To start, turn away from bricks and concrete block. Instead, consider structural clay tiles. You should be able to find these at a good masonry supply house. They come in a warm terra cotta color that goes well with just about any color scheme and they have a crisp, geometric, high-tech look. They also come in a wide variety of sizes, but the three most useful are probably 6-by-12-by-12, 8-by-12-by-12, and 10-by-12-by-12.

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The easiest way to tile over an existing problem ceiling is to use foot-square tiles and a thick, trowel-on adhesive. Adhesive will work as long as the old ceiling is reasonably smooth and sound. If the old paint is literally falling off in sheets, adhesive won’t work. The paint will continue to fail, taking the adhesive and the new ceiling right along with it.

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Do you have  a problem ceiling in your home? You know what I mean: a ceiling that looks terrible no matter what you do to fix it. A ceiling with cracks or chipping, peeling paint. You fill the cracks, scrape off the loose paint, sand smooth and repaint. A few weeks later: Deja vu. The best solution to all this? Just cover the old ceiling with a whole new surface. The easiest way to do the job is with acoustical tiles and trowel-on adhesive. The adhesive grabs immediately, so there’s no fooling with staples or nails.

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At first glance, cutting materials as hard and brittle as stone and ceramic tile may sound like a job for Old World craftsmen only. Nothing could be further form the truth. Over the years I’ve cut dozens of tiles, and hacked up stone for a mantel, a hearth and a bluestone walk and porch. I’m certainly no old World craftsman, yet in all those cuts, I’ve never had a real problem.

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Ceramic tile is pretty tough stuff, but every now and then it may need  attention. The most common problems are loose or cracked tiles. In either  case, the fix is relatively easy, and it pays to do it as soon as possible.

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