In any residential interior, a soaring ceiling looks very impressive. It is created using a special design, the fastenings of which are hidden from human eyes. This finish is considered ultra-modern. It fits perfectly into the concepts of modern styles. At the same time, the cost of this decor option is relatively small. The article reveals its general characteristics, talks about what materials floating ceilings are made from, and what advantages and disadvantages they have.
Floating ceiling - innovative decor Source goldvoice.club
Finishing features
Anyone who has the opportunity to see such a ceiling decoration with his own eyes is sure to express delight. Many people like the feeling of lightness that it brings to the room, the feeling of something mysterious, cosmic.
Floating ceiling - a special atmosphere Source yandex.kz
A floating ceiling is a two or three-level structure that is built on a ceiling slab. To install it, a frame is assembled from metal profiles. It is then covered with sheet or film material. The part that is in close contact with the frame should not be transparent. Otherwise, it will not be possible to make the technical part of the project invisible. LED lighting is installed along the entire perimeter. It is its light that visually separates the plane from the walls and creates the effect of floating.
LED strip helps create the floating effect Source parus48.ru
Standard lighting systems are not suitable for lighting installation. Their luminous flux will indicate and highlight the structure of the frame, and expose what needs to be hidden from human eyes. Only a strip of LEDs can create the desired effect. They are small in size, create a very bright, diffused light, which advantageously outlines the outline of the structure and illuminates it, without indicating the presence of internal technical filling.
LED strip mounting diagram Source led7.ru
When installing it, the only thing you have to worry about is hiding the control unit. This needs to be done in such a way that there is constant access to it, but also so that it is not in plain sight. The design of the LED strip makes this easy to do. This light can be turned on and off remotely. The tape is installed on the edges of the finished structure so that it is not visible, and is covered with a translucent cap on top. Without it, the soaring effect cannot be created. Using lighting of different colors, you can create different compositions.
The backlight can be of different colors Source potolkizavet.ru
Types of floating ceilings
In addition to different colors, floating compositions may differ from each other in the number of levels. Unlike traditional multi-level ceilings, the floating structure does not completely cover the base; there is free space on its sides or in the center.
Floating ceiling with a niche in the middle Source led7.ru
According to the designer's intention, several separate modules may appear. Each has its own lighting system. When it is turned on, it seems that a separate plane is hanging in isolation, on its own, and it has nothing in common with neighboring planes.
Floating ceiling with several levels Source kuhnyamy.ru
A single-level floating ceiling with lighting is installed on one plane. It doesn't weigh down the space. Its main function is to advantageously emphasize the boundaries of the room.
Two-level ones are assembled according to the following scheme:
- First, the first frame is constructed.
- The next one is mounted on it.
This is done using special fasteners. If the modules are assembled correctly, they look very stylish, visually change the geometry of the space and make the ceilings higher. If technical errors were made during their assembly, the end result is only disappointing.
Multi-level floating ceiling Source potolok.kiev.ua
Multi-level soaring ceilings are only suitable for decorating spacious rooms. In small rooms they will look bulky. Which is very bad.
Different shape
With the right approach, you can create floating ceilings of different shapes and sizes. The simplest design is to repeat the shape of the perimeter; it adds depth and makes the decoration more complex, which has a beneficial effect on the atmosphere of the living room.
Complex geometric shapes Source realybiz.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in the development and implementation of internal redevelopment of a private house
Geometric shapes - squares, rectangles, circles - fit perfectly into modern interiors. They are appropriate in minimalism, constructivism, and modernity.
Freeform shapes are a beautiful, unconventional decoration for ceilings.
Freeforms are also beautiful Source parus48.ru
The asymmetrical shape of the soaring ceilings gives the interior a touch of special mystery. Using this technique, designers create partial lighting and highlight one central functional area.
Asymmetrical shape - a spectacular type of decoration Source gastronomiayviajes.com
Ceiling with a niche - such an artificial pocket can be used in different ways. It is often formed where the central chandelier will later be hung. Sometimes there are several niches along the entire perimeter of the ceiling slab. Two large niches can visually divide the room into two parts. Niches can be in the form of squares, spirals, or long stripes.
Soaring ceilings with niches Source liderpotolok.ru
Ideas for interesting design
There are techniques to enhance the decorative function of soaring ceilings. The imagination of designers contributes to the emergence of unique masterpieces.
The more complex the shape, the more interesting the effect Source p8.lightfit.ru.net
When creating thematic interiors, photo printing is often used. Usually it is used to decorate walls; today, picturesque self-leveling floors and soaring ceilings are created. If you put an image of the starry sky on them, it will look quite realistic together with the backlight. Many people transfer frescoes this way. They make the room exclusive.
Photo printing helps create an exclusive finish Source www.pinterest.com.mx
If you install a large chandelier in the center of the floating structure, the overall impression of the composition will be enhanced for the better. This technique is well suited for decorating small rooms.
