How to choose a stretch ceiling for your home. How to choose the right stretch ceiling - expert reviews

In a very short period of time, stretch ceilings have passed from outlandish novelties, expensive, mysterious and accessible to units, to ordinary finishing materials - they have become part of the interior decoration of an apartment (house). When faced with a problem for the first time, many customers do not know what stretch ceilings are, how to choose high-quality, beautiful and functionally suitable canvases for a specific type of room. This is the topic of this article.

The aesthetic perception of the ceiling and its service life are determined by many factors: the type of canvas, its texture and color, the presence of seams, etc. It all depends on the manufacturer.

Manufacturer

An extraordinary situation has developed in the market of services for the installation of stretch ceilings: unscrupulous firms have appeared next to decent performers, misleading customers. Unfortunately, there are more and more of them every year. The deception is associated primarily with the origin of the stretch fabric and, therefore, with the price and quality.

1. Cheap canvas is passed off as the products of Russian enterprises from the middle price sector, in particular, the Kazan artificial leather plant, which stopped PVC production in 2012. In fact, Russian enterprises register a brand of canvas on the territory of the Russian Federation, and handicraft products - very cheap - are imported from China.

It is not possible to check the manufacturer - no inscriptions, signs or logos are applied on PVC film and polyester by well-known manufacturers. If they appeared, then they were delivered much later and not in production.

Only Pongs (Germany), in the fight against forgery, began to label some types of film, and even then - since 2017 it has been doing this irregularly for certain types of products.

Attention: the inscriptions on the tube or packaging can be anything you like - manufacturers often do not wind the film on their own in rolls and definitely do not pack it in bags for specific premises. This is done in dealerships or when preparing material after measurements in special workshops.

2. Medium-priced materials, for example, HALEAD (China), are passed off as expensive materials from Europe. The following are used:

• Non-existent companies and brands (Belgian POLYPLAST - there is no official website confirming the existence of the production, MALPENSA S.R.L. from Italy - among the types of products, films for ceilings are not indicated);
• Certificates of conformity, allegedly confirming the French or German origin of the goods, - mandatory certification in Russia has been canceled since January 1, 2010 (the documents submitted were obtained at the initiative of the seller (installation company), and therefore their reliability does not always correspond to the true state of affairs, and the bearers do not bear any administrative or criminal responsibility for this);
• Sale of products that do not enter the Russian market (German RENOLIT profession or French BARRISOL, which can only be bought via the Internet at a price of 90 Euro / m2).

To protect the buyer from fakes, suggest which stretch ceilings to choose for an apartment, we present a table with a list of manufacturers, country of origin and some product features.

Company name	Country	Type of canvas	Size, m	Peculiarities
PONGS textil gmbh	Germany	PVC film	1.5, 2.2 and 3.0	Premium
DESCOR	Germany	the cloth	5	Suite
CTN groupe	France	Pvc	2.2 and 2.7	Reference
CLIPSO	France	the cloth	1.0 to 5.1	Ruler from "Standard" to "Lux"
MSD	China	Pvc	from 1.3 to 5.1	Average price at "Premium" quality
HALEAD	China	Pvc	2.7 and 3.2	Good quality with an average price

In Russia, PVC film is produced only by IVNIIPIK, at the same time of low quality and inexpensive price. Experts do not recommend using such a film in an apartment.

If the quality of products, their colors and other consumer parameters, stretch ceilings from Europe do not require any comments, then on the canvas from China, it should be said especially... There are two groups of manufacturers here: small handicraft workshops producing "consumer goods", which can be bought inexpensively, and several powerful enterprises that have caught up with the quality of the canvas, and in some respects even surpassed France and Germany. For example, the Chinese company MSD is the only one in the world that produces PVC film wider than 5 m, which does not require welding.

Texture

To achieve the correct organization of space while maintaining the style of the interior, you can use the texture of finishing materials. By texture, the surface of all types of stretch fabric can be divided into three large groups.

• smooth;
• embossed;
• perforated (used for special types of lighting located in the space between the ceiling ceiling and the stretched film).

Manufacturers diversify the texture, as a result of which the ceiling can be classified into three more groups:

• Glossy (PVC film). The reflectivity of this type of surface is 95%, and therefore the shiny ceiling works like a slightly muted mirror. On the one hand, it visually expands the space, on the other hand, it is difficult to fit into an interior with a lot of furniture. The disadvantages also include the reflection of street light, headlights of passing cars, a working TV, i.e. everything that causes glare that negatively affects the human nervous system;

• Matt (polyester, PVC film and fiberglass - a new type of material on the construction market)- the classic design of the ceiling space, suitable for any room size and interior. The choice of synthetic fabric allows you to make any fantasy come true - to paint or apply an image in an unusual way, to use a variety of lamps, beating the room with an unusual luminous flux;

• Satin (PVC with embossed satin fabric)- the middle variant between gloss and matte surface. Has absorbed all the best from all types of stretch fabric - creates an atmosphere of comfort and tranquility. Many users on the forums note that under such a ceiling it is best to indulge in relaxation and meditation. Perhaps this is why satin ceiling is one of the most expensive types of PVC stretch fabric.

Experts distinguish several additional subspecies:

• metallic, with a gloss characteristic of metal, changing shades and color saturation under various types of lighting: daylight and artificial;
• mother-of-pearl, with tints characteristic of pearls;
• suede - imitates natural leather with very short fibers;
• marble with a smooth surface and veins characteristic of this ornamental stone;
• silk - resembles a natural fabric with a muted pattern.

To figure out which stretch ceilings are better in texture, we advise you to look at the work: "". It also carried out a comparative analysis of PVC film and polyester fabric by consumer parameters.

Number of levels

You can beat the ceiling space and design ideas not only with the texture or color of the stretched material, lighting of the ceiling, but also with a different number of its levels.

Sibling ceilings - the most common form of finishing the ceiling space - are easy to install and can be installed in absolutely any room. In this case, they can be combined with drywall. Combining with other types of canvas, for example, PVC with a fabric canvas, will not work: you cannot glue them together or stretch them on a baguette.

Multilevel ceilings make it possible to combine different materials and lighting designs, play with color contrast, visually change the size of the room in any direction: upward, in width or length, divide the room into zones, etc.

Some publications claim that not all types of canvas can be used for a multi-tiered ceiling. However, if you look closely at the figure below, you cannot find at least one reason why this cannot be done.

Special mention should be made of the 3D ceiling, one of the variations of the multi-level design of the ceiling space. Its installation is very difficult, and therefore expensive, but the effect covers any costs.

Colour

The color scheme of the ceiling space also affects the completeness of the adopted style of room decoration - to mask the flaws in the interior or to emphasize design decisions, and to influence the psycho-emotional state of the apartment owners.

How to choose the right stretch ceiling by color scheme? White color visually increases the height of the room, but at the same time does not negatively affect the mental state of a person, in contrast to glossy ceilings.

Combines with any style of interior decoration, from classic to modern. Suitable in the corridor, hallway, living room, nursery, etc. Drawing or photo printing diversifies the appearance of the ceiling, giving it in many cases a weightless, airy, "soaring" look.

Beige color suits well in the bedroom if you want a calm emotional tone. To create a romantic mood, psychologists advise choosing different shades of blue and pink. Light brown canvas will emphasize the business style of the office.

WITH in red and variations of it need to be very careful. On the one hand, magical properties are attributed to him to cause love and fill the body with energy, on the other hand, it is the color of aggression. As an option - small inserts into the canvases of other colors.

Bright colors work well for the nursery, kitchen and bathroom: blue purple, orange, green... At the same time, in the nursery, they should be muted with white paint, in the kitchen and bathroom - in rich colors. Dark purple, steel and black glossy ceilings look good in tall rooms. On the dark blue the cloth in the nursery is very impressive "starry sky".

Type of canvas

The service life of the stretch ceiling, its aesthetic perception is influenced by the choice of the type of canvas:

• polyvinyl chloride film (PVC);
• polyester (synthetic fabric);
• fiberglass.

Film ceilings, as the finishers call PVC cloth, - are most in demand among customers. They are made of polyvinyl chloride with a thickness of 0.15 to 0.35 mm, a width of 1.2 to 5.1 m. They have many advantages over other types of canvas:

• variety of colors and shades - more than 100;
• a large selection of textures: glossy, matte, satin, metal or marble, etc .;
• a high level of elasticity, despite its small thickness, according to the passport, they withstand a pressure of 100 kg / m 2;
• water resistance - capable of holding up to 200 liters of water when flooded from above for 7-8 hours;
• versatility - harmoniously fit into any style and room;
• are effectively combined with other types of ceiling finishes: stucco, gypsum plasterboard;
• affordable for all segments of the population, with the exception of satin-like material;
• practical - due to the absence of static voltage, they do not attract dust and soot, they are easily washed;
• environmentally friendly - do not emit chemicals harmful to health;
• can be restored when sagging - it is enough to warm it up with a heat gun (in fairness, it should be noted that this method is not used in practice, since it does not give a long-term effect).

The PVC film also has disadvantages:

• requires careful maintenance - there is a high probability of damage to a strongly stretched surface;
• care skills are needed - the appearance of stains is possible, which are very difficult to remove on their own;
• afraid of alcohol-containing detergents;
• small punctures are repaired with subsequent decoration, but the repair will still remain noticeable, the best way out is to completely replace the canvas;
• a glossy surface negatively affects the psychoemotional state of a person, therefore its use is recommended in rooms where the presence of people is limited in time;
• the presence of seams;
• under the rays of the sun or under the influence of powerful lamps, yellow spots form on the ceiling, regardless of the texture and color of the canvas;
• afraid of low temperatures, cracking - manufacturers do not guarantee the preservation of consumer properties of the canvas at temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius.

Synthetic polyester fabric impregnated with polyurethane, produced with a thickness of 0.25 mm, a width of 1.5 to 6 m. It is a seamless material, only matte texture. Among other advantages, it should be noted:

• higher strength, in comparison with PVC, - about 20 times;
• good sound insulation properties;
• easy installation - no heat gun needed;
• wide temperature range of application, from +80 to –40 degrees Celsius;
• does not support open burning;
• allow air to pass through (breathe), due to which the formation of condensation is excluded;
• ideal for artistic painting and multiple painting;
• the ability to install powerful lamps.

Among the cons:

• high cost (mainly 3-4 times, in some cases several tens of times);
• absorb odors, which excludes its use in the kitchen;
• only dry wiping from dust and cobwebs - manufacturers do not recommend wet cleaning due to possible stains, which are almost impossible to remove on their own;
• there is no possibility to re-install, unlike PVC film;
• does not retain water during flooding from above;
• does not stick together or weld, and therefore, in rooms more than 5 m wide, a combination with plasterboard or a multi-level ceiling is needed;
• paucity of colors due to matte texture;
• in rooms with high humidity (bathroom), a special antibacterial impregnation does not always save you from mold and mildew.

