Installation Guide

Metallaire
™
Installation Instructions
R
C
-
30
17-
3
17
CAUTION: The edges of the metal panels are sharp! Wear heavy protective gloves when handling the metal panels.
PREPARATION FOR NAIL-UP CEILING PANEL INSTALLATION
You will fi nd it benefi cial to build scaffolding so you can reach the ceiling comfortably and walk about freely without climbing up and down
ladders. This can be done with sawhorses,
p
lanks and
p
l
y
wood sheets.
N
O
TE
:
Bare steel panels come un
fi
nished and should be cleaned with denatured alcohol and wiped dry. Then the panels must be painted
with an oil based paint to prevent rusting. For best results use a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint. To leave unfi nished steel panels in the
natural color, use clear
g
loss polyurethane.
O
ther panels with prepainted colors and fi nished metal surfaces have a PV
C
fi lm that should be removed before or during installation.
Installing Metallair
e
™
decorative metal panels is a two-person installation;
™
one person is needed to hold the panel in position and
;
the other
p
erson is needed to fasten it.
IN
S
TALLATI
O
N
O
F
S
UB
S
TRATE
Pl
y
wood option
:
Check the joists to see if they are level or fl at (if inclined). To do this, mark a level line around the room using a laser, water level, or
carpenter’s level. Stretch several strings from side to side using the level line as a reference. Mark where you will fasten 3/8-in or 1/2-in
plywood or
OS
B
(
oriented strand board
)
sheets to the ceilin
g
. Measure from the strin
g
s to the bottom of the
j
oists.
S
ecure shims to the
j
oists at the points where the plywood will be fastened. This will ensure that the plywood will be level (or fl at). The shims you install to level
the plywood must be fastened to joists.
I
f
you are installin
g
over an existin
g
plaster or drywall ceilin
g
, locate the hidden
j
oists by tappin
g
on the ceilin
g
until you hear a solid thud.
Drive in a nail to ensure you found a joist. Tap to the side of this joist to fi nd the next joist. Joists are usually 16-in or 24-in on center. Find
and mark the location of each joist. The shims you install to level the plywood must be fastened to joists
.
LAY
OU
T THE R
OOM
Measure the room to determine the la
y
out of the
p
anels. The metal
p
anels are 24-3
/
8-in x 48-3
/
8-in. The 3
/
8-in oversize measurement
is to account for the overla
p
when
p
anels meet. The full–size decorative metal
p
anels will be installed in the center of the room. You will
install border panels along the edges o
f
the room. Border panels have shallower embossing than the decorative panels and
f
orm a more
attractive interface with the cornice.
The la
y
out should be balanced so the borders on o
pp
osite sides of the room are e
q
ual.
To do this
,
fi nd the center of the room in both directions. Strike a chalk line in one
direction down the center of the room. Find the center of the room in the other direction
and strike another chalk line at a 90–degree angle to the fi rst (See Illustration A).
Determine the direction you want to run the 2-ft x 4-ft panels in the room.
S
tarting with
a full panel near the center of the room aligned with the two chalk lines, measure how
much is left at the wall when the last full panel would be installed. If this border is too
large or too small, shi
f
t the center line hal
f
the panel width (or length) short o
f
the
center of the room. Do the same in the other direction and shift the other center line
if necessary. Resnap the chalk lines to indicate the new “centering.” Use the resulting
chalk lines as a guide to install the full panels.
90 deg.
Ill
us
tr
a
t
io
n A