t&g pine ceiling install

[rdzone]

Well I finally bought some t&g pine to start my ceilings in the cabin. I know a number of you have installed t&g in your own cabin so I am looking for some pointers.

I plan on sanding and prefinishing at the house before I take anything to the cabin, but what kind of finish?  I have been thinking shellac or poly any suggestions?  I was thinking at least one coat at the house and then once things are up a final coat.

Any suggestions on how to keep things straight as I know you with t&g if you are not careful it can wander.  Just keep measuring as I go?

Where to start (install on a catherdral ceiling) from the wall or the peak?  I have been thinking from the wall tongue facing toward the peak.

What size and type of nail to use?  yes I have a compressor and nailers.  The boards are 3/4" pine.  I was thinking 2.5 inch finish nails.  What brand nail gun have you all been using?  I think mine is a porter cable.

Thanks for all the input in advance.  You guys and gals are always great at helping out.

[Don_P]

From the wall to the peak, 1-3/4" nails, 2 per rafter @ slightly divergent angles to "hook" it in. Try to crawl back slightly onto the tongue so the nailheads don't show if there is a little shrinkage. If possible put them in a heated dry environment to shrink them down as much as possible. I'm a fan of Waterlox but it has become hard to get locally and has a short shelf life once opened, also noxious fumes. I double coat on the ground. We had one ceiling sprayed 2 coats on the ground with lacquer by an out of work auto body man, that was the cat's whiskers.

[Redoverfarm]

Well I finally bought some t&g pine to start my ceilings in the cabin. I know a number of you have installed t&g in your own cabin so I am looking for some pointers.

I plan on sanding and prefinishing at the house before I take anything to the cabin, but what kind of finish?  I have been thinking shellac or poly any suggestions?  I was thinking at least one coat at the house and then once things are up a final coat.

Any suggestions on how to keep things straight as I know you with t&g if you are not careful it can wander.  Just keep measuring as I go?

Where to start (install on a catherdral ceiling) from the wall or the peak?  I have been thinking from the wall tongue facing toward the peak.

What size and type of nail to use?  yes I have a compressor and nailers.  The boards are 3/4" pine.  I was thinking 2.5 inch finish nails.  What brand nail gun have you all been using?  I think mine is a porter cable.



Thanks for all the input in advance.  You guys and gals are always great at helping out.

Second Don's recommendation on installation.  On finishing I used two coats on the ceiling with a light sanding betwen coats.  You should also figure your coverage area of the T&G.  IE; 1X6 is actually 3/4 X 5-1/2 but there is normally only 5" of face.  Measure occassionally from a course edge to the peak and adjust the run so that you will not end up with a "pie" piece at the top.   

[Canvasman]

I take it, you install the ceiling before drywall on the walls? Also if I wanted to hang a ceiling fan from the peak, any thoughts on forming a box, that would both hide the gap between the 2 T&G meeting at the peak, and the electrical box for the fan.
Thanks.
Eric

[Redoverfarm]

I take it, you install the ceiling before drywall on the walls? Also if I wanted to hang a ceiling fan from the peak, any thoughts on forming a box, that would both hide the gap between the 2 T&G meeting at the peak, and the electrical box for the fan.
Thanks.
Eric

Personally I would hang the drywall first and then start the first T&G "tounge" against it. IMO it would be hard to get a nice sharp corner the other way.  If it works out well you should be able to make the two sides meet. w/o a gap. If not you may have to cut a bevel on a piece of T&G sides that match your pitch and lay it flat in the peak after your sides meet.   As for the electrical box that will take some figuring to determine the thickness of the T&G at that intersection. I used a deep metal box well braced for a fan/light.  That allowed for a beveled cut pieces to go at the peak perpendicular to the ceiling sides.  Remember that you have a trim ring which has a diameter as well and the flat surface will have to be wide enough to allow it to be mounted w/o hitting the ceiling sides.  Clear as Mud?      Any questions let me know.

[rwanders]

I went with two coats of non-yellowing polyurethane with some light sanding between-----definitely coat before installation. Poly is way too loose to try doing it over your head.

[Redoverfarm]

Forgot to mention that I used Polycrylic by Minwax which is a water based poly.  It is a little more expensive than oil based but your cure time is far better allowing several coats in one day.  If you are applying it indoors it also has less fumes.  I use it on everything except areas that would be prone to wear such as floors.

[rwanders]

A big ditto for Minwax Polycrylic, water based.

[rdzone]

Thanks for all the tips.  I guess I need to start applying finish!

[MountainDon]

A big ditto for Minwax Polycrylic, water based.

