Strapping a Ceiling
| by Mark J. Donovan | January 02, 2006
Prior to hanging sheetrock to ceiling joists it is important that strapping first be installed.
Strapping helps prevent cracks from showing up later in your home’s ceiling, as well as provides more surface area for securing the sheetrock to the ceiling.
Strapping typically consists of 1”x 3” boards that are nailed perpendicular to the ceiling joists. Strapping can be purchased at any home improvement center as individual sticks or in bundles of 10, and comes in lengths from 8 to 16 feet.
Strapping should be applied every 16 inches on center perpendicular to, and across, the ceiling joists. Care should be made in installing the strapping such that two pieces of abutting sheetrock each have access to approximately 1.5” of surface area of the strapping material. For example, the centerline of the 3rd row of strapping from a wall should be at 48 inches (the width of a piece of sheetrock). Not the edge of the strapping!
The installation of strapping is straight forward in concept, however significant care should be given to ensure that it is securely nailed and runs straight. Otherwise the sheetrocking effort may not go smoothly or be installed properly.
On pitched ceilings, it may help to use a chalk line and level to ensure straight lines. Also, the use of a Nail Gun is very helpful in this task, as nailing over one’s head can quickly become tiring. Not to mention, the job goes much faster.
Strapping helps prevent cracks from showing up later in your home’s ceiling, as well as provides more surface area for securing the sheetrock to the ceiling.
Strapping typically consists of 1”x 3” boards that are nailed perpendicular to the ceiling joists. Strapping can be purchased at any home improvement center as individual sticks or in bundles of 10, and comes in lengths from 8 to 16 feet.
Strapping should be applied every 16 inches on center perpendicular to, and across, the ceiling joists. Care should be made in installing the strapping such that two pieces of abutting sheetrock each have access to approximately 1.5” of surface area of the strapping material. For example, the centerline of the 3rd row of strapping from a wall should be at 48 inches (the width of a piece of sheetrock). Not the edge of the strapping!
The installation of strapping is straight forward in concept, however significant care should be given to ensure that it is securely nailed and runs straight. Otherwise the sheetrocking effort may not go smoothly or be installed properly.
On pitched ceilings, it may help to use a chalk line and level to ensure straight lines. Also, the use of a Nail Gun is very helpful in this task, as nailing over one’s head can quickly become tiring. Not to mention, the job goes much faster.
Article Source: http://www.articleset.com
You are welcome to publish or reprint this article free of charge, provided:
- you include the entire article, unchanged, including the "About The Author" box
- all hyperlinks remain active, including the bottom ArticleSet.com link (does not apply to print publications)
- you agree not to hold the authors nor ArticleSet.com liable for any loss profits, expenses, or any other damages resulting from the use or misuse of articles published on this website
Menu
Home Top ArticlesTop AuthorsSubmit ArticleArticleSet BlogLink To UsArticle FeedsTermsContactFeatured
Down Pillow Teka Kitchen Sink New York City Carpet CleaningLanguage
