Ceiling in the bathroom: features, choice of finishes

The lining of the ceiling in the bathroom can be different. When choosing a finishing material, you have to take into account a number of requirements. This is due to the special microclimate of most plumbing units. From the material of this article, you will find out what features the different options differ and what to consider when choosing the finish you like.

The choice of finishing material for ceiling decoration depends not only on aesthetic preferences. It is important that it is practical and durable. The bathroom is constantly damp, condensation accumulates here, the temperature often changes. The chosen material for lining the ceiling must be inert to moisture.

When swimming, it is possible that water splashes on the ceiling. The coating must be able to withstand this. In addition, the finishing material must be suitable for a specific room. The decisive criteria can be the height of the walls, the size of the bathroom. The finishing must be able to withstand possible leaks from the top of the apartment.

In this case, the material should be easy to clean, since you will have to clean it regularly. Ideal if the finish will withstand cleaning with a soft sponge and detergent. You need to select the option that is suitable for a specific design, has the desired texture and color. Wherein it is also important to take into account the status of the interior - the appropriate material is taken into an expensive setting.

A number of requirements are imposed on the choice of finishes for decorating the ceiling of bathrooms. In addition to moisture resistance, the finishing material it should be:

• inert to the formation of mold and mildew;
• resistant to corrosion and condensation stains;
• resistant to fading from moisture and light;
• optimal in terms of weight and easy to install;
• suitable for design in a specific interior style.

Besides, you need to choose the option that has a safe type of lighting and does not melt when the built-in light sources are heated.

The types of ceilings can be classified by type of construction. Suspended and tensioning options are considered especially in demand. The coatings of each line have their own characteristics.

These structures are frame systems with suspensions. When installing them, a crate is created to which the finishing material is attached. In this case, along the perimeter and the entire area, the coating is fixed on suspensions, the length of which can vary. Such options shorten the height of the walls by at least 10 cm, and therefore are suitable for decorating bathrooms with high ceilings.

By design, they are ordinary and floating. The second modifications outwardly seem to be hovering in the air. This effect is achieved through backlighting. Luminous ceilings give the bathroom a special atmosphere.

Suspended options can be cassette, stacked or cellular. They can be based on gypsum fiber, glass, mirror, plastic or plasterboard.

The advantages of such products are:

• leveling the surface;
• vertical wall height adjustment;
• no need to level the base;
• the ability to install sound and heat insulation;
• embedding of lighting devices and overhead lighting;
• variety of design decoration;
• aesthetic appeal and accuracy;
• the possibility of replacing the finishing material without replacing the frame.

Along with the advantages, suspended ceilings on a metal or wooden frame also have disadvantages. For example, they do not protect the bathroom from leaks. In case of poor ventilation, mold will form between the finish and the substrate. Some of the designs are completely impractical for small plumbing fixtures.

Stretch ceilings are considered the optimal solution when choosing a finish for bathrooms. They are durable, not too difficult to install and are stretchable. Such structures are an elastic film stretched over a wooden or metal frame. A significant advantage of stretch ceilings is double-sided moisture resistance.

They are waterproof, do not deteriorate in the event of leaks, returning to their original shape after removing the water. The polymer material can withstand 100 kg of weight per 1 sq. M.

Such ceilings have many advantages. For example, they are distinguished by:

• ease of maintenance and removal of various kinds of contaminants;
• the ability to mask the ceiling base;
• no need to level the base;
• minimum loss of wall height (about 5 cm);
• design variability and variety of colors;
• variability of width, seam and seamless types of panels;
• acceptable cost.

Film is considered a versatile material, it can be combined with ceiling panels, siding, cassettes, slats and plasterboard structures.Different types of lamps can be built into such a coating, thanks to which it is possible to create not only ordinary, but also luminous structures with an original design. The stretch fabric dampens sound waves, reducing the noise level coming from the apartment from above.

In addition to the advantages, stretch ceilings have several disadvantages. For example, to install them a heat gun is needed. Before stretching, you need to warm up the film, and therefore you cannot do without special equipment. It is important to cut the material correctly - if the blade is cut without an allowance, you will have to buy a new one.

