Types of windows on the ceiling, the technology of mounting a skylight, painted false windows, the use of photo wallpaper, how to install a plasterboard ceiling and a stretch canvas in the form of a window.
How to make a skylight skylight in the ceiling
The skylight is a large structure that allows daylight to pass through. The place for installing this type of window can be a roof or a surface at an angle of 30 degrees. Typically, such ceilings are made on the attic floors. The design of the lantern can be very different.
Materials for a skylight in the ceiling can be as follows:
- Silicate glass … It is used in installation most often, since it can consist of a different number of layers. However, it is worth considering the risks associated with the possible load of snow. The design itself is heavy enough.
- Acrylic … This material is more durable than silicate glass. It is also lighter (2, 5 times less weight). Acrylic has good light transmission as well as chemical inertness (acid resistance). The only drawback of this material is flammability.
- Polycarbonate … It is used in those regions where the climate is characterized by high rainfall even in summer. Among the advantages: durability, strength even with sharp temperature changes, chemical inertness. It is lighter in weight than silicate glass. This material does not burn and does not support combustion. Among the disadvantages is the high cost.
Installation of a skylight consists of three stages: assembling the base of the skylight, mounting the frame and glazing the skylight. To properly install the lantern, we follow the following scheme:
- To begin with, we clean the contours of the ceiling on the roof using a grinder.
- Then we lay a strip of roofing material and a sealant around the perimeter of the opening.
- On top of the roofing material and the seal, we place the base on which the lantern will be mounted. The base consists of four channels (height - 30 cm, width - 10 cm).
- We attach the channel box to the ceiling on the ceiling. For this we use anchors.
- Then we fix the frame of the lantern. Frames can be of different shapes, depending on the design of the lantern itself. The standard shape consists of four corner sections. On the outside of one of the profiles, we weld door hinges so that the frame can be folded back, and we also make holes in the vertical sides of the corners. These will be the rainwater holes.
- We attach the frame directly to the channel covering with screws, the pitch is 6-7 cm over the entire base area.
- After we have placed the frame and centered it along the axes of the box, we weld the frame hinges to the channel box.
- We put the sealant on the “shelves” formed by the horizontal parts of the profile.
- We put plexiglass sheets over the sealant (thickness not more than three millimeters).
- We install the glazing beads (hollow aluminum profiles 40 x 40 mm) with screws through the through holes to the vertical shelves of the frame.
It is quite simple to install a window in a glass ceiling. The main thing is to observe tightness when installing the frame on the roof, so that neither rain nor snow gets into the room. To do this, we should use special silicone construction sealants or rubber seals. It is recommended not to use thick polycarbonate sheets, because they will increase the snow melting time. As a result, your window will be covered with snow for a longer time.
Rules for drawing false windows on the ceiling
One of the most realistic options for a false window is a drawing on the ceiling. A good master will be able to realistically convey the sky, and with the help of 3D technology, the sky will look like the real thing. The ceiling in the form of a window overlooking the sky is the ideal design option for a child's room or bedroom.
However, if you have minimal drawing skills, then you can make the simplest drawing on your own. In order to implement such a design, you will need three cans of water-based paint in different colors: blue, light blue and white. A plasterboard ceiling will be an ideal basis for drawing.
In order to apply an image to the ceiling, you need to follow the following scheme:
- Grinding the ceiling.
- Apply the first layer of paint - blue.
- After the first layer has dried, apply the same color again.
- Apply dotted white paint. Using a soft sponge or roller, we form clouds on the ceiling.
- After complete drying, apply blue paint pointwise near the clouds. This will help give your drawing volume and realism.
- On top of the picture, we apply a protective construction varnish with a spray or a special brush.
In the first months after drawing on the ceiling, it is recommended to protect the painting from tobacco smoke or dirt from the street. Regularly renewing your coat will help prolong the life of your design.
How to make a window from photo wallpaper on the ceiling
Another type of false windows on the ceiling are constructions made with photo wallpaper. Many consider this method to be outdated, but technology has made great strides in the past few years. Now for the manufacture of the "Window to Heaven" ceiling, you can use silk wallpaper, wallpaper made of eco-friendly paper, wallpaper-frescoes.
To make a false window in the ceiling, you first need to measure the ceiling. Pay attention to how the wallpaper will be placed in relation to the walls and the chandelier. After that, you can select a picture from the catalog. The very process of gluing photo wallpaper to the ceiling is quite simple, you can do it yourself.
After selecting the material, we act according to the following scheme:
- Preparing the base for the wallpaper. This process is identical to preparing the ceiling for painting. As a rule, photowall-paper is very thin in structure, therefore all flaws in the surface of the ceiling are visible to the naked eye. We need to putty the ceiling with high quality, clean it with abrasives.
- After that, the surface should be coated with a primer.
- Preparing glue for gluing photowall-paper. To do this, we need to mix the contents of the package in a bucket with clean water. We must stir the glue thoroughly during the rash. The material should be infused for 15 minutes, then stir the glue again.
- We start gluing photowall-paper to the ceiling. The most important thing at this stage is the labeling of the first strip. If it is located crookedly, all other parts will also be located in the same way. In order for the first stripe to be aligned, we draw an icon on the ceiling, which we focus on. We use a pencil and a simple building level.
