Miscellaneous Installation Tips

Preparing SnapLock™ Flanges

When connectiong SnapLock™ tin ceiling panels, use a putty knife to pry open the female flanges to ease the insertion of the male flanges. See video

Trimming Male flanges at the wall perimeter

When installing the initial SnapLock™ tin ceiling panels in the corner of the room, the male flange can be cut off so the panel sits flush against the wall.

 

The SnapLock™ tin ceiling panel is the only tin ceiling panel that can be installed directly to drywall, plaster and textured substrates. With the introduction of the SnapLock™ tin ceiling panel, consumers with existing drywall ceilings can bypass the costly process of installing a wood substrate, which can often double the overall cost of a tin ceiling. Approximately 80% of all consumers have existing drywall ceilings, and the SnapLock™ system allows for a do-it-yourself installation, so handy consumers can eliminate pricey contractors and save hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars by performing the installation themselves. The personal satisfaction of completing such a grand project can create a priceless sense of pride. For those who prefer professional installation, American Tin Ceilings' dealer locator provides contact information for tin ceiling installers nationwide. Either way, The SnapLock™ tin ceiling allows consumers to acquire a beautiful, authentic tin ceiling for far less than the average overall cost of nailup or dropin tin ceilings. The SnapLock™ tin ceiling panel measures the standard 24" x 24" size, plus the 1/2" interlocking male and female flanges.

SnapLock™ panels connect via interlocking flange system.
SnapLock™ starts in one corner with male flange facing wall.

12" vs 24"
12" and 6" embossment patterns gennerally have shallow profile depths. Tin ceiling panels with shallow profile depths, usually under 1/4", can be installed wall to wall with the final perimeter panels cut to fit flush against the wall. Crown molding is then installed directly over the tin panels, hiding the cut edge. If the panel does not reach the wall, the remaining gap can be hidden by the crown molding, assuming the projection of the crown is sufficient to cover the gap. This is the most common installation scenario and is the easiest.

Most 24" patterns have significant profile depths, sometimes exceeding a 1/2". Installing crown molding over a panel with such a deep profile will result in a noticeable gap. This gap is unacceptable by most standards, therefore 24" patterns require an alternate installation method. The embossed panels are installed uncut, then the remaining area around the perimeter is finished with a filler tin ceiling panel, opposed to cropping the 24" embossed panel flush against the wall. The seam where the embossed panel meets the filler panel is commonly covered with a flat molding to produce a more pleasing aesthetic transition.

The SnapLockT is available in all patterns except #9

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Why are Tin Ceilings so popular today?

Tin Ceilings remind us of a different time in our country's history. Tin Ceilings stir memories of gentler days when elegance and beauty reigned. A slower paced era where style and grace were the watchwords in home decor. Old time victorian homes, formal parlors, farmhouses with wood burning stoves and other historic architecture we've seen in literature and film or remember from our childhood.

It is said that "Everything Old Becomes New Again". It reinvents itself and becomes fashionable again, perhaps because it was so fashionable in the first place. Fashion goes in and out of style as modern ideas are introduced to the market. But the popular styling's of the past always cycle back into modern contemporary culture. The Tin Ceiling exemplifies this concept.