Bathroom Ceiling

Bathroom Ceiling
Bathroom Ceiling

Video: Bathroom Ceiling

Video: Bathroom Ceiling
Video: How To Install Bathroom Ceiling Cladding 2024, March
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Recently a call rang in the editorial office, and a demanding female voice on the other end of the line said sternly: “You wrote about different ceilings. I don't argue, it's interesting. But I still haven't figured out which one is best for the bathroom? This is yes. Have missed. Therefore, we hasten to clarify the situation.

It is clear that any bathroom from just a room is distinguished by high humidity. I'm not even talking about the possibility of a “direct hit of a jet of water into the ceiling” (this is not my idea, this is what experts say). This means that the ceilings in the bathroom must be moisture resistant and ready for any "direct hit". But the question is, which "type" of ceiling to choose? And most importantly - how not to be mistaken? I called knowledgeable people. Everyone said different things. But I hasten to tell you something important.

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First. If there is not a lot of money and you are generally a conservative, you can simply paint the ceiling. In construction stores, special paint is always sold, which is called "paint for wet rooms". But, at worst, the repairers told me, regular oil paint would work too. Such a "colorful" coating will last for 10 years. But only if your neighbors from above are sober people and do not suffer from sclerosis. In the sense that they do not forget to turn off the water when they leave the house. If you are unlucky and a marginal Petrovich or an old forgetful grandma lives above you, then get ready. Because in the event of a leak, the ceiling will have to be repainted. But this, I repeat, is in the event of force majeure. And so painting the ceiling is cheap and cheerful. True, you yourself understand, such an option is yesterday:not fashionable and you will not surprise anyone. And I want to surprise.

By the way, when I was assigned this topic, I think for the first time in my life I looked closely at the ceiling in my bathroom. From what I saw there, I felt sad and uncomfortable (some bubbles and smudges were clearly visible on the ceiling, and after all, we painted it not so long ago - only five or six years ago). In short, I made a heroic decision to replace my repeatedly painted ceiling with something modern. As a result of my research, I came to the conclusion that I have to choose between suspended ceilings (tiled or slatted), stretch ceilings and facing plastic panels. We, I must say, have already talked about such ceilings in the previous issues of our magazine. But I have to choose! The question is how?

I decided to start my research with suspended tiled ceilings. Although, to be honest, I was almost sure that they definitely shouldn't be hung in the bathroom. Being on duty in the offices of various companies, I stared at the tiled ceilings for a long time. And do you know what impression you always got? They're just cardboard plates. Well, if not cardboard, then these, I thought, are such thin chipboard slabs. Later I learned that tiled ceilings are usually made from mineral fibers. For some reason, the phrase "mineral fiber" immediately caused me an association with artificial cotton wool. “Yes, it will all get wet in a day or two. You won't even have to wait for the neighbors to flood,”I thought.

And she was wrong. Experts unanimously assured me that tiled ceilings are quite suitable for a bathroom. Another thing is that such ceilings are also different: they are distinguished from each other not only by material, but also by quality, purpose and, of course, price. Therefore, you need to clearly understand which slabs will withstand high humidity and which will not.

I have already said that suspended ceiling slabs are made mainly of mineral fibers. As it turned out, it looks like cotton wool only externally. In fact, this material is not afraid of water. However, mineral fiber is not the only component of the plates. They also include recycled paper, clay and organic additives. But the proportion of these "ingredients" is different in each case. You yourself understand: if, say, the overweight is on the side of the paper, such plates can be hung only in "dry" rooms; if on the side of the clay - they are quite suitable for the bathroom.

So, when buying, I advise you to ask the sellers what humidity their products are designed for. Otherwise, serious "hits" are possible.

