CEILING

PART 3 - EXECUTIONS

CEILING FRAMING INSTALLATION

A. Install in accordance with ASTM C754.

B. Coordinate location of hangers with other work.

C. Install ceiling framing independent of walls, columns, and above ceiling

work.

D. Reinforce openings in ceiling suspension system which interrupt main

carrying channels or furring channels, with lateral channel bracing.
Extend bracing minimum 600 mm past each end of openings.

GYPSUM BOARD INSTALLATION

A. Install gypsum board in accordance with GA-201 and GA-216.

B. Erect single layer standard gypsum board in horizontal,
with ends and edges occurring over firm bearing.

C. Use screws when fastening gypsum board to metal furring or framing.

D. Erect exterior gypsum soffit board perpendicular to

supports, with staggered end joints over supports.

E. Treat cut edges and holes in gypsum board with sealant.

F. Place control joints consistent with lines of building spaces as indicated.

G. Place corner beads at external corners as indicated. Use

longest practical length. Place edge trim where gypsum
board abuts dissimilar materials as indicated.

H. Apply gypsum board in accordance with manufacturer‟s instructions.

JOINT TREATMENT

A. Tape, fill, and sand exposed joints, edges, and corners to

produce smooth surface ready to receive finishes.

B. Feather coats onto adjoining surfaces so that camber is

maximum 1.6mm.

C. Taping, filling and sanding is not required at surfaces

behind adhesive applied ceramic tile.

D. Tape joints and corners of cement backing board

TOLERANCES

A. Maximum Variation of Finished Gypsum Board Surface

from True Flatness: 3mm in 3m in any direction.

** END OF SECTION **
We’re building a house in the Philippines.  Here’s how we’ll be installing our ceilings.

Our ceilings will be about 30cm (1′) below the top of our walls and 3.1m (10′) above
the finished floors.  We wanted high ceilings because we hope that the hot air will rise
above us but also because it makes our modest rooms feel more spacious.  Changing
lightbulbs will be a challenge!

Generally Philippine ceilings are marine plywood or one of the cement board products
such as Hardiflex.  The price is about the same. There are plusses and minuses for
both.  Termites and rot don’t attack cement board but the cement board is said to be
more affected by roof leaks.  Originally we decided to use marine plywood.  Cement
board is a totally uniform material.  Plywood has some texture, some hint of once
being a natural product.  We  like the look of plywood ceiling better but, based on
comments we’ve received (see below) on this blog, we’ve decided to use 4.5mm
Hardiflex.

Ceilings can be supported by wooden joists or one of many suspended ceiling

systems.  We decided to use 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ 2.5mm steel angle bar as our main ceiling
support system.  This decision was a bit irrational, but not totally.  We have good
welders.  Decent wood is expensive, more expensive than steel.  We paid P375 for 6M
lengths of the angle bar.  We painted the steel with epoxy primer, but then wood is
normally treated with a preservative.

The usual lightweight suspended ceiling systems just seemed too flimsy.  As can be
seen in the photo, our ceiling system is strong enough to walk on, a real advantage for
storage, and repairs and maintenance.  Our roof is high above the ceiling, three
meters higher at the center, so the possibility of attic storage is real.  Anyway the angle
bar system seemed substantial and affordable so that’s what we’ve done.

First, angle bar is bolted around the perimeter of the room at the ceiling height.  These
are bolted to the hollow block wall using 3/8″ lag screws and lead expansion bolts.  A
60cm (2′) x 120cm grid of angle bar is welded to these supports.  The 120cm span is
split using 1″ flat bar.  The angle bar crossing the center of the room is heavier (2″ x 2″
x 3mm) to support the heavy Hunter ceiling fan.  Supports using scrap material extend
from the ceiling angle bar to the steel roof rafters, further making the ceiling structure
strong.I have to disclose that our engineer has told us that this whole system is ridiculously
overbuilt and wasteful.
Each 60 x 120cm panel will have a bevel at the edge.  The holes for recessed pin
lighting will be cut before the Hardiflex is installed.  The Hardiflex will be attached to
the angle bar using blind rivets recessed into the Hardiflex.  The recesses will be filled
with auto body filler and the ceiling primed and painted.  A crown molding will cover
the joint between the Hardiflex and the wall.  These are all very standard ceiling details
on modest Philippine houses.  We find this grid-pattern ceiling to be more attractive
than a plain flat.  Fancier Philippine houses go in for all sorts of over-the-top ceiling
elaborations, the more complex the better.

