Depending on the type of metal ceiling tiles you choose for your next home improvement project, you may find that there is a small amount of prep work that needs to be done ahead of the installation.

Today, we will go over some of what you have to do to make sure that your metal ceiling tile project is completed successfully. We will go over how to prime the walls to how to finish the tiles. So, here is a quick guide to installing metal ceiling tiles on your walls.

Even though metal tile varies by manufacturer, they are all installed in much the same way, and you will find yourself prepping and priming our walls for metal ceiling tiles in much the same way as well.

Determine the Layout

First, you want to determine the layout for your metal tile installation. A dry layout helps you determine where the tiles should sit and where any cuts need to be made. You then need to measure the area and begin layering the tiles so you can play around with the spacing.

Priming the Wall

Tiles are often adhered to the wall using tile mastic. It is a ready-to-use adhesive that you don’t have to mix before using. It is a lot stronger than your typical tile setting mortar which is often also called thinset. However, before you trowel on the adhesive, you want to prime the walls to ensure that the adhesive allows the tile to stick well.

If it is a painted surface, you want to gently hand sand the surface with 80-grit sandpaper. You want to do this carefully, however, so you don’t actually remove and sand away any of the paint. You are simply roughing the surface so you can increase the bond of the mastic when installing the tiles on the wall.

Remove Covers

Now you want to remove any switch plates and outlet covers there are and then wipe down the sanded surfaces with a damp rag. Once all these steps are done and you have the right layout, you can begin installing your metal ceiling tiles on the walls.