Fiberglass ceilings have high strength, moisture resistant. Designed to be painted after installation. They are very expensive. On sale are rare.

Lighting type

Lighting in stretch ceilings is one of the most important elements of interior decoration of rooms. Separate works will be devoted to him on our website. Here are just a few things to note:

• the possibility of using built-in lamps and LED strips;
• limiting the power of incandescent lamps for films of 40 W, fabrics - 60 W;
• for halogen lamps, permitted parameters: 20 W for PVC and 35 W for polyester;
• there are no restrictions and recommendations for LED luminaires.

Fastening system

The quality of the stretched ceiling and its price also depend on the ceiling mounting system. The PVC film is stretched using a harpoon - a special device welded to PVC and a wedge. Fabric ceiling only with a wedge-shaped system (no way to attach a harpoon). Both systems have variations:

• harpoon gapless;
• clip (in wedge-shaped).

Installers are actively promoting the harpoon system, explaining to customers that it is the best and only genuine (European) one. At the same time, the price factor is connected - work on installing the ceiling with a harpoon system is cheaper. But such a message is not entirely conscientious in all respects, including the total cost of work. Let's figure it out.

Advantages harpoon system:

• work on stretching the canvas is carried out within 3-4 hours, i.e. very fast;
• training of workers is carried out in an accelerated manner - 2 weeks are enough, which, in our opinion, is decisive for large companies;
• invisible bypass of heating pipes;
• the possibility of re-fastening after flooding (unfortunately, the resulting sagging of the ceiling is no longer removed);
• the possibility of installation in hard-to-reach places, for example, above cabinets, air conditioning, without resorting to dismantling or moving furniture around the room.

Flaws:

• a long preparatory period associated with cutting the blade and welding the harpoon - 6-8 days;
• more expensive cost of a stretch ceiling as a whole, due to an increase in the price of a canvas with a welded harpoon (the stretching work itself is cheaper compared to a wedge-shaped system);
• large slack of the canvas after 3-4 years of operation due to the impossibility of adjusting the tension during the installation of the ceiling;
• fabric canvases are not stretched;
• a narrow rubber insert does not always cover the gaps between the profile and the wall - very often the elastic looks wavy in the corners or falls out of the baguette altogether.

The main problem of the harpoon system is the sagging of the web. There are no technical and technological ways to eliminate the sag. Heating the ceiling with a heat gun restores the level of the ceiling surface, but for a short time (several months). Conclusion: from about the middle of the service life, the ceiling begins to sag noticeably, like a bag.

Advantages wedge-shaped system mountings:

• lack of a preparatory period as such. Measurements are made, and on the second day, the ceiling is installed;

• lower cost of the stretch ceiling as a whole, compared to the harpoon system;
• the degree of tension is adjusted, and therefore the sag formed during operation is not visually striking;
• suitable for all types of canvas;
• the insert (plinth) is much wider than the elastic, which allows you to hide all the flaws in the wall - it lies close to it, without gaps and crevices.

Cons of fixing the ceiling sheet with wedges:

• requires a lot of experience from workers - they must feel the degree of tension on the canvas with their fingertips;
• there is no way to stretch in narrow spaces between the ceiling and furniture - it must be moved;
• pipe bypass is always noticeable;
• is not overtightened.

The baguette can be plastic, which is cheaper, and aluminum. The service life of the metal mount is longer and the appearance is better.

Our advice: based on the positive and negative aspects of each type of ceiling installation, it is necessary to order a wedge-shaped system for attaching the curtain to aluminum moldings. It is suitable for all types of canvas (over time, without changing the baguettes, you can switch from PVC to fabric), cheaper, put very quickly (no time wasted on welding the harpoon), the quality of the ceilings is higher. But this is if the stretching of the canvas is carried out by professionals.

Design

Decorating the ceiling space with a stretch fabric allows you to use a wide variety of forms and design methods. It is not possible to consider all of them in one work. Let's dwell on the most effective one: photo printing.

This method has no limitations for the imagination of a designer or client. On the ceiling, you can depict a blooming garden or the sun setting in the sea, beautiful birds or butterflies, various, including fantastic, patterns, copies of famous frescoes from cathedrals and temples, photographs and pictures from the personal archive, and much more.

Modern technologies make it possible to print high-resolution patterns on seamless canvases up to 5 m made of PVC or polyester impregnated with polyurethane. A wider pattern can be applied to a polyvinyl chloride film, but you will have to join the canvases by welding. Experienced specialists have learned in such cases both to precisely match the pattern and to hide the seam. All work on the application of photo printing consists of three stages.

1. The canvas is cut in accordance with the measurements of the room - the process is no different from the usual installation of a stretch ceiling.
2. An image is selected. Its reduced copy is transferred to the canvas that will be installed in the apartment in order to see how accurate and bright it will look. If necessary, the color gamut is corrected to obtain a high-quality, beautiful pattern. As a last resort, the image changes. After approval of the printed copy, the most important moment comes: printing the full-scale drawing.
3. The image is printed with the help of special machines very quickly, after which the web is sent to a special dryer. Drying time depends on the print depth and color saturation. After that, harpoons are attached to the canvas if you plan to use a harpoon tensioning system. If another mounting option is chosen - wedge-shaped, the canvas is packed and transported to the apartment for installation.

Drawing is carried out with a special large-format printer in three possible ways:

• eco-solvent;
• latex;
• ultraviolet.

The name "eco-solvent" printing method is due to the ink used: solvent. They are resistant to fading, do not tarnish. Allows you to achieve high image detail. Used when printing a 3D drawing. This is the most popular photo printing method.

The method also has a drawback - a slight toxicity. Therefore, it is undesirable to mount drawings applied using this technology in children's rooms. Latex printing uses ink that is harmless to human health. Therefore, drawings made by this method can be used in any room: nursery, bedroom, kitchen and other rooms.

The ink is of such density and contrast that the texture of the fabric canvas is not visible through them, and the image looks bright and juicy, the smallest details of the drawing are visible on it. There are no restrictions on the width, except for the size of the room. Photo printing is carried out with special equipment.

There are both pros and cons when using the UV printing method.

• the quality of the canvas does not matter;
• colors do not fade in the sun;

• the composition of the dye is safe for humans, which allows you to place UV drawings in any room;
• can be washed with "chemistry".

There is one minus, but significant - the print width is 2 m. This requires adjusting the pattern, welding the sheets and masking the seam, if the image is wider, which significantly increases the price of the work performed. Drawing on a matte and satin texture will cost from 1,500 rubles / m2, glossy more expensive - from 1,800 rubles / m2. Will affect the cost of printing and application technology, but this needs to be clarified with specific performers.

The presence of seams

Professionals and customers have an ambiguous attitude to the presence of welded seams on a PVC sheet (fabric materials cannot have them in principle). Some consider them the main drawback of the entire system - they are visible on monochrome painted ceilings, however, at a certain viewing angle, which spoils the whole view. Others, on the contrary, consider the ability of film ceilings to be welded as their great advantage, allowing:

• stretch the canvas in rooms of any width;
• glue the film of different colors, achieving a different visual effect - here the seams are already decorative elements;
• increase the strength of the film surface in the middle of the ceiling - it sags less.

For those who consider the welded seam a problem, Chinese manufacturers have supplied PVC film with a width of more than 5 m to the construction market.

Tips for choosing a stretch ceiling for specific rooms

The general principles of choosing stretch ceilings are discussed above. However, each room has its own requirements. Therefore, when determining which stretch ceiling to choose for a hall, nursery, bathroom, etc., it is necessary to take into account various nuances, which we will talk about below.

Hall

The living room is the largest room in the apartment. Households spend a lot of time here. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the design of the ceiling space in the hall - it should not annoy any family member and at the same time harmoniously fit into the surrounding environment: floor, walls, furniture.

Any kind of canvas with any texture will do. You need to choose a color scheme from calm, neutral tones. Soaring ceilings are very effective and soothing - the squeak of fashion in recent times.

Bedroom

Here, as in the hall, you can use any kind of material, but the texture must be handled very carefully. Not everyone will enjoy watching everything that happens in the bed on the ceiling, plus the glare of the street light. Therefore, before installing a glossy ceiling, you need to think more than once.

The priority is calm or romantic colors on satin. Photo printing looks very stylish, but the images should be soothing, made in pastel colors.

Children

It is advisable to stretch a fabric ceiling into the children's room. There are three pluses here:

• polyester is difficult to damage during noisy games;
• the canvas breathes, providing natural air ventilation;
• bright drawings look spectacular on a matte surface, moreover, the "night (starry) sky" looks beautiful on such a canvas.

Kitchen

What are the best stretch ceilings for the kitchen? It is easier to make the right choice here. Glossy PVC film only. It does not absorb odors, is waterproof, does not attract dust and volatile grease, and is quite easy to clean. The color scheme is bright and rich.

Bathroom

The bathroom is a small room (if we are not talking about a cottage). Therefore, here the glossy surface of the film will visually expand the scope of the room, allow you to create bright, cheerful images. The marbled texture looks very respectable. The use of the film is also of practical importance:

• in difficult conditions will retain consumer properties;
• will save you from a flood, where the risk of flooding is greatest - due to the small size after the water is released, the film sags, but you can see this only by looking closely.

Hallway

The entrance hall, with its small size, is the only place in the apartment where you can use all known solutions for ceiling decoration: a different number of levels, play of light, any kind of canvas with different textures, effects of a floating ceiling space, etc. There are only two limitations here: the level of imagination and the financial component.

The choice of the type of stretch ceiling does not mean at all that there will always be a holiday in your soul. Much also depends on who will do everything and how.

Choosing a contractor company - pitfalls along the way

Many will probably shrug their shoulders in surprise what problems can arise when hiring performers. Look, in various advertisements dozens of companies offering their services. Don't be lazy and call a dozen. But not everything is so simple here.

In France, with a population of just over 65 million, only about 20 companies install stretch ceilings. In Russia, in a city with a population of about 300 thousand people, there are much more of them. It is very difficult to exist in a highly competitive environment.

Therefore, competing installers use various marketing moves, while not always conscientious, bordering on deception. Therefore, in the Russian Federation, as nowhere else is it important to know how to choose a stretch ceiling installation company that performs work quickly, efficiently and without overpayments on the part of the customer?

1. In advertising, as well as in telephone conversations, a very low cost of the canvas is indicated: from 90 rubles / m 2. The main task here is very simple - to convince the customer to call the measurer to the house. During the measurements of the premises, the representative of the company will very convincingly explain why it is impossible to put on a cheap film.

