Every homeowner tries to make it as comfortable as possible. Due to the fact that the world of building materials does not stand still, doing this is not a problem. To date, stretch ceilings are perhaps the most popular type of decoration in houses and city apartments. The modernity and aesthetics of such coatings attract people more and more every year. A wide palette of colors and a variety of textures make this finishing material perhaps the best option for those planning a renovation.
However, despite all the advantages, stretch ceilings have their drawbacks. They include delicacy. Stretch ceilings are very easy to damage even with a fingernail. Today we will talk about how to seal the stretch ceiling after a cut or other damage.
Causes of damage to stretch ceilings
Let's take a closer look at this. How are stretch ceilings repaired after a cut? This largely depends onhow they were damaged. Consider the main causes of damage:
- Installation of ceiling cornices. When installing this element, be especially careful, as any sudden movement can damage the coating.
- Children's toys. Today, there are many toys for babies that consist of sharp parts. Children during the game may simply not notice how the toy reaches the ceiling. Then the probability of damage is very high.
- Champagne corks and crackers: during the holidays, these attributes often cause damage to the ceiling.
- In case of poor quality welding or strong stretching of the ceiling during installation, a rupture along the seam may occur.
- Inattention during installation. The canvas may come off in case of poor-quality installation of baguettes and other structures for attaching a stretch ceiling.
- Accidental damage to the coating during cleaning. A soft sponge is unlikely to leave behind such damage. But careless touches with a hand or a hard brush may well leave a trace.
Sometimes damage to the stretch ceiling is the result of poor quality materials used or improper installation. In this case, to eliminate the shortcomings, you can try to contact the company that was involved in the installation.
There are two main types of this type of finish: PVC and fabric. Consider how to glue a stretch ceiling, depending on the type of coating.
Fabric ceiling and its features
So what do you need to know about this? fabric ceilingsnot as popular today as vinyl flooring. There are several simple reasons for this. First, the fabric coating is more expensive. Depending on the type, the price of such material can be several times higher than the cost of PVC film. Secondly, in the event that the neighbors flood you, an ugly spot will remain on the surface of the ceiling, which will be impossible to get rid of. Thirdly, the installation of such ceilings is particularly difficult. Unlike vinyl, fabric does not expand much when heated. Stretching such a ceiling will be much more difficult. In addition, the fabric cover cannot be glossy.
Most often this option is preferred by lovers of environmentally friendly natural materials. As for damage, one of the situations described above may well occur here. In this regard, an absolutely logical question arises: "How to glue the fabric?".
How to fix the cut?
Let's look at this aspect in more detail. If a cut appears on the fabric ceiling, do not panic. It is enough to take a thin thread, a needle and carefully sew up the damage. You can also then paint the damaged area in a color as close as possible to the shade of the entire canvas. This is how easy fabric stretch ceilings are repaired.
If the cut is large enough, a patch will be needed. In this case, it is better to entrust the procedure to a professional. He can do everything neatly, without a trace. If you decide to perform this procedure yourself, get ready for the fact that onthe place of the patch will be noticeable irregularities and folds. In case of severe damage, the entire ceiling may need to be replaced, so it's best not to risk it.
If you notice damage to the tension cover, then first you need to repair it with adhesive tape. It is best to use paint or fabric material for this purpose. If there is no such product at home, you can use any sticker. This procedure is necessary so that under the pressure of tension, the edges of the hole do not disperse. Otherwise, when stretched, the ceiling will no longer be saved. It should also be borne in mind that if the size of the damage on the ceiling reaches more than 20 cm, it must be replaced.
After the hole is sealed, you need to pick up a piece of fabric that is similar in color to the natural color of the ceiling. A special adhesive is applied to the damaged area and glued from the inside. The stores offer a wide selection of glue for stretch ceilings. "Moment" is well suited for these purposes.
An important nuance: you can sew up a fabric stretch ceiling only with nylon threads. The thinner the thread, the less noticeable the seam will subsequently become. Do not worry about the strength of the seam: the tension of the ceiling will not be strong enough to break even the thinnest thread. Try not to overtighten the edges of the cut. The thread should just bring the edges together, not tighten them. Otherwise, the damage can only spread even more. Only straight cuts can be sewn up. If the coating has dispersed in an arc, then you will have to look for another way to repair or completely change the canvas.
Restoration of fabric ceiling
So what do you need to know about this? Now you know how to fix a cut on a stretch ceiling yourself. However, the sewing method does not always help to correct the situation. Fabric ceilings are difficult to restore. In case of damage, experts recommend immediately changing them, but this option is not always acceptable. Firstly, it requires significant financial costs, and secondly, it takes a lot of time.
If the gap is uneven, then you can try to fix the ceiling by installing a patch. Such an element can be made from scraps of the coating itself. It is better if this procedure is handled by a stretch ceiling repairman.
PVC damage
Unlike fabric ceilings, a needle and thread will not help here. If you try to fix the coating in this way, you can only aggravate the situation. However, there are other ways to repair a stretch ceiling. The cut is also of great importance: its nature and location directly affect the choice of repair method.
So what do you need to know about this? How to glue PVC ceiling? If the size of the defect does not exceed 10-15 cm, then you can consider that you are very lucky. The simplest case is when the cut is located near the wall. To repair the hole, carefully pull the foil out of the profile, cut out the damaged part and reattach the ceiling to the profile. To facilitate work while tensioning the cover, usefan heater. However, watch the temperature: it should not be too high so that the ceiling does not melt. This method is especially convenient because it does not leave marks even after holes and cracks.
