Stretch Ceilings: Installation Tips

Stretch ceilings proved to be viable options for interior design of almost any room. Today presented various options for ceiling decoration. The main thing is the right choice of materials and installation technology.

Installation of stretch ceiling, made by hand, makes a special impression. Here, creativity and skill are important. And it is also important to take into account the peculiarities of the work, for example, the stretch ceiling is drawn up before the wallpaper is glued, after which it is usually proceeded to the walls and floors.

Stretch ceilings made of PVC film installed in one of the most common ways - staple or harpoon.

Each installation option has characteristic differences, therefore in the process of work certain rules must be observed:

This type of installation stretch ceilings assumes a reliable fixation of the construction fabric in the profile due to the fastening with special elements (bead).Previously, they were made of wood. Subsequently, the technology was modernized, more durable and convenient to use plastic parts were used.

Installation by the staple method is the cheapest option for the design of the ceiling covering. In addition, when performing work does not require special training and complex calculations.

The choice of staple mounting method is the ability to use economy-class ceiling canvases from Russian and Chinese manufacturers.

If you need to install all the work done again, as the purchase of materials. Such inconveniences are due to the fact that the mounted ceiling has edges that are clamped by a bead, which will no longer be usable after use.

Of particular popularity is this type of installation of suspended ceilings in the room. In this case, the canvas is simply “cut out” to the dimensions of the room, taking into account the configuration and area. Canvas fasteners in the second way is carried out in a profile placed on the walls.Due to this method of installation, you can get a smoother surface, not prone to deformation. Thus, designers manage to create the necessary forms of the ceiling covering, for example, two-level, made according to a special sketch.

The method, if necessary, allows you to hide wiring and communications.

Practical and moisture-proof stretch ceilings made of modern materials differ in decorative characteristics. This way the ceiling design fits perfectly into any interior.

A wide range of models of stretch ceilings is distinguished by a variety of textures, colors, and combined materials. This may be plasterboard ceilings, installations made on multi-level structures. With such a variety, you can easily get confused.

Experts recommend relying on the features of different types of stretch ceilings.

Among the most common materials for tension flows emit fabric and PVC film. It is welded from strips according to a special technology, producing a sheet for installation.

Before installation, the room is subjected to heat treatment from a heat gun (up to + 60–70 degrees). In the process of ceiling design at the initial stage, the film stretches and begins to slightly sag. In the next step, the canvas is tensioned over the mounted frame. After cooling, the film ceiling will remain stretched and completely smooth. According to the type of film, you can choose the texture of the surface of the new ceiling.

To finish the ceiling today they use special elastic fabrics, which by their texture and look are similar to the material for the manufacture of stockings.

The color of the fabric is obtained due to the special technology of coating the surface of the fabric with polymers. Lacquer coating provides moisture resistance. As a result, you can get a safe, weightless, pleasant exterior ceiling with a long service life.

Variants of the ceiling ceiling design are reduced to the general technique of execution: all designs have a similar fastening system. Elements of construction are attached to the walls baguettes. To do this, use a special profile that is installed around the perimeter of the room. A web is inserted into this profile.

This is the easiest and budget method of ceiling design. A single-level ceiling can serve for a long time without losing its original qualities. Temperature changes have little effect on it, it almost does not react to a decrease or increase in humidity. The ceiling does not require complex care, because it is enough to brush away the dust from the surface. The choice of a single-level ceiling is affected by a wide range of materials.

Modern materials are different in that they are malleable, they can be easily combined. As a result, you can get an organic combination of materials of different types, for example, to divide a room into functional zones.And all this can be achieved through a simple single-level ceiling.

You can go ahead and mount the ceiling of several levels. In this case, choose one of two mounting methods. The first method involves the use of drywall constructions. In the second case, it is possible to prefer special profiles, on which the tension sheets are installed. This method is considered to be more technologically clean and quick to implement.

For installation, the structures are used different in texture and color of the canvas.. By combining them, you can achieve interesting results. At registration, the most diverse constructive elements are thought out, right up to the fixtures. As a result, you can get the desired shape - with straight or curved lines, with smooth transitions or contrasting inserts. One of the advantages of a multi-level stretch ceiling is ability to hide any technical defect. The most popular bunk designs.

