Plastic ceiling: the pros and cons

A few years ago, plastic ceilings were perceived by many as exclusively “office interior” or “summer house”. Today, plastic ceilings are increasingly found in interiors.

Plastic panels and paneling, presented by modern manufacturers in building supermarkets, outwardly almost indistinguishable from natural materials and do not have the characteristic "plastic luster" and a specific smell.

It's safe to say that a modern plastic ceiling will decorate the interior of both a city apartment and a country house. Before installing the plastic ceiling, it is necessary to clean the surface of contamination, eliminate cracks, and then perform the treatment of the base with special antiseptics, since a fungus can appear under the plastic surface.

Determine the places where the lighting devices will be installed, select their variety. It is best to purchase them in advance. If you have chosen to trim the PVC panel, then the wiring must be installed in advance.

So, your ceiling can be made using PVC panels, plastic wall paneling or plastic film (stretched plastic ceiling). At the same time, it is quite possible to undertake the installation of panels and wall paneling with your own hands, but it is better to entrust the subtleties of working with a stretch ceiling to specialists.

Let us dwell a little more on the basic options for finishing ceilings with PVC materials.

PVC panels are most often represented on the market in the form of plates or sheets. The plates are overwhelmingly square, with sides from 30 to 100 centimeters. To fasten the plates around the perimeter of the room you will have to install special mounting shelves.

PVC sheets come in different lengths (up to 4 meters) and different widths (up to 2 meters). The order of work is always about the same and consists of the following steps:

• Strengthen the corners, which will hold the PVC panels with screws.
• If necessary, cut the plastic panels, you can use a regular hacksaw.
• If there are "burrs" on the edges of the panels, sand them off with sandpaper.

• Mark up for future light fixtures and cut holes for them.
• Begin fixing the panels across the profile.
• It’s not scary if some panels are not perfectly positioned, alignment that is recommended before installing the last panel will help to give a neat look, this is done by loosening or tightening the screws.

Such a finish is the cheapest, while it is quite functional and diverse. Consider the main stages of the installation of the ceiling of plastic lining:

• Before starting work, make the markup that will be used for mounting the ceiling. The first is to find the lowest point of the ceiling. From this point, retreat down about 10 centimeters. This will be the level of the new ceiling.

• The frame can be made of wood, but more reliable and stronger will be metal.For the metal frame, you will need self-tapping screws with a press washer and ordinary self-tapping screws, a construction stapler, nails, clips, rope, U-shaped fasteners and crabs, as well as metal CD profiles (for the frame base) and UD profiles (for the perimeter frame).

• Draw a pencil line around the perimeter of the walls and fasten the UD-profile along it using dowels; 2 control CD-profiles are fixed in different ends of the room not too close to the wall (10-15 cm); With the help of P-mounts, we mount the profile to the ceiling along a stretched fishing line or rope (a step up to 50 cm).

• Fastenings, crabs fix jumpers.

• We prepare the wiring and communications, leaving the loop where the output will be wires.

• Install the wall paneling on the frame.

This is a smooth and neat canvas, which is mounted on a profile of metal or plastic at different distances from the main ceiling.

PVC materials are tough enough, but Immediately before installation, the fabric is subjected to heating with a special gas gun., thanks to which it becomes elastic. When the fabric cools down, it will stretch on the profile and the ceiling will be perfectly smooth.

The benefits of a plastic finishing material are many.Perhaps they are able to block the few existing disadvantages.

Let's talk about the main positive points:

• Plastic panels are much cheaper than any other materials used in the decoration of ceilings.
• Defects of the ceiling (bumps, seams, cracks) will remain hidden under the finish. Also, if you need to hide pipes or wiring, plastic panels will handle this best.
• Installation of a plastic panel ceiling is available even for beginners and will not take long.
• Special tools for the installation of plastic panels are not needed.

