Setting The Standard in Soffit Productivity

Have you ever wanted a faster, easier, and better way to build and install soffits on jobsites regardless of the scale of the project? Learn how Armstrong Ceiling Solutions helped a Kansas City contractor streamline soffit installation, double soffit productivity, and decrease material handling with the SIMPLESOFFIT Drywall Framing System and Knurled Angle Molding (KAM).

See how scheduling a visit with an Armstrong installation expert on your next job can save you time, materials, and labor and keep your project on the mark.

Increase Productivity

E&K of Kansas City, MO, began a project using traditional drywall grid framing, completing approximately 30 to 40 linear feet of soffit per day before being introduced to the SIMPLESOFFIT Drywall Framing System. According to the project's foreman, the team saw an instant surge in productivity after making the switch, completing more than 90 linear feet on the first day. From there, E&K was off to the races, taking full advantage of the time, material, and labor savings of the SIMPLESOFFIT system.

“We're really seeing the rewards of using the SIMPLESOFFIT,” said Brian Heintz, general superintendent, E&K, during a jobsite interview. After discovering the SIMPLESOFFIT framing system, Brian and his crew quickly realized they could streamline the installation of literally miles of soffits on the job, saving them valuable time. He was further convinced when he saw that the price for the SIMPLESOFFIT grid system was four times lower than the current price of steel (at the time of the interview) allowing him to save money on material costs. "It's been nothing but a great deal for us out here!"

The primary goal of having the Armstrong team on this job was to help E&K maximize production efficiencies while minimizing material handling (see how to Lose the Jig) and bolster soffit productivity.

Decrease Material Handling

John Dose, Sr. Technical Sales, represented Armstrong Ceiling Solutions as an expert on the jobsite to suggest material-handling and production improvements. He identified “material handling” as one of the largest unaccounted costs on jobsites and explained that by using the SIMPLESOFFIT Drywall Framing System, contractors can quickly cut down on material handling costs.

When running miles of soffits using traditional soffit construction methods and materials, you might think about the logistics behind delivering the mountains of material to the jobsite, typical off-site assembly, framing jigs, the amount of time it takes to install that much soffit material...the list goes on.

The installers on this job were amazed to learn that eight single cartons of six-foot SIMPLESOFFIT main runners netted them over 570 linear feet of soffit material. Installing miles of soffit suddenly didn’t seem quite as daunting as it did before the crew discovered SIMPLESOFFIT grid. The bend-and-click design of the new product not only eliminates the mass amount of material but also the traditional jig time, saving several hours of material handling time while increasing installation efficiency.

Maximize Production Efficiencies

Like many large-scale projects, this one in Kansas City had tens of thousands of soffit installations. This project gave Dose and fellow Armstrong expert Cliff Snedeker an excellent opportunity to make suggestions for improved methods of soffit installation using 4-foot and 6-foot tees and 12-foot KAM framing angles. The proof is in the product. The framing crew framed a bay 30 feet in 30 minutes, eliminating the need to circle back to frame out for the diffusers.

With the new SIMPLESOFFIT grid in place, the crew eliminated the framing angle using KAM at the roof deck, and all the lookouts. They also saw how easy it was to center a five-foot air boot in a six-foot SIMPLESOFFIT-framed opening with a four-foot, six-foot, four-foot pattern in every window bay, again, without the need to backtrack and frame out the diffuser boot. The SIMPLESOFFIT system allowed it to fit right into place.

The Complete Package – Integrated Soffit Framing Solutions

The crew was very satisfied with Dose's expert soffit framing suggestions using SIMPLESOFFIT as well as Armstrong’s KAM framing angles used on their jobsite. Dose educated the crew on the benefits of Armstrong’s KAM, with its strong 22-gauge, 20 EQ angle with a double hem that is easy to install with a layout guide and pre-drilled holes built directly into the angle.

At Armstrong Ceilings, we pride ourselves on creating innovative ceiling and wall solutions, like SIMPLESOFFIT and KAM, that help you save time, material, and money on the job site. Contact an Armstrong rep today to plan for and customize your next soffit project using the SIMPLESOFFIT system and KAM angle.