Suspended ceilings in the bathroom: features, varieties, design

Suspended ceilings have long and rightfully taken one of the leading places in the construction and renovation industry of residential and public premises. They were appreciated by Russian and foreign designers for their simplicity, convenience and low cost. In this article, we will analyze the types, features, as well as the pros and cons of suspended ceilings for the bathroom.

The main feature of bathroom ceilings is that they must be resistant to humidity and temperature extremes. Everyone knows that a bathroom is a whimsical room, and if an excellent solution was found for the walls in the form of ceramic tiles, then the ceiling, as a rule, was plastered and whitewashed. Due to the constantly changing humidity in the corners and in open areas of the plastered ceiling, mold and mildew often appeared, or even partial peeling of the plaster layer, which undoubtedly spoiled the whole view.

There are several types of hanging structures that are most commonly used in bathrooms.

Such a ceiling is a set of plastic slats or lining. Wooden slats are rarely used, as wood is not the best material for a bathroom ceiling due to the rather high humidity. If you are an adherent of eco-style and by all means want to use the lining, then care must be taken to ensure that over time it does not deform or mold.

To do this, it is imperative to use a moisture-proof impregnation or varnish in several layers. Make sure the backing layer has penetrated every crevice and groove. In addition to the primary processing of wood with a protective varnish, this procedure will need to be repeated every 1-2 years. And if the family is large, and the humidity is constant, then 2 times more often. Of course, in addition to this, the bathroom must have excellent ventilation.

Therefore, take care in advance, even at the stage of the beginning of the repair, about the presence of a ventilation system, and, if necessary, install a forced exhaust hood. It can be connected so that when the light is turned on, it automatically starts working, and when turned off, it turns off. It should be monitored regularly for cleanliness, and as soon as it gets clogged with dust, remove the grate and clean it of dust and dirt.

As for the plastic slats, everything is much simpler here. Plastic is lightweight, is not afraid of moisture, does not require any additional processing and does not deform, therefore it is more popular than wooden slats. During installation, the light weight of the rails does not weigh your hands down. Fastened to a wooden or metal crate.

Such a ceiling looks quite aesthetically pleasing, the place of the fastener is not visible, since it hides in a groove into which the next rail is inserted. Fasteners can be self-tapping screws (wooden or metal lathing) or metal brackets, which are fixed with a construction stapler (wooden lathing). It is undoubtedly faster and more convenient to work with a stapler, but fasteners with self-tapping screws are more reliable.

There is also slatted ceiling with aluminum inserts, which makes it more interesting. The lamellas are attached at some distance from each other, and an aluminum strip is inserted between them.

Just like the slatted ceiling, the ceiling made of plastic panels is quite easy to assemble according to the same principle. However, panels can have a fairly wide range of sizes in width - from 10 to 50 cm. The wider the panel, the more monolithic the ceiling looks due to the lack of a large number of joints... In addition, the panel can be either smooth or corrugated.

The range of colors is also very large - from monochromatic to multi-colored. One has only to choose the right color for the overall bathroom interior. The shape can be either classic long or square.

Stretch ceiling for today is the most popular. Its cost is not much higher than previous models, and the quality is not inferior. He is not afraid of any floods, withstands the accumulation of water without flowing up to 100 liters. The PVC film that makes up the ceiling will simply stretch in the place where the liquid accumulates, and after draining the water it will return to its previous appearance. A wide range of colors will easily allow you to choose exactly the color you need. And with the help of a special printer, any pattern or picture can be applied to the film.

There are canvases:

• matte;

• glossy.

Matte ceilings are good because they look the same as a regular ceiling covered with plaster, while it is perfectly flat and does not glare.For lovers of a more interesting solution, manufacturers of suspended ceilings offer glossy models - they visually increase the space. The darker the color, the more pronounced its reflective properties.

Many people are afraid to use black, thinking that it will press on top, causing discomfort. However, the opposite happens. The darker the shade of the stretch glossy ceiling, the more invisible it is, especially in combination with black and white ceramic tiles on the walls. Of course, this only applies to glossy coatings - with matte such a number will not work, and a black or dark ceiling will really cause an overwhelming feeling.

In addition to being perfectly flat and flat, the stretch ceiling can be two-tiered and take almost any shape in combination with drywall. It is also good in that the canvases can be combined with each other in color, but in this case the seams will be visible. If you want a seamless ceiling, then you should give preference to a plain one.

Installation of stretch ceilings is carried out by specialists. Using a heat gun, the canvas is heated to 60 degrees, then it is carefully tucked along the perimeter into a special wall profile and fixed with a harpoon. The first time, while the ceiling has not cooled down, it will emit an unpleasant odor, but after it has completely cooled down, the smell will not be felt.

Today it is perhaps the most expensive of all suspended ceilings, but it is quite environmentally friendly. To create a ceiling, not ordinary drywall is used, which will simply crumble over time, unable to withstand a humid environment, but moisture resistant, created specifically for rooms with high humidity. It can be distinguished from the usual green paper that covers the plaster.

Using drywall sheets, you can create various compositions on the ceiling, smooth lines, tiers, niches. It is mounted on a special metal profile, which is mounted to the main ceiling using U-shaped elements. Depending on the quadrature of the bathroom, the required number of stiffeners is calculated for the lathing on which the gypsum board sheets will be attached.

After assembling the required structure, all screw caps and sheet joints are putty using strips of self-adhesive construction mesh, which prevents the plaster from cracking at the seams. Then the ceiling is primed, plastered and painted on top with moisture-resistant paint. You can also use decorative plaster, but taking into account the humidity of the room.

The mirrored ceiling is a tile with mirrored plastic, plexiglass, aluminum coating. Since real mirrors are too heavy and expensive, they are worthy substitutes. Fastened, depending on the shape, on a crate or frame with cells. And also there are tinted or patterned models.

All building and finishing materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. Consider the presence of both in the total number of suspended ceilings.

Pros:

• ease and simplicity of assembly;
• short installation time;
• allows any, the most curved ceiling, to be made even without much effort;
• relatively inexpensive;
• communications can be hidden in the space between the old and new ceilings;
• large selection and variety;
• almost all options can be done by hand;
• long service life.

Minuses:

• all plastic and tensioning materials are not environmentally friendly, emit harmful substances;
• stretch ceilings do not tolerate touching with sharp objects;
• plastic can turn yellow, fade and melt from heating lamps that are not designed for these types of ceilings;
• mirrored surfaces can fade over time.

A simple ceiling can be decorated with lighting by arranging the bulbs in some unusual way, for example, a diamond, a circle, a zigzag.

A bathroom with a mirrored ceiling requires 2 times fewer lamps, since the mirrored surface perfectly diffuses light. For tensioners, special LED lamps are used that do not heat up. Lamps with halogen bulbs are suitable for plastic ceilings, the power of which is selected depending on their number and your preference for the degree of illumination.

Here is a selection of examples of different types of false ceilings in bathrooms:

• examples of slatted ceilings;

• stretch ceiling;

• plastic panels in the interior of the bathroom;

• plasterboard structures;

• examples of mirrored ceilings.

For information on which ceiling to choose, see the video.