Chandelier as an additional decoration Source yandex.md
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in finishing materials and related work
Sometimes, along with the LED strip, spotlights are also installed. The lighting of the room only benefits from this, the room becomes much brighter. This helps to soften the one with windows facing north. In this way, you can highlight only one area in the room.
LED strip and spotlights Source grodno.in
If you insert a light-diffusing insert into the floating structure, you will get another interesting decor option. It will highlight a separate section of the floor. This is another successful technique for zoning a multifunctional space. Sometimes designers additionally decorate the insert with paints or place a tree branch inside it. It forms fancy shadows that look quite impressive.
The light-diffusing insert always dims the light Source liderpotolok.ru
When creating a floating structure, it is allowed to use both drywall and tension film at the same time. Together with the correct lighting, such a tandem will be perceived as an exclusive decoration, which will also improve the perception of the chosen decor.
In the design of floating ceilings, both plasterboard and PVC film are used Source top-ceiling.ru
If you complicate the traditional design of a floating ceiling and make holes of various shapes and diameters on the surface of the canvas, you get an unexpected effect. The perforated plane will attract attention and become a semantic center around which interior content can easily be formed.
Soaring ceilings with perforation Source modul68.ru
This is just a small part of the possibilities. When imagination turns on, new designs are born. Exclusive decor is appreciated. It evokes a positive mood and helps create the right atmosphere.
Complex design with a beautiful effect Source 2gis.ru
Soaring ceilings in room interiors
The choice of shape and color, additional decor options largely depends on how the room is used. Each living space has its own characteristics, they must be taken into account.
Floating ceiling in the bathroom Source septik.guru
Bath
This is the smallest room in a house or apartment. There is no place for multi-level structures here, but simple solutions without unnecessary details look very good. They emphasize the cleanliness and whiteness of the plumbing fixtures, the design of the walls, and add a graphic touch to the interior.
Types of suspended ceilings
The peculiarity of a stretch ceiling is that it is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the room.
Therefore, the material of which it is composed must be flexible and stretchable enough to be suitable for use. For the production of tensile structures, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fabric is often used. Such tension structures are called film. They, in turn, are divided into matte and glossy. PVC ceilings are distinguished by the fact that they are transparent, so installing hidden lighting is often justified. Of course, you can choose a material with different degrees of light transmission, but most often choose a canvas with a light transmission of up to 50%.
Fabric ceilings should be included in a separate group. They are made from artificial fabrics such as polyester, which is further treated with polyurethane. In terms of technical characteristics, such ceilings differ significantly from PVC, and the cost of their installation is much higher.
Are there any health hazards?
From the point of view of manufacturers with stretch ceilings, everything is ideal: modern canvases, especially those produced under the brand of well-known European companies, have all the necessary safety certificates. The modern chemical industry has achieved certain successes, and we receive high-quality products, the damage from which is minimal. This is supported by both research and common sense.
Fabric is the safest material for making ceilings in terms of health effects
However, a slight odor that appears in the first few weeks after installation indicates that there is still discharge. Yes, they are minimal and even people who are sensitive to the presence of allergens usually do not react to this smell. But it is believed that it is better not to install PVC ceilings in a nursery.
High-quality fabric stretch ceilings should not have an odor, and for PVC film, an odor that disappears within the first few hours will be the norm.
What are floating ceilings?
“Floating ceiling” is a common name for the popular visual design of suspended ceilings, which creates the impression that the canvas is floating in the air without touching the walls.
The effect of floating ceilings is achieved by installing the canvas at a special distance from the walls and ceiling, as well as by using hidden lighting. Diffused lighting falling on the surface of the room at a certain angle creates the visual effect of the canvas freely floating above the floor.
A floating stretch ceiling has not only an aesthetic function, but also high functionality. They solve many problems when planning a room. Thanks to the plasticity of the tension structure, you can easily change the visual dimension of the room if you decide to change the design of the room.
In addition, floating ceilings allow you to save on installing additional lighting. In the design of soaring ceilings, rounded lines are preferred, which make the living space more comfortable and pleasant.
Options in the interior of the rooms
The design primarily depends on what this or that room is intended for.
Bath
Plain, single-level surfaces, without unnecessary details, in light colors, will add cleanliness and additional graphics to the bathroom or bathroom.
The photo shows a bathroom interior with a suspended single-level soaring ceiling.
Bedroom
Laconic and aesthetic models with dim lighting, located above the bed, ennoble the bedroom, making it very comfortable and beautiful.
Hall or living room
Floating ceilings, due to their expressiveness, in combination with the warm light of spotlights, will not only decorate the living room or hall, but also adjust the space, correct excessive angularity and make the room larger.