Despite the high quality of the film, it is not resistant to mechanical damage. The cuts cannot be corrected; such a coating must be dismantled.

Finishing materials for bathroom ceilings are different. Depending on this, their strength and performance characteristics differ.

Both facing materials in bathrooms are used extremely rarely due to their impracticality. Whitewashing is susceptible to temperature and humidity conditions in the bathroom. Such a coating deteriorates too quickly. And if the fungus is masked with whitewash, then it also falls off the problem base.

Despite the fact that on sale you can find and waterproof plaster, it only briefly removes minor irregularities and cracks in the base.

Among the advantages of these finishing materials are environmental friendliness and affordable cost. Cladding work can be done independently without spending money on outsourcing specialists. However, the materials have more disadvantages:

• such ceilings look too simple;
• they need preliminary preparation of the base;
• over time, the treated surface turns yellow;
• from constant splashes and streaks, stains remain on the surface.

Ceiling painting is considered another budget type of decoration. The disadvantage of this coating is the need for thorough preparation of the base. Without this, the ceiling looks untidy. It is inconvenient to paint the ceiling: the paint applied to the roller drips down, hardening and forming irregularities. If you cover the ceiling with a thick layer, you will not get a beautiful coating.

You need to apply paint on a prepared substrate. The preparation includes a list of works on masking cracks, chips, removing irregularities, strengthening the ceiling with a primer solution with an antiseptic. The work uses paints on latex, acrylic, silicone and silicate bases. The pluses of painting include reasonable cost, the ability to independently carry out work, ease of maintenance.

It is also good that this finish does not hide the valuable centimeters of the height of the walls.

This type of finish is considered controversial, despite the fact that the materials are resistant to moisture. Not every type of wallpaper can be used for gluing: only vinyl and glass wallpaper are suitable for this. Materials of the second type provide for painting up to 20 times. They do not deteriorate from moisture and can have a wide variety of texture types.

Textured glass wallpaper goes well with any finishing material for walls and floors. They can convey the texture of matting, stone and decorative plaster. Due to the large meter width, it is easier to work with them than with traditional roll-to-roll counterparts. However, wallpapering a ceiling is much more difficult than wallpapering a wall.

In addition, the work requires high-quality preparation of the foundation. We have to plaster the coating, masking cracks, chips, getting rid of bumps. To enhance adhesion, it is necessary to cover the ceiling with a primer mortar. It is impossible to glue the wallpaper alone - it will fall off the ceiling. It is more difficult to combine the joints, as well as align the panels so that they lie flat.

Tile is the standard cladding material for small bathroom ceilings. Often it is chosen for lining the ceiling in the open-type shower stall area. The tile is inert to moisture, it does not collapse from condensation, does not fade and is durable. On store shelves, it is presented in the widest assortment.

A variety of colors and textures allows you to choose an option that emphasizes the recognizability of a particular interior style. The shape of the material can be traditional square, rectangular, triangular, diamond-shaped, hexagonal and even octagonal. However, this type of finish also has its drawbacks. It is very difficult to work with it, given that the cladding will have to be done on the ceiling.

It will not be possible to finish the decoration on your own, you will have to invite a specialist who will make a monolithic coating without shifting the seams and changing the slope of the faced plane... The disadvantages of tiles are fragility before gluing and instability to mechanical damage during transportation to the place of work. In addition, the "sore spot" of such a coating is the tile joints, on which any contamination is visible.

Glass ceilings have the ability to visually enlarge the space. They are especially appropriate in small bathrooms; such ceilings bring a certain lightness and airiness to the atmosphere of the room. These are suspended structures consisting of glass slabs laid on a metal frame.

The installation of this cladding is carried out in an optimally fast time. There is free space between the ceiling and the material itself. However, this type of cladding is not easy to maintain. The slightest stains and traces of water splashes are visible on the glass surface.

This finish is material with a mirror-like coating... These are mirror panels that are attached to the metal frame with a special glue. The reflective finish is available in a variety of materials. Budget facing materials are made of plastic. They are lighter than classical counterparts, easier and cheaper to install.

The positive qualities of mirror cladding materials are:

• doubling the illumination level of the plumbing unit;
• the high cost of the appearance of the finished cladding;
• moisture resistance and extraordinary appearance.

The disadvantages of cladding with a mirror texture include inability to retain moisture in the event of a leak from the upper apartment... In addition, maintenance of this surface is also difficult.

Siding is a paneling made of different materials. Today it happens plastic, metal, acrylic, fiber cement, ceramic, wood. This finish not only decorates, but also protects the ceiling from external influences, increasing the service life of the decorative coating.

Such panels are relatively durable and completely moisture resistant. Their installation is carried out on a crate (wood or metal) using the lock technology. The technique is optimally simple and understandable even to a non-professional. Any head of the family can make such a cover.

The panels are distinguished by the widest range of colors, and some of the varieties are capable of imitating any type of texture.For example, they perfectly convey the texture of wood, metal, stone, marble, plaster, concrete, mirror, glass. The care of the coating depends on the material of manufacture. Basically, it does not cause problems and consists in regularly wiping the surface with a dry or damp cloth.

The disadvantage of siding is the contamination of the joint seams. If the room is too damp and ventilation is not thought out, it will not work to avoid the appearance of fungus or mold. The advantage is the ease of dismantling. If a leak suddenly occurs, it will not be difficult to find a problem spot on the ceiling. Putting the panels back in place is easy.

Rack ceilings collected on the frame. They consist of a variety of narrow slats, panels, which are made of plastic or aluminum. Their texture can be any, up to gilded, chrome-plated, printed and silver. Such a finishing material is easy to install and maintain, it is flexible, which means that it can be not only straight, but also curved.

The polished surface of the battens is reflective. Due to this, it brings the illusion of spaciousness and lightness into the space. The disadvantage of rails is clogging of dirt into interpanel seams.

Drywall is nothing more than a layer of gypsum, packed on both sides with sheets of building board. The ceiling material differs from the wall material in a smaller thickness, and therefore does not create a large load on the floor. Fasten it using frame technology on a crate made of wood or metal. Moisture-resistant finishing material contains protective additives against fungus and moisture.

Sheets marked with gypsum plasterboard do not damp, do not rot or crumble during operation. With their help, one-, two-, three- and multi-level structures are created, making the bathroom interior special. The advantages of such a finishing material, in addition to weight, are:

• compatibility with different cladding;
• the possibility of painting and masking the seams;
• compatibility with any type of luminaires;
• masking irregularities and flaws in the base;
• masking ventilation, communications and wiring;
• durability and aesthetic appeal.

In addition to the advantages, moisture-resistant drywall also has disadvantages. For example, one of them is the price of the finished design. The coating has to be putty, primed and painted. Self-assembly is possible if the head of the family has certain skills in working with drywall. If you have to invite professionals, this significantly increases the cost of ceiling decoration.

Ceiling plinth (fillet, molding, baguette) is a decorative elementgiving the finishing touch. Besides, it hides visual defects on the lines of joints of adjacent planes. Its appearance, width and shape may vary. Manufacturers are guided by consumer demand, determined by aesthetics, a high level of decorative solutions and functionality.

The skirting board should form a certain style of the interior, give the finishing touch. Its performance may differ in cross-sectional dimensions, configuration and design of the profile, material of manufacture, colors. You need to choose the option that is easy to cut and fit, has a low weight, allows you to carry out spot repairs and painting. In addition, it is better to buy a product that does not support combustion.

The number of levels of ceiling decoration depends on various factors, for example, the size of the room, the height of the walls, and the complications of the layout. If the room is small, a tiered system is undesirable.Such structures steal the height of the ceiling, so the room seems uncomfortable and visually heavy. In small bathrooms with a ceiling height of 2.4 m, even two-level systems are excluded.