How to seal PVC stretch ceilings with large damage? In this case, only the application will help save the situation. The PVC film must be completely dismantled, glued on the damaged area with an application and then re-stretched the canvas. The procedure itself will cost a lot, but it is still cheaper than installing a new coating.
We looked at how to glue a stretch ceiling after cuts in general terms. Now let's analyze this process in more detail.
Close up the cut
This aspect should be given special attention. Suppose there is a small cut on the stretch ceiling. What to do in this case? If the defect appeared in a part of the ceiling located far from the edge of the wall, then you can try using the following method: install a lamp or a ventilation grill in place of the hole. To prevent further stretching of the PVC film, experts recommend securing a plastic ring around the hole. Its inner part must be cut out to install the lamp. This method is especially effective for minor injuries.
The simplest and easiest way to hide damage is to install spotlights. This is done quite simply and does not take much time. Difficulty can arise only when laying additional wires undercoating. But even if it doesn't work out, don't despair. An unlit fixture will still look better than a damaged ceiling.
To achieve greater credibility, you can install several lamps, observing the principle of symmetry. Then they will look as if it was the original idea of the designer. Here it is important to calculate and draw everything correctly.
To install the ceiling you will need a simple clerical knife and glue for plastic. Lamps are equipped with decorative rings. The cut must be inside this element. We simply coat its contour with glue and apply it to the damaged ceiling.
Adhesive composition seizes pretty quickly. After a few seconds, it will be possible to cut holes inside the ring and place the lamp there. Try not to leave excess glue on the floor. Once they dry out, it will be impossible to clean them.
This is the easiest way to seal a stretch ceiling after a cut. Unfortunately, its use is justified only for small damages suitable for the size of the fixtures. If we are talking about a large cut, you will have to use more radical methods.
Decorate a major damage on the stretch ceiling
So what do you need to know about this? Large damage to the stretch ceiling is quite difficult to fix. If you do not have the funds to completely replace the coating, the only option left is to install a decorative application. Today in building stores you can see a large selectionvinyl stickers with various thematic drawings. As a last resort, if you do not find anything suitable, you can order such a sticker in a design studio. The application will completely close the damage. To fix it, you can use universal aerosol glue. We will also need a simple stationery stapler.
First we fasten the edges of the cut with paper clips. For reliability, they can also be additionally smeared with glue. This will eliminate the damage itself, but the site will have an unpresentable appearance. You just have to choose the right pattern and stick it on the ceiling surface with the adhesive.
How to fix a small puncture?
A small hole in the PVC ceiling may appear due to inaccurate work with tools. Such damage can be repaired regardless of the material from which the coating is made.
Before starting work, fix the damaged area with adhesive tape. This will prevent the hole from growing in size. If the damage is somewhere in an inconspicuous place, then you can simply glue it with a circle cut out of identical material. This will help restore the tightness of the coating. If such a patch matches the tone of the ceiling in color, it will be invisible from a distance of more than 3 meters. If the puncture is located on a noticeable section of the ceiling, then when repairing over the patch, you can simply stick a beautiful PVC application on top. It will hide the defect and give the surface an aesthetic appearance. To make this design seem visually complete, you canadd a few more similar decorative elements.
How to glue PVC applications? For this purpose, a special adhesive composition is suitable. First, the surface of the film must be degreased. Do not use building solvents as they may damage the material. Mild detergents work well. Glue should be used in accordance with the instructions on the package. As a rule, these are quick-fix compounds that set to the surface within a few seconds. If the patch is incorrectly installed, the repair procedure will have to be performed again. The patch is glued directly onto the ceiling covering. After setting, the adhesive layer hardens and forms a kind of reinforcing layer, which prevents further increase in the size of the damage.
Puncture repair in fabric ceiling
What is special? Fabric stretch ceilings have a polyester base, which ensures the localization of minor damage and facilitates subsequent repairs. If the canvas was not damaged during the puncture, you can simply fill the resulting hole with sealant.
In case of damage to the warp, sew up the canvas with synthetic threads, matched in thickness and color. For white fabrics, white nylon thread is best suited. If the damage is in a visible place, you can perform a full painting of the coating. You can also mask the repaired area by applying an appliqué or artistic drawing to it.
Eliminating traces of heat
When used next to stretch ceiling fixtureshigh power, the coating may darken and tear. Regardless of the type of stretch ceiling, large-diameter thermal rings are used to eliminate such damage. If the difference in the size of new and old rings is not too great, then universal platforms located around the fixtures can be used to fill the enlarged opening. It is important during the repair process not to make a mistake with the choice of fixtures. For fabric ceilings, halogen lamps up to 35 W and incandescent lamps up to 60 W can be used. For PVC ceilings, these restrictions will be even stricter: halogen lamps up to 20 W and incandescent lamps up to 40 W.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail how to glue a stretch ceiling after a cut. The choice of the appropriate method will depend on the type of coating, the nature of the damage and its size. Small punctures and cuts can be repaired with your own hands. For example, a gap in the fabric ceiling can simply be sewn up with a thin needle and nylon thread. To repair a puncture in a vinyl ceiling, just use a patch of the right color and a special adhesive.
In case of major damage, the feasibility of repair should be assessed first. It might be easier to just replace the entire ceiling covering.
