Last time we determined how wide your border tiles would be. Now we’ll hang them.
Determine where your ceiling joists are by using a stud detector or by driving finishing nails near where you think they are. When you’ve found them, mark them with chalklines.
To attach the tiles, you need to nail furring strips (2″ x 1/2″ lengths of softwood) perpendicular to the joists. You may want to shim these to ensure a level ceiling. For less mess, and a chance to repair any mistakes, use drywall screws, driving them into the joists. Attach your first strip along one wall. Then measure from the wall the width of the border tile, and install another furring strip, centered on this point. At this stage, you could continue attaching all the furring strips, but it’s actually better to install a course of tile, then the next strip. This way, if you’re using scaffolding, you can keep it in place, and you’re measuring subsequent courses from the actual tile.
Begin in the corner, and cut your border tiles so the cut edge sits against the wall, with the tongue edge exposed. If you’re installing ceiling trim, you can leave a slight space at the wall, but if you’re not, you’ll find that walls won’t always be square, and you’ll have to scribe a line with a compass to follow the wall’s contours.
Now, using heavy duty ceiling staples, staple the tiles through their tongues to the furring, keeping the staple as close as possible to the back of the tongue.
Continue on, installing furring, then the course, fitting the groove of the next tile over the tongue on the previous course.
A final hint, wear white cotton gloves to keep from smudging up the tiles.