You don't have to go far for examples. Take, for example, the so-called base group ceilings - the simplest option that firms selling tiled ceilings will offer you. An ordinary buyer is attracted by the "basis" first of all by its low price - from 4 to 5.5 $ per sq.m. But beware! Alas, sellers (of course, this does not apply to large companies and dealers), as a rule, do not explain or simply do not know that the "base" ceilings can withstand only 70% humidity. And, therefore, they are completely not intended for bathrooms. In conditions of constant humidity, they will really instantly lose their beautiful appearance and sag ugly. Moreover, even just washing the base ceilings should be done with a well wrung out cloth. And they are suitable, at the very least, only for the kitchen. So there is no need to chase cheapness. Stingy is known to bepays twice.

In short, after painful search and reflection, I came to the conclusion that you and I should only be interested in functional tiled ceilings. And they, in turn, are divided into acoustic, hygienic and moisture resistant.

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So, for my bathroom, moisture resistant ceiling tiles are just what I need. These slabs can withstand 100% humidity, so they feel great on ceilings in the bathroom and in the pool. The fact is that in moisture-resistant slabs, in comparison, for example, with the "basic" ones, the proportions of the components are changed: the content of mineral fiber and clay is increased and the amount of paper and organic additives is reduced. And the manufacturing technology of these plates is somewhat different: they are kept in the oven longer. In general, the process of "baking" ceiling tiles in this case is very much like the production of ceramic tiles. Clay is known to harden and bake as it heats up. Therefore, ceiling tiles acquire some of the qualities of ceramic tiles, in particular, they are not afraid of water. How can I check it in the store? Knock! The sound will be about the samelike ceramic tiles. By the way, even the name of this type of slabs from one of the companies speaks for itself - "Ceramaguard".

Outside, such moisture-resistant boards are painted with latex paint, which further strengthens their surface. In addition, they are resistant to chloride vapors (unfortunately, our water contains such nasty things in abundance).

- And how do they behave in case of leaks? - I asked the seller.

He turned out to be an unexpectedly knowledgeable guy.

- Don't worry, girl. Even with a serious leak, the moisture resistant plates will be fine. They will absorb moisture. And if at the same time they are slightly swollen - then in height, and not in width. That is, they will not warp, and their size "in width" (60 x 60 cm) will not change. And when the plates are dry, rest assured that there will be no stains left. True, such ceilings are, of course, more expensive than the same "basis" - 17 - 20 $ / sq.m.

“Beauty,” I was delighted, “it means that I will advise our readers just such plates. And I’ll probably buy myself too.” But I was clearly in a hurry. It turned out that not everything is so perfect.

As I was told in another company, there will be no traces of a leak only if the neighbors have poured clean running water on you. If the water turns out to be rusty or something "tinted", the stains will remain. The plates will have to be changed. True, as they explained to me, it is not difficult to do this: you will have to remove one plate from the frame and put another in its place. It's good if you have this “other” plate in stock. Otherwise, you will have to run to the store. And not the fact that there will be what you need.

The matter became more complicated. My friend added fuel to the fire. She works in a bank, and their ceilings are covered with similar tiles. “Are you stunned ?! She wondered. - Yes, they look completely official. They were invented specifically for office space. And the color is mostly white."

"Indeed, what to do?" - I thought. Moreover, I have blue tiles in my bathroom. And I want a blue ceiling too. I went shopping. I hasten to inform: my girlfriend was categorically mistaken! Slabs of delicate pastel colors are on sale. They just look very good. But the question of humidity still bothered me …

And I started looking for other options again. And I found it. Again, tiled ceilings. Only these slabs were not made of mineral fiber. And … made of steel.

The Germans and Italians were especially successful in this matter. Why are steel plates good? It is clear that, first of all, strength. They can be rubbed even with a very hard brush - and nothing will happen. This is definitely a plus. But I was again "trapped" by the minuses: the color range of steel plates from the same German manufacturers is not rich - we are offered white, chrome, "gold". In addition, metal is a cold material, so condensation will form on it. And the dust will easily “stick” to the water droplets, which have not completely dried out. In this, of course, there is nothing particularly deadly. But metal ceilings will have to be washed more often.