• If you need to clean the ceiling, you can easily do it yourself.
• Plastic finishing materials for ceilings do not fade in the sun and are resistant to temperature changes.
• A variety of textures and shades of plastic panels make it possible to choose them for any interior.
• When using plastic lining the load on the ceiling frame is very small.

• There is no need to be afraid of special odors - modern plastic panels have almost no smell, and after a couple of days after unpacking, even the most sensitive nose will not feel an undesirable smell.
• This is a particularly moisture-resistant material that does not change its appearance even after direct contact with water.
• Plastic panels are durable and will last you as long as necessary, and the harmfulness of plastic to human health is an obvious exaggeration, because modern technologies make these finishing materials absolutely safe.
• Plastic has good sound insulation qualities.
• If it is difficult to conduct standard wiring in the room, the installation of point LEDs in plastic panels will not be difficult and will perfectly cope with the tasks of primary and secondary lighting.

The plastic trim has its drawbacks, which we must tell you about:

• Plastic panels are resistant to fairly high temperatures (up to 400 degrees), but if a fire does happen, the material will emit gas that is harmful to human health. A similar process can begin when the material is smoldering.
• The beautiful appearance of the plastic finish can be broken due to accidental scratches or bumps on the finish. Unfortunately, repair the damage will not work, and part of the ceiling will have to be replaced.

• Despite the promises of panel manufacturers that the sun's rays will not damage the finish, you need to keep in mind that white panels or white parts on colored panels may turn yellow.
• The last minus is associated more with aesthetic perception than with objective characteristics. The fact is that many perceive the plastic ceiling as “artificial”, “office”. It is worth noting an important point - modern PVC ceilings can look like anything, including successfully imitating wood or stone, so the rejection of plastic finishing for aesthetic reasons is just a delusion.

Plastic ceiling trim is unusually diverse in size, shape, color and texture. The main groups are tiles, wall paneling and sheet products, as well as suspended ceilings. Each group differs not only in size, but also in rigidity, weight, and, of course, price.

When choosing a finishing material, pay attention to the thickness of the plastic panels. To finish the ceiling you need to use much thinner plastic than for walls (no more than 5 mm).

The size of the individual elements of plastic finishing (they are called “lamellae”) depends on the group: narrow and long - lining, the largest - sheet products.

Plastic wall paneling harmoniously looks in the finishing of the ceilings in the country, on the verandas, loggias and balconies, as well as in the kitchen. Panels and sheet finishes are suitable for finishing living rooms and halls, and stretch PVC ceiling will look good in any room.

Special type of ceilings - figured. Such a ceiling is usually a combination of a ceiling made of PVC materials or plasterboard with tension structures. This is a complex ceiling, often multilevel using complex shapes of various shapes and colors (rounded elements, spirals, waves, plants).

Volumetric stretch ceilings also fall into this group.

Despite the complex designs of shaped ceilings and the complexity of the work, they have enough advantages. The main thing - the attractiveness and originality. Also, proper painting and a spectacular arrangement of the ceiling elements allow the room to look bigger and taller.

It also happens that the room needs to be made more comfortable and zone large space. In these cases, curly ceilings are simply irreplaceable..

The most common curved ceilings:

• The ceiling with a rectangular "frame". Around the main suspension structure is suspended frame, which is usually mounted spotlights. This design is used in cases where you need to divide the ceiling into several rectangles (for example, if you like the traditional "Bavarian" ceiling with a white base and dark beams).

• Ceiling with multi-level ovals, circles and semicircles. Suitable for both the bedroom and the kitchen, as with the help of the top level we can select any area in the room. In the center of the circle usually have a spectacular lamp.

• Wavy shapes can play the role of both a room divider into zones, and a striking decorative element for any part of the room.

• Flowers made of plasterboard or PVC materials, plants, leaves or any other complex patterns are suitable for giving the room an original, unique look.However, sometimes it is necessary to hide communications and unevenness of the main ceiling under complex structures.