Corridor and hallway
A rather promising type of decoration that will update even the most ordinary hallway, transform it and create an exclusive interior ensemble in it.
Kitchen
One of the ways to create a stylish and original design in your own kitchen, the variety of which is presented in our selection of photos.
Children's
Unlimited color possibilities of LED lighting on a floating ceiling allow you to change the shade and level of lighting using the remote control, making it more intense in the evening or minimally dim at night. A large selection of textures and shapes will help bring any fantasy idea to life in the nursery.
The photo shows a wave-shaped soaring ceiling in the children's interior.
Balcony
This design will make the balcony more comfortable, significantly increase the space in it and turn the interior of the most ordinary loggia into an original design object.
Backlight
A suspended ceiling with lighting around the perimeter is a fairly common occurrence, since this solution is the most universal. Sometimes perimeter lighting is used to emphasize the relief of the ceiling surface.
However, this solution is not suitable for those for whom lamps and fixtures are important as part of the interior from an aesthetic point of view.
In recent years, LED strips have been increasingly used as a standard source of lighting in a room. This technology is seen as an effective replacement for traditional lamps, allowing significant reductions in energy consumption.
The advantages of LED strips also include a long service life compared to other lighting methods, as well as the fact that they do not heat up.
Installation Tips
How do floating ceilings differ from other suspended structures that are attached to the walls with baguettes? Floating ceilings are distinguished by the presence of special frame profiles, which are an indispensable element when attaching the canvas and installing hidden lighting.
Depending on the profiles used, the distance from the standard ceiling to the tension ceiling will be from 1 to 3 cm. The profiles are installed on the walls or ceiling, fastening is carried out along the entire perimeter of the room.
Floating stretch ceilings are relatively light. They weigh about 230 grams per square meter. Therefore, you do not need to be afraid that the structure will become very heavy.
If the installation of the floating ceiling structure was successful, an LED strip or neon lighting is integrated into the small holes in the profile, which are additionally covered with special translucent inserts.
Expert opinion
Mezentsev Sergey Petrovich
Residential renovation and finishing specialist
It is very important to evaluate in advance the surface on which the suspended ceiling will be installed. The time you will have to spend installing stretch ceiling profiles depends on the material from which the support is made - it can be plaster, wood, drywall, etc. For example, installing suspended ceilings on a concrete support takes more time, as it requires the installation of additional dowels, and laying a suspended ceiling on tiles will require drilling the tiles.
Manufacturers
Albes. A large Russian manufacturer of high-quality and affordable sheet metal materials for interior decoration. It produces slatted ceilings on combs and on anchor hangers. The production base has been operating for 25 years.
Cesal . A large company in Russia, specializing in the development, production and sale of aluminum suspended ceilings. The company is located in the city of Kaliningrad. For individual houses and apartments it offers ready-made sets of slatted ceilings.
Slatted ceiling French design CESAL Profi S 100; S 150
Bard. The Russian manufacturer has been creating ceiling and facade systems for 20 years. In addition to the classic assortment, the company offers the buyer cube-shaped and plate-shaped slats for the implementation of modern design solutions.
Cube-shaped bard uniform 80x110 (wood)
Artens . Own company of the Leroy Merlin brand. The brand produces high-quality products for home improvement. Slatted ceilings are presented in classic versions - white, matte white, pearl.
Armstrong . Armstrong World Industries is one of the leaders in the development and manufacture of innovative solutions for suspension systems. Veneered and laminated wood panels are popular.
Grilyato. Russian manufacturer of open, closed and gapless suspended ceilings.
Petrovich. A Russian company that sells construction and finishing materials at competitive prices. Slatted ceilings are available in traditional colors and are made of aluminum. You can purchase a set of panels with mounting hardware.
Luxalon . Slatted ceilings from the European manufacturer Hunter Douglas. It produces not only classic panels, but also cube-shaped and radius ones. Aluminum and wood are used as the main materials.
Cold and hot installation of a floating ceiling
In relation to suspended ceilings, the expressions “cold” and “hot” are often used. They refer to a specific installation technique. Each type of installation is adapted to a specific material.
Thus, hot laying is for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets, and cold laying is for polyurethane-coated polyester sheets.
hot
PVC is a thermoplastic material: this means that it reacts to temperature changes by changing its flexibility. For PVC to become elastic, it must be exposed to temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees.
During hot installation, the room in which the installation is carried out is heated artificially, using gas generators, so that the PVC sheet becomes more elastic and fits freely on the profiles installed in the four corners of the room. The room temperature at this time ranges from 45°C to 55°C.
The ceiling can consist of several PVC films with a width from 150 cm to 200 cm, or even from 360 cm to 500 cm. The harpoon, in turn, ensures that the canvas is held in the profile around the perimeter of the room. This will allow you not only to install the ceiling, but also, if necessary, to easily dismantle it without replacing the film.
