A tradition in many art classrooms across the globe is painting drop ceiling tiles to bring some color into the classroom and repurpose a panel into art. Additionally, it allows students an opportunity to leave their legacy on the art room for years to come. If you are interested in learning more about how to paint the ceiling tiles in your art room, you are in the right place! This blog post will go over tried-and-true tips along, do’s and don’ts and important info to successfully do this project.
This project is always a total hit with my students. I think they love knowing that this is a piece of the artwork that will stay in the classroom for years to come. They get to leave their mark in the art room. Additionally, they seem to put a little extra attention into the final appearance because they know everyone is going to be seeing on display.
Interested in some more projects that promote school pride? Check out my post here.
Before painting your ceiling tiles, I recommend that you:
GET PERMISSION. I highly recommend before diving into this venture that you speak with your school principal AND school fire marshall to get permission. Painting ceiling tiles may be a HARD NO in some schools if it goes against their fire code; however, some may give permission with a fire resistant paint or finalizing fire retardant spray. It would be a total bummer to paint all the tiles and then have to remove them if they go against code.
CONSIDER THE LOGISTICS. If you do get permission, consider how you will physically get them down from the ceiling. The first time I did this project I was so excited for the final appearance that I didn’t consider the logistics. Long story short, I was standing on tables trying to wiggle these tiles out of the ceiling while my students looked at my like I was a wild woman. You may want to ask for help if needed or even buy brand new ceiling tiles prior to completing this project. Amazon sells these Armstrong 2 x 2 Ceiling Tiles in a set of 16.
MAKE SPACE FOR DRYING. This was another logistically thing I did not account for. You live and you learn! I quickly realized that these big ceiling tiles need a place to dry and that requires loads of space. Plan for this ahead of time. It’s also important to note that these tiles are far from durable. They are like a lightweight foam and pieces break of easily, so I recommend finding a safe place away from traffic and on a flat, stable surface.
CHOOSE A THEME. I think this helps to make this project more visually cohesive, and creates a sense of collaboration in the classroom. The theme that I always used was art history reproductions. I’d provide students a long list of suggestions and they’d get to pick one that interested them. Do you have another theme that you’ve used or are consider? Please comment below.
Steps to paint ceiling tiles:
- Get permission from your school principal AND school fire marshall.
- Prime the back side of your tiles (the less “holey” side) with a layer of gesso or house paint.
- Once primer is dry, lightly sketch your composition onto the surface. We used a grid system for our tiles.
- Use acrylic paint or house paint to paint your artwork on the tiles. Note, if directed, use fire-retardant paint.
- *OPTIONAL* Coat the finished work with a fire retardant spray.
- Carefully place the completed artwork into the ceiling. Be gentle as they break easily!
Examples from my classroom:
