Stretched ceilings are gaining more and more popularity among the population, but not enough to get ahead of painted tiles. Such designs can be found not only in apartments, but also in municipal and entertainment facilities. Many people do not really trust such an element of the interior. First of all, they refer to the high cost of material and work. It is also believed that the heated fabric coating is not sufficiently reliable. Today we will pay attention to such an interior element as a stretch ceiling. What is, what are the positive and negative aspects of this design? All this and more - further in our article.
Ceiling installation
Stretch ceiling - what is it? This is a structure, which is a special fabric material stretched over an erected frame. Before stretching the film, it is heated to a plastic state, and then filled into the frame.
When cooling, the film stretches and forms a smooth surface.
Structural elements of stretch ceilings are:
- PVC fabric. This element can take on different colors and textures, thereby forming a flat or three-dimensional surface on the ceiling.
- Baguettes. This is a special fastening material, presented in the form of strips, and it performs the function of fixing the fabric.
- Inserts and plugs. This is an additional material with which the baguettes are interconnected.
- Lighting. Most stretch ceilings require lighting fixtures.
Pros of stretch ceilings
Among the advantages of such coatings are the following:
- The ceiling has a perfectly flat surface and a pleasant appearance.
- During installation, a lot of debris and dust are not released, compared to other finishing works.
- The installation process does not take long. As a rule, stretch ceilings in a room are installed in one day.
- PVC fabrics are made using only high-quality and environmentally friendly materials, so they can be installed in residential areas.
- PVC fabric is waterproof and rot-resistant.
- In the free space between the ceiling and the fabric, you can run electrical wires and mount lighting fixtures, so two-level stretch ceilings for the hall are popular.
- Stretch ceilings hide cracks and destruction of load-bearing slabs.
- If electricity needs to be repaired, the fabric can be easily dismantled and returned to its original position.
One of the advantages of stretch ceilings is that they do notreact to shrinkage of the house and other changes in the structure of the building.
Flaws
Stretch ceilings in the room also have negative sides:
- When the fabric is exposed to temperatures above 65ºC, it will become soft and begin to sag.
- With prolonged exposure to heat on the canvas, it loses its performance. This should be taken into account when choosing lighting fixtures.
- PVC is a brittle material and therefore subject to mechanical stress.
Proposed palette of stretch ceilings
Modern manufacturers of stretch ceilings produce PVC fabric in different colors and surface textures.
Such canvases are produced wide enough so that installation can be done in large rooms. Today there are materials with the following types of surface:
- Glossy. It is characterized by a special brilliance, which is achieved thanks to the varnish. The main advantage of this material is the reflection of interior items. Therefore, they are used in small rooms to visually increase the space.
- Matte. Unlike the previous view, such a surface does not reflect objects at all. The front part looks like a concrete slab, which is painted with water-based paint. This canvas is considered a classic, so it is used in various government agencies. It also makes a good backdrop for photo prints.
- Satin. Suchcanvases are something in between the two previous types. That is, the surface is able to reflect and scatter light, but cannot do this with interior items.
- Perforated. Any type of fabric can be used as it. The only thing to do is to drill a lot of holes in it. Perforated fabric creates a starry sky effect.
- Art print on a stretch ceiling. What is art print? This is a modern type of stretch ceilings, aimed at introducing something new into the interior. For the manufacture of such a canvas, huge printers are used that can work with various sizes. They apply the appropriate pattern.
Recently, washing stretch ceilings have become popular, from which it is easy to remove dust and dirt.
Mounting Methods
In order for the stretch ceiling to serve for a long time, it is necessary to ensure that the PVC fabric is securely fastened to the baguettes. It is this procedure that affects the tension of the fabric and the formation of a perfectly flat surface.
Therefore, only high-quality baguettes should be used, among which the following types are distinguished:
- Harpoon. The most popular mounting method. A harpoon is a special bar welded at the factory to the edge of the canvas. The mount is V-shaped, making the installation process quick and easy.
- Cam. Such fasteners are used in small rooms. It can bear 16m PVC sheet2.
- Wedge. Ceiling fixingcarried out by a wedge and a decorative strip. The advantage of this device is convenient and quick installation and dismantling.
- Beads. To fix the PVC fabric, thin boards resembling a bead are used.
Stretched ceiling companies
Barrisol is a popular manufacturer of ceilings, despite the fact that the choice of products is significantly limited. The French company originates in 1976, and today it has established itself well in the world market.
Delivery of products to Russia takes 20 days. A significant disadvantage is the high cost, but you will have to pay for the quality.
Another manufacturer is the French company Extenzo. Its main advantage is a huge selection of stretch ceilings of different designs. The catalog contains more than 120 options that differ from each other in style and color. After the experts have made the measurement, the design of the stretch ceiling is made within 25 days. It all depends on the complexity of the order.
German stretch ceiling companies occupy a leading position in the world market. Newmat is known for its original design and high quality.
She has been in the coating industry for over 20 years. The film is made from environmentally friendly materials, so it will not do any harm. For all its products, the company makes a guarantee of 10 years, which is good news.
Cost
On stretch ceiling price(per m2) depends on the selected manufacturer and the quality of the PVC fabric. Original canvases will cost much more than products from Chinese manufacturers. What is the price per m2 for a stretch ceiling? The material costs from 300 to 1200 rubles.
Please note that you will also have to pay a separate amount for their installation. Some construction companies, when ordering a stretch ceiling, install it for free.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned what kind of stretch ceiling exists, what is the harpoon method of fastening, and also identified the positive and negative aspects of the material. This ceiling covering is becoming popular every day, and it can be seen not only in apartments, but also in many office spaces. There are many manufacturers of stretch ceilings. They provide a wide selection of canvases that differ from each other in style and color. It is best to purchase original models, as the service life of Chinese ceilings is much lower.