“Well, well,” I thought, “I’m not a white-handed woman, I’ll wash it again, I won’t fall apart.” But then a new "ambush" emerged: such ceilings would "take away" 10 cm from the height of the room.

And, alas, there is no way to avoid this: it is simply impossible to mount such a ceiling in another way. And that's why. The suspension system consists of slats. It is they who form a frame with cells 60 x 60 cm. Then the slabs are pushed into these holes at an angle - for this, 10 centimeters are needed. Of course, it is good for those who live in a "Stalinist" house with high ceilings. But not everyone is so lucky. For example, my ceilings are very low, two and a half meters, at most. This means that we will have to look for other options.

From a space-saving point of view, slatted suspended ceilings might well fit my bathroom. In this sense, they are much better than the tiled version. They will "eat" only 3 cm in height. Moreover, if possible, then if desired (and if required) this distance can be increased. A good friend of mine did just that. They have quite high ceilings in the house. But in the bathroom there is some kind of ugly pipe that annoyed his wife all his life. Until they bought a slatted ceiling. They lowered it by 20 centimeters and quietly closed the terrible pipe. Everyone is happy now.

It's a pity, such a luxury is not for me. Another thing is joyful: in rooms with high humidity (bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, saunas, swimming pools), experts strongly advised me to hang exactly rack ceilings. And no wonder. After all, the slats are made of aluminum. And it does not rust and does not get wet by definition.

I perked up. These ceilings are also good because they are sold in the form of slats of different lengths (3 and 4 m) and widths (30, 75, 85, 134, 150 mm). So you can find a perfectly suitable option for a bathroom of any size.

"So, I wonder how much should I buy?" - I thought. “And you draw a plan of your bathroom,” the sellers told me, “indicate all dimensions (length, width) and bring it to the store. Let's make a "cut", that is, cut the slats of the required length. True, you will have to pay for this service separately”.

"How many?" - of course, I asked. It turns out that in each case it is different. For example, at the Eskpostroy exhibition, where I asked the sellers, the master said that his work would cost me 80 to 100 rubles. Elsewhere, they may take a higher price.

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It remains to choose a color. The range of colors of slatted ceilings is varied, the most popular colors are the same white, chrome and "gold". Here who likes what. Personally, I would still buy blue ones (to match the color of my tiles). But what they really advised to pay attention to: slats are smooth and perforated ("in a hole"). If you choose "in the hole", then, as they explained to me, the bathroom will not be so echoing and stuffy (consider that this is a kind of additional ventilation). And further. I was told that condensation will collect on smooth slats, like steel tiled ceilings, which is especially noticeable on the chrome surface. So such a ceiling, again, will have to be washed often. Well, that's just not a problem, I thought again. "It's more important to know how much such a ceiling will cost."

Here, as always, it all depends on the quality. For the most expensive slatted ceiling, I will give from 35 to 57 $ / sq.m., Depending on the thickness of the slat, its coating and the manufacturer. I can buy ceilings cheaper for 20-25 dollars. And the cheapest "slats" will cost me $ 11 / sq. M.

One could, of course, immediately choose this option and calm down. But I know for sure that there are still options. “So,” I thought resolutely, “we need to find out which ones and figure out what their advantages and disadvantages are.”

Suddenly, it turned out that plastic cladding panels are quite suitable as a ceiling covering. We have already talked about them, but not in connection with the ceilings. On the other hand, if we consider that they are absolutely not afraid of water (made of polyvinyl chloride - in other words, plastic), why not build a ceiling in the bathroom from such panels?

I began to understand, asked my knowledgeable colleagues. And that's what I learned. The panels are very light, and it is quite simple to mount them: workers will attach them with screws or a construction stapler to the crate. (Just in case, let me remind you: the crate is wooden blocks that are screwed to the wall, and in our case, to the ceiling, at a distance of 40 - 60 cm from each other.) »Just a few centimeters. But the most important thing is that plastic can be washed at least ten times a day. And take a steam bath as much as you like: PVC panels are at least henna.