Practice shows that this trick almost always works. The most interesting thing in this situation is the following: the company has such a canvas, but it does not intend to put it, even if the customer insists. Under various pretexts, the installer will most likely leave the order.

In order not to get into a similar situation, we will quote the cost of a high-quality canvas from European and Chinese manufacturers. The average quality of the canvas from European companies is:

• PVC film - 300-500 rubles / m 2;
• polyester (synthetic fabric) - from 600 rubles / m2 to 6,000-7,000 rubles / m2;
• PVC with photo printing - 800-2,000 rubles / m 2.

Chinese products from well-known companies (MSD, HALEAD) are 20-30% cheaper.

2. The price indicates only the cost of work on the installation of the canvas. At the end of the work, it suddenly turns out that it is necessary to pay extra for the baguettes and their fastening to the wall. This is a hidden deception of the customer. Unfortunately, it is impossible to prove the fact of fraud in court - formally, the executor of the rights. The fault of the customer that he did not fully figure out all the conditions for installing the suspended ceiling.

For your information: the price of a running meter of a metal baguette is from 180 rubles, a rubber insert is from 120 rubles / m2, the cost of fastening a baguette to the wall is from 120 rubles / m2. The minimum price for turnkey work is from 700 rubles / m 2.

Yes, you shouldn't forget about lighting yet. It is also not included in the price.

3. When installing a stretch ceiling in 2 rooms, it is suggested to install the canvas in the third room free of charge. The key word here is canvas. You will have to pay for the work. And the cost of the film is only 12-15% in the price structure.

4. If there are no Chinese products among the offered types of tensioning material, it is better to refrain from cooperation with such a company. Here, the probability that all the material is from a Chinese manufacturer tends to 100%.

5. It is not advisable to conclude contracts for the installation of films of Russian brands - they do not exist in nature (do not seriously consider IVNIIPIK products as a brand). Some firms register their own trademarks and sell Chinese stretch ceilings under their trademark. The authenticity of the material can only be confirmed by the quality certificates ISO9001 and ISO14001, not Russian origin.

6. Last and most important: never make an advance payment.

Conclusion

In this work, we examined how to choose a stretch ceiling, what types of lighting are, fastening the canvas, design, etc., which will allow us to carefully, based on the financial capabilities and design of the room and apartment as a whole, choose the most effective and effective material for your ceiling.

The choice of the installer's firm should be treated equally responsibly. Almost all the pitfalls along this path are discussed above, which will avoid many troubles. We hope that the time spent reading the material will be of practical use.

If you have decided on the type and color, shape and design, material and texture of the stretch fabric, the question remains: how to choose a manufacturer and an installation organization. Remember, when choosing stretch ceilings - quality is the main criterion.

This product has been produced in European countries for a long time. A large number of serious companies competing with each other have successfully solved quality problems. Therefore, if you did not get a fake, then you will have no complaints about the manufacturer.

• Relatively recently, canvases began to be produced in Russia, Ukraine, China (see). Their advantage (perhaps the only one) is their lower price.
• Russian-made products have a guarantee of up to 5 years (foreign ones - up to 15), they are thicker, which means they are heavier (more deflection at a considerable length).
• Colored coatings produced in Russia are mainly produced in light (pastel) colors with a small selection of textures, and the seams on PVC canvases are quite noticeable.

Production

Advice! If you need an inexpensive white ceiling for a small area, you can pick up a fairly high-quality Russian product.

The leader in the production of this product is the French (ZAK DU PLATEAU), followed by the Germans (LAGFOLIE). These are not the only foreign manufacturers.

What you need to know when choosing a cover

So how to define quality:

• (including, complies with the norms of SES).

Stretch web fire safety certificate. What documents are needed

• The composition of the material should not contain phenol and compounds containing it (they are used in plasticizers of low quality ceilings). If they are, then there is a threat to your health (phenol will be released during operation).
• If the design is white, it should be a “warm” white, not a bluish, “cold” shade. Quality films are available only in "warm" white.

What are the best canvases

• To the touch, the "correct" ceiling looks like a fabric, not a plastic bag - it does not rustle.
• The glossy texture should resemble a mirror, the material of poor quality has a low reflectivity.

• Glossy films of European manufacturers are "sewn" from panels 1.8 m wide, matte (satin) - 2.7 m. "Chinese analogue" - 3.3 m.
• The material of a high-quality coating does not have an unpleasant smell (it smells, of course, but the smell after installation will soon disappear).

• A good ceiling should be completed (preferably aluminum, reinforced, with a harpoon system for mounting the canvas).

Video instruction for choosing a ceiling:

There is a way to check the quality of stretch ceilings ordered by your size from a foreign manufacturer (especially if you are going to install them yourself).

Note:

• All components will be packed in boxes with branded stickers.

In the photo - the packaging is pasted over with tape with the manufacturer's logo

• You will receive a typed contract rather than an inkjet printer on tissue paper.
• The company logo must be present on the warranty card- the manufacturer and all its details (many firms use holographic images to protect against counterfeiting).

• The contract will be accompanied by quality certificates for the supplied products.
• On the official website of the manufacturer, you can familiarize yourself with the samples of the documents attached to the order.

The choice of specialists for installation

Poor editing can make all your efforts to select the perfect material useless.

• It is better to contact a company that has already established itself in the market for these services, which has specialists with experience and is able to demonstrate to you the finished result of its activities.
• You can ask the opinion of friends, relatives who have already installed stretch ceilings.
• A professional measurer, taking off the dimensions of the room, will advise you not only the ceiling material that is optimal for your case, but also the direction and location of the seams, the type of lamps, baguettes and other accessories. If you are offered everything at the "highest level", without seeing the premises and interior, you should look for another company.
• Professional installation organizations provide a guarantee not only for materials, but also for the work performed.

High-quality stretch ceilings, with proper installation, require minimal maintenance, can be easily repaired if necessary, and will delight you for many years.

As already mentioned, the properties of vinyl and fabric canvases have some peculiarities. This is the reason for the difference in the installation technology.

Any PVC stretch ceiling requires heating. For this, a gas cannon is usually used. A jet of hot air is directed directly to the web. In this case, the temperature in the room rises to +60 ° С. The elasticity of the film is increased and it is easy to stretch it to the required size. Then a special fastener welded along the edges - a harpoon - is refueled into a profile pre-installed along the perimeter of the room. This type of fastening is only used with PVC foil. Installation begins at the corner marked by the ceiling manufacturer and continues gradually in both directions along the entire perimeter.

Later, as the room cools down, the canvas is stretched. For this type of ceiling, the accuracy of the measurements is especially important. Cutting films for stretch ceilings is carried out using special software. And the manufactured ceiling is about 20% smaller than the area of ​​the room.

Polyester, on the other hand, shrinks when heated. Therefore, the installation of a fabric stretch ceiling is carried out without a heat gun and preliminary cutting. The roll of the required width is untwisted right on the spot, and the excess is cut off after stretching. The fabric begins to be tucked into the baguette, first on the walls (primarily on short ones), and only then the corners are pulled. Heat may be needed here - in some cases, when the canvas is stretched, slight folds form in the corners. It is enough to warm them up a little with a construction hairdryer so that the material straightens out and acquires a flat surface. But as a rule, experienced craftsmen do without heating.

Which option to choose

So which is better - a fabric stretch ceiling or PVC? Perhaps the question posed in this way is not entirely correct. It is more correct to ask: "Which ceiling would best suit a particular room?" In any case, a compromise will be required between operating conditions and personal aesthetic preferences.

The comparison table below will help you make the right choice.

Properties	Film	Textile
Strength	PVC is tear-resistant and elastic material, but it can be easily damaged by any sharp object.	Fabrics are denser and stronger, practically do not stretch, and it is difficult to damage them mechanically.
Range of permissible temperatures	The film is operated at temperatures from +40 to -5 ° С; use in unheated rooms is unacceptable.	Cloths of fabric can withstand from +80 to -50 ° С, installation in unheated rooms (country houses, dachas, balconies) is allowed.
The degree of sagging over time	0 - 30 mm	0 - 10 mm
Moisture resistance	PVC is a waterproof material, when flooded from above, it can withstand up to 100 liters of liquid for a long time, after its removal, the original appearance of the film is restored, it is recommended for wet rooms.	Low moisture resistance: installation in the bathroom and kitchen with a ceiling height of less than 2.7 m is undesirable, increased requirements for ventilation. After flooding, they begin to flow after 2 hours; subsequently, stains and stains that cannot be removed may remain.
Soundproofing	None, the film can even slightly amplify the noise from neighbors, the "echo" effect.	Low, however, there are special acoustic types of fabric stretch ceilings that eliminate the "echo" effect.
Thermal insulation	Missing.	Low, special role without additional thermal insulation materials will not play.
Size range in width	130-600 cm (European production - up to 325 cm)	150-510 cm
Installation features	Heating the web up to 60 ° C using a heat gun, increased requirements for the personnel of the assembly team and safety measures.	Without using a heat gun.
Environmental friendliness	Safe for health and the environment.
Fire resistance	They melt, ignite with prolonged exposure to open fire.	They melt, do not support combustion.
Design	The widest possibilities for design solutions: glossy shiny, matte and satin surface, embossing, bright and moderate tones and shades of all colors, excellent photo printing, the ability to mount multi-level, decorative perforated, translucent, transparent canvases and many other options.	A more modest assortment of colors, soft, dull tones, only matte texture, fabric texture with a flat surface. The small selection is offset by a noble, even aristocratic appearance. Coloring up to 5 times is possible. Photo printing is also possible, but it does not look so bright.
Care features	Easily cleaned from dirt. Cleaning with chlorine-free detergents is acceptable, abrasive cleaning agents are not acceptable.	Fabrics are antibacterial, dirt-repellent. Easily cleaned only from surface contamination.
Service life (warranty)	10-12 years old	10-12 years old
Price per m2	350-700 p.	800-1500 p.

Thus, stretch ceilings of different types, despite similar designs, have a unique set of properties and features. Which of them is the best in one case or another, you need to decide, taking into account the operating conditions of the room, the characteristics of the paintings and personal preferences.

Pros and cons of stretch ceilings

The advantages and disadvantages are determined by the type of coating used - PVC films or fabric ceilings.

But there are a number of common advantages:

1. The speed of finishing. Films are stretched within 4-10 hours, fabric - 5-12 hours.
2. Saving the interior. Film coatings are able to hold large masses of water for a long time, the fabric material is less waterproof, but is able to prevent the risk of spillage within 2-3 hours.

1. There is no need for leveling work on the ceiling. All defects, and at the same time the pipes of communications, as well as beams in private houses, will be closed with canvas.
2. Insulation and insulation materials can be laid under PVC stretch ceilings and woven materials.

