Clapboard ceiling decoration is at the same time a beautiful, practical and functional solution for any room. Consider the advantages and disadvantages, the secrets of choice and the step-by-step technology of installing wooden lining with your own hands. The modern range of ceiling cladding materials is very extensive and varied. Along with plastic panels and gypsum plasterboards, a profiled board made of natural wood can be safely attributed to the most relevant cladding options. It is not difficult to explain the popularity of clapboard ceiling decoration: it is absolutely environmentally friendly, beautiful and simple in terms of installation and subsequent maintenance.
Advantages and disadvantages of finishing the ceiling with clapboard
Ceiling cladding with natural wood panels is rightfully considered a classic of the building genre. In comparison with competitive finishing materials, the lining has many undeniable advantages:
- Excellent performance … The wood finish is strong, reliable and durable. With competent pre-assembly preparation and correct subsequent care, it will last at least 12-15 years.
- Ecological cleanliness … Unlike synthetic "congeners", cladding made of natural lining is not only harmless, but also useful for the inhabitants of the dwelling. Due to its hygroscopic properties, wood is able to purify the air and normalize the level of humidity in the room.
- Ease of installation … A distinctive feature of the finishing profiled board is the presence of special grooves and ridges. Thanks to these structural elements, ceiling cladding is easy and quick, even without the need for help.
- Practicality and functionality … Plating the ceiling base with clapboard allows you to mask minor flaws and flaws made during construction or repair. In addition, behind the covering of decorative panels, you can hide electrical wiring, pipes, ventilation ducts, sound or heat insulation layer.
- Aesthetic appearance … The ceiling made of wooden lining looks solid, stylish and impressive and, importantly, it is compatible with almost any room design.
- Saving your construction budget … Using a natural board for facing the ceiling, you can save a lot on the purchase of starting and finishing materials - plaster, putty, paint, wallpaper, etc.
The disadvantages of this finish include the following:
- Competent lining of the ceiling with clapboard implies the obligatory construction of a frame lathing. Structures of this type noticeably "steal" the height of the dwelling.
- The next disadvantage of wood cladding is the low level of fire safety. To protect the material from the destructive and dangerous effects of fire, it is carefully treated with protective flame retardants before installation work.
- It should be borne in mind that natural lining, appreciated for its strength and durability, can slightly change the geometric parameters and deform due to incorrect operation or careless maintenance.
Criteria for choosing lining for ceiling decoration
Sheathing wooden board is presented on the construction market in a huge assortment. To determine the choice of this material, you should have a clear idea of its varieties and properties. The main criteria by which modern lining is distinguished are the type of wood used, its grade and section profile.
Species of wood when choosing lining for the ceiling
Traditionally, coniferous or deciduous wood is used for the manufacture of lining:
- Coniferous wood … This category includes pine, spruce, fir, larch and cedar. Products from the listed raw materials are practical, durable and resistant to moisture and fungi, so they can be used for finishing ceilings both in residential and in utility rooms and in utility rooms. The only thing is that such a lining is not recommended for the interior cladding of saunas and baths, since with a sharp increase in temperature, aromatic coniferous wood releases an abundant amount of resinous substances that can provoke spontaneous combustion of the material.
- Hardwood … This category includes oak, beech, ash, aspen, alder and linden. Such wood lends itself well to mechanical processing, toning and artificial aging techniques. Due to its high decorative effect, it is suitable for cladding ceilings in premises for various purposes - from terraces and balconies to bedrooms and children's rooms. A distinctive property of deciduous material is resistance to temperature fluctuations and dampness. That is why ceilings of this type of lining are often equipped in rooms with high and variable humidity.
Classes of lining for ceiling decoration
A separate topic is the assortment of lining. Depending on the quality of the original wood, all molded sawn timber is divided into several classes:
- Extra class … For the production of products, only selected raw materials of the highest quality are used. Such a lining is distinguished by a smooth, neat surface and the absence of any visual defects and defects of parasitic origin (wormholes, rot and mold).
- Class "A" … Lumber marked with such a marking is characterized by the presence of small single knots and small blind cracks. It is worth noting that, according to the established standards, the listed flaws are allowed only in invisible zones and areas (reverse side and end part of the board).
- Class "B" … The lining belonging to this class has noticeable roughness and unevenness, shallow longitudinal grooves and resin sacs. On the front surface of such products, traces of mechanical stress can be found - chips, scratches, notches and burrs.
- Class "C" … Lumber of the last class includes edged boards with noticeable mechanical damage and pronounced wood defects - extensive knots, short through cracks, stains of a contrasting shade and opened resin pockets.
Note! For the finishing lining of ceilings in residential premises, experts recommend using the lining of the first two classes. As for the materials marked "B" and "C", it is better to use them to create an intermediate frame or rough filing.
The profile of the tree when choosing lining for finishing the ceiling
Depending on the type of profile connection, all wooden lining, intended for finishing ceilings and other surfaces in residential premises, is divided into ordinary and "euro". The first is cheaper than the second, but at the same time it is significantly inferior to it in terms of configuration and processing quality:
- The lining of the European type differs from the traditional one in the correct geometry, as well as in a more complex and deep groove-ridge connection, which prevents the formation of gaps between adjacent boards even with significant temperature and humidity movements.
- An important difference between European and classic clapboard is in terms of humidity. During the production process, the first one undergoes mandatory drying in automated chambers, due to which the wood acquires the necessary strength and plasticity.
