Replies

1. 
   PaulParadis | Apr 02, 2002 02:50am | #1

   Gary Katz has a book out that has a simple method that works well.

1. 
   RonRappel | Apr 02, 2002 05:51pm | #6

   Thanks for the suggestion Paul.  Do you happen to know the title of the book

   by Gary Katz?  I seem to be having trouble doing a search on the books available

   through Tauton Press on there website.

   Ron

1. 
   BillHartmann | Apr 02, 2002 06:26pm | #8

   JLC/Craftsman Books published it. It is available from Amazon

   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/192858005X/qid=1017764663/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9188668-2578227

   Actually if you are not in hurry I would wait a month or so. It quality of the pictures is not that good and they are print a new edition now.

1. 
   RonRappel | Apr 02, 2002 08:13pm | #9

   Thanks for the info Bill.

   Ron

2. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 02, 2002 03:45am | #2

   Ron,

   One of the simplest methods for doing coffered ceilings is to first apply a layer of 3/4 CDX or underlayment to the ceiling joists. This will make the entire ceiling a suitable nailing surface. If your room is 8 x 12 this will add an additional $30 bucks to the cost of the job for a sheet and a half of plywood. Then skinning this with 3/8" drywall will made a prefect ceiling.

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

1. 
   Mongo | Apr 02, 2002 07:08am | #3

   I'm with Joe on this one.

   A skin of ply works wonders with coffered ceilings, or when tinning them.

   After skinning w ply, screw nailers to the ply, then fasten your "U" faux beams (or whatever you choose to do) to the nailers.

   Joe, you've got to lend me that plywood stretcher of your someday.<g>

   Edited 4/2/2002 12:11:39 AM ET by Mongo

1. 
   BossHog | Apr 02, 2002 02:26pm | #4

   Mnogo -

   Maybe Joe buys bigger sheets of plywood than we do..............(-:

2. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 02, 2002 02:58pm | #5

   Mongo, Boss,

   I get those "special" sheets of plywood ;-}. Mongo I've been looking for that thing for about 20 years, someone once told me it was near the sky hook!It looks like I'll have to redo my materials list on this one ;-]. There goes the profit. . . .

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

2. 
   RonRappel | Apr 02, 2002 06:07pm | #7

   I never would have thought of using plywood.  I still have some firring strips

   fastened to the floor joists that the old plaster lath was attached to; would you

   suggest I fasten the plywood to them or pull them down and fasten it straight

   to the joists?

   Although I'm curious to see what Gary Katz has to say in his book, I'm thinking

   about making faux beams out of hardwood (screwing it to the plywood), and

   then use crown moulding to dress up the inside of the boxes.  I'm wondering if

   I could get away with using some kind of veneer plywood and then stain that

   so the coffer would all be stained wood?

    Ron

3. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 02, 2002 10:20pm | #10

   Ron,

   You might want to take a look at this simple detail for constructing a false beam. It use common 2x4's some solid crown and 3/4" hardwood plywood to make up the bottom of the beam.

   I've provided a clickable link because the graphic is a little bigger then the window here.

   SEE DETAIL

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

1. 
   Piffin | Apr 03, 2002 03:23am | #11

   Joe,

   Do you ever have any problem with the two bys trying to twist and roll on that detail? It looks practicle and do-able but the framing lumber we get doesn't like to hold still.

   I'm supposing that the smaller sections created in a coffered ceiling would let you cross lap joints to tie them together and resist that effect.....

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 03, 2002 03:50am | #12

   Piffin,

   Way back in the last incarnation of this forum there was a discussion on different types of framing lumber and where and when to use them. This is where I would use KD lumber and not Green. The stuff that is straight in KD tends to stay straight, even though most of the stuff is boat building material. Green lumber is another story, as it dries it dances the fandango. . ..

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

1. 
   Piffin | Apr 03, 2002 04:48am | #13

   I never buy green. KD only but KD is dried to 19% surface is all. For wood work 11% or less is about right for my area. I'm in the habit of buying an extra fifteen percent for framing and try to use up the junk on blocking, braces, etc.

   This past year I went back into a basement room to finish it after letting it set for a year because the owner delayed the job after we had the interior framed. Had to replace and renail lots of studs because of twisting.

   Common lumber here is spruce which has more of a natural tendency to twisting than doug fir, hemlock or SYP.

   I wasn't challenging your choice of wood but trying to see if you did anything to overcome the natural tendencies like using construction adhesive or screws instead of nails.

   Excellence is its own reward!

2. 
   RonRappel | Apr 03, 2002 06:32pm | #14

   That's exactly what I'm looking for J; thanks alot!

   Will be starting on this in a couple weeks and will

   let you know how I make out.

   Ron

1. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 03, 2002 06:49pm | #15

   Ron,

   By also using some casing and baseboard mouldings you can quickly increase the "flavor" of the design. If you like to see some variation let me know.

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

1. 
   SAWright99 | Apr 03, 2002 07:34pm | #16

   Joe,

   Any advice as to proportions in the ceiling? Such as, square size of the flat area and also its relationship to the "frame" widths. I'm trying to visualize if a coffered ceiling inset into 16"oc joists would be visually appealing or not. I'd build molding on each side of the joist bottoms, etc with drywall panels. Insetting would gain visual headroom in a low ceiling. Opinions?

   Thanks,

   Steve

1. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 03, 2002 08:32pm | #17

   Steve,

   The first thing that comes to mind is that if you recess the "coffers" into the joists you can only go one-way and you'd be restricted to the joist layout in the room.Considering also that the spacing between 16" O.C. joists is about 14-1/2", you'd wind up with very little space across the coffer.

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

2. 
   Joe_Fusco | Apr 03, 2002 11:48pm | #18

   Steve,

   In Ron's 8 x12 room this layout might be fun.

   They say lightning dosen't strike twice. . .

   Let's hope so. . .

3. 
   SAWright99 | Apr 04, 2002 04:54pm | #19

   Thanks for your thoughts Joe.

   Ya, the < 14" area for the flat part is probably too small a grid. I was hopeful that maybe you'd seen it done with such a small grid and thought is looked ok. I'll have to come up with something else to dress up the ceiling while gaining a bit of altitude inside the joist bays. I don't think my wife liked the idea anyway.

   Steve