple, fast, and long-lasting
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installation that needs no special skills, yet delivers classic, long-lasting beauty