Most modern high-rise buildings are not different noise insulation characteristics.Therefore, tenants practice new ways of soundproofing their homes. It is necessary to approach this issue in a complex way, therefore it is worth isolating not only the floors and walls, but also the ceiling.

For this purpose, a special tensioning structure with acoustic properties of polyester fiber is installed (the web structure has numerous openings). A peculiar membrane installed under the ceiling absorbs unwanted sound waves through the mineral plates.

The ceiling of this type is a flat glossy surface with special equipment from lamps. The "sky" above your head, right in your apartment, is lit by the connected fiber-optic cable. It turns out a very similar effect of star flicker and a sense of reality. To achieve this effect, a generator of light is required, which is hidden under a tension surface.

The "star" ceiling is manufactured using two technologies: installation requires or does not require puncture of the canvases. Each method has its own advantages. The canvas without a puncture looks solid and has a glossy and satin texture.Puncture cloth involves the use of fabric materials that weakly transmit light.

The appearance of the stretch is different in shape. Flat, multi-level, arched, undulating and cone-shaped structures affect the overall design of the room.

This is one of the most common forms for the decoration of the ceiling, you can say, the classic ceiling design. Stretch ceiling of this type will easily hide possible defects and irregularities, mask cracks or uneven paint. The ceiling with a flat surface is parallel to the floor, but there may be other configurations, for example, the location of the plane at an angle to the floor.

The number of ceiling levels depends on the concept and design ideas. There can be many levels, like colors or shades. For more original design, you can experiment with textures.

For a stretch design in the arched style, you do not need to follow straight lines with strict transitions. The rectangles here are clearly superfluous.The arched form is used so that the design is no longer boring.

For example, the original smooth flowing overhead lines may resemble a dome design or a vaulted ceiling. For such a solution is important the presence of walls. You can experiment with the height of the arch and the radius of curvature. The arches will also help keep communication out of sight.

This is another result of a successful experiment with textures and color. "Crests of the waves" on the ceiling look very original. Waviness can be varied: from light swell to storm. Thus, the "waves" can have different heights and amplitudes, passing along or along the perimeter of the ceiling. Such form looks good on a dark glossy surface.

Such option of a stretch is usually chosen for rooms with columns. The ceiling of this type may differ in color, texture, diameter. When looking at the ceiling, it seems that the lines smoothly flow from each other, and the cone "suddenly appears" on the plane. Visually cone-shaped ceiling is a separate decorative element.

In continuation of the wave-like theme it is worth noting the shape of the “dune”. The design of the ceiling in this style can be changed in diameter and depth to achieve the desired effect. Proper lighting will add exclusivity. It is good to apply such technology of design of a ceiling on the glossy plane, and the lighting to perform at different angles for the unusual reflection of light. What attracts this technology is the ability to alternate different elements in the design.

Modern stretch ceilings mainly combines texture. It can be gloss or satin, flat and matte surface. From economical options used matte stretch ceilings. At first glance, it seems that this is a plastered ceiling surface. Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this is one of the popular types of ceilings, in which materials are successfully combined with a straight flat design and a classic interior. Opaque ceilings can differ a rough surface, comfortable design.

This design is more suitable for a bathroom or a small bedroom.Glossy surface looks good in combination with a small amount of furniture in the room. When looking at the satin ceiling it seems that the surface is painted and therefore has a slight sheen and a reflective effect. Sleeping under a “silky” ceiling is a pleasure. Such a ceiling can hardly be called "mirror". This is a simple homemade look that can often be seen in bedrooms.

Care for the surface of the ceiling is not difficult: just walk a little damp cloth.

A variety of shades of ceiling paintings allow you to create the most successful combinations in the design of the installation. The main thing is to choose one of two directions of color: warm or cold. Warm palette (solar paints) is preferably used in apartments with windows to the north. Cold palette in blue-violet or green shades visually expands the space.

More dense color textures are suitable, for example, for a hallway.Bedroom and nursery should remain in more muffled, soothing colors. Even a white ceiling would look better here.