When the room is large and the ceiling is high, multilevel systems are appropriate. However, if earlier multi-level ceilings were considered a fashionable solution, today the number of levels does not exceed two. Stylists point out that the emphasis in the bathroom should focus on the elements of furniture or plumbing. If the design of the ceiling is complex, the interior will seem overwhelmed.

At the same time, when choosing a type, attention is paid to the resources of a particular style. For example, in the interior modern two-level ceilings are irreplaceable. If the bathroom is decorated in style minimalism, unnecessary complexity is useless. One level is enough to decorate the ceiling in style loft - the accent of the design will be in the use of beams and decoration of the ceiling space with supplied communications.

Color solutions for bathroom ceilings are subject to different criteria. For example, the choice of the main shade may depend on the size of the room, the height of the walls, the presence of windows, and the resources of a particular interior style. Light shades of the color palette will become ideal tones. Priority is white: it visually brightens the space, erases its rigid boundaries, and brings a sense of spaciousness into the atmosphere. Besides him, actual milk, beige, bleached blue, light coffee color.

The black color is not suitable for the ceiling: it visually makes the space heavier, introducing notes of negativity into it. It is undesirable to decorate the ceiling in acidic and harsh shades (for example, poisonous orange, acid yellow, blood red). The atmosphere in such a bathroom will be stressful and you will not be able to relax.

The cladding texture can be different. Stylists recommend paying attention to the area of ​​a particular room and design features.... Small bathrooms can have glossy ceilings. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the level of reflectivity. For example, in a small bathroom, a mirrored ceiling is undesirable: in a confined space, instead of increasing it, it will give the effect of cluttering.

For the embodiment of country or Provence styles, materials with a matte finish are needed.... These can be slats or plastic panels with imitation of painted wood.

To choose the best facing material for decorating the ceiling, you need to pay attention to a number of nuances. These include practicality, durability, ease of maintenance, moisture resistance and aesthetic appeal. If we consider the issue from the point of view of durability, it is better to exclude wallpaper, plaster and whitewash right away. Despite their price, these options have more disadvantages.

It is better to decorate the bathroom ceiling with stretch film, plastic panels or slats. As a last resort, you can use moisture resistant drywall. Choosing between one and the other option, you need to take into account the compatibility of finishes with furnishings and plumbing fixtures. If you want to do it yourself, you need to take an easy-to-install option.

At the same time, we should not forget about the style. For example:

• for classics, neoclassicism, classicism matte or glossy stretch film with stucco molding is suitable;

• for minimalism you need a single-level ceiling without decor and gloss;

• to style modern a combined design with a combination of drywall and glossy or matte film is suitable;

• in style loft film or plastic siding with imitation of concrete will look good;

• for bathrooms in club style actual cassette design with a mirror surface;

• for scandinavian style you need a single-level film ceiling with a matte surface;

• v eco-style you can use the design with wooden slats or plastic with wood imitation;

• in styles provence, vintage it is worth decorating the ceiling with slats with imitation of painted wood;

• Art Deco can be decorated using a plain stretch film.

When choosing this or that option, you need to take into account the color that is characteristic of a particular style. For example, vintage and Provence prefer light, bleached tones. Country color scheme is warmer. In the Scandinavian style, on the contrary, light cold shades are needed. In modern trends, they use white, light woody and beige.

We offer 10 successful examples of choosing a finishing material for decorating a bathroom ceiling.

Reflective cassette ceiling in the interior of a modern bathroom.

Plastic floating ceiling with built-in lighting and colored LED strip.

Slatted ceiling with gold finish in the interior of a modern bathroom.

An example of the design of the ceiling space with beams and spotlights.

Ceiling decoration, taking into account zoning techniques: different colors for individual functional areas.

One-tier design with built-in lighting for each functional area.

Combined design ceiling space using slats and drywall.

Plain single-level ceiling, with accent chandelier and wide molding.

An example of combining tiles and stretch film in a modern style bathroom.

Cassette ceiling with built-in lights, made in the form of slabs.

Installation of a ceiling made of plastic lining, see below.