How do you attach a curtain divider to a drop ceiling?

Often it is necessary to divide a room at a commercial establishment or in a basement that has a drop ceiling. This can easily be done with our KS, CS or DS track systems. The grid system is stronger than many people realize and is typically hung from steel beams above with wire hangers. By attaching the ceiling brackets directly to the grid, it's simple to install a curtain track to a drop ceiling. Use a small drill bit (a cheap wood drill bit is fine) and drill a pilot hole where you are attaching the ceiling bracket. Use a screw that is slightly larger than the hole you drill and screw the ceiling clip into the grid. The screw will bite into the metal, much like screwing into a steel door or metal studs.

After deciding how many brackets to use and drilling holes every 3-4 feet, pop the ceiling clips onto the top of the rod. Don't worry about having them perfectly lined up with the holes. They will slide back and forth across the top of the rod. Choose a bracket close to the middle, lift the track up to the ceiling and drive a screw through the bracket into the grid. This will typically hold the entire section of track, while you move to the next bracket, line it up and drive it home. Work from the center out each direction until all brackets are attached.

Because most grids are no more than 4' apart, it is not necessary to follow a grid, but it does make it easy. You could install the track across the acoustic panel, but still only attach the brackets to the metal grid. Attaching to the acoustic panel itself will not hold. It's like screwing into cardboard. One last tip: if you do have a situation where you need a screw in an area where you have nothing but the acoustic panel, remove the panel and lay a board across the grid up in the ceiling. Then, you can screw through the panel into the wood above to support the bracket and track in that area.