Free checklist
Acoustical ceilingsAcoustical ceilings rough-in inspection checklist
Acoustical ceilings rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against ASTM C635 / C636, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Grid layout and suspension
Grid laid out square with balanced border tiles
Main runners and cross tees square to the room, layout centered so border tiles are balanced and not slivered, grid level across the field.
Hanger wires spaced and tied to structure
Wires at the required spacing along the mains, plumb and tight, tied to building structure and not to duct, pipe or conduit.
Grid components match the approved submittal
Carton labels for mains, cross tees and wall angle photographed and matched to the submittal for profile, duty rating and finish color.
Hanger anchors set in structure as the detail shows
Anchor type at the deck, joist or slab matches the approved detail, fully driven or wrapped, and not placed where the detail prohibits it.
Hanger wire gauge and wrap turns as specified
Wire gauge matches the specification, each end wrapped with the tight turns the detail calls for, no kinked, nicked or spliced wires.
Main runner splices engaged and cross tees locked
Every main splice seated, cross tee ends clicked into their slots with no loose or backed-out connections along the run.
Grid height set to the reflected ceiling plan
Laser or level readings at the room corners and center match the ceiling height on the reflected ceiling plan, clear of window heads and soffits.
Obstructed hanger points spanned with a trapeze
Where duct or pipe blocks a hanger location, a trapeze or supplementary member anchored to structure carries the wire, not the obstruction itself.
No photo
Seismic and perimeter
Seismic bracing and perimeter clips where required
Bracing wires, compression struts and perimeter attachment or clearance installed per the seismic design, edge conditions and expansion gaps as detailed.
Wall angle set level and fastened as detailed
Wall molding snapped to a level line on every wall, fastened into studs or masonry at the spacing on the detail, tight to the wall with no bow.
Above-ceiling readiness
Above-ceiling MEP complete and inspected before tile
Ductwork, piping, wiring and fire-stopping above the ceiling finished and their inspections closed, nothing left that needs the plenum reopened.
No other trade's work resting on or tied to the grid
Conduit, cable, sprinkler drops and flex duct clear of the mains and tees, nothing using the grid or its hanger wires for support.
Top of grid and plenum cleared of scrap
Cut-offs, fittings, bottles and loose insulation removed from the grid flanges and the plenum before tile closes it in.
Space conditions within the tile maker's limits
Building enclosed, wet work such as taping and paint dry, and temperature and humidity confirmed with the super against the manufacturer's installation instructions.
No photoAccess locations for valves and dampers coordinated
Tiles that must stay liftable at valves, dampers, VAV boxes and junction points marked on the reflected ceiling plan with the trades that need them.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Tile dropped in before the above-ceiling inspection signs off, so the whole field has to come back out to reach a damper or a junction box.
- Hanger wires spaced to the easy structure instead of the required layout, or tied to ductwork and pipe instead of the building structure.
- Seismic bracing and perimeter clips left off where the design requires them because the grid 'looked tight,' caught only at the seismic inspection.
Verified against
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this acoustical ceilings rough-in checklist cover?
- 15 items across 3 sections, covering grid layout and suspension, seismic and perimeter, above-ceiling readiness. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The ceiling foreman setting grid, or the GC's superintendent confirming above-ceiling trades are complete before tile is released.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the grid is hung and before tile is loaded, and only once the MEP work above the ceiling is complete and its own inspections are closed.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 12 of the 15 items call for photo evidence, 16 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails an acoustical ceilings rough-in inspection?
- Tile dropped in before the above-ceiling inspection signs off, so the whole field has to come back out to reach a damper or a junction box. Hanger wires spaced to the easy structure instead of the required layout, or tied to ductwork and pipe instead of the building structure. Seismic bracing and perimeter clips left off where the design requires them because the grid 'looked tight,' caught only at the seismic inspection.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 16 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.