Decorative Kitchen Ceiling

Mark the panel seam locations along each wall. (Measurements should be identical along opposite walls.) Double-check the marks against your graph-paper pattern to make sure the beams will cover the panel seams.

With a helper, snap a chalk line between marks along opposite walls to mark the panel locations. Note any panels you'll need to cut to an odd shape for corners or along walls to fit the grid.

To help support the panel while the adhesive cures, use an 18-gauge pneumatic nail gun with 3/4-in nails to fasten it against the ceiling. (Nail only around the panel edges, not in the center.) If you don't have a pneumatic nailer, hand-nail #17 x 1-in wire brads. Repeat for the remaining ceiling panels.

Hardboard panels can be tricky to nail, even with a pneumatic nail gun. Before reinforcing your panels with nails, test the compressor settings using hardboard scraps on drywall scraps. Nails should countersink just below the surface. Test the nail gun again before installing spacer strips and the solid wood parts.

Mark the beam locations on the ceiling panels and snap chalk lines between the marks. Then rip a ceiling panel and leftover scraps into spacer strips the width of the primed 3/4-in x 3-1/2-in stock. Beginning with the outside edges of the ceiling, glue and nail strips to the ceiling panels.

Why not go straight to nailing up the 3/4-in x 3-1/2-in boards? Their 3/4-in thickness means the cove mouldings you'll install later wouldn't leave much of a profile. By adding strips the cove moulding will cover up later, you give the "beams" more texture (Decorative Ceiling Project Diagram).

Working with a helper, nail the long strips in place first. Then cut shorter strips to fit between the long strips and nail those in place.

Measure and cut 3/4-in x 3-1/2-in stock to fit over the strips; glue and nail them in position. Check that your nails countersink below the wood surface.

Use a miter saw to make 45-degree miters on both ends of the cove mouldings cut slightly oversize. Carefully cut each to length.

You can measure mitered strips carefully and still leave gaps. For tight-fitting miters, cut pieces slightly oversize and then trim off tiny amounts until they fit. If a piece seems just a hair too long, flex the moulding slightly to pop it in place.

Fill nail holes and small gaps with a latex filler like the kind used to patch drywall nail holes. Wipe smooth and sand lightly if needed.