In the processes of planning the decoration of a modern house, the topic of ceiling design is less and less touching on issues of traditional plaster and whitewash. Even the relatively new way of installing drywall panels is increasingly inferior to the technology of stretch fabrics. In this segment, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials occupy a leading position in the market, but the popularity of fabric ceilings is also growing. It is not easy to implement such a finish with your own hands, but it is possible if you follow the installation instructions and carefully approach the technological details of the coating.
What is a fabric ceiling cloth?
Many people mistakenly believe that fabrics are related to traditional natural materials like cotton, but this is not the case. These coatings are often based onpolyester with additional impregnations on a polyurethane basis. It is this combination that allows the fabric ceiling, a photo with an example of which is presented above, to compete with high-tech models made of polyvinyl chloride. The difference lies in the structure of the surface - the fabric has a pronounced texture, close to natural canvases. The same PVC looks artificial, although there are pluses in its texture, including a glossy sheen.
At the same time, you should not generalize the characteristics of fabric fabrics. This segment is heterogeneous and contains different coatings that differ in structure, performance properties and the intended method of fastening. For example, German fabric ceilings Descor from the premium series are characterized by a smooth, delicate surface, and in some models small sparkles are also added. On the contrary, the products of the French company Clipso have a pronounced texture and a dense base. The company also produces specialized versions of coatings, in which the emphasis is on sound insulation, dirt-repellent and antibacterial qualities. Of course, the presence of specialized properties also affects the cost of the product.
Fabric ceiling or PVC covering?
There are still many myths about both types of ceiling coverings, which can lead to the wrong choice of product. For example, fabric webs are denied moisture resistance, while modern synthetic fiber weaving technologies provide a high degree of material tightness. In terms of texture, too, not everything is clear. In most cases, they are usedneutral fabric ceilings, photos of which are presented below, however, manufacturers note that they can be covered with paint up to 4-6 times throughout the entire operating cycle. By the way, this is not allowed with PVC materials.
Now it's time to move on to reliability and environmental safety. The fabric is less durable and not as effective at holding heavy loads. Therefore, if the ability to prevent a flood from the top floor is at the forefront, then the choice between a PVC ceiling and a fabric stretch fabric will be obvious - the first option holds up to 100 liters of water. At the same time, both materials are equally sensitive to the effects of sharp objects. As for environmental safety, again both solutions are worth each other - it all depends on the specific synthetic base, which is used in both PVC and polyester threads.
General Mounting Technology
In general, the installation method is the same as the method of attaching and tensioning PVC materials, but with a simplified diagram. The main technological stages of installation in this case include:
- Taking measurements. The width of the fabric for the ceiling can be up to five meters, so you can count on the formation of a uniform seamless coating even in large rooms with rare exceptions. Moreover, as practice shows, work in rooms with a non-standard layout is simplified.
- Installation of fixing profiles. The most time-consuming and "dirty" part of the entire workflow, associated with the installation of the supporting equipment (usually a baguette), towhich the canvas will be fixed in the future.
- Fixing material. Installing fabric ceilings with your own hands without a special tool is quite difficult. Therefore, it is recommended in advance to select clamping devices and fixtures for a particular type of profile. This is not so much a physically demanding operation as a painstaking and precision-requiring operation.
- Finishing the cover. Excess fabric is cut off and, if possible, the tension force is adjusted. Here it is necessary to mention the role of thermal effects on stretch ceilings in principle. In the installation of PVC sheets, the process is not complete without a construction heat gun. This operation makes the synthetic material more pliable and prone to stretching. Temperature conditions up to 60 - 70 ° C will provide a similar effect when installing a polyester sheet.
Preparation for work
Preparatory measures for the installation of a stretch ceiling consist of several stages:
- Marking and measurements. As already mentioned, measurements are performed with the expectation of a seamless installation, that is, a single piece of material. At the same time, it is necessary to leave a supply of fabric - from 15 to 30 cm, depending on the overall size.
- Preparing a DIY mounting tool. A spatula for fabric ceilings is the main assistant when performing fixing operations. It will allow you to accurately install the coating at the technological points of the baguette.
- Preparation of the premises. If possible, the working area should be freed, as well as paintings and other objects should be removed from the walls.removable decorative objects that can be damaged during the installation of a stretch ceiling.
- Cleaning the surface of the ceiling. After installing the coating, access to the base will be closed, therefore, even before the work is carried out, it is advisable to bring the surface into proper shape, as well as take care of the wiring for the lighting system.
As for materials for installing fabric stretch ceilings with your own hands, the complete kit comes with a custom-made coating based on marking data. All necessary accessories are selected in accordance with the project by the direct manufacturer of consumables.
Installation of baguette
Installation of profile elements begins with the rigid fastening of load-bearing elements to walls or ceilings. Baguette installation configuration is determined by the dimensions of the structure and the coverage area. In some systems, dual installation is provided - to the ceiling and wall surface. In each case, the profile of the corresponding destination is applied. Do-it-yourself support base for fabric ceilings is mounted using the complete mounting hardware and a screwdriver with a drilling function. Holes for anchor hardware are made in advance, after which the profiles are screwed with bolted fasteners with brackets. It is important to observe the position of the baguette horizontally. A laser level or a regular bubble level will help with this.
