I have installed a couple of 1×6 T&G ceilings and had a slight problem with all of them … keeping the butt ends aligned. I made sure that the ends fell on ceiling joists for one, and used biscuits for anothger, but the ends still have a slight offset. Yes, I referenced the biscuit joiner fence off the faced side of the boards. What’s the trick?
I’m sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Replies
Block plane and sandpaper.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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What?
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Scarf the joints at a 45 degree over a joist. Yellow glue and sandpaper. accept the fact that it is a cieling not a table top.
when I did a lot of these ceilings, we cut a back bevel on the butt joints to make a v groove similar to the groove you get between the parallel runs of boards. made it so the face alignment was kinda a non issue
Just a thought - might not be for everyones taste.
I always cut to a joist. Are you talking about a difference in width or thickness. In width, I just keep the tongues even. Don't nail off the end until the next piece is there. In thickness, which doesn't make sense if you biscuit, I just put a shim behind the thinner piece. I rarely will use the factory end, they always have a bit of snipe and are seldom nice and square. I always eye ball the end and cut off any snipe or wiggle. I like the idea of making a slight bevel but it is easy to get some blowout with either a block plane or router, especially with a beaded or V profile. With a block plane you can come from both ends, to the middle, to eliminate the splinter from breaking out. It helps to hold the plane on a skew rather than straight on. From your description, I'd say you aren't cutting off the nasty ends far enough. I don't worry about a little waste. If you think ahead you can use odd length pieces for starters and finishers or just cut them on the centers.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
I always cut the mill ends cuz they arte rarely square. If the snipe is bad I cut that too, but it's usually acceptable. It's not a width thing, it's "thickness" or keeping the faces in the same plane.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.