The design features of soaring ceilings and the technology of installing floors will be discussed in this article. The soaring stretch ceiling belongs to modern design trends and is characterized by a capacious definition: fashionable, stylish, functional. An ingenious backlit system near the walls creates the effect of hovering, zoning and levitation. Using a variety of surface shaping and lighting accessories, you can decorate any room.
Advantages and disadvantages of a floating stretch ceiling
Stretch soaring ceilings have undeniable qualities that support their popularity among consumers.
The advantages of floating ceilings are:
- Saving energy … To illuminate the perimeter, LED lamps are used that consume little electricity.
- Original forms … The design allows you to create ceilings with non-standard design solutions, for example, multi-level curved systems.
- Saving money on materials … Floating stretch ceilings of complex design are cheaper than the same form of overlapping other types of ceilings.
- No requirements for the shape of the ceiling … The special properties of the floating ceiling allow it to be installed even in rooms with curved walls. The straight corners of the ceilings are smoothed out, and the room takes on a streamlined and harmonious look.
- Visual increase in space … LED lighting creates the effect of increasing the height of the ceiling and pushing the boundaries of the room.
- Quickly redesign a room … Using the remote control, the multi-colored lamp is turned on in any modes, changing the intensity and color of the glow.
- Long service life … Manufacturers guarantee long-term operation of the soaring ceilings, during which the cladding does not lose its original appearance.
- Simplicity of design … Ceiling installation is very fast.
- Easy web maintenance … The PVC film is antistatic and does not attract dust. To clean the surface, it is enough to rinse the canvas with water.
- Creating a cozy environment … The floating effect and the use of dimmed lighting create a sense of peace and serenity.
The structure has all the positive properties that typical stretch ceilings have: safety, the possibility of placing communications in the gap between the false ceiling and floor slabs, hiding defects on the floor slabs.
Like any other ceiling, a floating ceiling has its drawbacks. The ceiling reduces the height from the floor, which is why it will not be possible to install it in most apartments. Any deviation from the installation technology leads to a loss of product quality and manifests itself in the finished floor. On stretch ceilings, it is impossible to eliminate punctures or cuts.
The choice of materials for a floating stretch ceiling
The main task of soaring ceilings is to beautifully decorate the floors of the premises. The idea of such products is to create a halo around the perimeter of the ceiling with a height of 10-20 cm. Until recently, builders did not know how to make a floating stretch ceiling, but after the invention of a special profile, the problem was solved. The floating ceiling kit includes standard and special parts and assemblies, on which the area of application of the ceiling depends.
PVC film for floating stretch ceiling
To form the surface, an opaque film with a matte or glossy surface is used, as well as a satin film that looks like plastic. The fabric in soaring ceilings is rarely used due to its high cost.
Glossy ceilings look good in small spaces. During the day, the room is visually enlarged due to the display of the interior in lacquer coating. At night, the illuminated ceiling adds airiness and volume to the room.
Versatile matte floating ceilings look good in the living room. They create coziness, soft lighting has a beneficial effect on vision. In the children's and parental bedrooms, themed floating systems are installed, for example, a ceiling "starry sky" or a "space" ceiling with remote control.
Floating ceilings of complex configuration and colorful colors are installed in nightlife establishments, where their appearance attracts customers.
Baguettes for mounting a floating stretch ceiling
Unlike conventional structures, there are gaps between the floating ceiling and the wall, in which special profiles are placed. An LED strip is installed in the cavity of the baguette to create the effect of a ceiling hanging in the air. Two types of baguettes are produced - profiles with an insert-plug and profiles without a plug.
In the first version, the LED strip is snapped into a groove. The canvas covers the tape from below, evenly scatters the light that was initially directed into the wall. Externally, the profile for a soaring stretch ceiling with a tape has a finished look and does not require additional elements. But when replacing the lamp, you will have to remove the canvas. The profile without a plug is produced under the number KP 4003.
A profile with an insert (KP2301 number) is supplied with a translucent insert. After laying the LED strip in the profile, inserts are installed that smooth out the glow of individual bulbs, and also close the fastening of the baguette to the ceiling and give the product a finished look. The light from the LED strip falls downward, so it is brighter.
The luminaires are located under the curtain and, if necessary, can be quickly changed without disassembling the entire curtain. The LED lamp in the profile with a protective plug creates a halo of up to 20 cm. The strip from the profile can be dismantled without disassembling the ceiling, so it is considered more practical
Lighting devices for installation in a soaring stretch ceiling
LED strips are best suited to create a halo along the perimeter of the ceiling. They do not heat up well and have small dimensions, which allows them to be placed in profiles. LED strips are produced in different designs, so you need to familiarize yourself with their properties before purchasing. LED strips are sold in reels. The maximum luminaire length is 5 m.
For soaring ceilings of a stretch structure, it is recommended to use low-power lamps, they are not too bright and create pleasant lighting. Install waterproof tapes in bathrooms and kitchens. Colored illumination assumes the use of a white canvas. For monochrome lighting, there is no limitation on film color.