Absolutely the best!!

[rdzone]

Where did you find gallon containers of Minwax Polycrylic, water based?  All I can find are quarts. 


Chuck

[MountainDon]

Lowe's or Home Depot... don't remember which one for sure.

And I did our ceiling overhead... high quality brush, thin coats well brushed out. Three coats on the ceiling

[Redoverfarm]

Where did you find gallon containers of Minwax Polycrylic, water based?  All I can find are quarts. 


Chuck

Chuck The closest Lowes that I normally shop at quit handling the gallon size as well.  In the last couple of years I have probably bought 4-5 gallons there.  The girl in the paint Department said they only handle quarts.  So I went to another one and was able to find it in gallons.  I think it is just a individual store choice.  If you have another Lowes in the area I would try there. Home Depot also carries it.

[Canvasman]

I have 6/12 outside 4/12 inside scissor truss's 24 inch on center. I want to fricton fit batts then 6 mil poly, then install car siding. Do I need to install some kind of nailer between the trusses for the siding?
Thanks
Eric

[Redoverfarm]

I have 6/12 outside 4/12 inside scissor truss's 24 inch on center. I want to fricton fit batts then 6 mil poly, then install car siding. Do I need to install some kind of nailer between the trusses for the siding?
Thanks
Eric

In addition if your insulation is faced you might not want to run the poly as the moisture would be trapped between the two vapor barriers.  Without seeing what you are describing it is kind of hard to figure out.

[mnboatman]

Well I finally bought some t&g pine to start my ceilings in the cabin. I know a number of you have installed t&g in your own cabin so I am looking for some pointers.

I plan on sanding and prefinishing at the house before I take anything to the cabin, but what kind of finish?  I have been thinking shellac or poly any suggestions?  I was thinking at least one coat at the house and then once things are up a final coat.

Any suggestions on how to keep things straight as I know you with t&g if you are not careful it can wander.  Just keep measuring as I go?

Where to start (install on a catherdral ceiling) from the wall or the peak?  I have been thinking from the wall tongue facing toward the peak.

What size and type of nail to use?  yes I have a compressor and nailers.  The boards are 3/4" pine.  I was thinking 2.5 inch finish nails.  What brand nail gun have you all been using?  I think mine is a porter cable.

Thanks for all the input in advance.  You guys and gals are always great at helping out.

Here is a link to the notes from when I installed my knotty pine:
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=7324.msg110286#msg110286

I prefinished the boards, worked from the bottom up and used 2" nails.

[davidj]

Another thank you for all of the great info on installing T&G.  I've got 2000 linear feet of pine piled up in the cabin and will be starting the install over the holidays - after this thread I feel like I know what to do, which wasn't the case until now.  Not only did this answer all my questions, but I just happend to have bought the Minwax water-based polycrylic!

All I need now is some good weather, otherwise I'm gonna be trying to varnish 16' boards in a 19' by 19' room that's already full of pine, scaffolding, tools, a wood-burning stove and a dog.

[texasgun]

The scaffolding cross supports make great drying racks for your boards

[rdzone]

Had to do some driving around but finally found gallons containers of Minwax Polycrylic water based at home depot.  (My wife works for lowes, so I might get in trouble buying from the enemy, but at least HD carries the gallons) Way cheaper than buying quarts.  So what finish did everyone use, glossy, satin or semi gloss? 

[davidj]

The scaffolding cross supports make great drying racks for your boards

Yeah, that was my plan.  But once I started moving 16' boards around (in a 19' square room) I realized that probably wasn't gonna work.  There's an open loft, but the roof is only 9' high at the wall (1' high in the loft itself) so vertical space is hard to use too.  I think the bit of my brain that handles 3-dimensional problem solving is gonna get more exercise than my nailing or painting arm!!

[Redoverfarm]

Had to do some driving around but finally found gallons containers of Minwax Polycrylic water based at home depot.  (My wife works for lowes, so I might get in trouble buying from the enemy, but at least HD carries the gallons) Way cheaper than buying quarts.  So what finish did everyone use, glossy, satin or semi gloss? 

I guess that is probably a personal preference depending on what strikes your fancy.  For me it was semi-gloss.  IMO I don't think the gloss would look as well on the ceiling.  But then again some may.

[MountainDon]

Satin is my personal choice. Don't like shiny much. I leave the Jeep dirty and dusty too.   

[rdzone]

Thanks I was leaning toward satin myself as I am not to fond of the shiny stuff either.  I figure I have the holidays off, if I do a set number of boards every day I can start installing in the new year.