Looking for a beautiful ceiling makeover idea? Try this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design for extra style and charm.
Hi guys! I am happy dancing all over my Dining Room this week. The ceiling in there already had some nice trim. But, I thought that a little more could make the room instantly eye-catching. And, I think this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design Makeover absolutely did that by adding so much style and charm to that room!
Not only will I love looking at this room for years to come, it will help whenever we decide to sell. This room is the first room you see off of our entry. They say first impressions are everything, even when selling a home. That extra moulding is a wow-factor that happens right when people walk in our home. I think that low-profile coffered ceiling can absolutely help sell our house.
Side note, I’m a big fan of ceiling makeovers. Check out my DIY Wood Board Porch Ceiling, my DIY Plywood Plank Ceiling Makeover, this DIY Wood Panel Vaulted Ceiling Makeover, and this super simple look at how painting the ceiling makes crown moulding pop!
Don’t forget to save this DIY on Pinterest.Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for DIY project sneak peeks and quick how-to videos. Now, let’s get to the steps for this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design.
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What you need for this DIY Project
- Dewalt Compound Miter Saw
- Ryobi 18V Brad Nailer
- Stud Finder
- Square
- Paintable Wood Filler
- Dap Spackling Compound
- Gator Micro Zip Sander
- Sanding Sponges
- Dap Painter’s Acrylic Latex Caulk
Watch this Ceiling Makeover Video
Watch this 10-minute video to see how I planned my Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design, drew the layout for my boards and moulding, and how I did the install.
How Much Does it Cost to Build A Coffered Ceiling?
I spent less than $200 on this low profile coffered ceiling design. The area I was working with is about 10′ by 11′. My design uses polystyrene cove moulding which is about 40% cheaper than the primed wood cove moulding. Since I had to buy 18 – 8′ long cove moulding boards, this cheaper moulding saved me about $40.
I’ve used polystyrene moulding as crown moulding in my home too. It looks and installs just like wood moulding, but is lighter and easier to work with. And, cheaper! Lowes and Home Depot always have it in my area, so you can check it out for yourself in the moulding aisle.
One last note on the cost of this simple DIY coffered ceiling design, the more squares you add to your grid, the more you’ll spend on wood trim and moulding. I designed my ceiling with a 3×3 – 9 square grid to avoid having to adjust my light and vent. But, a 4×3 or 4×4 grid would have worked on that ceiling too.
I highly recommend carefully measuring your walls and drawing a diagram to plan your design. Add the exact location of any vents, speakers, and lights on the ceiling to the drawing so you can see where all of the trim and moulding will sit beforehand.
Are Coffered Ceilings Worth It?
I think so! I think any beautiful trimwork and millwork in a home can help sell your home faster. If you’ve ever been on any Model Home tours, they always have lots of beautiful moulding, crown moulding, wainscoting, and wood panels in those homes. People love all those extra details. Adding this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design in your home will also make it more memorable for house hunters touring lots of homes.
Here’s a look at the before photo. The Dining Room trim work was already nice. But, I thought this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design Makeover would add even more style. You can find the steps for that Gray Chalk Paint Makeover on that buffet here.
What do you think? Did this coffered ceiling makeover add charm, style, and value this room?Build Photos from this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design
Here’s some photos from this DIY project. If you want more details on planning and installing this design, be sure to watch the video above.
Make sure you use enough construction adhesive on your 1×4 boards. My ceiling has a slight texture, so I had to use enough for it to get into that texture.
Mark the joists on the ceiling with a pencil and stud finder. You want to brad nail the longest, heaviest boards in your design to the joists so that the nails help to support the boards weight while the construction adhesive sets.
Install all of the 1×4 boards before adding in the cove moulding. You can also modify the design on this low profile coffered ceiling to get a custom look you love. I have seen this coffered look done with 1×6 boards too. So, if you like that wider board look, go for it. You can also use a different moulding inside the squares. I used cove moulding for my Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling design because it matched the design of my crown moulding. But, if you watch the video above, you can see another style of mouldig that would look beautiful too. 🙂 BTW, that colorful wall art on the left is a DIY Paint Pour Wall Art project I have a tutorial for.
I highly recommend buying the primed boards for this project becuase it saves so much time. I’m using the screwdriver in this photo to hold that board level with the board perpendicular too it while the construction adhesive sets. I used blocks to push boards up whenever they were sitting too low. You want all of your boards to be level with each other.