Versatility. You can stretch canvases in any room, building

It is important to select materials that provide the desired level of comfort and meet the stated requirements for the use of space.
Ease of maintenance. Cleaning is required no more than once every 6 months

Sufficient dry, wet cleaning. When stubborn dirt appears, conventional detergents are used without aggressive action.

The variability of color solutions, the formation of structures, an affordable price are additional advantages of finishing. It should also be noted the long service life of the canvases, environmental friendliness and the possibility of using finishing in rooms with high requirements for the cleanliness of facing materials - in children, hospitals and other facilities.

The disadvantages of stretch ceilings depend on the type of canvas chosen:

• film coatings cannot be installed in open spaces in areas with a possible drop in temperature;
• it is better not to use fabric canvases in rooms with high levels of humidity;
• PVC films for ceilings are welded to stretch over large areas;
• the maximum power of luminaires for stretch ceilings is no more than 40 watts, the installation of a thermally insulating plafond is required.

Considering the pros and cons of stretch ceilings, it should be noted that it is necessary to involve a master for finishing. Do-it-yourself stretching is possible, but the master will need special tools and experience, besides, no one will give a guarantee of high-quality tension. It is easier to get by with the services of professionals and get guarantees for all types of work.

Where are stretch ceilings used?

High-quality stretch ceilings can be used in any buildings, houses, rooms, but there are some peculiarities - it is better to use films in warm spaces, but woven fabrics - in areas with a minimum moisture content, but at the same time woven materials do not deteriorate under the influence of negative temperatures.

Application area:

• private houses from any materials;
• apartments;
• warehouse, public buildings;
• offices;
• commercial buildings;
• constructions of entertainment complexes, including swimming pools, sports and concert halls;
• educational institutions and others.

There is not a single building where stretch canvases cannot be used. Fabric materials are ideal for open areas of balconies, loggias, terraces, as well as storage rooms, basements and underground parking lots. The structures are lightweight, do not weigh down floor slabs, load-bearing beams. If the choice is made correctly, the owner receives a fireproof, environmentally friendly and aesthetic coating that will last for several decades without the need for repairs, renovation of the ceiling plane.

Beautiful examples in the interior

The ceiling does not have to have a perfectly smooth surface. The embossed and figured ceiling looks very original and stylish. In this case, aluminum slats of similar shades were used. Such a ceiling is resistant to high temperatures, is not afraid of moisture and provides excellent air circulation. In addition, the design is easy to maintain and will last for several decades.

The universal and most popular ceiling color is white. Less commonly, beige or cream is used. But also a colored or dark ceiling looks great in some style directions.

But it is important to be able to combine it with the general style of the interior.

When choosing stretch ceilings, you need to decide which option you like the most - matte or glossy. The shiny, almost mirror-like gloss finish perfectly expands the space. And matte hides the seams between the canvases as much as possible. But in some cases, masking the seams is not necessary at all. This can become a kind of highlight of the interior. So, for example, a satin white ceiling with black stripes looks laconic and stylish in a modern living room interior.

The ceiling can serve as a continuation of the overall concept of the room or become a unique piece of art. An unusual pattern, ornament or even photographs can be applied to the surface.

If the area of ​​the apartment does not allow the use and weighting of a small space with voluminous multi-level structures, and the style of the interior must be supplemented with curly and carved elements, pay attention to stretch canvases with drawings. This is a great way to beat the classics with a modern twist.

Suspended structures can look great in many interior styles. And the loft is no exception. Hidden LED lighting above the suspended structure accentuates the natural roughness and unevenness of the concrete floor and creates the effect of being in an industrial production space.

Fans of non-standard design solutions will appreciate the ceilings that are unusual in shape and style. The option is considered stylish when the design of the suspension system is combined with shelves, niches, furniture or other decorative elements. For example, a non-standard solution is a ceiling that complements the design of a staircase in a country house.

You can watch a master class on installing a cassette ceiling in this video.

PVC stretch ceiling

Considering what stretch ceilings are, one cannot but pay attention to PVC film materials. These are products welded from individual strips that are tensioned using heat. The film itself and the air in the room are heated, after cooling the canvas takes the desired shape. The texture, color scheme depends on the selected material.

Types and characteristics

Manufacturers offer the following types of PVC films:

1. Glossy. Reflective material. The area of ​​the weld should be thought out in advance so that it is not noticeable.
2. Matte. An inexpensive type of material that does not have the property of reflection, in its finished form, it resembles an ironed whitewashed ceiling.
3. Satin. Medium type of material between glossy and matte film. Satin canvases reflect light, but at the same time they refract and scatter rays, which looks especially aesthetically pleasing. Satin fabrics are produced in the widest variety of colors.

The main characteristic of PVC film that influences the choice is the width of the strip, which does not exceed 5 m, therefore, when decorating spacious ceilings, the strips are welded.

The list of reliable manufacturers is small:

• Pongs, Germany. Unique seamless ceilings under the Descor trademark. The thickness of the products is up to 0.3 mm, the strength is increased - the canvas can withstand up to 150 liters of liquid per 1 m2.
• PTCM, Belgium. The width of the canvas is 5 m, a wide selection of colors and textures. The Belgian manufacturer offers canvases with photo printing, 3D effect. Quality products are distinguished by their durability, resistance to dust and dirt.

There are also manufacturers from the Russian Federation, China, Turkey. But when choosing materials, it is necessary to request certificates of conformity and look at the description - there is a great risk of getting defective canvases with low performance.

Cost and service life

On average, the price of the installation service for PVC panels starts from $ 8-15 (600-1200 rubles) per 1m2

It is important to take into account the type of material, the shape of the structure, the presence of built-in backlighting and other nuances. Manufacturer's warranty 15 years, service life from 20 years

Adhesive ceiling

The glue method of finishing is the fastening of the coating directly to the base base using a special glue. The most used materials for this method are panels or tiles made of expanded polystyrene. These tiles are characterized by low weight (about 0.4 kg / m2), they are easy to cut, which makes it possible to use them in non-standard rooms. Also, such properties as heat and sound insulation should be attributed to polystyrene. However, the disadvantages of this material are that when glued end-to-end, the panels do not form a visually solid coating. To some extent, this has become the reason for the unpopularity of this type of decoration in recent years. However, with the advent of glass fiber wallpaper, the method of pasting with wallpaper came back to life. Glass fiber is very moisture resistant. Due to its long service life (20 years) and the possibility of dyeing 10-15 times, this material occupies a leading position in the market. In addition, the glue method is very easy and quick to implement, and also masks irregularities, cracks and other damage to the base ceiling. The usual thickness of the coating is 10 mm, and thanks to this very characteristic, this coating can be used in rooms where the ceiling height reaches only 2.5 - 2, 6 m.But there are some disadvantages of the adhesive method: with its help it is possible to hide only minor defects horizontally. Lighting possibilities are also limited: the use of built-in lighting devices is excluded, it is impossible to "disguise" any technical equipment, including electrical wiring. As for the purchase price for this type of finish, it depends directly on the material you choose. As an example, the price of foreign-made tiles fluctuates around 175 rubles per sq. M. the average cost of domestic polystyrene panels, especially non-laminated ones, is 15 rubles. per sq.

Choosing a color for ceilings in an apartment

Today's varied design options allow for the most incredible types of ceilings in an apartment. They are the simplest monochromatic and represent one plane. This option is ideal for minimalism - it is often performed in light shades. Such light-colored ceilings are ideal for all styles. But sometimes situations arise when you want to introduce a certain variety, or the design requires original solutions.

Often, the ceiling is decorated with additional decorative elements.

If you want to experiment with color, then you should consider the basic rules:

• if the room has a low ceiling, then it is worth using the lightest colors possible without complex structures;
• with a low level of natural light, a multi-level ceiling with the maximum light in color should be made, embedding spotlights into it;
• if you use color on this part of the room, then it should be in harmony with the overall coloristic solution.

Making out this type of ceiling, you can easily hide any irregularities and imperfections on the surface of the ceiling.

When choosing a ceiling finish, you need to rely not only on your preferences, but also on the basic requirements that apply to this part of the room. Depending on the style solution, it is worth choosing the finishing material and color.

The larger the area of ​​the premises of a separate room and the entire home as a whole, the more experiments with decoration you can afford.

In the studio room, it is advisable to zone the space with the help of the ceiling. If, for example, a structural drop is made between the dining part and the living room, or different materials are used, then in this way you can visually divide the room into two parts.

A wide range of finishing options in hardware stores will allow you to easily bring to life the most daring design ideas and find the right solution for any budget.

In any case, before proceeding with the implementation of any of your own plans, it is advisable to draw a sketch of the entire room with a certain type of ceiling. If the hand is not sufficiently placed and it is not possible to create a sketch, then it is better to turn to a professional designer for it.

Views

Duplex ceilings are a modern way to make the interior unique and original. With the help of building and finishing materials, you can get more than two levels of height. And at the same time, any design, in addition to aesthetics, has additional practical characteristics. But such multi-level structures look good only in spacious apartments.

There are several types of suspended ceilings:

Stretch is perhaps the most popular finish. Use a fabric or PVC film with a minimum thickness. The surface does not require careful maintenance, it is enough to periodically wet clean with a soft cloth to get rid of dust and dirt.

Each type of suspended ceiling is specific to certain types of premises. A wide variety of materials, designs, sizes and colors allows you to choose the ideal option for an apartment or house.

What should be the height

Decorating the ceiling with a suspended structure requires at least a small frame. Why the space of the room will become visually noticeably smaller. The design of the suspended ceiling is simple: using a frame system made of metal profiles or wooden beams, the canvas and various elements of the future covering are attached to the main partition. Decorative panels and all details on a metal grill are attached to the installed suspensions. Correct installation of the guides and support profiles ensures easy installation. And with the smallest installation option, the distance between the ceiling and the false ceiling will be at least 3 cm.

The height of the ceiling installation is also influenced by some separate reasons:

Recessed luminaires can have a large body that will need to be hidden behind the ceiling structure. If desired, you can mount an LED strip or a simple chandelier into the ceiling structure. It is also necessary to take into account the dimensions of the housing, which will be hidden behind the insulating material.

Stretch or false ceilings

For those who have not yet decided for themselves which is better - a stretch ceiling or a suspended ceiling, we will try to facilitate the task through a brief comparative analysis:

• Stretch ceilings are good, first of all, for their irresistible appearance and relatively quick installation, but installation can only be carried out with the involvement of third-party specialists due to the complexity of the technology (see Advantages of stretch ceilings: good again).
• Suspended ceilings can be installed independently, and they have practically no restrictions on complexity. However, at the same time, they cannot boast, for example, the ideal gloss inherent only in film stretch canvases (see Aluminum suspended ceilings - types, scope, installation features).

