# laminate flooring on ceiling



## mavrick1100 (Jan 5, 2011)

Hi All, I am looking for anyone who has installed laminate flooring on a ceiling. I found Armstrong Laminate Ceiling Planks, but it is very expensive. I have 1000+ sq ft to cover on a cathedral ceiling. I found a contractor on the sister site, Contractor Talk, but cannot contact the contractor to inquire how he performed this.

Anyone with ideas, suggestions, pitfalls, howto's, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Paul


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## cocobolo (Dec 16, 2008)

Paul:

When laminate flooring is installed, it normally sits on a floating membrane. It needs to do this because it moves. This, in itself, makes laminate FLOORING most unsuited for a ceiling application.

The Armstrong products for ceilings are another kettle of fish entirely. They are used routinely in huge commercial installations and have been proven over many years.


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## KCB (Jun 28, 2010)

frankly i dont see how you can walk on the cieling ? :whistling2:Is your house upside down ??


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## stary kozel (Jan 3, 2011)

I did walls using laminate; used screws which I covered with base and rail molding. Works OK for some 3 - 4 years now; walls are more stable regarding temp. and humidity than floors.

Ceiling is more challenging because of large area to be covered. I would use something like grid made from moldings that would hold the squares or rectangles of the* FLOATING! *laminate. 

You would have to find the anchor points into which fasten the moldings, and do your lay-out on paper. You could get fancy and use 2 colors, like checker board or change directions, etc.

The process would be using drywall lift with platform on to of it; you would pre-assemble the laminate sections, lift them up, align, and the install the molding to hold the the laminate. The grid molding assembly would have to be made from 3 molding members : two "L" shapes back to back (this would make something like "T") and one piece to cover the seam between the "L"s. 

I never seen anything like this yet, but the concept should be feasible.

Thinking about it some more:
You could also use the "T" shaped parting strip that is sold with the laminate. Then you would use screws and do not tighten them, so the "T" is loose - this would help you to get your pre-assembled laminate rectangle under the "arms" of the "T". Counter-bore the holes and, after final tightening of the screws, cover then with wooden plugs.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

stary kozel said:


> I did walls using laminate; used screws which I covered with base and rail molding. Works OK for some 3 - 4 years now; walls are more stable regarding temp. and humidity than floors.
> 
> Ceiling is more challenging because of large area to be covered. I would use something like grid made from moldings that would hold the squares or rectangles of the* FLOATING! *laminate.
> 
> ...


If the laminate isn't made for the ceiling, I would be afraid it would sag especially with all the heat that stays at the ceiling.


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## woodman58 (Aug 22, 2010)

The vidio of armstrongs web site is very informative.

http://www.armstrong.com/resclgam/na/ceilings/en/us/video-wood-ceiling-installation.asp


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## [email protected] (Feb 17, 2012)

*Just me*



mavrick1100 said:


> Hi All, I am looking for anyone who has installed laminate flooring on a ceiling. I found Armstrong Laminate Ceiling Planks, but it is very expensive. I have 1000+ sq ft to cover on a cathedral ceiling. I found a contractor on the sister site, Contractor Talk, but cannot contact the contractor to inquire how he performed this.
> 
> Anyone with ideas, suggestions, pitfalls, howto's, would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thank you, Paul


Hello
I put oak laminated flooring that is used for Floating floors on my ceiling, walls, and basement floor.....I used black tar paper under the floaring floor......Looks great and works well........I dont know of anyone else that has done this........You dont know if it will work unless you do it...
VJ:thumbup:


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## JetSwet (Jan 21, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> Hello
> I put oak laminated flooring that is used for Floating floors on my ceiling, walls, and basement floor.....I used black tar paper under the floaring floor......Looks great and works well........I dont know of anyone else that has done this........You dont know if it will work unless you do it...
> VJ:thumbup:


How did u manage to get the pieces to hold to the walls ceiling this is about the silliest thing I have heard?!?!?.....crazy if u will lol post pictures!

Sent from my iPhone 4 ios5


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## Cgator (Jul 20, 2014)

*laminate placed on the ceiling.*

I have seen this process of using laminate on the ceiling too. HGtv used clips made by Armstrong. does anyone know where to get these.???:huh:


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Why would anyone even think about doing it with laminate?
Makes 0 since to me. 
Real wood prefinished T & G would be the way to go.
No way would I want a shiny plastic looking material on a ceiling.
Way to many seams.
It needs to float. ECT, ECT.


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## Cgator (Jul 20, 2014)

we'll I guess you have no imagination and never think out of the box. If your weren't going to be informative you should keep your opinions to your self.:furious::boxing:





joecaption said:


> Why would anyone even think about doing it with laminate?
> Makes 0 since to me.
> Real wood prefinished T & G would be the way to go.
> No way would I want a shiny plastic looking material on a ceiling.
> ...


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

Cgator said:


> we'll I guess you have no imagination and never think out of the box. If your weren't going to be informative you should keep your opinions to your self.:furious::boxing:


And people wonder why pros hesitate to help on these forums. I know a little about using it after being in the business for 41 years, but I won't help anyone with a bad attitude. Good luck.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

The difficulty with laminate flooring on the ceiling is holding it in place. The material is heavy enough that you need lots of fasteners, and it may also expand and contract differently compared with the building structure so the fasteners have to allow some side to side give.

You do not want nails or screws right through the middles of the planks because it is almost impossible to refinish the surface of laminate.

You might use brads in the tongues and grooves but this may make it more difficult to insert each succeeding plank.

You do not need tar paper or underlayment or membrane over and above what other kinds of ceiling finishing materials might need for moisture barrier, etc.


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## mnp13 (Jan 16, 2007)

Laminate on a ceiling? I have to agree with the others - why on earth would you do that? I've seen wood ceilings that look great, but it was real wood not fake. 



> we'll I guess you have no imagination and never think out of the box.


No one has ever made this comment to me in my entire life, and I happen to agree with the person that you are being rude to. What you are planning is going to be very difficult to accomplish and you are planning to use a material that is completely unsuited for the task. If you want to make yourself crazy, go for it.

I looked around online for pictures of one done with laminate, and the only ones that looked ok (in my opinion) were coffered so that the seams didn't show.


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## Thumper67 (May 5, 2017)

I'm interested in the same application. Apparently you/we have a lot of critics but few suggestions. I didn't read all replies, but seems to me the 'floating' part of flooring application addresses the bending stresses of walking and furniture - which won't factor in with ceiling appln. I don't see why you couldn't just first mount a plywood sub-surface then glue (or construction adhesive) the laminate 'flooring' planks in place .... and possibly temporarily jack up supports (2x4's or plywood pieces) until adhesive dries sufficiently to hold permanently ... I'm acutally thinking of a shaped floating drop ceiling which I imagine could be trimmed to shape afterwards - much like trimming excess bits off a backyard deck. If you finished and had different feedback, please share - 
Cheers,
ST


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Pushing up on a board for the glue to dry is a pipe dream.

However, a dab of No More Nails every 18" or so will give rapid set. Regular construction adhesive between will hold it after it drys.

This can glue directly to the drywall.


BUT WHY??????????


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## cjv (Aug 3, 2017)

We put laminate on a ceiling. We even cut the grooves off so make it easier. We nailed it with a brad nailer. We also repurposed some salvaged laminate on the walls in a bunk house. Love it. Next we are going to run with scissors.:vs_no_no_no:


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