Secure Your Building: Suspended Ceilings

Dare to Prepare

Earthquake Readiness Campaign

Disclaimer: The effects, descriptions, recommendations, and suggestions included in this web site are intended to improve earthquake preparedness; however, they do not guarantee the safety of an individual or a structure. The Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA) takes responsibility for the inclusion of materials from various sources on these pages. The State of California, the Seismic Safety Commission, the ECA and all contributors to this document do not assume liability for any injury, death, property damage, loss of revenue, or any other effect of an earthquake.

Suspended Ceilings

Larger imageTypical Ceiling Grid

Source: Noson, Perbix, SSD

Purpose

To brace suspended ceilings.

Recommendations

Provide splay brace wires and compression struts.
Separate the edges of suspended ceilings from enclosing walls.
Secure lay-in tiles and boards used in ceiling grids with clips at exitways and corridors.

Supplies Required

Wire—No. 12 gage
Adjustable compression struts
Ceiling panel clips

Larger imageSeismic Separation Around Suspended Ceiling

Source: Noson, Perbix, SSD

Installation

Install splayed wires at 12' on center in four directions.
Provide adjustable compression struts, at center of splayed wires, and attach to the structure above.
Provide ceiling tile clips at exits and stairwells.
Provide 1/2" minimum separation between the ceiling system and the enclosing walls.

Note

For installing ceiling bracing in concrete and steel buildings refer to Ceilings for Concrete and Steel Buildings section.
For installing ceiling bracing in wood buildings refer to Ceilings for Wood Building section.

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Created in the SCEC

system

Last modified: May 24 2007 10:17

© 2008

Southern California Earthquake Center @