Combination of a stretch ceiling with a suspended one in a two-level ceiling structure

• When determining which is better - a suspended or suspended ceiling, in each case, the characteristics of the room should be taken into account. So, stretch ceilings are usually used for elite modern interiors, but, for example, for outdoor rooms and rooms without heating, they are not suitable, since they become fragile at low temperatures, which cannot be said about suspended systems.
• Suspended ceilings are advisable to use in the decoration of large areas - offices and other institutions, moreover, such systems look more strict.

Manufacturers and prices

Today you can find products of many manufacturers of stretch ceilings: both domestic, and Chinese, and European. Let us dwell on the best of them, proven and fully responsible for the quality of the manufactured goods.

The PVC cloth must be selected especially carefully. It is here that you can most often find, if not a fake, then a cheap product made in violation of technology. Ceiling films of consistently high quality are offered by the following well-known companies:

• Renolit (Germany);
• Pongs - under the Lackfolie brand (Germany);
• Malpensa (Italy);
• Alcor Draca (France);
• PTMS Polyplast (Belgium, the plant is located in China).

Among the proven Chinese manufacturers are MSD, Tianan, Botai.

In the Russian market, prices for good quality film start at 350 rubles / sq. m., including the services of a measurer, the cost of welding, cutting and installing a stretch ceiling.

For comparison, we present the average prices per square meter of white PVC cloth from different manufacturers in rubles:

• MSD - matte - 450 rubles, satin - 470 rubles, glossy - 550 rubles;
• PTMS Polyplast - 550, 570 and 590 rubles. respectively;
• Pongs - 750, 770 and 790 rubles.

As for fabric ceilings, the most reliable manufacturers are considered to be:

• Clipso (Switzerland);
• Descor (Germany);
• Cerutti (Italy);
• Emerald (Belgium).

Polyester canvases are more expensive. For example, for white ceilings:

• Clipso optical white - 850 rubles, Clipso 705s - 1130 rubles;
• Deskor D-Premium - 890 rubles. per square meter.

For colored fabrics:

• Clipso color - 1230 rubles;
• Deskor D-Premium Color - 1590 rubles.

As you can see, prices for products from leading European manufacturers differ, but only slightly. Of course, you cannot call a stretch ceiling a cheap purchase. But for many, this pleasure is available, especially when you consider that the hinged structure will serve without repair much longer than the usual plaster.

Russian products are much cheaper and outwardly look no worse than European ones. But, unfortunately, it cannot yet compete with it in terms of service life.

The question of which ceilings is better to make in an apartment arises both among the owners of comfortable private houses and among the owners of urban housing who have decided to take up the improvement of their estates. When choosing a material for such a finish, it is imperative to take into account the characteristics of each of the premises.

For example, a bathroom has a specific humid microclimate. And in order for the decoration of the ceiling in this room not to become completely unusable after a couple of years, it must have the appropriate characteristics. The kitchen also has its own characteristics, and not every cladding material is suitable for it, since the ceiling will require regular maintenance. For ceilings in residential premises, the most important quality is the environmental friendliness of the finish, of course, along with decorative appeal.

If not so long ago the most widespread the types of finishing of ceilings were whitewashing or painting with oil paint, today in hardware stores there is a very wide selection of various materials. And many of them are quite suitable for use both in humid rooms and in living rooms with a normal microclimate.

Criteria for choosing materials for apartment ceilings

So, the materials that can be used to decorate the ceilings of the rooms of an apartment must meet certain requirements. Only by taking these features into account can you get a high-quality, durable ceiling that fully matches a particular room.

Speaking, for example, a bathroom, the effect on the ceiling surface of constant humid vapors is taken into account, the likelihood of direct ingress of water droplets is not forgotten. In addition, a certain risk cannot be excluded that your bathroom may be flooded by neighbors living on the floor above. Another feature of this room is the often alternating temperature changes, which also adversely affect many finishing materials.

The finishing of the kitchen ceiling must be resistant not only to moisture, but also to vapors containing fat and oils, as well as to high temperatures.

Other premises may have their own characteristics.

It is best to immediately try to formulate some of the requirements that the ceilings in the premises of the apartment should have.

• Moisture resistance - this quality is necessary for the bathroom and kitchen. The ceiling finish should not be saturated with moisture, withstand the effects of hot steam, without getting wet or deforming.
• The material must comply with sanitary and hygienic standards, that is, it must not be a breeding ground for various bacteria, mold, fungus. The finish must not release toxic substances into the ambient air. The ceiling must not become a source of dust spreading. This rule must be observed in any premises of an apartment or residential building.
• The durability of the finish, that is, the material should not age quickly, undergo chemical or biological degradation, destructuring, corrosion. This quality is important for all types of ceilings, but it is especially important in rooms with a specific microclimate - in a bathroom or kitchen.
• The surface of the material should give in to light wet or dry cleaning in living quarters and regular washing with household chemicals in the bathroom and kitchen.
• Some ceiling materials have the ability to contain leaks or can be quickly dismantled in case of emergency. These qualities are especially useful for the ceiling decoration of bathrooms and kitchens. However, they will also be useful for other rooms, since, unfortunately, pipe breaks can also occur in the heating system. And such emergencies can ruin any repair.
• Aesthetic qualities. The finish should have a neat and attractive appearance and be in harmony with the wall finish. Many apartment owners consider these qualities to be the main ones. It should be noted that they really are of great importance, since the appearance of the entire design of the room depends on them. Big, but not always defining ...

In order to be able to determine the choice of material for finishing ceilings in the rooms of an apartment, it makes sense to consider the characteristics of the most popular modern materials used for this purpose.

The main types of ceilings

The types of ceilings can be divided according to their basic design and the material used for their manufacture and decoration. So, ceilings can be suspended and suspended, pasted over or painted with different materials.

• For stretch ceilings, plastic material is used in the form of large canvases. Its installation is carried out using special equipment.
• Suspended ceilings are a metal or wooden structure - a frame on which various materials are fixed or laid - it can be plastic, metal or wooden lining, polymer panels, artificial glass, chipboard, drywall and other materials.

Suspended ceilings can be single-level or multi-level. In addition, ceiling surfaces with several levels can be combined with tension structures.

• For pasting the surface of a flat ceiling, wallpaper, expanded polystyrene tiles, fabrics, natural original coatings, for example, cork, are used.

Today, the most demanded in design developments are plasterboard ceilings, including multi-tiered ceilings with original lighting, and tension surfaces. Both the first and the second option are very difficult to mount independently, without special skills and special equipment.

For bathrooms, the most popular finish is plastic panels and stretch canvases.

Ceiling height in the apartment

To choose a material for finishing the ceiling in any of the rooms, it is necessary to calculate its height, and take into account the fact that some designs imply its significant reduction. Therefore, in apartments with low ceilings, the arrangement of suspension systems becomes always expedient, since such ceilings will create an oppressive impression.

The standard for the height of ceilings in apartments of the Soviet era is most often 2400 ÷ 2500 mm, in modern new buildings this parameter is sometimes increased to 3000 mm.

If the apartment has low ceilings, and they need to be made visually higher, then it is worth choosing materials that have a small thickness and are fixed directly to the floor surface, or those that have a reflective effect, for example, light stretch ones.

If the ceiling height is high enough, then this allows you to place heat and / or soundproof material between the finish and the ceiling, to mask engineering communications in this area - electrical wiring or ventilation ducts.

The color scheme is also important in order to visually raise the ceiling. There are several design tricks for this purpose:

Stretch ceiling prices

stretch ceiling

• You can smooth the line of the junction between the wall and the ceiling by choosing materials of the appropriate shades, that is, finishing the ceiling and walls with the same color.
• Another option is to cover the ceiling with reflective material.

• A stretch ceiling with a spatial 3D pattern, for example, a sky with clouds, gives a good effect.

Now let's move on to a more detailed examination of the types of ceilings. This will make it much easier to determine the choice for specific areas of the apartment.

Dropped ceilings

As mentioned above, one of the most popular ceiling cladding options in different rooms of the apartment in recent years, various types of suspended structures have become. They are of high-quality performance and look very good, and have a considerable number of advantages.

Advantages and disadvantages of suspended ceiling structures

TO advantageous qualities ceiling finishes with a suspended structure include the following:

• With the help of suspended structures, you can easily level the surface and hide numerous flaws, which are abundant even on concrete floor slabs.
• Various communications can be hidden under the elements of the false ceiling. Thanks to this possibility, there is no need to groove walls or ceilings.
• Many designs are easy to install.
• In some cases, it remains possible to dismantle the cladding in case of need for repair or replacement of some fragments of the finish
• Quite good durability indicators.
• Such ceilings have a very aesthetic appearance.
• A wide range of installation options for various lighting systems are provided.
• The variety of materials used for lining the ceiling allows you to consider several options and make the best choice.

False ceilings have their own limitations , which you also need to know when choosing one of these options:

• When installing a suspended structure, the ceiling in the room becomes lower. This is especially noticeable in apartments, where it is already cramped in this regard.
• Some types of suspended structures are capable of letting steam into the space between the finish and the ceiling. In the absence of proper ventilation, condensation can form in this space, creating favorable conditions for the emergence and reproduction of mold colonies, which will be quite difficult to get rid of.
• The suspended ceiling is not able to protect the premises from leaks that can occur in emergency situations.
• When performing self-assembly, high accuracy of calculations and assembly work will be required.
• Some types of suspended ceilings will cost the owners a lot.

Varieties of suspended structures

Suspended ceilings can be made from different materials and their design may differ slightly from each other:

• Rack ceilings and coverings made of plastic or natural lining.
• Cassette or modular design.
• Solid suspended ceiling.

Slatted suspended ceiling and lining

This structure consists of panels made in the form of long panels or lining, which can be made of plastic, wood, steel or aluminum. The panels are fixed solid or with the required clearance on a metal or wooden frame, fixed to the main ceiling and / or walls.

The frame can be fixed directly to the floor or lowered to a certain distance from it. The latter option is often chosen in cases where it is necessary to place communications under the decorative cladding, or it is planned to install built-in lamps.

Drywall prices

plasterboard

Frame parts installed along the perimeter of the walls are very often decorative elements at the same time, as they give a neat appearance of the joint line.

As mentioned above, slats or lining for ceiling cladding are made of different materials. In addition, they can interconnect in different ways. So, an absolutely smooth common surface with barely noticeable (and often - and not at all noticeable) lines of joints. Another option is a relief lining with grooves along the entire length, which is sometimes given a different color. Finally, sparse panel assembly is also practiced.

• Plastic panels most often today they are used for lining the ceilings of bathrooms, since they have qualities that correspond to the microclimate of this room, they also find their application in corridors or hallways.