In butt points and corners, the fixation points should be placed as close as possible to the edges of the profiles, butnot close - with an indent of 3 cm at least. If you have to make butt joints in a straight line, then one of the profiles is cut at a 90-degree angle, and the second at a small angle relative to the vertical. This configuration of the joint will provide a more reliable connection, but in principle such connection nodes should be avoided. It is better to use long profile elements with intermediate fixation to the wall or ceiling. If for one reason or another it is impossible to fix the load-bearing elements of the fabric ceiling with your own hands directly to the wall surfaces, then wooden blocks should be used. They will serve as a crate, which will facilitate the installation of anchor connections.
Preparing for fabric mounting
Installing the canvas is the most important stage of the whole event, so you should properly prepare for it. Before installing fabric ceilings, the following conditions must be met in terms of fixing the coating:
- Clear the room. This time we are talking about the elimination of dirt and dust that could remain after installing the baguette. In particular, drilling operations in concrete leave behind large volumes of fine construction waste. If possible, it will not be superfluous to dedust profiles, ceilings and walls with an industrial vacuum cleaner.
- By this time it is necessary to complete the laying of communication and engineering networks with embedded parts. In addition to the already mentioned lighting system, installation channels for ventilation, fire detectors, alarms, etc. are thought out in advance. The electrical outlet for all of these systems can be closed in one box.
- Holes and slots left after mounting the baguette must be sealed. The same applies to technological holes in the walls. For example, ventilation air can become a channel for the passage of dust and moist air, which is unacceptable when installing fabric stretch ceilings. You can repair such areas with your own hands with putty or a primer, and the technological passages are temporarily closed with a sealed film.
- It is important to provide for temperature regulation in the room. Ceiling incandescent lamps are switched off during installation due to unwanted thermal effects. The exception is LED lamps, which do not emit thermal energy during operation.
Setting fabric
The main task of the installer in this part of the work is to carefully clamp the edges of the fabric around the entire perimeter of the room into baguette profiles. The design of the latter should provide for appropriate grips at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. Fixation should be performed starting from the middle of the length and gradually moving towards the corners on each side. At this stage, a spatula for fabric stretch ceilings is just used. With your own hands, it is necessary to perform a rotary operation in the plane of the slot of the spatula, thereby ensuring the rolling of the web into a profile. Corner seats are still free - they will be given special attention.
The result of the main filling should be a uniformfixation of the fabric along the perimeter without folds and wrinkles. Again, if necessary, you can connect the thermal effect, softening too hard material. To do this, use a building hair dryer, holding it at a distance of 10-15 cm from the work surface. Heating is carried out in the process of making circular movements of the working head over the entire area of the fabric ceiling. In reviews of stretch fabrics, he notes that this material is sensitive to thermal effects, so the hair dryer should be set to minimum power. Otherwise, melted or yellowed areas may remain on the surface of the ceiling. The successful completion of the operation will be indicated by the absence of wrinkles and folds in the stretched coating.
Technique for processing complex attachment areas
After installing the base, there are still a number of unfinished mounting areas that need special attention:
- The transition of fabric from a larger volume to a smaller one. An incision is made on the inner corner, in which a piece of tissue with a smaller volume is distributed and fixed. This applies to uneven sections with additional connection nodes.
- Processing the outer corner. For such nodes, special fittings are provided in the profile. For example, Deskor fabric ceilings include additional accessories that allow filling to the corner along the straight sides of the joint, closing a small seam gap from above.
- Transition of the ceiling to different levels. From the point of view of the structural device, the implementation of such a system will not cause any special difficulties. With mounting profilesa frame superstructure is made with additional fixing elements. But what about the fabric transition? The inflection is made with the help of an overlay - unlike the components of a baguette, such panels can be made of aluminum or plastic. There is no point in providing rigidity from the side of the overlay - the main thing is to keep the shape of the fabric transition from one level to another.
- The connection of the fabric within the frame area. If it is not possible to use a single piece of canvas to cover the entire room due to the layout, intermediate connections will have to be made. They are implemented according to the same principle as the joints in the clamps. Only for their design, it will be necessary at the stage of mounting the supporting structure to install profile lines with grippers along the contours where the seam is supposed to be made.
Fabric ceiling care
Such coatings are not afraid of water, so wet care is possible, but with certain rules. The surface can be washed with napkins and rags, but with a mild effect. Firstly, you should not use coarse abrasive cleaning devices like brushes, and secondly, it is advisable to abandon aggressive cleaning chemicals. Minor dirt can also be removed with a dry, clean rag, and stagnant or oil stains can be removed with window cleaners, polish or ammonia. In general, in the context of care features, we can recall the choice of the type of stretch coating: PVC or fabric ceiling? The first option is more practical in this regard, since the PVC structure itself is more resistant to pollution. Her outer protectivethe film repels soot and fats, so PVC ceilings are often used in the kitchen in areas with an exhaust hood. These are the advantages of a glossy surface over a rough fabric structure with fibers, and the aesthetic merits of polyester will matter in the design value comparison.
Conclusion
Stretch ceilings allow you to beautifully decorate the top of the room without a radical intrusion into the interior arrangement. There are some functional advantages of such coatings, but they are limited due to the characteristics of the canvases used. For example, unlike suspended structures with drywall, in this case it will not be possible to install pipes or thick communication routes into the niche of the frame. If we compare this solution with traditional finishing methods, then the main drawback will be the price. For example, the best fabric ceilings from Descor and Clipso manufacturers cost 2000 - 2500 rubles / m2. The same will cost models with photo printing. Do the performance benefits of stretch fabric covers really justify the investment? As the reviews show, the decorative properties are well worth these costs, and taking into account the physical and mechanical qualities, you can count on long-term use and savings on repair measures for several years.
