What to Expect During a Commercial Ceiling Installation

Before We Show Up: The Planning Phase (1-4 Weeks)

After you sign off on the estimate, we order materials. Standard ceiling tiles ship in about a week. Specialty products — wood, metal, custom colors — can take 4-8 weeks. We'll give you a specific lead time when we quote the job.

During this time, we finalize the reflected ceiling plan (RCP) with the architect or GC, confirm quantities, and schedule our start date around the other trades. Our work happens after electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and fire sprinkler rough-in is complete above the ceiling.

Day 1: Material Delivery and Setup

We deliver grid, tiles, wire, and hardware to the job site. Materials get staged in the work area or a nearby storage room. Expect a truck and a few trips with a dolly. Ceiling tiles are bulky but not especially heavy — a case of tiles weighs about 30-40 pounds.

We'll need clear access to the work area. Furniture, equipment, or stored items below the ceiling need to be moved before we start. If you're in an occupied building, we'll coordinate timing to minimize disruption.

Grid Installation (The Noisy Part)

This is the loudest phase. We're shooting pins into concrete or steel deck with a powder-actuated tool (it sounds like a nail gun — because it basically is one). Hanger wires get attached to those pins, then the grid framework goes up: wall angles, main tees, cross tees.

For a typical 5,000 square foot office floor, grid installation takes 3-5 days with a two-person crew. Bigger spaces or complex layouts take longer. Open-plan floors go faster than spaces with lots of small rooms.

Noise level: Expect loud bangs every few minutes during wire hanging. We can schedule this for off-hours if your building is occupied. Once the grid is up, the noise drops significantly.

Tile Installation (The Quiet Part)

After the grid is level and squared, tiles drop in. This part is quiet — just guys on lifts placing tiles and cutting edges. A skilled installer drops about 800-1,200 square feet of tile per day.

We cut tiles for lights, air diffusers, sprinkler heads, speakers, and anything else that penetrates the ceiling plane. Each cutout is measured and cut on-site with a utility knife or hole saw.

What About Dust?

Cutting mineral fiber tiles creates dust. Fine, white, chalky dust. We contain it as much as possible, but some will escape. If you have sensitive equipment — servers, medical devices, food prep areas — we'll set up plastic barriers and negative air pressure to keep dust contained.

After installation, expect a light layer of dust on surfaces below the work area. Your cleaning crew should plan for it.

Typical Timelines

• Small office (1,000-2,000 SF): 2-3 days total
• Medium office floor (5,000-10,000 SF): 1-2 weeks
• Large commercial space (20,000+ SF): 3-6 weeks
• Wood or metal ceilings: Add 50-100% more time vs. standard tile

These assume materials are on-site and above-ceiling trades are done. Delays in either push our schedule.

Working in Occupied Buildings

Tenant improvements and renovations often happen in occupied buildings. We do this regularly. We'll work area by area, section off work zones with plastic, and coordinate start/stop times around your business hours. Weekend and after-hours work is available for noise-sensitive spaces.

Punch List and Closeout

After all tiles are in, we do a walkthrough. We check for level grid, tight joints, clean cutouts, no damaged tiles, and proper alignment. If anything's off, we fix it on the spot. The GC or owner does a final punch list walk, and we close out any remaining items within a few days.

How to Prepare Your Space

• Clear the floor below the work area — move furniture, equipment, and stored items
• Confirm all above-ceiling work is complete (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, fire sprinkler)
• Provide power and lighting for our crew
• Designate a material staging area
• Let your occupants know about potential noise and dust

Questions about your upcoming project? Contact us for a free estimate and timeline.