Plastic lining has the following characteristics:

- high resistance to moisture;

- resistance to temperature changes;

- low weight of the material, which simplifies its installation;

- ease of care for the finish;

- material safety;

- long service life;

- finishing does not require additional coating with decorative materials throughout the entire period of operation;

- affordable price of the material, allowing, if desired, to change the finish without dismantling the frame structure.

Plastic panels are produced in different widths and with different surface structures. It can be matte, glossy, embossed or metallized.

This material can be combined in color on the entire surface of the ceiling, or to highlight a specific area of ​​the room with a specific color. Quite often, in a plastic one-color lining, the gaps along the joints are decorated with a molding that has a steel or gold color.

How to mount the ceiling from plastic panels yourself

If the choice fell on the plastic ceiling, then this work can be considered quite feasible for independent execution. You will need instructions for carrying out installation work, and can be found in the article of our portal.

• Wooden lining. Some owners of apartments and houses, preferring the so-called eco-style, choose wooden lining for decorating rooms. Moreover they mount it not only on the surface of the walls, but also on the ceiling.

As you know, wood has numerous advantages, the main of which are the environmental friendliness of the material, aesthetic appearance, long service life, and resistance to temperature changes.

The disadvantage of this material is its hygroscopicity, therefore, if a decision is made to decorate the bathroom with natural clapboard, then reliable protection from moisture will be required. For this purpose, wooden panels are impregnated with an antiseptic, natural oils or coated with a special heat-resistant wax before installation. Such substances have moisture-repellent properties, and, creating a film on the surface of the wood, reliably protect it from steam penetration.

A good option would be a wooden board for finishing the bedroom and corridor. In the bedroom, wood, due to its natural properties, will create a favorable microclimate and allow the walls to "breathe". Especially such a ceiling will be appropriate in these rooms if the walls are also faced with natural wood.

• Metal slatted ceilings... Panels for it are made of steel with an anti-corrosion coating or aluminum, with a thickness of 0.4 to 1.0 mm. The width of the metal slats can be up to 300 mm, which significantly speeds up the installation of the trim on the frame. But there are products of other widths, for example, 80 ÷ 120 mm, so there is an opportunity to choose - as you like. The length of the panels can vary from 2000 to 6000 mm.

The outer covering of such a metal cladding can be embossed or smooth, solid or perforated. Most often, all types of metal panels, except those with perforations, are used for lining the bathroom ceiling. Perforated panels will not be suitable for both the bathroom and the kitchen, since various vapors will begin to collect in the space between the cladding and the ceiling, as a result of which an unpleasant odor will soon appear in the room.

This material is also well suited for the ceiling of the hallway. Less commonly, metal material is used for living rooms. But this is not excluded if styles such as, for example, high-tech are chosen for their design.

The metal version of the finish can have a different external coating - glossy, matte, polymer colored spraying, mirror-like or imitating the textured pattern and color of wood.

This material almost completely meets the requirements for finishes used in wet rooms:

- It does not absorb moisture at all and even repels it, so it will not become a breeding ground for various bacteria.

- The metal does not emit toxic substances into the environment, so the cladding can be called environmentally friendly.

- The material is resistant to temperature changes.

- The cladding is designed for a long service life, as well-made panels change their original "marketable" appearance.

- The surface is easy to care for, it lends itself to wet cleaning using household chemicals.

The disadvantage of steel panels is the need for mandatory treatment of the cuts of the slats with an anti-corrosion compound, otherwise corrosion can spread further. Aluminum products are quite expensive.

Prices for plastic panels for the ceiling

plastic ceiling panels

Modular suspended structure

This type of ceiling is a suspended structure made of panels made of different materials. It can be frosted or mirrored glass, metal, plastic, gypsum fiber lightweight boards or even moisture resistant drywall. The fundamental difference is that these panels (tiles) are laid in cells of a suspended metal frame of a special design.

The frame for the modular ceiling differs in that it is open. That is, its profiles are not calculated to be fixed on them panels with the help of one or another fastener, and for laying on top into formed cells. This version of the suspended ceiling is much easier to install and repair, since any panel can always be replaced with a new one.

Frame guides for a modular ceiling are made of electrogalvanized steel or aluminum with a thickness of 0.4 ÷ 0.8 mm. The front, that is, the surfaces of the metal profiles facing the room are covered with a protective and decorative polymer layer of different shades or a metallized paint composition. This makes it possible to select the color of the frame and panels - the guides become a neat frame for decorative panels.

Armstrong's popular ceiling systems are a classic example of this.

This type of construction can be applied to any of the rooms, if it corresponds to its design solution of its design.

• Panels from compressed mineral and cellulose fibers... They are not at all heavy, although often the surface is very similar with plaster finishing. However, the surface texture of such plates can be very different.

Such panels give the ceiling an accentuated neatness. In addition, many of them have perforations or a special surface texture, which gives them the property of very effective sound insulation.

The cost of such panels cannot be called high, and they are quite suitable for the category widely available metrics.

• Metal panels modular ceilings have the same characteristics as the rack metal version. Their advantages include a wide selection of shades, ease of installation.

• Mirror Panels can be made of water-repellent glass or polished metal. Therefore, these elements of the suspended ceiling perfectly resist moisture and hot steam.

The reflective surface of the mirrored ceiling visually expands the space of a small bathroom or hallway. In addition, mirrored panels reflect light from lighting fixtures located on the walls of the room, significantly increasing their glow.

Mirrored ceiling panels are produced in different sizes and colors. They can be perfectly smooth or have various textured patterns on their surface.

• "Glass" modular ceilings. In this version, the role of the panels is played by acrylic translucent plates, on which a matte finish is applied. It can be white or colored. The surface of such pseudo-glass panels are often decorated with large or small patterns, which brings a special originality to the interior design. If a matte "glass" ceiling is chosen for installation, backlighting is immediately provided under it. With proper placement, it will not only create brighter room lighting, but also highlight the ornaments on the glass.

This ceiling finish does not absorb moisture, is easy to clean and retains its appearance for years to come. Such "glass" ceilings can be installed in the bathroom, hallway, and sometimes even in the living room.

False ceiling prices

suspended ceiling

Due to the fact that matte pseudo glass the panels are made of acrylic, they have a very low weight, so they can be easily and without fear mounted on their own. In addition, the acrylic ceiling is absolutely safe to use - even if dropped from a height, the panel will not break and cause serious injury. Smooth "glasses" are easy to clean, and they are resistant to various household hygiene products, except those containing abrasive additives.

Spotlights can be easily integrated into suspended cassette panels. In addition, manufacturers also provide for the production of special lighting devices (luminous panels or fluorescent lamps), the dimensions of which exactly coincide with the dimensions of the frame cells.

Continuous cladding of a false ceiling

Solid ceiling cladding is usually done when it is necessary to level the surface of the main surface. At the same time, in the gap between the ceiling and the cladding, it is possible to lay heat-insulating or sound-insulating material.

Solid sheathing can be applied to any room in an apartment or house. However, if it is installed in a humid room, that is, in a bathroom, bathroom or kitchen, then any of the used facing materials will need to be treated with antiseptic and primer compounds.

This design of ceilings implies the presence of a frame that is attached to the ceiling and is most often made of wooden beams or special galvanized metal profiles. For cladding, use glass-magnesite sheets, plywood, chipboard, OSB, but drywall has gained the greatest popularity in recent decades.

This type of ceiling sheathing almost always requires additional finishing. It will include sealing the seams between the sheets, impregnating with primers, and then painting or wallpapering.

Multi-tiered structures can be created from drywall on the ceiling, allowing you to place wiring and lighting of any kind inside them. However, to mount such a ceiling is not at all simply, and without the presence of certain experience, the ability to work not only with drywall, but also with metal profiles, as well as without a correctly drawn up project in advance, it is not worth it to take on this business at random. Specialists can handle this work efficiently. But if you nevertheless decide to try your own capabilities, then it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the technology for performing such installation work. We can provide information support in this matter.

Do you want to try your hand at designing and installing a suspended multi-level plasterboard ceiling?

If yes, then first you need to take a short theoretical course. Well, then, in the work, strictly follow the technological instructions. You will find both that and another in a very detailed, literally to the smallest detail, publication of our portal.

Stretch ceiling

Stretch ceilings are especially well suited for apartments with low rooms. They reduce the height of the room by only 40 ÷ 50 mm, thanks to the installation of special profiles on the walls around the perimeter of the room, on which the elastic or fabric canvas will be stretched.

Stretch ceilings can be fabric or made of PVC film. To determine which of them will seem best, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with the features of both options.

Stretch ceilings from PVC films

This version of stretch ceilings can be divided into several subspecies according to the structure of the surface being created:

• Glossy films have a reflective effect and quite pronounced shine.
• Semi-matt ceilings resemble frosted glass in their texture.
• Matte stretch ceilings do not have a reflective effect, and their appearance is difficult to distinguish from a smoothly plastered surface.

• Mother-of-pearl films create spectacular soft play of colors.
• The canvases imitating a suede surface have a velvety texture, due to which the room lighting is dimmed and evenly distributed throughout the room. This option is perfect for a bedroom or living room.
• Satin coating options tend to reflect the luminous flux falling on them from a natural light source, that is, windows, as well as from lighting fixtures.

• Ceilings with a 3D image of a starry or cloudy sky are popular.

TO positive qualities PVC films

• The elasticity of the film allows the creation of various shapes on ceiling surfaces.
• The material is environmentally friendly, does not emit toxic substances into the air, does not attract and does not accumulate dust. These qualities make it possible to use PVC films for lining the ceiling in children's rooms and bedrooms.
• A wide range of colors and decorations allows you to choose the material for any design style of the room.
• The width of the canvases can vary from 1200 to 3200 mm, which makes it possible to use the material for cladding ceilings in modern apartments with a standard layout.
• The canvas ideally hides all the flaws in the surface of the capital ceiling, and its installation is carried out in the shortest possible time.
• The material is resistant to chemicals and high temperatures.
• PVC does not absorb odors, therefore such a ceiling can be installed in the kitchen as well.
• The surface of the ceiling is easy to clean and therefore easy to maintain.

• The canvas can withstand a load of up to 100 kg / m², so if a leak occurs from the upper floor, water will remain in ceiling material that able to stretch under her weight. After removing the water, the ceiling can be restored.
• The design allows you to hide the necessary communications under the canvas.
• The canvas does not change its appearance during operation.
• More affordable price than fabric stretch ceilings.

