Advantages and - one of the most popular and hottestdiscussed topics on all kinds of online forums dedicated to construction and repair. A user who wants to get acquainted with this issue and sensibly assess the feasibility of installing such a structure is bombarded with a whole stream of information, often contradictory and controversial. In such an abundance of opinions and arguments, it can be difficult to understand and get an objective idea of the attractive sides of stretch ceilings and their disadvantages. 
A variety of types of stretch ceilings allows you to make repairs in a room in any style.
Types of stretch ceilings
To reasonably judge the qualities of tensionceiling, you should first look at it more closely. The idea of facing the ceiling with a stretched fabric appeared in France, so the stretch ceiling is often called French. Currently, 2 types of such structures are used:
- with a cloth of cloth;
- with a cloth made of polyvinylchloride (PVC) film.
Installation of tension ceiling wedge. The most affordable in terms of cost is the stretch ceiling from vinyl film, but it can be called cheap only in comparison with the fabric stretch ceiling. In relation to other types of finishes (suspended structures, plaster), even a PVC ceiling is more expensive, and the difference in price will be quite appreciable. The fabric ceiling has one more name - seamless. Indeed, on such a ceiling there never is and can not be a seam, since its canvas is mounted only in its entirety. The maximum size of the room in which a suspended ceiling of this type can be installed is limited by the width of a standard roll and is 5 m. The maximum width of a PVC film is today only 3.5 m, and such paintings have appeared quite recently. Therefore, in most cases, vinyl tension ceilings have a weld seam. On the strength of this seam should not be worried: it is performed using high-frequency electric welding and, as the tests show, is more durable than the PVC film itself. However, on some types of film (depending on the texture), it becomes noticeable. 
Installation of stretch ceiling with harpoon: 1 - a wall, 2 - a fixing baguette, 3 - a cloth of a stretch ceiling, 4 - a harpoon. Very common is the view that fabric stretch ceilings are made only from natural materials. This is not true. To produce such a fabric polyester thread is used, in addition, the finished fabric is impregnated with polyurethane. Stretch ceilings, both fabric and vinyl, fixed on a frame of aluminum or plastic bars, which are called baguettes. Baguettes are attached to the walls under the capital ceiling along the entire perimeter of the room. When using standard size planks, the height of the room will decrease by 30-40 mm. But there are special varieties - the so-called mini-baguettes. Due to the compact dimensions, they allow to reduce the gap between the main ceiling and tension to 15 mm. Installation of fabric ceiling is quite simple and does not require the use of special technical devices. Vinyl ceiling after mounting on the frame must be heated by a heat gun to a temperature of 80 °. After cooling, the film will stretch, forming a smooth and flawlessly flat surface. Many mistakenly believe that the process of heating the vinyl film temporarily turns the room into a sauna and leads to catastrophic consequences for wooden furniture, windows and doors. To be afraid of similar effects should not be. Only the ceiling sheet is heated, and since the thinnest vinyl film (0.15-0.25 mm) does not give noticeable infrared radiation, temperature changes can only be felt a few centimeters away from it. True, the use of a heat gun can lead to undesirable effects in respect of domestic plants, so during installation, it is better to take them out of the room. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of this type of ceiling. Back to contents</a>
Advantages of stretch ceilings
Stages of installation of a tension ceiling. The main advantage of stretch ceilings, regardless of the type of canvas is their leveling effect. They form a perfectly flat plane, and this result is achieved with much less effort than with plastering or mounting of suspended structures. In addition, stretch ceilings have the following positive qualities:
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Other benefits
Stretch ceiling allows you to make unnoticed the laying of pipes, wiring or ventilation ducts in the gap between it and the main ceiling. 
When flooding the room from above, the stretch ceilingcan withstand up to 100 liters of water. It is also possible to install embedded spotlights. Very effective solution - a translucent cloth in combination with the lamps mounted above it. Lighting turns soft and as if pouring from nowhere. The following advantages can be attributed to obvious advantages:
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Drawbacks of stretch ceilings
Despite such a large numberpositive qualities, stretch ceilings are inherent and disadvantages. First, the cost. Installation of a stretch ceiling costs about 30 dollars for 1 sq. M., Thus, at cost this kind of furnish considerably outstrips other variants. Self-installation without loss of quality is impossible, so you can not save. 
Materials used in the manufacturemulti-level ceiling, comply with fire safety standards. Secondly, the sensitivity to temperature. A close neighborhood with lamps can end up for a stretch ceiling quite deplorably. In this regard, their power should not exceed 60 watts for incandescent lamps and 35 watts for halogen, provided the thermal insulating ring is used. Lamps with greater power should be located at a distance of 150 mm from the blade. To the cold stretch ceilings are also not adapted. They are afraid not only of negative temperatures, but also a sudden cooling within 5 °. This situation is possible if, for example, the air conditioner was installed instead of the heating mode by mistake for cooling, or the room needed to be ventilated quickly during the cold season. 
To delete. The canvas of the ceiling is cracked, its restoration is impossible in this case. Increasing the temperature is also undesirable, as this can provoke the sagging of the stretch ceiling. The probability of this phenomenon is higher the larger the area of the canvas, therefore it is not recommended to perform the installation of structures of this type in rooms with an area of more than 20 square meters. Thirdly, the sensitivity to pressure drops. The pressure difference between the main room and the space above the tension ceiling can lead to its collapse. Especially often this phenomenon is observed when opening doors or windows. Fourthly, the canvas is afraid of sharp objects. The strength of the stretch ceiling can not be doubted, when tested, it easily stands the weight of an adult, who can also jump on it. But even an easy contact with a sharp object ends with a rupture of the material, after which it will only be discarded. Fifth, the complexity of cleaning. Stretch ceilings do not require any care, but if some dirt has appeared on the canvas, it can be difficult to remove. To do this, you have to use only soft rags or sponges, which can not be strongly pressed to the ceiling due to the specifics of its device.
