One of the common solutions for finishing the upper part of a room is a suspended ceiling. Its popularity is due to the wide range of materials and easy installation work.
A suspended ceiling consists of hangers, a frame and facing material.
Features of construction and materials for work
The suspended ceiling consists of 3 main parts:hangers, frame and facing material. It can be made of various materials: wood, glass, plastic, polycarbonate, metal, pressed stone wool or plasterboard. Regardless of the type of finishing material chosen, ceiling installation involves carrying out work using almost the same technology. The peculiarity of a suspended ceiling is that it can hide various communications: wires, air ducts, telephone cables, etc. If necessary, the structure can be dismantled or one or more damaged panels can be replaced. Suspended ceilings are characterized by excellent strength and a long service life. Thanks to the frame device, the likelihood of cracks is reduced.
Tools for installing suspended ceilings.Nowadays, the most popular suspended ceiling is made of plasterboard. This is not surprising, since such a structure can be made with your own hands. To make a suspended ceiling correctly, we will need the following materials and tools:
- finishing material;
- galvanized guides and rack sections;
- metal hangers;
- putty;
- primer;
- «crabs»;
- mesh-serpyanka;
- clothespins;
- dowels;
- Screws;
- self-tapping screws;
- level;
- roulette;
- Ruler;
- marker;
- Bulgarian;
- drill;
- stationery knife;
- heat gun;
- Screwdriver;
- pliers;
- Screwdriver Set;
- a hammer;
- scissors for metal;
- Pull out cord.
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The main stages of creating a ceiling from plasterboard
At the initial stage, marking is carried outsurface. The level of the suspended ceiling is determined. If the walls are not too even, then the lowest angle should be found. It will be the reference point for the lower border of the frame.
Frame diagram for suspended ceiling.Horizontal lines are drawn along the perimeter of the room using a chalk line and a level. If you plan to install lamps, you need to increase the distance between the new and old ceilings by another 4-5 cm. After marking, you can start creating the metal lathing. The method of fastening the guide profiles depends on the material the wall is made of. If it is wooden, screws are used. If there is a concrete wall, it is better to use dowels. The step of fixing the fasteners is 0.3-0.4 m. When the guide profiles are installed along the perimeter of the walls, the rack profiles are mounted. The rack profiles are fixed to the guides using metal screws. You can use either metal scissors or a grinder to cut the profiles. The maximum rigidity of the structure is created by using hangers and "crabs". The hangers are attached to the ceiling using dowels and are located every 0.6-0.8 m. "Crabs" are designed to securely fix the rack profiles at their intersections. It is not recommended to ignore the use of hangers, since after painting, the ceiling may become cracked at the points where the plasterboard sheets touch.
Accessories for suspended ceilings.Particular attention is paid to lighting. When using massive lighting fixtures, embedded profiles are installed. Plasterboard sheets will not be able to hold a large chandelier. In the place of its location, a rack profile with two hangers and one "crab" is installed. Electrical wiring is immediately laid, which is placed in corrugated tubes. The final stage involves attaching the finishing material to the made lathing. The place of cutting the plasterboard sheets is marked with a marker, after which a stationery knife should be drawn along the drawn line. The cut sheet is placed on a flat surface and broken by lightly tapping with a hand. Self-tapping screws are used to attach the plasterboard to the frame, which are sunk into the finishing material. After installing the last sheet, all joints are glued with a serpyanka mesh, and the heads of the screws are covered with putty. The entire new ceiling is also covered with putty. Before finishing the plasterboard surface (painting, wallpapering or applying decorative plaster), it is treated with a primer. Return to contents</a>
Alternative method of mounting works
Technology of covering the ceiling with plasticpanels and wooden paneling is practically no different from working with plasterboard. A metal frame is also created (although wooden slats can also be used for wooden paneling), and panels or paneling are attached to it.
Scheme of fastening the profile to the hangers.The technology for installing a stretch ceiling is slightly different. The metal frame is created in a similar way to the suspended structure. The only difference is that the stretch ceiling requires heating during installation. After purchasing a stretch ceiling, the sheets should be stored in a warm room for several days. If creases appear on the film during transportation, do not worry. They will disappear after a while. After creating the frame, the room temperature must be raised to +40 ºС. A special heat gun is used for this. The sheet is unrolled, taken by the extreme parts and attached to the corners of the ceiling with clothespins. It is imperative to maintain maximum film tension. At the next stage, the film is heated to +60 ºС. Hot air will help to reduce the area of the sheet, as a result of which it will be tensioned. After receiving sufficient tension, the extreme part of the sheet is placed in the grooves. During this procedure, the material must remain in a taut position. When the canvas is laid in the corners, the same procedure is carried out near the walls. The film should cover the entire area of the ceiling. If a chandelier will act as a lighting fixture, then in the process of stretching the canvas, a recess must be left for it. A plastic ring up to 5 mm thick is attached to the recess. After the glue dries, the canvas is cut out, and the chandelier is hung on the ring.