Choosing PVC materials for ceiling, consider the style of the interior room. Classic interiors require white ceilings, Mediterranean style goes well with “marble decor”, cupids, roses and golden trim, and Provence allows for the use of gentle azure-blue, light olive, cream and other pastel shades. All wood shades and texture “under the tree” will suit the rustic style.

Remember that PVC ceilings with a pattern are appropriate only in children's rooms or in rooms of a certain style (for example, Mediterranean chic). If you doubt the appropriateness of one or another color ceiling panels or PVC film, Give preference to white matte ceiling.

Decorative slats also depends on the type of their connection. It is easy to distinguish them even in appearance - these are panels with a relief surface,products with a facet and seamless panels.

Seamless panels are arranged to each other so tightly that the seams are almost invisible. Panels with chamfer or rust are similar to seamless lamellae, but in the end part each element has a recess (rust), which makes it easy to join the panels into a single canvas.

To learn how to install a plastic ceiling with your own hands, see the following video.

Choosing products from a reliable manufacturer, we can be confident in the quality of the goods. How to navigate the market, because there are many firms? We will introduce you to some companies that have proven themselves in the production of PVC finishing materials.

• Belgian Venta - a manufacturer with vast experience, constantly improving production technology and expanding the range. For drawing pattern on the surface of PVC, even digital printing is used.

• Forte - Italian company engaged in the production of finishing materials for more than fifty years. Makes elegant panels of classic colors for the ceiling and walls on modern equipment.

• Manufacturers of PVC materials from the Republic of Belarus have proven themselves from the best side.Excellent quality, European design and low prices of Belarusian PVC materials attract the attention of many buyers. In hardware stores and supermarkets are products of the company. Europrofile (own production of PVC panels and profiles), a major manufacturer and seller of various PVC materials "Yu-Plast", the company "PVC West" (works in the construction market for more than 20 years).

• Krasnodar company "AnV-plast" earned the respect of the master finishers and sellers of plastic panels. The company works on domestic raw materials and domestic technologies. The quality of the products is quite high, and the price is much lower than that of foreign competitors.

• Popular domestic manufacturer from Magnitogorsk - company "Ural-Plast". Its products are made on foreign equipment, has a spectacular design and a variety of colors.

Tips for choosing:

• Finishing materials are best purchased in specialized stores. Check the products for quality certificates, carefully study the composition of PVC materials. If you have questions - contact the consultants or sellers.Ask the consultant to immediately pick up to you all the necessary fasteners and other materials.
• Inspect the PVC-plates - they should not be cracked or other damage.

• Lightly press on the surface of the PVC sheet. No trace should remain on a quality product.
• On the surface of the plate should not be visible stiffening ribs, while bending the product should not crack.
• When choosing PVC panels, be guided by the layout and size of the room. On a small loggia or in a narrow corridor, use PVC elements of minimum length and width. Large squares will be appropriate in a large room or a spacious hall.

The two-level figured ceiling, which allows visually increasing the space of a small room, will become a real decoration of the modern interior.

PVC-lining "under the tree" looks almost like real, and will serve you much longer. If necessary, such a ceiling can be easily cleaned, which is important for the kitchen.

Stretch ceiling of PVC film with a holographic pattern will decorate the interior in the style of minimalism or high-tech.

Plastic panels in the bathroom - a spectacular and much cheaper replacement tiled finish.The use of panels with the same pattern for the walls and ceiling allows to visually enlarge a small bathroom.

A plastic ceiling made of PVC sheet on a loggia or balcony will give the room a neat and modern look. If you place point sources of light on the ceiling of the loggia, you can relax here even in the evening.

We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so a beautiful and functional kitchen ceiling is a must in a modern apartment. In addition, he remarkably cope with the division of space into the dining area and cooking zone.

Stretch ceiling in the bathroom can turn it into a completely futuristic and unusually spectacular room. Correctly located lamps, chrome-plated metal in the finish and mirror details will create a multitude of sources of light and brilliance.