FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
How-To

Tips for a Coffered Ceiling

Cover up an old ceiling with beams and new drywall

By Charles Bickford Issue 221
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

As part of a yearlong renovation and addition project, the new owners of a 1920s Connecticut house wanted to upgrade an enclosed sun porch with a paint-grade coffered ceiling. Subcontracting for Fox Hill Builders of Darien, Conn., Hobart Builders of nearby Fairfield had to puzzle out the challenge of the concrete ceiling, which was neither flat nor level.

Hobart’s Joe Milicia had veteran carpenters Don Carlson and Bill Broome do the work. They started by snapping lines to establish the locations of the beams for the coffered ceiling; then they screwed and glued 3-1⁄2-in.-wide strips of plywood to the lines. After using a laser to establish the perimeter blocking, they shimmed a second layer of plywood to level over the first. The idea was to establish a flat reference plane for the big beams and to work back toward the ceiling, rather than from the ceiling down.

After setting the perimeter, Don and Bill built the two large cross beams in place, then measured and built the smaller intermediate beams, each of which was installed in one piece. New drywall panels above the crown in each bay concealed the cosmetically challenged original ceiling. The takeaway here is not the job itself, but the ways that the carpenters approached and executed the various parts of it.

Build the long beams in place

Because the main beams were so long, the easiest way to install them and get tight joints at each end was to build them in place. A stringline stretched across the span became the reference for the beams, which in turn determined the rest of the room’s layout.

End block holds the shape. To establish the width for the bottom of the beam, the builders notched blocks on each end for the cleats and for nailing at the end of the beam. The sides were installed with a center scarf joint that later was concealed by crown. Carpenter’s glue, construction adhesive, and screws fastened the pieces.

One piece where it shows. Once the sides were in place, the bottom piece of the beam was measured and cut so that a seam wouldn’t be visible. Bar clamps held the sides tight until the bottom could be nailed off.

No guesswork here. For crown molding, Bill first measured four sides of each box. Instead of bending his tape into the corner, here he marked 40 in. from the right, then measured from the left to the mark and added the two measurements.

Simple jigs rule. Rather than use a tape or combination square to measure and mark each cleat or molding location, Don made a number of MDF spacer jigs.

A jig for all. Each consistently established a specific distance or reveal on one part of the assembly,  no matter who performed the measurement.

Two ways to measure consistently and quickly

In a room that’s not square, flat, or parallel, all measurements are based on establishing a reference point (in this case, the large cross beams). Cleats, moldings, and intersecting members all need exact reveals, so the trick is to measure and mark without wasting time.

Fill in the short beams

Once the two cross beams were up, the next step was to build and install the smaller intermediate beams, followed by the drywall panels and crown.

Temporary blocks assist in assembly. The shallower intermediate beams were built on a bench. After using a spacer jig to position and fasten the cleats, Don clamped the sides to a spacer the same width as the bottom, then attached the bottom to the cleats with glue and nails. A 2° back cut across the face of the sides provided enough wiggle room for Don and Bill to slide the beam in place and still have the joint at the bottom remain tight.

Dual-purpose cleats. With the beams in place, the next step was to cover the ceiling with a fresh piece of drywall. Don and Bill used a perimeter of beveled cleats both to support the drywall above and to act as a backer for the crown molding below. Once one long cleat was in place, they applied dollops of construction adhesive on the back of the drywall, raised it in place, then installed the remaining cleats below the drywall.

Trick of the Trade

Five steps to a perfect cope Installing crown is a task that can eat up your day if your techniques aren’t well honed. Bill has the process down to a science.

Photos by Charles Bickford

 

RELATED ARTICLES

The Craft of Coffered Ceilings

A New Approach to Coffered Ceilings

How to Build a Coffered Ceiling with Boxed Beams

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Tall Deck on a Sloped Lot

When deck posts exceed what the prescriptive code tables allow, it's time to consult a structural engineer for post sizing and possible bracing.

Featured Video

SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than Before

The 10-in. Jobsite Saw PRO has a wider table, a new dust-control port, and a more versatile fence, along with the same reliable safety mechanism included in all SawStop tablesaws.

Related Stories

  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Cost-Effective Approach to Insulating and Air-Sealing Floor Trusses
  • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
  • Beaux Arts Lighting of the Teens and Twenties
  • Paint Prep With Less Waste

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

Video

View All Videos
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Cost-Effective Approach to Insulating and Air-Sealing Floor Trusses
  • Podcast 503: Not Quite a Scrape-Off, Too Tight for Insulation, and Weather-Beaten Felt Paper
  • Taping Drywall Ceilings
  • Hang Drywall on the Ceiling the Right Way
View All

Ceilings

View All Ceilings Articles
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Cost-Effective Approach to Insulating and Air-Sealing Floor Trusses
  • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
  • Beaux Arts Lighting of the Teens and Twenties
View All Ceilings Articles

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 81%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data