Transforming your space with Shanko metal ceilings and walls is easier than you think. Our detailed installation guides walk you through each step — from preparing your surface to perfecting the final finish. Whether you’re applying panels directly or installing a suspended ceiling, these instructions ensure lasting beauty, precision, and performance worthy of Shanko craftsmanship.
Ensure that your hands are well-protected while you are handling metal ceiling tiles. The edges of these tiles are very sharp!
If you are using construction adhesive or glue, skip steps 2, 3, and 4. Even when using glue, Tin Ceiling Xpress recommends using nails or screws for the shims.
Nail-up style tin ceilings must be affixed to a soft wood substrate. There are two options to provide this substrate. The easiest way is to cover your entire ceiling with sheets of ⅜” or ½” plywood. Traditionally, tin ceilings are installed using furring strips. Continue reading if you plan to use furring strips. Jump to step 5 if you choose to use plywood.
To install your new tin ceiling using furring strips, build a grid pattern using 1” x 2” or 1” x 3” strips. Check the bottom of the ceiling joists for any bows along its surface by holding a straight edge to the bottom of the joist. If there is any variation, you will need to compensate for it later.
The first furring strips should be installed around the perimeter of the room, according to the cornice dimensions on the center of the strips. Draw a chalk line to serve as a reference. After the furring strips have been installed around the perimeter, attach the remaining strips to the ceiling from its center radiating outward. The furring strips should be run perpendicular to ceiling joists at 12” intervals across the room.
With all of your furring strips in place, it is time to ensure that they are level. Use a piece of string to test this by creating a loop at either end of the string, then hang the loops on two nails placed opposite each other across the room. Ideally, the boards and the string should be even along the entire length of the room.
If any gaps appear between the string and the board, you will need to bring the furring strip down so that it is level with the string. This can be accomplished by inserting shims (wedge-shaped pieces of wood) between the furring strips and the ceiling to raise low areas.
Once the furring strips are installed and level, it is time to add blocking strips. They should run cross-wise between the furring strips at 2-foot intervals to provide you with a nailing surface on all four sides of each 2’x2’ panel.
Tin ceiling tiles are best installed from the center, radiating outward. To find the center of your ceiling, stretch a chalk line between the two sets of opposite corners of the room. The lines will intersect at the center of the ceiling. Next, stretch two lines through this center point so each is parallel to one pair of walls. These lines will be your baselines.
In a flawless tin ceiling installation, the layout is balanced in such a way that the panels touching one wall are the same size as the panels touching the opposite wall. Figure out how many tiles will fit along the baselines, taking care to account for overlap (usually ⅛”), and plan to install your tin ceiling accordingly.
USE HEAVY-DUTY WORK GLOVES FROM THIS POINT ONWARD
Tin ceiling panels are sharp, so take care to avoid injury from their edges. Start installing tiles from the center of the room, and work outward from there. Take care to align each panel with its neighbor and allow their edges to overlap. Drive decorative conehead nails in every 6 inches — they will become part of the overall pattern.
The only tools necessary for cutting and shaping tin ceiling panels are a pair of straight tin snips and a pair of aviation snips designed to cut curves. These are particularly useful when cutting around obstacles such as an overhead light box, or cutting miters.
After your tin ceiling is installed, you will need to install a cornice to cover the gaps along its edges to provide a seamless finished look. The cornice can be installed by nailing it into the ceiling through the ceiling panels and into the wall at 6” intervals. When purchasing cornices, take note of their measurements. The projection of the cornice is a measurement of how far it will extend across the ceiling. The depth of the cornice is a measure of how far it will extend down the wall.
The inside corners can be easily shaped using a pair of snips. Trim the first piece of cornice to length with a straight cut and slip it into place. Then, cut the second piece on an angle with a notched edge (hold the two cornices against each other and trace to scribe this curve). The angled section will slip over the first, and the notches cut will help to blend the corners.
If you need to cut any outside corners of your cornice, miters can be cut using aviation snips. Hold the two strips of cornice as they will meet on the ceiling and scribe the curved edge on each piece. Score the piece to be installed second by cutting ⅛” snips into the metal. To blend the cut edges, first tap the edges gently with a hammer and then use the head of a nail to blend or caulk the seam.
Any steel material should be coated with an oil-based product for protection and best results. Tin ceiling tiles and cornices can be purchased from Tin Ceiling Xpress in a wide variety of professionally pre-finished styles.
If you decide to paint your new metal ceiling, be sure to use an oil-based primer and paint, as water-based products will cause the steel to rust. Unfinished steel must be cleaned with wax and grease cleaner prior to painting. Neither our white nor our pre-finished panels need to be cleaned. Take care not to scratch pre-finished tiles when nailing up the ceiling. Our vintage hand-painted finished tiles have thicker coatings as well as textures that effectively conceal any scratches or dings.
Pictured: Large Floral Antique Brass Nail-up
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Obtain the exact measurements of the room where you’ll be installing your new tin ceiling using a tape measure. Then, plot the dimensions on graph paper.
All tin ceiling tiles from Tin Ceiling Xpress measure 2’ x 2’, making it simple to calculate how many tiles you’ll need to cover your ceiling.
Be sure to purchase a few extra tiles to allow for any cutting errors or installation adjustments.
Use a level to draw a line around the room — perfectly parallel to the floor — at least 3 to 4 inches below the existing ceiling to allow for proper clearance.
Carefully attach the wall angles to the wall by nailing them into the studs. Ensure the bottom flange of each wall angle aligns precisely with your drawn line.
Stretch a tight line from the top of the wall angle at each location where you plan to install the main tees.
Cut your suspension wires so that they’re 12 inches longer than the distance between the old ceiling and the level line you drew for the main tees.
Install the first suspension wire for each main tee directly above the first cross tee intersection. Secure the wires to the ceiling using screw hooks or nails.
Continue installing a suspension wire every 4 feet, stretching each wire to remove kinks and bending it at a 90° angle where it meets the level line.
Measure the distance between the wall and the first cross tee.
Mark this distance along the top flange of the main tee and locate the slot immediately beyond this point. From there, measure back the same distance and subtract ⅛ inch to account for the wall angle thickness.
Cut the main tee at this point, then install it so it’s level with the wall angles already in place.
Insert the ends of each cross tee into the slots of the main tees to form a grid pattern.
Install cross tees every 2 feet to match the size of your tin ceiling tiles.
To complete your suspended ceiling, simply lift each tin ceiling tile into the lay-in grid. Align them carefully and let them settle neatly into place.
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