How to Hang Tongue & Groove Ceiling by Myself

I needed to install 16ft lengths of pine tongue and groove on a flat ceiling. Not only is it challenging by doing it by myself required some ingenuity. Here is a simple way to make a very useful tool.

My Favorite Tools used on this Job:

[karenfolmsbee]

My husband said you’re a genius! He did our ceiling, mostly all 16’ planks, all by himself. The “helper hand” saved him, and made the job so much easier than it would have been. Thank you!!!

[cameronwenzel]

At first I thought this guy is so full of himself, then I said he’s a genius! Do trim and carpentry professionally, will be keeping this in the back of my head, alot simpler to get a long board set by yourself. Smart guy

[tmrssmr]

I would like to thank you for the “jig” you shared in this video, I’ve been using one ( by myself ) just like yours with great success to install a T& G ceiling on my patio porch.

[joequixotic]

In about 2013, I helped a friend hang a drywall ceiling in a garage conversion. My contribution to the effort was to combine a piece of plywood with an old gate hinge and a 2x4 so that the plywood could hold the drywall against the ceiling and the 2x4 could wedge down against the garage floor to hold everything in place hands-free.

If you made a bit of a strong back for the three fingers, you could do the same thing, eliminate the screw holes and maybe go even faster.

I would make the fingers overlap the existing T&G board and angle up rather than down so it will make a ramp to align the T&G but not so tight that you can't place and remove a board after putting up the fingers.

Of course this works best if the floor and ceiling are parallel. The garage floor in the conversion was sloped for drainage and the rafter bottoms weren't very aligned to each other or level so in some spots the 2x4 was almost too short and in some places it seemed longer than idea but it still could wedge well enough to effectively hold up a sheet of drywall hands-free.

The next T&G ceiling I want to do is with a 3-in-12 slope so I'll have to change 2x4 length a lot or come up with something else.

[MikeM-ldrw]

Great idea. I did something very similar. A lot of comments here about the added time of doing it this don't know what people think takes so long? Its 3 screws! That is a big deal? I made mine long enough to do two courses before i had to move them...cut down on moves, but I could relocate all three within 1 minute. I probably moved them 40-50 times. I think this method is great. Working alone can be nice. This set of helping hands will always be on time, doesn't complain or get tired, doesn't require payment, etc.

[jeremydebaylo]

Wanted to say thank you for this video. I just finished a job alone and this saved my butt.

[Redblower]

Thanks for the video...I did 18 foot boards on my own and came up with the same idea...except...I used a much longer helper board so I could do 6 pieces before having to move it.

[Dirt-knees]

Thanks ! Saved me so much time. Especially holding the first row of planks that are running along a 40 foot log wall. Then I was able to scribe and fit the first row up against the logs in one shot.

[bryanneher]

Thanks! I am doing 12 foot boards on my garage, was using props to prop it up and wasn't working very well. Trying this today!

[Vden-udou]

I only have 12' to deal with but this is going to help me tremendously! Thank you

[OhmSteader]

I think you have the trick to doing this neck break job. Thank you sir!

[csimet]

Nice idea and well timed for me... I'm about to hang 75 6"x14' T&G planks on my family room and kitchen ceilings. In my case I have furring strips (3/4"x 2", 16" OC), that I have to locate my two holders on. This will make things much easier.

I may even try to experiment with some way to clamp the holders to the strips so I don't have to screw/unscrew them each time.

[willcarryu]

That’s genius. About to start installing and really needed this tip. Looks like I’ll need to start at the high point and work my way down.

[bradleyprentice]

Thank you man I was wondering the same thing. I couldn't find nothing either. I wouldn't know how to do this new trick to help me out on hanging tongue and groove hardwood flooring on the ceiling with me doing it by myself.

[neilcrookphotos]

Doing mine this weekend. You're a life saver

[ziggyz]

Smarter not harder at its finest. Thanks for the video 👍

[tmrssmr]

I tried your install method today and it works great! Thanks for the video.

[briansteinc]

Looking forward to trying your method sir. Thanks.

[duaneheadworth]

Thank you, very helpful! Thanks for sharing!

[CarlosMartinez-ripz]

The idea is right. I did one with larger pieces of osb with two holes for the screws and a loose piece of wood as a wedge . All I need it to do was to walk the osb backward one screw hole at a time with out removing it off the ceiling.as I Install the T&G. One piece on each joist ceiling.