However, one cannot fail to mention disadvantages PVC canvases, which include the following points:

• The structure cannot be installed independently, due to the need to use special equipment.
• Stretch ceiling made of PVC films it is undesirable to plan for installation in rooms where the temperature can drop to +5 degrees or less.
• The film in a stretched state is unstable to mechanical damage, and it is easy to damage it with a sharp object.
• If you have to connect two canvases with a weld, then it remains slightly noticeable on the surface of the ceiling.
• Polyvinyl chloride is not a "breathable" material, which disrupts the natural air exchange in the premises of the apartment.
• With strong heating, the canvas can deform, therefore it is not recommended to build powerful lighting devices into it.

Stretch fabric ceilings

Not many owners of apartments or houses know that, in addition to PVC stretch ceilings, there are also fabric canvases. Moreover manufacturers present on the construction market wide enough selection of these materials. This option differs from its PVC “brother” in a number of performance characteristics.

Fabrics are classified into two types according to the structure of their surfaces:

• The textured version has a relief embossing of the fabric in its structure. The canvas consists of two layers, which form the protruding pattern.

• Satin fabric has a polymer base and a structural pattern of natural satin fabric. Thanks to its fine-grained structure, the stretched fabric acquires a pearlescent effect, and it is enhanced by correctly set lighting.

Stretch fabrics have the following positive qualities :

• High strength characteristics.
• Resistance of the material to low temperatures. Fabric fabrics retain their performance when the temperature drops even down to -40 degrees.
• The material does not deform, does not crack when the humidity and temperature characteristics of the air change.
• Fabrics can be dyed. For this, special paints based on acrylic are used. Repainting the surface of the material without losing it operational possibilities can be up to five times. In addition to the usual even coloring, ceilings of this type can be painted with various ornaments, which expands the possibility of their use in different styles of rooms.
• Unlike polyvinyl chloride, fabric canvases are breathable, therefore, when they are used indoors, natural air exchange is not disturbed.
• The undoubted advantage is the aesthetic appeal of the material. The structural structure of the surface of the canvases makes the decoration of the room richer, adding respectability to it.
• The width of the fabrics reaches 5000 mm, which allows it to be used in fairly wide or long rooms without any connecting seams.
• The refractory qualities of the material are acquired by him due to a special impregnation.
• Ecological cleanliness of paintings. Fabric ceilings are made from natural materials that do not contain toxic substances.
• Long service life, which in any case should be more than 10 years.
• Fabric ceilings are installed in a "cold" way, unlike PVC sheets, the installation of which involves the use of special powerful heating equipment. Installation work on the installation may well be carried out alone.

Disadvantages fabric ceilings can be considered as their following features:

• Not so large, in comparison with PVC (at least for now), the choice of colors and ornaments.
• The difficulty of staining the material.
• The fabric version of stretch ceilings, unlike PVC, is not able to retain water in emergency situations, so this finish will not save the room from a flood. At the same time, the canvases are able to retain moisture in their structure for up to 48 hours. An exception to this characteristic is Cerutti products, which have good moisture resistance.
• Fabrics absorb and retain odors well in their structure, therefore it is not recommended to use this type of finishing material in the kitchen.
• Attracting and retaining dust - this quality reduces the area of ​​application of fabric ceilings. They are not recommended for use in apartments where people with a predisposition to allergic reactions live. For this quality, the fabric version loses to PVC canvases.
• Reinstallation of dismantled fabrics is not possible.
• The high price of fabric ceilings, which is explained by the naturalness of the raw materials used for their production.
• The lack of proper elasticity of the material does not allow it to be used to decorate ceilings of irregular or "curved" shapes.

Ceiling finishing directly on the floor surface

Ceiling plastering

This method of leveling and finishing ceilings can be called traditional, since it has always been used in apartments in multi-storey buildings - it is still used today. The advent of innovative surface preparation materials and finishing plasters has greatly simplified this task.

Ceiling plastering is a very complex and time-consuming process that requires high skills. Therefore, it is hardly possible to carry it out in the absence of experience. On the contrary, you can only thoroughly spoil the surface, so much so that it will be extremely difficult to fix anything.

To level the ceiling, putties and plaster mixtures based on gypsum or cement are used. Gypsum plasters and putties are supplied manufacturers of special additives that prolongs the hardening of mixtures from 5 ÷ 7 to 30 ÷ 45 minutes, which allows an experienced plasterer to perform the work qualitatively.

The result of properly carried out finishing work, in compliance with all technology requirements, should be a perfectly flat and smooth ceiling. Further, a decorative finish is applied or glued to its surface - it can be whitewash, paint, wallpaper or other similar material.

The daunting task of plastering a ceiling

If, nevertheless, the "itch of independent creativity" is insurmountable, and you decided to try your hand at this difficult task, then before starting work, we recommend that you carefully read the article of our portal.

TO "Pluses" ceiling plastering include the following points:

• The ceiling practically does not change its height.
• Several different types of materials can be used for finishing.
• In an emergency, a high-quality ceiling covering will retain its evenness and smoothness. The only thing that needs to be done is to dry the ceiling and replace the decorative trim.
• Relatively affordable price for materials and work.

"Cons" the plaster finish is also a lot. These include:

• When carrying out plastering work in the room, there will be a large amount of dirt and dust, so the room will have to be cleared of all pieces of furniture in advance.
• To hide communications in the ceiling surface, before plastering work, it will be necessary to carry out a gutter, while when installing suspended or stretch ceilings, this process is not required.
• Plastering surfaces is long enough process, since it is necessary to wait for each applied layer to dry. Therefore, apartment renovation will be delayed for a longer period.

In addition to leveling, special plaster decorative mixtures are used for finishing the ceiling, which are applied to the surface after leveling it. This process can be called art without much exaggeration, so only professionals can cope with it. It should be noted that not every plasterer has the ability to correctly apply this material to walls and ceilings. Therefore, when choosing a master, it will be quite logical to familiarize yourself with his portfolio, see previous works.

Decorative plaster in the apartment - from the category of exclusive finishing

It is difficult to say whether it is worth undertaking such work independently. In order to be able to imagine what the varieties look like, what they are, and how complicated the process of their application is, it is worth referring to the profile article of our portal.

Ceiling wallpaper

Despite the fact that many consider the decoration of ceiling surfaces with wallpaper an unfashionable, long-gone option, it is still successfully used in design art today. Thanks to innovative developments, Russian and foreign manufacturers produce many types of wallpaper that have a real opportunity to transform the ceiling surface literally beyond recognition.

So, today on sale you can find non-woven, vinyl, paper, liquid wallpaper, as well as fiberglass and even more exotic options. Some of them are designed for staining and are designed to be able to carry out this process several times.

Wallpaper can be divided according to the type of pattern - it can be applied in the correct order with a certain step, or it can have a chaotic arrangement. To simplify the task of pasting the ceiling, the best option would be wallpaper, in which you do not have to select a pattern, since it will be quite difficult to do this.

How not to get confused in the variety of wallpapers?

The range of these finishing materials in our time is extremely wide. And for an inexperienced consumer who is guided only by the decorative qualities of canvases, it can be difficult to choose the really necessary option. A special publication of our portal should help the reader with this question.

So, if the surface of the ceiling fairly flat, then you can paste over it with one of the types of wallpaper. Such finishing will cost relatively inexpensively and may well be done independently. With the expectation of the future, you can choose wallpaper for painting, that is, when changing the design of the room in the future, the canvases can be repainted in a different color.

Wallpaper for painting can have a pronounced embossed pattern, and with careful pasting, the joints between the canvases will be almost invisible.

Non-woven wallpaper prices

non-woven wallpaper

TO merits wallpaper ceiling trims include the following:

• A large assortment of wallpaper selection, both in terms of material of manufacture and in decorative performance.
• Quite affordable price compared to many other types of ceiling finishes.
• The work on pasting is carried out in one or two days, that is, there will be no big delay in the timing of the repair.
• Wallpaper can be applied in any style that is chosen for the decoration of the room.
• Among the existing types according to the material of manufacture, you can choose environmentally friendly options for canvases, these include paper, non-woven, liquid or fiberglass.
• Non-woven wallpaper with a relief pattern and big enough thickness, perfectly mask small flaws on the ceiling surface.
• Wallpaper on the ceiling gives the room a special coziness and comfort.

TO negative aspects related to the decoration of the ceiling with wallpaper, the following can be attributed:

• Some types of wallpaper are unstable to ultraviolet radiation, that is, they tend to fade. True, direct sunlight can hit the ceiling, but nevertheless.
• Wallpaper is not suitable for finishing ceiling surfaces in rooms with high humidity, as they will begin to peel and bubble over time.
• This finish is usually not very durable. The truth is, it is always easy to change it.
• Almost all types of wallpaper can attract dust and absorb odors.

Expanded polystyrene plates

But this option, if not cunning, really can already be attributed to the "materials of yesterday." Nevertheless, the high affordability of such a department still keeps it among the most popular, so we will stop our attention on it as well.

Expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles are produced by stamping or extrusion. They can be very thin or have a thickness of up to 12-14 mm, if we consider this parameter together with the height of the relief pattern located on the surface.

The extrusion material is of higher quality, therefore, it has a higher cost. If the pores of expanded polystyrene are clearly visible on the surface of the stamped tile, then the products made by extrusion are absolutely smooth and more durable.

In order to choose a high-quality finishing material, when buying it, you should make a thorough visual inspection of the products. They must have even right angles, which will guarantee their quick and high-quality installation on the surface.

It is worth making one more experiment to control the quality of the material. To check the selected option of the tile, you need to take it by its corner and slightly shake it up and down to raise it. The product should not break or crumble. Of course, this material has a low fracture strength, but the tile must still withstand the load from such an experiment.

Today, in specialized hardware stores, you can find various options for polystyrene foam tiles according to surface characteristics:

• Smooth or embossed, and the relief can have different depths.
• The color options of the tiles are varied - it is white or one solid color, or several shades that smoothly blend into one another.

• The slabs can be square or rectangular. Square products are most often produced in sizes 400 × 400, 500 × 500 and 600 × 600 mm. Rectangular slabs can have dimensions of 600 × 300, 700 × 300, 700 × 400 mm.

The framing of the surface tiled with expanded polystyrene tiles is made with special skirting boards from the same material, which are also produced with different relief patterns or in a smooth version. In addition, special corners and sockets that imitate stucco elements are used to decorate the corners or the area where the lighting fixtures are located.

This material, like all the others, has not only a number of advantages, but also its very significant disadvantages.

TO merits the following features of the material can be attributed:

• The very low weight of the products and the rather compact dimensions make it easy to stick them to the ceiling, and it will not be difficult to carry out this process on your own. The only thing that it is recommended to do to simplify the installation process is to make an accurate marking of the ceiling, starting from its middle or from the lighting fixture, which is located with one or another offset to one side or the other from the center of the ceiling surface.