Be sure to get the caulk and wood filler, or spackling, perfect before painting any wood paneling, wood trim, baseboards, and crown moulding in your home. If you’re new to DIY wood trim check out this post for tips on where to use caulk or wood filler on wood trim. 
Here’s a close look at that coffered ceiling. A paint spray would give you the best paint finish. But, I don’t have one and still get a pretty paint finish. Just be sure to use a high quality nylon brush, apply your paint in the direction of the length of boards and moulding, and avoid brushing over paint that has already started drying so that you don’t dull the sheen in those spots. I used Behr’s Vermont Cream in Eggshell on this ceiling.
This room is so beautiful now, at least I think so. 🙂
Don’t forget to save this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design Idea on PinterestWell, that’s it for this Low Profile Coffered Ceiling tutorial. If you’re looking for more home remodeling inspo check out my remodeling videos here, on my YouTube channel. 🙂
Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling
Tools
- Miter Saw
- Brad Nailer
- Stud Finder
- Square
Instructions
Steps to Install a Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling
- Measure your ceiling carefully. Then draw a diagram of your ceiling marking the exact layout of anything on the ceiling, like lights, vents, or fans.
- Using that diagram, decide where you want the 1x4 grid on your ceiling to be and how many squares you want.
- Pick the type of moulding you want inside the squares. I used cove moulding for this ceiling.
- You can use your diagram to figure out how many feet of moulding and 1x4 you'll need before you go shopping.
- Mark the studs in the ceiling with a studfinder and pencil. Also, measure and mark for the 1x4's. You can see how I did this for my Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling in the video.
- Use a Miter Saw to cut the 1x4's to size.
- Use plenty of construction adhesive to attach the 1x4's and enough brad nails to hold the 1x4's tightly against the ceiling while the construction adhesive dries.
- After all of the 1x4's are installed, cut and brad nail the moulding onto the 1x4's.
- Use wood filler and caulk to get a professional looking finish.
- Follow up with paint and your done.
Watch the video for more detailed tips and explanations for each step.
Notes
How Much Does it Cost to Build A Coffered Ceiling?
I spent less than $200 on this low profile coffered ceiling design. The area I was working with is about 10′ by 11′. My design uses polystyrene cove moulding which is about 40% cheaper than the primed wood cove moulding. Since I had to buy 18 – 8′ long cove moulding boards, this cheaper moulding saved me about $40.
I’ve used polystyrene moulding as crown moulding in my home too. It looks and installs just like wood moulding, but is lighter and easier to work with. And, cheaper! Lowes and Home Depot always have it in my area, so you can check it out for yourself in the moulding aisle.
One last note on the cost of this simple DIY coffered ceiling design, the more squares you add to your grid, the more you’ll spend on wood trim and moulding. I designed my ceiling with a 3×3 – 9 square grid to avoid having to adjust my light and vent. But, a 4×3 or 4×4 grid would have worked on that ceiling too.
I highly recommend carefully measuring your walls and drawing a diagram to plan your design. Add the exact location of any vents, speakers, and lights on the ceiling to the drawing so you can see where all of the trim and moulding will sit beforehand.
Are Coffered Ceilings Worth It?
I think so! I think any beautiful trimwork and millwork in a home can help sell your home faster. If you’ve ever been on any Model Home tours, they always have lots of beautiful moulding, crown moulding, wainscoting, and wood panels in those homes. People love all those extra details. Adding this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design in your home will also make it more memorable for house hunters touring lots of homes.
You might also like this DIY Pine Tongue and Groove Porch Ceiling Makeover.
Or this easy tutorial to whiten your grout.
Check out 15 tips for how to cut drywall and hang drywall here.
I love this DIY Plywood Plank Ceiling makeover. It’s cheap and not too hard.
That’s it for this Simple DIY Coffered Ceiling Design. Let me know if you have questions. Don’t forget to sign up for the Abbotts At Home email newsletter to get DIY, Remodeling, and Crafty ideas in your inbox.
You should be very proud of this project. When I moved into our home I offered to pay my certified carpenter brother to build me this type of ceiling. He refused. High end skills, just awesome.
Aw, thanks Leanna. It is hard to do anything over your head. I definitely had a neck cramp one of those days. But, I love a feature ceiling. 🙂
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!! Pinned!!
Thanks so much, Pamela! 🙂