It is worth dwelling on how color affects the perception of space:

• Light gray tones soften the sharp transitions, emphasize the refinement of the taste of the owners.
• Bright colors from red and orange to lemon turn the room into a comfortable home.
• For a visual increase in space, white and black, blue or purple are suitable.

Creative ideas in the design of the ceiling allow you to find your own way of decorating the room. For example, on fabric or on PVC film can be applied effective photo printing. Such an interior design will definitely become exclusive. Technically this is possible with a wide format printer. For the decoration of the kitchen, for example, choose still lifes.

The fashion for using family photos in design came to us relatively recently, but has already managed to attract many people with a non-standard approach to the design of their own homes. There are some nuances. You can use your favorite pictures or frames from cartoons in the nursery.. The main thing is that in the manufacture of high-quality paint applied.

Technically stretch ceilings are a one-piece polymer fabric, ready for installation. With the influence of temperature, the canvas is securely fixed to the ceiling. In fact, this is a special type of construction consisting of an elastic web, which is specially stretched along a profile made of aluminum or plastic.

The presence or absence of connecting seams allows you to use the maximum size of the web stretch. It is worth noting that, although the seams are unavoidable and almost invisible, their number should be minimal.. Therefore, when choosing materials, one should pay attention to the width of the canvas (depending on the type of the material itself and its manufacturer). Fortunately, the choice today is simply amazing.

It remains to determine the price, properties and width of the material. The size of the stretch length is almost unlimited. The canvas can have a maximum width of up to 5 m. But standard option is canvases up to 2 m widewhich can be easily found on sale. It is important to remember that the wider the canvas, the higher the price for the material.Typical width of the fabric is about 1300 mm.

You can target manufacturers that provide the following standard installation options:

• French stretch ceilings - 2.2 m;
• German stretch ceilings - 3 m;
• ceilings popular brands, for example, ECOfolie - 5 m.

Russian consumers are invited to purchase canvases with other parameters. Accordingly, you should not trust vendors offering materials with similar Russian parameters - most likely, they are made in Russia or China. An alternative option are the Belgian canvases produced by the highest quality, characterized by low price.

Depending on the brand, Chinese stretched sheets may differ in quality and choice of textures. The width of the canvases in this case will be about 5 m. When choosing quality materials, you can install seamless stretch ceilings up to 5 m wide in any configuration and complexity.

Most consumers prefer more standard PVC stretch ceiling options about 3 m wide. But tissue analogues are preferably 5 m wide depending on how the scheme was chosen. B

Seamless fabric webs are more expensive than PVC. Choosing the appropriate size of stretch ceilings, you should focus on the lighting of the ceiling surface.

Stretch ceilings are traditionally associated with spot lighting. Accordingly, lamps are selected for a new ceiling with installation at a certain distance.

In the process of creating the stretch ceiling, special tools are required. Installing stretch professional equipment will achieve the desired quality and ensure long service life.

Stretch ceilings are installed using a traditional set of equipment: a screwdriver, laser levels, a heat gun, a perforator, fabrics, a set of screwdrivers and others. All work is carried out in stages. Each tool has a key role.

It is used in the process of installation of stretch most often.Using a screwdriver is convenient and easy due to its low weight and the ability to work autonomously when you need to complete the mount. Brand model tools can be used all day with a set of two batteries.

The screwdriver is needed for the following purposes:

• for reliable fixation of a metal or plastic profile, since it acts as a base on which the canvas rests;
• for fixing brackets for lighting;
• for intermediate works when it is necessary to put screws;
• in order to fix the guide elements.

These devices guarantee high precision mounting. It will take hydro level, although the work with it differs in the degree of accuracy. Quality laser levels are required for multiple measurements to avoid bias.

This tool is required for mounting to the ceiling frame elements for self-installation. The structure is mounted on a stretched surface in several tiers. The denser the wall, the more difficult it is to drill holes for screws to install baguettes.

