# Coffered Ceilings



## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

I highly recommend doing the "u-shaped" box method. This was the first time I had tried it, and won't be going back to any other method :no::

http://www.diychatroom.com/f49/coffered-ceiling-40460/

The inside of the coffers are existing sheetrock in the above situation.

J


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## 01stairguy (Feb 26, 2009)

here some semples


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

Nice stuff :thumbsup: Ya got any more pics of how you do your frame work for the op?


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

WOW...nice work !!

I can't show these pics to the wife until I'm ready to do finish work
I'll probably do sheetrock for now & add the coffers later


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

chicken :laughing:


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

And to the op, if you don't have access to a cad/design program, definitely work everything out on graph paper first, and probably a few times. :yes:


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## 01stairguy (Feb 26, 2009)

:wink:sorry this is all i got for framing is just scrap in some areas and 2x6 in most of the area


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

No problem, _great_ looking work. :thumbsup:


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Jay123 said:


> chicken :laughing:


Yup...a little :yes:
Need to pay off the general construction costs before I get into fancy stuff
Plu$ the wife want$ a new kitchen....$igh


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

First, look at the pics from stairguy, and you will realize that the depth of the beams need to be more than just a 2x nailer with a cap board, usually 4 to 6" leaves a nice reveal on the depth of the beam after installing crown or bed inside the coffer. The most critical part is planning the layout; since this has a ceiling fan, it will either need to fall in the center the beam intersections or the center of a recess. This is about pleasing the eye in relation to the room layout, so everything has to be thought of; any existing fireplaces, large prominent doors or windows, large island location if in kitchen, you get it. Don't make the mistake of getting hung up on the idea that all sections have to be identical,they just have to work with each other, and the room. And as you see in one of the pics, it looks much better to have a beam around the perimeter than not.I prefer a little different method than fabing u-shaped beams. Once you have the plan, pop chalklines on the ceiling the width of the interior dimensions of the beams. Critical that they are accurately measured for location and squareness, as this will be your working template. I then rip enough 3/4" plywood (I use birch for stability) to use for nailers on the ceiling. Apply the pieces perpendicular to the ceiling joists first, following the chalk lines and using long enough nails to reach the joists, and cutting so splices land on joists. We also come behind and send one long screw into each joist. Apply the cross pieces with construction adhesive and a 14 to 16" splice plate of the same plywood, bridging the butt joints. I then just have to build a series of square or rectangular boxes to fit snugly within the layout, this is easily and quickly done on the floor or work table, and nailed into the plywood nailers. A simple jig locates nailers to set the depth of the bottom closure around the perimeter of each frame before it is nailed up. Install the ceiling of choice within the frames and trim out with crown or bed. Sounds complicated to describe, but it is pretty simple. The work is in getting a pleasing layout.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Very nice looking work, stairguy. The attention to layout is obvious to me in lots of things in those pics. :thumbup:


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

troubleseeker said:


> First, look at the pics from stairguy, and you will realize that the depth of the beams need to be more than just a 2x nailer with a cap board, usually 4 to 6" leaves a nice reveal on the depth of the beam after installing crown or bed inside the coffer.
> 
> The most critical part is planning the layout; since this has a ceiling fan, it will either need to fall in the center the beam intersections or the center of a recess. This is about pleasing the eye in relation to the room layout, so everything has to be thought of; any existing fireplaces, large prominent doors or windows, large island location if in kitchen, you get it.
> 
> ...


much easier to read :wink:


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

...or, look here http://picasaweb.google.com/jjfwoodworks/CofferedCeiling?feat=directlink :whistling2:

:wink:


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