Suspended/drop ceiling? Minimum drop you can get away with?

[PingSpike]

I've read on Armstrong's website the minimum is 3". Well...I'd like to get it to line up with the basement windows which are about 2.75". I've heard there are some tile types that flex a bit and let you get away with less. Anyone have any experience in this?

 

[Squisher]

3" is to allow for removal of any tile. You can get by with less if you have some adjoining tiles that have the 3" which that tile can be passed over to for removal.

There are other systems which allow for NO clearance and go right up to the joist.

EDIT: Here is just one such system it seems to me there was one called MaxHeight or something.

 

[XZeroII]

I have some with zero clearance. It's nice if you don't have much room but it's nearly impossible to get them down. I'd much rather be able to remove a tile if necessary.

 

[jupiter57]

You can do 1 1/4" - 2" with standard Acoustical tile.
The trick is to leave one end of every 4th. "T" member floating. (Cut off just enough of the clip to hold it onto the runner.)
Not the best way, but should you have to remove or replace tiles, this makes it so much easier.
Just be sure to stagger the "floaters" in adjoining runs.

 

[PingSpike]

I've never installed a kit before...is it possible to do something like leave one cross beam off, stick all the tiles in through it and finish most of the room, then rest the final tiles up inside before putting in the last cross T? I realize I'd lose the ability to completely remove a tile and replacement would be a bitch.

 

[jupiter57]

I've never installed a kit before...is it possible to do something like leave one cross beam off, stick all the tiles in through it and finish most of the room, then rest the final tiles up inside before putting in the last cross T? I realize I'd lose the ability to completely remove a tile and replacement would be a bitch.

Yes, this is somewhat along the lines of what I was saying.
If you want to go that extreme, just leave one "T" loose.
When you set the final tile in place (Either way), that tile or tiles will bring everything together tightly & you won't have to worry about any tiles falling out.
The reasoning behind my earlier post is to make all tiles replaceable with a minimum of hassle, whereas if you leave only one "T" loose, you would have to start at that particular point just to replace even one tile on the other side of the room, whereas with multiple points, less trouble removing one or two tiles when need be.

Done this a few times myself & seen it done dozens of times elsewhere.

 

[BurnItDwn]

3" is to allow for removal of any tile. You can get by with less if you have some adjoining tiles that have the 3" which that tile can be passed over to for removal.

There are other systems which allow for NO clearance and go right up to the joist.

EDIT: Here is just one such system it seems to me there was one called MaxHeight or something.

I've got the Ceilinglink in my basement Home Theater room. I put 1/2 in of furring up to allow routing of cables, then I screwed the ceilinglink into the furring strips as well as the walls along the perimeter of the room.

Anyhow, A friend and I put the ceiling up, Worked on it on and off for a couple of days, it wasn't very difficult, though it was a bit of a challenge to keep everything lined up and square...

Prior to this, I had an old drop ceiling which was about 6 inches deep, and the grid was rusty and I was redoing some of the internal walls, so I pulled it down, and just reused many of the 2x4 tiles (though I painted them dark blue with flat paint so they would not reflect too much light.)

 

[PingSpike]

Yeah, it looks like a fairly simple and cheap project as long as you take the time to measure and get everything square. I think I'll try to get some of those slightly flexible tiles (I saw one person say they installed them with 1" of clearance) and if that doesn't fly I'll just employ one of the cheat methods like jupiter57 suggested.

I figure that flat out removing the tiles isn't that big of a deal. You can push them up and slide them over to get access right? (Putting the tile on top of another up in the ceiling) If that's right the only time I'd ever need to flat out remove one would be to replace a damaged one which hopefully would be a rare event.

 

[Fritzo]

I've got the Ceilinglink in my basement Home Theater room. I put 1/2 in of furring up to allow routing of cables, then I screwed the ceilinglink into the furring strips as well as the walls along the perimeter of the room.

Anyhow, A friend and I put the ceiling up, Worked on it on and off for a couple of days, it wasn't very difficult, though it was a bit of a challenge to keep everything lined up and square...

Prior to this, I had an old drop ceiling which was about 6 inches deep, and the grid was rusty and I was redoing some of the internal walls, so I pulled it down, and just reused many of the 2x4 tiles (though I painted them dark blue with flat paint so they would not reflect too much light.)

I'm installing a Ceilinglink system right now in my basement.

 

[BoberFett]

I'm installing a Ceilinglink system right now in my basement.

Pics?

I've considered doing a drop ceiling. Rocking a basement ceiling seems so permanent in an area that's full of wiring and pipes, I'd rather do a drop ceiling now that you can get some decent looking tiles and also not lose several inches of ceiling height.

 

[Fritzo]

Pics?

I've considered doing a drop ceiling. Rocking a basement ceiling seems so permanent in an area that's full of wiring and pipes, I'd rather do a drop ceiling now that you can get some decent looking tiles and also not lose several inches of ceiling height.

I just put the boarder up right now. I'll post pics when I get done with it.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Pics?

I've considered doing a drop ceiling. Rocking a basement ceiling seems so permanent in an area that's full of wiring and pipes, I'd rather do a drop ceiling now that you can get some decent looking tiles and also not lose several inches of ceiling height.

Man I hate basement ceilings that have been permanently sealed by sheetrock. Can't work on anything without knocking holes in it.

 

[PingSpike]

The room I have is exactly 12' long and about 10'8" wide. I was going to use 2x4 panels and I should only need to buy two main runners I figure. However an apparently crappy online calculator suggests four main runners and I have no idea what I would do with them. Even if I installed them parallel the 10'8" side I figure I'd only need three.

A 12' runner will fit perfectly in a 12' room won't it? <- stupid question but I really don't want to have to go back and jam another one in my car.