To adjust the operation of the luminaires, backlight control units are used. Devices of a simple design only turn on and off the light. Sophisticated devices come with a remote control and allow you to customize the color scheme to your liking.
LED strips are not the only lighting option for soaring ceilings. Devices with a classic daytime glow are popular. In disco rooms, pulsed illumination is often used.
Additional details will be required for the construction of multilevel floating ceilings. These include: slats or profiles for creating the base of the grid system, hangers for the frame, decorative inserts. The set of the suspended floating system also includes fasteners for baguettes.
DIY installation of a floating stretch ceiling
The technology for assembling a floating stretch ceiling depends on its design. The installation of a single-level overlap differs little from the arrangement of an ordinary tension one, with the exception of the installation of the backlight. It is more difficult to build multi-level ceilings. Such structures can be called combined: the lower tier is always made of film, and the second and subsequent ones are made of plasterboard, metal and other materials.
Preparatory work before installing a floating stretch ceiling
Consider the technology of mounting a floating stretch ceiling, consisting of only one level. The information obtained can be used for the construction of multilevel ceilings of any geometry. The work is carried out in several stages.
At the first stage, the amount of consumables is determined, operations are carried out that cannot be performed after the installation of the product, as well as marking work:
- In wooden houses, check that there are no gaps in the ceiling, otherwise the canvas will inflate.
- Exfoliating elements of the old coating are removed from the floor slabs so that they do not subsequently fall on the canvas.
- The surface is treated with antiseptic agents to combat fungus, mold, rust, otherwise stains will appear on the new ceiling.
- The ceiling is covered with a primer.
- Remove all furniture from the room.
- Cover the floor with a soft material to prevent accidental scratches on the film.
- Measure the length and width of the ceiling, transfer the dimensions to paper to scale. On the plan, show the location of communications, the location of the lamps, control units, draw the shape of the frame (the geometry of the wall profile).
- Determine the length of the profile and LED strip along the perimeter. When purchasing, increase the size by 10%.
- The number of fasteners depends on the type of profile and the size of the ceiling, usually screws are installed every 8-15 cm.
- Secure the wiring and other communications to the floor according to the drawing. Run the wiring from the cables to the installation locations of the luminaires.
- Using a hydrostatic level, determine the lowest corner of the floor slab, step back from it down to a distance at which, after tensioning the canvas, a guaranteed gap remains between the parts on the ceiling and the film. Place a mark on this level.
- Using a hydrostatic level, transfer this mark to all walls. Connect the tags with a cord. Make sure the cord is horizontal. Draw a line along it, relative to which the baguette will be exposed.
Installation of a baguette for a floating stretch fabric
With the apparent simplicity of fastening baguettes, work requires precision and accuracy. Install the profile for a floating stretch ceiling in the following sequence:
- On flat areas, lean the baguette against the ceiling so that the top plane coincides with the line on the wall. Make holes through the profile, install dowels and screw in self-tapping screws.
- Check the quality of the fastening of the baguette by pulling it away from the wall. If it lends itself, secure the profile with additional fasteners.
- If you need to bend the profile, cut it in the right place with a grinder to the middle and bend it. Finish the emerging folds with a hammer, and file the edges with a file and sandpaper. In this way, the profile is bent to fit into the corners.
- Connect the LED strips to the network and check their work. After checking, install the luminaires in the profiles and connect to the electrical wiring.
Fastening the stretch fabric to the ceiling
Fastening of the floating ceiling film to the profile is carried out using the harpoon method, named from the shape of the side along the edges of the canvas. This method requires an accurate calculation of the ceiling area.
To determine the dimensions, mark the location of the baguettes on the drawing to scale and calculate the area of the ceiling between them. The film must be ordered with an area that is 7% less than the calculated one. The ordered canvas will be delivered adjusted in size, it must indicate the base angle from which the installation begins.
They carry out the installation of a floating stretch ceiling with their own hands in the following sequence:
- Warm up the room with a heat gun to a temperature of 60 degrees and maintain this temperature until the end of the installation.
- Unroll the film indoors at some distance from the heat gun. If you find creases on the material, do not panic - after installing the product, they will quickly disappear.
- Find an angle on the canvas with a base mark, fix this angle and diametrically opposite to the profile on the wall. To fix, drive the harpoon with a spatula into a special groove until it clicks into place.
- While attaching the material, direct the air stream heated to 70-80 degrees from the heat gun at it, the heated film becomes elastic.
- Secure the opposite corners of the canvas in the same way.
- After fixing the corners, fix the sides of the film from the corners to the center. Warm up the appeared folds on the film with a hairdryer, keeping it at a distance of 200 mm or more from the surface.
- Put the caps on the profiles in their regular place, if the profile design requires it.
How to make a soaring stretch ceiling - watch the video:
The design and performance of floating systems place them in the first place among other ceiling structures. With their help, the interior of the room will change very quickly, and design and construction work is easy to do on your own.