- We glue the ceiling and wallpaper with glue. Thanks to this, the wallpaper glides easily over the ceiling, and we have time to orient it in relation to the front page.
- After smearing the wallpaper with glue, never fold it in half. A feature of photowall-paper is their structure, which retains any stripes or dents.
- Photowall-paper with an overlap. It should be no more than two millimeters. This is very important to maintain the proportions of the picture. You should also be aware that not all wallpapers are designed for overlapping. Some need to be glued together, therefore, before gluing, we study the instructions on the package.
- Remove excess glue with a special spatula. At the same time, we do not stretch the wallpaper, this is fraught with deformation of the print.
You should also know that photowall-paper has its own drying characteristics. This process is very slow, it is not recommended to glue the wallpaper on the ceiling in the hot season. As a rule, numerous cracks and irregularities form on ceilings that have been pasted over in hot weather.
Self-adhesive wallpaper is not the best option for decorating a window on the ceiling, since it is very difficult to remove air and bubbles from under them.
DIY plasterboard ceiling in the form of a window with "stars"
The most popular type of plasterboard ceiling is the imitation of the sky with stars. During the day, this design looks like an ordinary classic version, but at night a window opens in front of you on a starry night. The manufacture of such a ceiling in specialized design companies is quite expensive. However, making it yourself is not difficult.
First, we need to make a base:
- We measure the height of the room, taking into account the dimensions of the light generator for the starry sky.
- We draw a line along the wall, which will regulate the height of the future ceiling.
- Using the dowels, we place the starting profile.
- We place suspensions on the ceiling (the step is 60 cm), and we attach the main profiles to them.
- We put the edges of the main profiles into the starting one.
- We fix the frame of the structure using self-tapping screws.
After that, we need to cut all the slabs to the desired size, drill holes in the slabs into which we will pass the optical fibers. Then you can proceed with the installation of the optical system.
To do this, we need the following structural elements: a light generator - a device with a light source, light filters that will provide the color and intensity of the light elements of the sky, optical fibers - will transmit light to the ceiling surface.
The installation diagram of the optical system is as follows: we install and connect the light generator, connect the beams of optical fiber to it, start the installation of the plates from an angle that is farther from the installed light generator, install several beams of optical fiber in the drilled holes.
The final stage of work will be to putty the ceiling and paint it in the color of the sky using rollers and brushes. Care must be taken to ensure that paint does not get onto the fiber. After the paint has completely dried, we can pull our threads out. We cut them to the desired length with pliers. You can fix them to the ceiling with glue.
There are also alternative methods for creating a skylight on the ceiling. You can use the following methods: installing LED lamps, drywall that conducts current, painting with fluorescent paints.
Installation of a stretch canvas on the ceiling in the form of a window with fiber optic
Stretch ceiling is made of polyvinyl chloride canvas. To create a window with a starry sky on this type of ceiling, you need the same tools and materials as for making a window on a plasterboard ceiling.
A stretch ceiling for a lighting system is made as follows:
- Using the level, mark the horizontal line of the ceiling around the perimeter of the room.
- We attach an aluminum profile for a stretch ceiling along the line.
- We install the light generator between the main ceiling and the PVC ceiling. We attach the fiber optic threads to it.
- We warm up the air in the room with a heat gun up to +40 degrees.
- We start working with the canvas. First of all, we fix the base angle, followed by the opposite one along the diagonal line. We heat the canvas with a cannon up to +65 degrees.
- After finishing the installation, we remove the excess material. It is necessary to wait until the material has completely cooled down to start decorating the stretch ceiling.
There are two ways to turn a stretch ceiling into a sky window: with a ceiling puncture and without a puncture. In order to make a stretch ceiling in the form of a window with a puncture, we follow the scheme:
- On the ceiling material, we need to make multiple punctures through which the light beams will come out. Puncture points must be drawn in advance according to the design scheme. This technology is used only with thick and coarse types of materials, since only they can hide holes and edges from optical fibers.
- Through the holes we pull the fibers from the fiber individually or in whole bundles.
- From the inside we glue the threads with construction glue, and from the outside we cut them to 1-2 mm.
In order to make the ceiling in the form of a window without a puncture, we follow the scheme:
- For this technology, it is necessary to use not only light and transparent PVC films, but also those with a matte texture. As a rule, such PVC canvases are made in light shades.
- First of all, we install a false ceiling - the first level. We make holes in it and pull out the fiber optic threads.
- Cut the light threads to 2 mm and glue them.
- We install a fine matte or glossy ceiling. It is through it that we will see the glow of the "stars" in the false window.
- It must be remembered that the lighting with the stars in the sky is not the main one. Therefore, it is necessary to install the main light sources in the form of chandeliers or lamps.
An original combination of photo printing and light beams is also possible. This adds a spectacular effect, because you can independently choose the background for the window in the form of space, comets, zodiac signs. Photo printing can also be spotlighted or with LED strips. Designers use special pins to form patterns on your ceiling. They help to form clouds, sun or stars in the window. Watch a video about false windows in the ceiling:
These methods meet different needs and are also suitable for a wide variety of interiors. Of course, a skylight is the perfect design solution for a nursery or bedroom. When installing any kind, you should take into account the safety of the structure of such a ceiling, as well as the peculiarities of the climate in your region, if we are talking about a real window in the ceiling.
