Channels & Ceiling Suspension

Channels and ceiling suspension parts hang drywall ceilings and line walls in steel-framed buildings. Hanger wire, carrying channel and furring channel build the ceiling grid, while furring channel, Z-bar and resilient channel give board a flat, quiet face on walls.

Carrying & Bridging Channel

One cold-formed steel U channel with three jobs: the main runner of a suspended ceiling, hung on wire; bridging that runs through the stud knockouts and ties a wall of studs into one line; and bracing that holds every stud against twisting and bowing.

Furring Channel

A light, hat-shaped galvanized steel channel. Its feet fasten to a masonry or concrete wall, to joists or the structure, or tie under carrying channel; its flat face gives a straight line to screw gypsum board to.

Resilient Channel

Single-leg RC1 channel screwed across steel or wood studs and joists, with the gypsum board screwed to the channel instead of the framing. Its slotted web flexes, so less sound passes from the board into the structure.

Hanger Wire

Straight galvanized steel wire that hangs a suspended ceiling from the building structure. Each wire is tied to the slab, joist or deck above and saddle-tied around the carrying channel below. Offered in 9 ga and 12 ga, cut to 12′ lengths and bundled by gauge.

Tie Wire

Thin, soft annealed 18 ga galvanized steel wire, cut to 27″ and 42″ lengths. It ties furring channel to carrying channel at every crossing, ties metal lath to its channels and laps, and holds joints to the lath. It is a tying wire, not a hanger.

Z-Bar

Galvanized steel Z-shaped furring with a back flange, a web and a front flange. Fastened to a concrete or masonry wall, it keeps rigid insulation in position and gives a flat line of steel flanges for gypsum board, lath or cladding. The web depth matches the insulation, from 1″ to 6″.

More Products

Which channel does what

Product	Main job	Range
Carrying / bridging channel	Main runner of a suspended ceiling, or bridging through stud knockouts	U channel, 3/4" and 1-1/2" deep, 1/2" and 3/4" flanges, 43 and 54 mil, 10' and 12'
7/8" furring channel	Flat screw surface for board on ceilings, masonry and uneven walls	7/8" deep, 1-1/4" face, 18, 33 and 43 mil, 10' and 12'
Resilient channel (RC1)	Holds board off studs or joists to reduce sound transfer	1.900" x 0.485", 18 mil, 12'
Z-bar	Furring over rigid insulation on masonry walls	Formed to suit insulation thickness, 18 to 97 mil, up to 12'
Angle (L-Track)	Ceiling perimeter, bulkhead edges and light runners	1" x 2" to 2" x 2", 18 and 33 mil, 10'
Hanger wire and pencil rod	Hangs the ceiling from the structure; pencil rod cross-furs lath ceilings	9 ga and 12 ga wire, 3/16" rod, 12' lengths
Tie wire	Ties furring channel to carrying channel at every crossing	18 ga, 27" and 42"

A suspended drywall ceiling, from the top down

Hanger wire from the structure above, spaced per the project design.
Carrying channel hung on the wire and levelled.
Furring channel run at right angles below it, usually 16" or 24" on centre, tied at each crossing.
Perimeter angle at the walls, then gypsum board screwed to the furring.

Hanger spacing, channel size and spans follow the project design and the ceiling load.

Furring walls and decoupling board

Over concrete or block, furring channel fastens straight to the wall and gives board a straight face and room for wiring. Where rigid insulation goes on first, Z-bar holds it in place and carries the board. Resilient channel is a different job: it is screwed across the studs and the board is screwed to the channel only. One screw into the stud behind reconnects the two sides and undoes the decoupling for that run. STC ratings come from the tested assembly, not the channel alone.

The same carrying channel also braces walls when it runs through stud knockouts, fixed to each stud with a bridging clip. See bridging, bracing and backing.

What to send for a quote

Ceiling area or wall run, channel type, thickness and length, and hanger and tie wire quantities if you have them. A reflected ceiling plan is the fastest way for us to check the package.