- The next argument in favor of Euro-lining is the presence of special ventilation ducts that act as air ducts and are responsible for the full outflow of accumulating condensate.
Do-it-yourself technology for mounting lining on the ceiling
Sheathing the ceiling with a wooden board is a task that can be done by any interested craftsman. Thanks to the convenient locking joints, the assembly of the cladding sheet is quick and extremely simple. Let's take a closer look at how to attach the lining to the ceiling so that the finish is beautiful and durable.
Preparatory work before finishing the ceiling with clapboard
At the first stage of work, a number of certain preparatory measures should be performed:
- To begin with, remove the old cladding and finishing materials from the base ceiling. The surface is thoroughly cleaned from dirt and dust. Small cracks found in the floor slab are sealed with a putty mixture, deep cracks are embroidered with a grinder and concreted with a cement-sand mortar.
- To prevent biodegradation of the wood finish, the prepared base must be covered with an antiseptic composition of deep penetration. The ceiling is primed in two stages using a fleecy roller equipped with a telescopic bar. The recommended time interval between the first and second application of the protective emulsion is 2-3 hours.
- At the same stage of work, the lining purchased for finishing the ceiling is freed from the packaging wrapper, sorted and laid out in one layer on a flat horizontal surface in the room to be installed. This simple procedure will help prevent cracking, warping and shrinkage of the purchased material.
Marking the surface for mounting the lining on the ceiling
At this stage of work, it is necessary to prepare for the subsequent arrangement of the frame system and correctly mark the ceiling surface. The main purpose of the markup is to determine the horizontal line, which indicates the plane of the location of the wood trim, and to draw parallel lines on all walls around the perimeter of the room.
It is most convenient to mark the ceiling with a laser tool, however, as an alternative, it is permissible to use a regular building level. With the help of the latter, they determine the lowest point of the base base and, starting from it, make marks on the walls around the perimeter of the room.
To apply a closed contour, use a marker or dyeing paint cord. It is important that the laid line converges at a single point, and any displacements indicate errors in the marking process.
The height of the interceiling space should not only mask the unevenness and inaccuracies of the floor slab, but also allow free laying of all communications, insulation materials and built-in lighting devices. As a rule, when finishing with clapboard, the ceiling is lowered by no more than 7-10 cm.
Arrangement of a frame for a ceiling made of lining
At the end of the marking work, the construction of the supporting frame is started. For the manufacture of the lathing, a metal profile or planed beams with a section of 50x50 mm are used. Immediately, you can use the substandard lining found during sorting. The main thing to remember is that all wooden elements of the frame structure are subject to mandatory antiseptic treatment.
Let's take a closer look at the rules for arranging a frame for a ceiling made of lining:
- The crate is installed, according to the markings, in a direction perpendicular to the position of the future facing sheet. With the longitudinal fastening of the lining, the frame slats are fixed across the room, with the transverse fastening of the wooden sheathing, the frame is mounted along the room.
- The prepared elements of the supporting structure are fixed in the next order: first, the edging rails are attached, then the intermediate ones. Dowels and screws are used to fix the details of the crate.
- The optimal distance between adjacent rows of the frame system is 30-40 cm. To avoid the possibility of sagging of the facing sheet, the structure is additionally reinforced with transverse bridges or hangers.
- During construction, the crate is periodically checked for flatness. If necessary, all inaccuracies are corrected with the help of placed bars or pegs of appropriate sizes.
Note! Before installing the lining, all cables, wiring, foundations of built-in lamps, as well as heat and sound insulating materials are carefully laid in the under-ceiling space.
Fastening the lining to the ceiling
Next, they proceed to the direct cladding of the frame structure. To quickly and reliably form a ceiling from the lining with your own hands, the panels are fastened using secret metal clamps. Such fixing elements are both invisible and reliable: on the one hand, they are attached to the wrong side of the finishing board, on the other, to the crate.
Recommendations for finishing the ceiling with clapboard:
- The installation of wooden panels begins from one of the corners of the room, while technological gaps (up to 10 mm) must be left between the walls and the extreme strips for possible thermal expansion of the material and unhindered ventilation in the ceiling recess.
- The first plank is attached on both sides to the frame beams using a furniture stapler. The second board is inserted at a slight angle into the grooves of the first, inserted until it stops and fixed in the places where the lathing runs with the help of cleats.
- Fastening of subsequent panels is carried out in the same way as the first two. For reliability, each installed bar is gently tapped along the entire length with a mallet.
- In the course of a set of a wooden ceiling, through holes of the desired configuration are cut out in the necessary places for the output of the supply wires. To trim the lining, use an electric jigsaw or a hand saw.
- At the end of the cladding work, all gaps between the wood sheathing and the walls are sealed with additional elements of a suitable size. Decorative clips or small furniture nails are used as fasteners.
- If desired, the clapboard finish is coated with protective compounds based on natural oils or beeswax. Such impregnations emphasize the natural beauty of wood, give it a soft matte shade and protect it from mold and wood-boring beetles.
Before starting the installation work, you should de-energize the room to be tiled by turning off the circuit breakers in the switchboard. How to sheathe the ceiling with clapboard - look at the video:
Having studied the step-by-step technology of mounting the lining on the ceiling and correctly organizing the finishing process, even a novice master will be able to turn a scattering of wooden planks into a beautiful and reliable facing canvas.