Here you should pay attention to such moments as:

• the drill does not replace the punch (if only in individual cases), therefore a punch is required at each stage of the work. The puncher is used for drilling holes in bricks and concrete walls;
• for installation of a stretch ceiling it is enough to use a tool with a power of 750 W

At installation of a stretch ceiling from PVC of cloths it is absolutely not necessary to do without the heat gun. For the installation of polyvinyl chloride cloths, heating of the material is required to ensure elasticity. The heat gun works from a gas cylinder or the power supply network.

Gas guns can also be used for self-installation of the web, which is appropriate for loads on the network. The main element of the gas heat gun is a heat generator. The tool has a steel case, covered with powder paint, resistant to temperatures.

Additional instruments include the following tools:

• ladder;
• roulette;
• pendulum saw;
• squares, rulers;
• metal detector;
• hanging holders;
• spatula (for embedded areas);
• knife, hammer;
• set of drills;
• insulating tape;
• pieces of plywood;
• silicone sealant;
• replaceable blades (for a construction knife);
• self-tapping screws;
• dowel

Long service stretch ceilings depends on a combination of factors. When properly installed, the ceiling structure should not sag over time, deform, should not remain condensate. Accordingly, before installation it is necessary to conduct a series of preparatory work.

At a preparatory stage it is necessary to make the following actions:

• prepare the room;
• make surface preparation;
• carry out electrical work;
• prepare the walls;
• markup

Before installing stretch ceilings, it is important to prepare a room: cover or remove furniture, remove hanging shelves and cabinets, move flower pots and other items to other places that may interfere with installation work.

If necessary, dismantle expensive flooring. Parquet can be simply covered with cardboard.

Before installing the tension structure, the ceiling must be prepared for the coating, which includes such steps as:

• it is necessary to clean the surface of the ceiling from plaster, putty and dirt;
• in the new house it is recommended to glue all the joints between the concrete panels, for example, with the help of PVA and a bandage;
• large gaps are treated with construction foam, and small gaps with sealant;
• if a mold or mold is found on the base ceiling, it should be cleaned;
• Two layers of primer are applied to the ceiling surface.

On the stretch ceilings are usually put spotlights, which are purchased in advance. Power lighting for these purposes does not exceed 60 watts. You can use halogen lamps up to 35 watts. LED and electrosaving lamps can be any, they do not heat up as incandescent lamps. The locations of such lamps are marked in advance for the wiring of electricity.

Before installing the stretch ceiling, it is also necessary to prepare the walls: remove the old flooring, wallpaper, painting from them, level them up with plaster if necessary. If you are not planning to level the walls, you should check for irregularities of the profile fixing point.. You can re-glue the wallpaper only after finishing works on the ceiling surface.

Before installing the fabric tension structure on the surface of the ceiling must be marking. The nature of the marking will depend on the type and form of the coating (single or multi-level ceiling), on the height of the tension structure and on the lighting features. To correctly measure the ceiling, it is necessary to put the necessary marks in the corners of the room, for example, with a laser level. The points obtained are connected in such a way that a full line runs along the entire perimeter (a construction cord will help). Between the line and the overlap is formed the distance that needs to be measured. It is also necessary to measure the distance from the lowest point in order to see the upper level of the stretch.

Measure the height of the "step" in order to get a mark on finding the lower level of coverage.The distance from the obtained points to the main line is measured, which is transferred to the other angles. When connecting points, several straight lines are obtained parallel to the main line (a hole is marked on the line). All remaining tiers are marked in the same way. From the drawing, the labels of the location of the luminaires, as well as the arrangement of the levels, are transferred to the coating if this is a multi-level design.

The installation of a stretch ceiling in a modern design implies the installation of a PVC ceiling covering with a harpoon mount. The popularity of such structures is explained simply - they are easy to dismantle if necessary.

There are alternative installation of suspended ceilings. Details should consider the traditional installation of a stretch ceiling. During the work should follow the established order and sequence, then the design will last as long as possible. All work should be considered in stages.

Rooms of square or rectangular shape are measured along the length of the walls, and at least one measurement along the diagonal is needed to “draw” right angles (ideally right angles, of course, an exception). The complex shape of the room in the form of a polygon is measured on all walls. From each angle is measured and diagonally. For convenience, the sketch or drawing is divided into several triangles, in which the sides are measured. Stretch the canvas can only points.

