# T&G beadboard. top-down or bottom-up



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Installing 5/8"x4" fir bead board on a 2 pitch hipped porch ceiling. How do you guys prefer to install it? From the bottom up, or the top down. Top down might hide fasteners better and provide for tighter end cuts. (end cuts not an issue). But bottom up seems easier to install T&G working with gravity. Any preferences? Thanks, Nick.


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I prefer from the top down.


----------



## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Bottom up. I did a job top down last year that I thought would drive me nuts.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

First thought was bottom up. Then I started thinking about it. That is when I get into trouble. I start thinking about it.


----------



## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I should have mentioned that mine was in a kneewalled attic so most of it was very low height which made it much harder to hold the board in place and set it. The kneewalls were only 16".


If you don't have a helper then I would still do bottom-up.


----------



## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

Bottom up tongue up, with anything T&G as a general rule. Roof slope helps minimize viability of nails if your toe nailing at the tongue and gravity helps. Less wiggle on the loose end of the crowned boards that need to be held in or tapped in.

Low pitch or flat, pick the most visible direction to the home owner. Like determining siding lap. Then start from there pointing the tongue away. 

Anything beyond that is personal preference... top down or bottom up both work about the same. Done quite a bit of bead board in high end applications and miles of T&G cedar and pine on ceilings. Found bottom up seems to work best.


----------



## SAW.co (Jan 2, 2011)

I always run from the bottom up.

If you're using a pine T&G sometimes you have straighten a board out and you will need the down leverage. Makes it a lot easer to get the runs tight.


----------



## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

I always go bottom up:thumbsup: Making sure to adjust the lines at the hip.


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> I always go bottom up:thumbsup: Making sure to adjust the lines at the hip.


The geometry makes it tricky to get those last couple of pieces tight.


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

plus it ain't always possible to ''adjust'' those lines:whistling


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

That's what I hate about this stuff. Seems like I'm always chasing it the whole way, because there is really zero adjustment with the tiny T&G. You are gaining 1/64-1/32 at a time and sometimes nothing at all even when you try. I usually stick a piece of felt in between the two pieces while I fasten it so it doesn't drift when stapling it.


----------



## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

This is sort of the overhead equivalent of the "where do you start your decking" debate, isn't it?


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Yes. But worse.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

You guys staple it up or use nails if blind fastening it?


----------



## pizalm (Mar 27, 2009)

We brad nail and go bottom up with t&g. Way easier to work with going up.


----------



## FramingPro (Jan 31, 2010)

Just a question, when starting from the top and coming down how does one ensure proper alignment?


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

I double tap an 18 gauge finish nail in the tongue usually,sometimes the staple shows..


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

FramingPro said:


> Just a question, when starting from the top and coming down how does one ensure proper alignment?


On a hip it's a lot tougher. If it is all the same lengths, it is easier. I have decided bottom up for me. The eave (long) face is 18'-6" long. I'm not going to start that run with a 9" long piece at the top and then work down to 18'. The other option is to mill up a piece with two grooves. Put it in the middle face nailing it and then work from the middle out. Middle up and middle down. You get even layout that way. But, this is just wood and I'm just an idiot. So I'm going bottom up and making it as easy as I can.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I've stapled it in the past with 18 gauge 1/4" crown staples. I remember having trouble splitting tongues and the staples showing. I think I will try my 15 gauge finish nailer this time. If that doesn't work, then ill go 18 gauge brad nailer. I don't have a 16 gauge nailer. How are the heads on those 16 gauge nails?


----------



## FramingPro (Jan 31, 2010)

Morning Wood said:


> On a hip it's a lot tougher. If it is all the same lengths, it is easier. I have decided bottom up for me. The eave (long) face is 18'-6" long. I'm not going to start that run with a 9" long piece at the top and then work down to 18'. The other option is to mill up a piece with two grooves. Put it in the middle face nailing it and then work from the middle out. Middle up and middle down. You get even layout that way. But, this is just wood and I'm just an idiot. So I'm going bottom up and making it as easy as I can.


I have never done this before, but the centreline method seems that it might have merit. It would allow you to establish your layout and then have even reveals.


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I don't have a close up pic, but this was top down.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Warren said:


> I don't have a close up pic, but this was top down.


Looks nice. Also looks like a nightmare to install.


----------