“Hot” installation of a floating stretch ceiling is carried out as follows:
- Installation of profiles designed to place the canvas around the entire perimeter of the room;
- Installation of lighting supports;
- Fastening the canvas with harpoons to the four corners of the room;
- Heating the room from 40 to 50 degrees using a heat gun aimed at the ceiling;
- Stretching the canvas and installing it into profiles using the “spatula” method (the material is pushed into the spaces provided for this purpose using a spatula);
- Cooling the room to room temperature.
Pros of hot stretching:
- hot stretch ceiling is waterproof and resistant to condensation and rotting, it is an ideal choice for wet rooms (bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools);
- in the case of cables or other electrical installations, dismantling a hot stretch ceiling will be much easier than a cold one;
- PVC ceilings have an impressive palette of colors (from the softest to the brightest) and finishes (that glossy or mirrored ceilings are only possible with hot stretching);
- PVC stretch ceilings are cheaper than cold stretch ceilings.
Disadvantages of hot pulling:
- requires additional manipulations to warm up the room;
- heating PVC material inevitably leads to the release of particles, so before installation, make sure that the material does not contain toxic substances;
- PVC is vulnerable to direct physical impact and is easily damaged;
- The ceiling installed using the hot method cannot be repainted.
Cold
Cold installation is simpler than hot installation because it does not require artificial heating of the room and takes place entirely at room temperature. The material for cold stretch fabric consists of polyester gauze coated with polyurethane. This fabric is 15 times more durable than calendered PVC film. This strength of the material makes it easy to cladding walls.
Cold stretch ceilings have approximately 250,000 invisible holes to defragment sound waves and serve as excellent sound insulators.
Sequence of actions for cold installation of a stretch ceiling:
- Fastening peripheral profiles around the perimeter of the room;
- Installation of supports for lighting placement;
- Preliminary installation of the canvas in the four corners of the room with harpoons;
- Manual stretching of the canvas along the profiles with a spatula and adjustment.
Pros of cold tension:
- installation of a cold ceiling is more convenient and does not require heating the room;
- polyester fabric is almost completely biodegradable;
- This is a more environmentally friendly approach, without emissions and electricity consumption;
- polyester is extremely durable: it is almost fifteen times stronger than PVC canvas;
- Unlike hot stretch ceilings, polyester fabric can be painted.
Minuses:
- fabric intended for cold laying has a higher purchase price than PVC;
- The choice of colors for polyester fabric is less wide, so you will have to forget about bright colors;
- you can forget about the mirror or glossy effect;
- A “cold” stretch ceiling can only be partially dismantled.
Calculation of the price of a stretch ceiling per square
The price per square meter of installation of a stretch ceiling is always different, because several factors are taken into account:
area in m²
number of angles
selected canvas material
number of linear meters and profiles (around the perimeter of your room)
nature of the support
installation height
The cost of the selected profile, as well as the time for cutting and installation, is included in the price. Footage is the most important factor because it determines the time spent on installing and fixing the ceiling.
As for the support, it can be plaster, drywall, wood, etc. These materials allow you to fasten the profile with staples, spending less time on fixation. The concrete support will take longer because it will need to be puttied. Laying tiles will also take significantly more time.
Questions and answers
What types of floating ceilings are there?
Made from PVC film and polyester fabric.
Does a floating ceiling need special care?
It is enough to wipe it with a cloth and soap when it gets dirty.
Is it necessary to install built-in lighting at the installation stage?
No, you can simply install a suspended ceiling and arrange the lighting yourself.
Installation of a floating stretch ceiling is a professional procedure that will be difficult to carry out without the appropriate skills. This is especially true for hot-stretched PVC sheets. If you are not sure that you are ready to install a stretch ceiling with lighting with your own hands, then it is better to contact a specialist.
Is there a greenhouse effect?
The disadvantage associated with the creation of a “greenhouse” effect is quite real: after all, ceilings made of PVC film hermetically seal the ceiling space, preventing it from “breathing,” that is, allowing air to pass through. Ventilation deteriorates and in this case there is no doubt about the lack of environmental friendliness.
Undoubtedly, with regular ventilation of the room, the negative impact is reduced to zero. However, if we are unable to constantly ventilate the room at night, the humidity in it increases.
Manufacturers note that fungus will never appear on the ceiling itself. But it may appear in another place in the room (for example, on the main ceiling under the film).
Of course, it all depends on the room itself. In a dry room, a suspended ceiling will not create critical humidity. The situation is different with wet rooms (for example, with a bathroom).
Does PVC film create a greenhouse effect in a room?
If we are talking about a fabric ceiling, then it is more natural. It is breathable and does not create a greenhouse effect. However, the fabric itself is saturated with chemical compounds that negatively affect health. In this regard, after installation it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room for a month.