• Affordable price for products, which allows you to purchase such a finish even for families with a low income.
• The ability to create a neat and quite aesthetic design of the ceiling in a short time - the installation of products can be done in one day.

Flaws ceiling finishes with polystyrene plates are very significant, and this must be borne in mind.

• Expanded polystyrene cannot be called an environmentally friendly material. In addition, when heated and, all the more, when burned, it releases extremely dangerous volatile compounds into the environment that can cause toxic damage to the respiratory system and the central nervous system. For this reason, in many countries, expanded polystyrene is strictly prohibited for use as decoration and insulation in residential and public buildings, in vehicles.
• Plates are flammable, and when exposed to open fire, the material begins to melt and spread. Together with the fluid mass, fire and poisonous smoke spreads, the danger of which has already been mentioned.
• Quite difficult care of the ceiling covering, as it must be done very carefully, in order to avoid damage to the surface of the cladding.
• The tile located around the lighting fixtures may turn yellow over time; it will not be possible to get rid of such manifestations. However, yellowing can begin in other parts of the ceiling - expanded polystyrene does not differ in great resistance to external influences and durability.
• In case of temperature changes, the tiles can peel off the surface.
• The material has a porous structure, so it well absorbs various odors, greasy vapors, nicotine tar. It is not possible to remove these substances from expanded polystyrene. In addition, the plates attract dust, and if they have a deep relief, then it clogs into it. If the dust is dry, then it can be removed with a vacuum cleaner, and if it is oily, then it is unlikely to get rid of it. Therefore, this material is not recommended for kitchen and bathroom ceilings.

In a word, apart from an affordable price and ease of installation, such a finish cannot boast of anything else. Recommend it for use - the tongue does not turn.

So, we have finished reviewing the main types of ceiling finishes available for rooms in an apartment. In summing up, it can be emphasized once again that when choosing a material, it is necessary to take into account several factors that will directly affect the optimal solution:

• Financial opportunities. The most affordable finishing option is pasting the surface with wallpaper or expanded polystyrene plates. But the cheap still very rarely become high-quality and durable.
• Smoothness of the ceiling. If the ceiling is uneven and requires major repairs, then plastering with further application of a decorative layer is suitable for finishing it. An excellent solution would be a suspended or stretch ceiling. These options are capable of leveling any surface.
• Ceiling height. If the ceiling is low and, moreover, uneven, then putting it in order is possible only by plastering. Then the surface can be painted or pasted over with one of the selected materials.
• If the ceiling is high, then the most optimal there will be one of the options for the false ceiling.

Now, knowing about the main technologies that are now used for finishing ceilings, you can weigh their advantages and disadvantages, assess the quality of the ceiling surfaces of the apartment, as well as your financial capabilities. After that, it makes sense to work on the project (even in the simplest version), make calculations, and then go to a specialized store to buy everything you need.

At the end of the publication, we suggest watching a video with an overview of possible ceiling options for an apartment.

Video: Recommendations for choosing a ceiling for rooms in an apartment

It has been presented on the modern market for a long time, and every year they are gaining popularity more and more. This is not surprising at all. Indeed, in addition to wide design possibilities, they are distinguished by their durability and reliability. Today we will help you figure out which material for stretch ceilings is best suited for your room.

Design features of stretch ceilings

Stretch ceilings are a whole structure, which consists of a certain fabric and a system of fastenings. The latter is represented by a plastic or metal profile. With its help, the canvas for the stretch ceiling is placed at a certain distance from the base one.

Such designs allow you to quickly level absolutely any surface and create a new smooth one. Also, with their help, you can implement a wide variety of design solutions. Among other advantages of stretch ceilings, the following are also distinguished:

• they allow you to hide various communications laid from above;
• their installation will be much cheaper than installing drywall;
• installation is carried out in a short time without construction waste (even if the ceiling has several levels, the installation takes on average from two to six hours);
• before installation, it is not at all necessary to prepare the base ceiling, and this minimizes not only time, but also material costs;
• you can install the ceiling after other repair work;
• the service life, depending on the type, varies from 20 to 50 years.

The main disadvantage is that they do not "eat up" the height of the room.

Modern materials for stretch ceilings are presented in three types:

• from polyvinyl chloride (PVC);
• fabric;
• from fiberglass.

Let's consider each type in more detail.

PVC stretch ceilings

PVC is a material for stretch ceilings, which first appeared in the sixties in France. During this time, the technology of its manufacture has been improved, respectively, the quality of the product itself has improved. By the way, this type is also called film.

The film for stretch ceilings is available in sizes from 1300 to 3200 mm. If this value is not enough, then several pieces are welded together. The seam is neat, small and almost invisible. Installation is carried out using heat guns, which heat the room up to 60-70 degrees.

PVC stretch ceiling can be of the following types:

• depending on the texture: glossy (reflections are visible, varnish texture and shine) or matte (reflections are not visible, the ceiling is perfectly flat);
• depending on the type of fastening: with a plastic insert (the technological gap covers the glazing bead) or gapless fastening (there is no gap between the stream and the wall, the joint is ideal).

Advantages of PVC material

• PVC film for stretch ceilings has a very wide color palette (more than 130 shades).
• The material takes on a wide variety of forms.
• Large range of permissible web widths.
• There is a choice of surface type.
• Excellent value for money and quality.
• The surface is perfectly flat and highly moisture resistant.
• Such material is suitable for a stretch ceiling in any room.
• The coverage covers all communications.
• The material is highly resistant to fire.
• PVC ceilings do not absorb odors and dust, and have a high level of thermal insulation.
• Such ceilings reduce the height of the room to a minimum.
• PVC stretch ceiling is very simple and easy to clean, does not require painting.
• The material can withstand a load of up to 100 kg per square meter.
• PVC ceilings, if necessary, can be dismantled and reinstalled.
• A wide variety of lighting systems can be built into the ceiling, as well as hoods, fire safety sensors, and so on.

Disadvantages of PVC stretch ceilings

• This is not the best material for use in rooms with air temperatures below +5 degrees.
• In the first hours after installation, an unpleasant odor emanates from such a ceiling.
• Such a ceiling is very delicate and easily damaged by mechanical stress.
• There is a barely noticeable seam when welding multiple webs.
• If the weld is made poorly, then there is a great risk that the weld line will disperse.
• The pattern of the material is done in production, so accurate measurements are necessary.
• When choosing a manufacturer, it is necessary to carefully study the availability of quality and safety certificates, since cheap and low-quality canvases not only exude an unpleasant odor for a long time, but are also unsafe for health.

Fabric stretch ceilings

In the manufacture of such ceilings, a special polyester mesh fabric is used, which is impregnated with polymers on both or only one side. The fabric for a stretch ceiling is released directly from the roll, that is, the installation takes place without preliminary cutting of the material.

The texture is very similar to an ordinary fabric, fibers are visible. Roll width - 4000 mm. Thanks to this size, you can make a ceiling without seams. But if the width is not enough, then the canvas is connected to each other using a special profile.

Advantages

• Has a higher strength in comparison with PVC cloth.
• This material is resistant to temperatures below five degrees Celsius.
• The fabric ceiling can withstand more severe mechanical stress than PVC structures.
• The fabric material for the stretch ceiling is characterized by high sound insulation.

Flaws

• Fabric ceilings have a poor color palette.
• It is possible to paint with paints only after installation.
• The original design can be given only with the help of photo printing.
• Such ceilings are not capable of completely retaining moisture in the event of flooding.
• Removing dirt from a fabric ceiling is not an easy task and takes a lot of time.
• Fabric ceilings cannot be installed a second time.
• Such ceilings are characterized by high cost.

Fiberglass ceilings

Fiberglass is a new material. For a stretch ceiling, it began to be used quite recently. Therefore, the guarantee for such structures is small - about five years. For other types, the warranty period is about ten years. Also, not all companies are engaged in the installation of fiberglass ceilings.

The stretching of the canvas is carried out in the same way as the fabric look, that is, without heating. Painting and drawing is carried out after installation. The material is distinguished by high water permeability and sound insulation, it is very durable and more environmentally friendly in comparison with PVC stretch ceiling.

Types of stretch ceiling by design

Regardless of what material the production of stretch ceilings is made of, they can be presented in the following design:

• Starry sky: fiber optic and Swarovski crystals are installed in the ceiling. This achieves the effect of a starry sky.
• Illuminated ceiling: LED strip is installed behind the ceiling. Helps create additional lighting.
• Two-tier glossy and matte canvases at different levels. It will help to zone the room.
• Z-D stretch ceiling: Various three-dimensional shapes, arcs, waves, arches or flowers are created on the ceiling.
• Photo printing on the ceiling: the ability to print any image on a matte or glossy finish.

Stretch ceiling selection guide

1. First, you need to consider all the existing types of materials for stretch ceilings and get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of each.
2. Decide on the design of the ceiling and the color scheme of the material.
3. Determine the maximum budget allocated for repairs in general and separately for the installation of the ceiling.
4. Choose reliable specialists who will be engaged in the installation of the ceiling.

Choosing a color scheme

The white ceiling is versatile. But sometimes you want to create an unusual interior design that will not only please with color, but also perform some function (for example, visually enlarge the room). Moreover, the material for a stretch ceiling is characterized by a wide color palette. Here are some guidelines to help you choose the right one:

• If you are the owner of low base ceilings, then experimenting with color is not worth it. It is better to opt for light shades: white, beige, pastel, blue. They visually enlarge the space and fill it with air.
• For high ceilings, feel free to choose dark colors of the stretch material.
• Light shades will suit any interior style.
• Bright and contrasting colors of stretch ceilings should not be chosen for living rooms. Such colors only cause anxiety, and not an atmosphere of comfort and tranquility.
• For the bathroom and children's room, it is good to choose turquoise tones.
• Photo printing on a stretch ceiling will bring a unique flavor to the interior.
• The ceiling in the "Starry sky" style will look great in the bedroom. This will help create a relaxing atmosphere.

Selection criteria by room

For the bathroom, it is worth choosing PVC material with a glossy texture. This is due to the fact that usually the bathroom does not differ in a large area, but it is characterized by high humidity and temperature changes. Also, a glossy PVC stretch ceiling will be an excellent solution for the kitchen.

Any kind of stretch ceiling looks equally good in the living room. Therefore, it all depends on your aesthetic preferences. But remember that it has the ability to visually enlarge the room, and the matte look will look very good if a lot of daylight comes into the room.

Matte PVC ceilings or fabric ceilings are usually chosen for the bedroom. They perfectly dispose to the atmosphere of comfort, tranquility and relaxation.

As you can see, each has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is impossible to select the best material for stretch ceilings. It all depends on the room where the ceiling will be installed, personal preferences of the customer, his design solution and financial capabilities.