I put up them fiber ceiling tiles 15 years ago. Had water damage from leak from roof. The crown molding I just ripped down has a line on the bottom of the wall tile board. I want to staple or glue new tiles over the old. Is that doable? The new molding will cover the crappy line. If I rip ceiling down, the molding will not cover line. I do not want to mess with the walls.
Armstrong ceiling tile staple gun
Aug 13, 2019
11 Replies
Glue - mabee. Staple??? Slim chance.
Even the glue option is really a long-shot. I'd tear the ceiling down and install a bigger crown molding. ( or tear it down and strap it with thicker strapping)
Two things to consider
- If they had water damage will they have a mold problem if left in place?
- I don't know of any staples long enough to secure a second layer.
Not for an Arrow T-50 style gun but my Bostitch pneumatic will shoot staples about an inch and a quarter long. For something like soft ceiling tile I like to run a piece of 16 or 18 gauge wire along the rib and straddle it with the staple. That ain't going anywhere.
Recommend a staple gun, non air. I will rip this s*it down and start over.Armstrong 12 x 12 fiber ceiling tiles. I have an Arrow from years ago but need clean.
Before you do that, think hard about replacing those tiles with 1/4" drywall. I pulled down about a 16' x 4' piece of my basement tiles pulled for replumbing. I notice nearly all of the 12" x 12" tiles have sagging. They all have bellies. The entire 16' x 30' room. The tiles are probably 30-50 years old. Pretty sure I'm going to drywall the entire room ceiling.
1/2 inch lightweight is MUCH easier to hang than 1/4" . Unless you got lots of help you're going to break a lot of drywall .
Since I am concerned with that line, how about carpet tack strips to give me the quarter inch needed to hide it?
You're kidding , right ? (18 years as a floor mechanic) How about you put a strip of molding about 1 1/4" or so wide and 1/4" thick on the wall so that it hides the line and gives you about a quarter or 3/8 inch reveal below the crown mold ? (20+ years as a cabinet maker) BTW , pg door stop strip would work well , and will add a bit more detail . Another possibility is picture mold set about 1/4 - 3/8" below the crown mold . That would also give you a means to ... wait for it ... hang pictures !
Carpet strips on the furring strips already there to lower all blocks a quarter inch.
I would just use a few burlap strips - or even better, (and cheaper)set up your table saw and rip 1/4 inch or 5/16 strips off of a straight grained 2X Tack strip is only 3/4 inch wide (OK, some is 7/8) and you don't need the "burrs" - and it's about $0.30 a foot I'd put a bead of PL on the cut strip and throw in a nail every foot or so.
Thanks all. Taking a break now. Considred cleaning the 'line'. So far so good. Scour pad on the slow.
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