I was also pleased with the prices - on average from 8.5 to 15.5 $ / sq.m. And you can choose any color. But something still stopped me. For some reason, I didn’t want plastic that was not useful for health to “loom” over my head (even in the bathroom). Although this is also a controversial issue - which is healthier and healthier. Perhaps there is a lot of evidence that I am wrong. But I will find out these details next time.

There is, however, so to speak, an alternative option - mirrored wall panels. It is also quite suitable for a "sanitary" ceiling. Oddly enough, they also belong to the category of plastic. Made of acrylic and glass and are not afraid of moisture at all. They differ from oblong PVC panels in that they are sold in square sheets. And as a rule, the size is 124 x 246 x 0.3 cm. I calculated how many sheets I need and how much it will cost. It turned out that for one such sheet you have to pay about $ 100. I imagined how beautiful it would be, and it was already on fire, but immediately faded away: no, I can't afford such pleasure. It's a shame.

Meanwhile, there was practically nothing left to choose from. Actually, in my "assortment" there are only stretch ceilings. That's really what is really not afraid of water and leaks! We have already talked about them in previous issues. And I know that they are made of PVC film and can withstand up to 100 liters per 1 sq.m. This means that even if the water begins to pour down from above Niagara Falls, you don't have to worry - the enemy will not pass. At the same time, the miracle ceiling will stretch and become like a bubble filled with water. The question is: how to get rid of it then and what to do with it? More precisely, how to drain? Very simple. The procedure was explained to me. It is necessary to call from the company that installed the ceiling, a team of craftsmen. They quickly and easily pump out water.

“Not bad,” I rejoiced, but the worm of doubt sharpened. “It’s somehow troublesome, I’ll try to call these masters endlessly - our upper neighbors are not sugar: no, no, they’ll flood”. It turned out that everything was thought out. If I want, the craftsmen will install a plug in the ceiling so that the water can be drained off on its own. In half an hour the problem will be gone (the water will dry up), and you can go and make a fight with your neighbors with peace of mind. Taking care of such ceilings, it turns out, is also not a problem: wiped it with a damp cloth - and that's it.

I almost made up my mind. Moreover, these ceilings have one more "convenience". They are installed quite quickly, but, however, only specialists can do this. Because, as the company correctly hinted to me, it is unlikely that a heat gun will be among the household inventory. And without this mysterious (for me, in any case) device it is impossible to stretch the stretch ceiling.

"How does this whole procedure take place?" - of course, I was interested. Explained. The scheme is simple: a baguette is hung around the perimeter of the bathroom, the canvas is strengthened in it. Then, with the help of a heat gun, it is stretched like a drum. If the house has high ceilings, you can order a super-fashionable option by making the frame some kind of concave-curved, wavy. “It won't work! - I sulked. “We have low ceilings.”

“Don't worry, girl,” the seller consoled me, “we also have options for low ceilings.” Thank God. Well, then let's hear what color I can choose.

There were a lot of colors. But in addition, you can still choose matte or glossy. I was dreaming again … And I realized that, alas and ah, again I would not pull. For me it is expensive: stretch ceilings cost from 30 to 65 $ / sq.m. Installation is included in the price. "But if you have money, don't even hesitate!" - told me at the firm and were most likely right.

Because I could not find at least one drawback of these ceilings for the bathroom. The only thing that picky buyers can find fault with is the material from which the ceiling is made. PVC film, you understand, is not a natural material (as is the case with plastic panels). But if you look at the hygiene certificate, you will find out that this material is not harmful to health.

Well, what am I to do? For a couple of days, I painfully pondered which material to give preference to for my "plumbing" ceiling. And yet I decided: I will buy a rack ceiling - and not very expensive, and it is simple to look after, and it is environmentally friendly, and it looks pretty nice, like in the best houses. I could, of course, choose the tiled one, but, to be honest, I still have a slight distrust of him. So, dear readers, decide for yourself.

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