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Pop-in Rivets Hold the Grid Square
Once you’ve hung a couple of main tees and locked in 8 to 12 ft. of cross tees, it’s time to square up the grid. Check the diagonal measurements of at least a couple of the openings. When everything is square, rivet the main tees and cross tees to the wall angle.
“This is where most people get into trouble,” says Wade. If things are out of whack in the beginning, the problem will telegraph out across the room. Before you’re done, you may end up trimming full panels instead of just plopping them into place.
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Make Rivet Holes with a Grid Punch
Drilling your rivet holes works fine, but it’s slow-going. If you’ve got more than one suspended ceiling project in your future, a grid punch will save you a bunch of time.
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Cut the Flanges First
The cleanest way to cut the main tees to length is to cut the bottom flange first from both directions. Then cut the stem last. That’ll give you a clean, flat cut. Wade’s cutting tool of choice is a pair of high-quality, yellow-handled (straight-cut) aviator snips.