Curved ceiling is measured in two ways. In the first case, the curve is a sequence of short chords of arcs. In the second, the markings are made with a coordinate grid (with a constant step), points are attached to it, along which the stretch boundary is built according to the scheme.

Before installing the construction of the stretch ceiling is not necessary to completely align the ceiling. It is enough to carry out a number of preparatory work at this stage in order to install the canvas yourself, observing the sequence of actions. A layer of plaster is removed from the ceiling surface so that the canvas can be easily attached. Even a small piece of fallen off trim should not fall on the design of stretch. In homes with high humidity is required to carry out work on enhanced antiseptic processing.

For example, it may be a primer. It is important to remember that there will be no ventilation of the stretch ceiling after the main installation, which can lead to the appearance of a fungus if improperly installed.At the initial stage, the marking for the placement of lamps and chandeliers is necessarily carried out, the wiring and the platform for the devices are prepared. The backlight has its own characteristics.

Choosing between the profile of polyvinyl chloride and aluminum, preference is given to the latter, because it is much stronger. The profile itself is mounted on the ceiling, which shortens the distance from its surface to the wall.

When mounting the mortise fixtures, the fastener profile is carried out on the surface of the draft ceiling at a distance of 7 cm Profile fastening to the wall - 20 cm. Must be thickened walls without plaster. On a weak surface, fasteners are made in increments of up to 8 cm..

The installation process of the stretch ceiling is the main stage of work. This may be the traditional wedge installation of the canvas. When installing the canvas, follow the step-by-step instructions.

The main stages of work at this stage are as follows:

• straightened canvas hung on special clamps;
• heat gun canvas warmed over the entire area, while the air in the room heats up to 40 degrees or more. So, stretch and spike easier;
• corners are filled with a special spatula or a steel spatula with rounded corners;
• tucked side of the canvas from the middle;
• the canvas is tensioned and constantly heated to cool, especially if its thickness is no more than 0.5 mm;
• A simple way to fasten a cloth with a harpoon (a rigid edging of the leaf): The harpoon is inserted with a spatula into the profile slot (baguette) in order to hook onto the ledge. Spatula can help move to the next segment of the edging.

There are no charcoal methods that are used in order to properly make the installation, when the canvas is in a straightened state and in a heated form, and then in the process of its tension. Canvas stretch ceiling, of course, should be larger in size. In this form, the canvas is fixed in a baguette, the excess is cut off. On the bottom border baguette is closed with a special element (decorated).

Cold installation of the stretch ceiling involves stretching the fabric by pressing the bead into the profile structure. There is also a special self-tightening profile.

Installation of simple and complex fixtures is carried out at the final stage of all work on the installation of a stretch ceiling. This is not an easy process.

Mortise devices are mounted in the fabric as follows:

• a reinforcing ring is glued to the prepared pad;
• a canvas is cut along the inner edge;
• slots are needed for laying electrical wiring and for connecting to the luminaire block;
• lighting devices are inserted into special latches, after which they are aligned in height;
• Suspended chandelier should be attached to the draft ceiling at the location of the hook (this should be a prepared area).

Acquiring and installing canvas stretch ceiling is important to follow the recommendations of experts. Some more tips will come in handy. So, almost all experts agree that modern manufacturers of stretch ceilings produce structures with canvases on drywall, which can be used in the temperature range from 0 to +50 degrees Celsius.

When installing the stretch ceiling, you must remember that the room should not be sudden temperature changes. This reduces the quality of the ceiling structure.

No need to rush to work in the preparatory stage, because you may need to make a pipe bypass. And also it is not necessary to start installation of the canvas immediately, as soon as the preparatory work was carried out. In addition, it is important to make sure that the ceiling structure will meet the quality requirements for noise, steam and waterproofing (you can carry out all these works in a complex).

In addition to the basic materials for finishing the ceiling, you will need to choose ceiling skirting, harmoniously combined with the rest of the finish. They perfectly hide the ugly joints between the wall and the ceiling.

The main errors in the installation of suspended ceilings are discussed in the video below.