Holes are drilled through the Hardiflex, angle bar (1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ x 2mm) and flat bar and
the Hardiflex riveted to the ceiling with 3/16″ blind rivets.  Holes are drilled with Bosch
cobalt twist drill bits.  The Hardiflex is abrasive and dulls ordinary bits almost instantly.
The cobalt bits need constant sharpening.  The worker sharpen the bits using a grinding
wheel on the 4″ angle grinder.  The workers are installing the rivets with a Craftsmen
riveting tool I bought at Sears a decade or two ago and never found too much use for.  It
really gets a work out here!

Fibre cement board advantage

and installation
Cement board is a combination of
cementand reinforcing fibers formed into 4 foot by 8 foot sheets (or 3 foot by 5 f
oot sheets),

1/4 to 1/2 inch thick that are typically used as a
tilebacking board. Cement board can be nailed or screwed to wood or steel stud
s to

create a substrate for vertical tile and attached horizontally to
plywood for tile floors,kitchen counters and backsplashes.
It can be used on the exterior of buildings as a base for exterior plaster
systems and sometimes as the finish system itself.

Cement board adds impact resistance and strength to the wall surface as comp
ared to water resistant gypsumboards.
Cement board is also fabricated in thin sheets with polymer modified cements to 
allow bending for curved surfaces.

Advantage
As a tile backing board, cement board has better long-term performance than p
aper-faced gypsum core products because it

will not mold, mildew or physically break down in the continued presence of moi
sture or leaks. Cement board is not actually

waterproof, but it is highly resistant to absorbing moisture and has excellent dryi
ng properties. In areas continually exposed to

water spray (i.e. showers) a waterproofing barrier is usually recommended behi
nd the boards or as a trowel-
applied product to the face of the boards behind the finish system.

Installation
Cement board is hung with corrosion resistant screws or ring-shank
nail,Cement board has very little movement under thermal stress,

but the boards are usually installed with a slight gap at joints in shower pans, ba
thtubs, and each other. These joints are then filled with silicone
sealantor the manufacturer’s taping compounds before applying a finish. The fill
ed joints are taped like conventional gypsum

board, but with fiberglass tapes that provide additional water resistance. Combi
ned with a water impermeable finish, cement board is a

stable, durable backing board

Fiber Cement Board Application: 

-3.5-6mm for interior ceiling and can be used for the facing panel of Sandwich
Board
-8-15mm for the interior partition
-8-12mm for the External Siding, Cladding or Facade
-18-22mm for the furniture desk
-18-30mm for Indoor Floor Decking
-22-30mm for Indoor Stair
Installation
Tools: 
No special tools are required. The products can be used with normal nails,
fastened by normal or self-drilling screws and cut by an electric power saw with
a diamond blade.

Fixing: 
Fiber cement board can be fixed to both timber (minimum size 1.5 x 3 inches) or
steel frames (at least 0.55 mm thickness). The board must be supported at the
edge at intermediate positions with centers not exceeding 600 mm. Screws
must be located more than 12 mm from edges and 50 mm from board corners.

Fastener: 
Fasteners can be both nails and screws. It can be nailed directly to timber
supports with round wire nails. For metal screws, the size and length of the
screw depends on the thickness of the board and the gauge of framing. Pre-
drilling the board is a must unless self-embedding, self-drilling head screws.
Jointing: 
Since fibre-cement board is subject to slight dimensional changes, a butt joint
can be used in dry partitioning areas or where an exposed joint appearance is
acceptable. For better water protection, either flexible acrylic or polyurethane
based sealant can be used to seal gaps of 3-5mm.