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Stretch ceilings allow you to effectively decorate the ceiling, and with it the window. Do not rush to buy, consider options for arranging cornices and then draw conclusions. By making the right choice, you can get a beautiful view. How to make a ceiling cornice under a stretch ceiling, we will consider in the article.
When choosing which wall cornice for curtains is best suited for a stretch ceiling, consider a few details. With high ceilings, wall-mounted cornices will look good. If the ceiling is low, it is better to use a hidden cornice. For example, by hiding the cornice in a niche and choosing colors, it turns out that the curtains fall from nowhere. But first, about the types, design and materials for the manufacture of cornices.
Types of cornices
To get a complete picture of the cornices, first we will figure out what they are. They can be divided according to the method of attachment into two groups:
- wall-mounted;
- ceiling.
However, almost all of the cornices are universal and can be used in wall and ceiling versions.
Design
In addition to differences in fastening, cornices differ in design. The most common:
- Tire. It is a flat plate with one or more hook tracks. Having decorated such a cornice with a special overlay – a hood, we get a baguette.
Tire cornice with hood - Baguette. Similar to tires. On the front side they have a decorative strip covering the structure.
Baguette for curtains - Stringed. Cheap, easy to install, well suited for high-tech and urban styles. Suitable for light fabrics – tulle or decorative curtains.
String cornice can be attached to vertical and horizontal surfaces
More rare:
The variety of designs is great. To simplify the installation of a stretch ceiling, you can purchase a cornice with grooves for harpoons. There is a desire to make the area illuminated – look for the possibility of attaching an LED strip.
It will not be difficult to choose a cornice for the right conditions if there is a construction hypermarket.
Material
The most common material for the manufacture of cornices in recent times was wood, less often aluminum and steel. Now preference is given to plastic, but on sale there are from any material.
- Plastic. Cheap, durable, easy to process.
- Tree. There are both expensive and budget models. You can pick up to interiors in any style.
- Aluminum. Lightweight and durable, not very expensive material.
- Steel. Due to its high strength, it is suitable for interior decoration with heavy fabrics with a window height above 3 meters.
- Forged. An expensive option suitable for some styles, for example, country.
There are combined models with an aluminum base and a plastic coating.
The most suitable cornices for stretch ceilings will be tire and string. However, keep in mind that strings are not designed for heavy curtains, as they will sag.
Tires can be single-row, double-row or multi-row. Even if you want to make several rows of curtains, you can install single rows at some distance from each other. The benefit of multi-row in fewer fasteners, but the choice of distances between rows does not always satisfy us.
There are also multi-tiered cornices, but they take up a lot of space in height and are not suitable for installation in a niche. Read more about the types of ceiling cornices and their installation.
Mounting methods
If the distance from the ceiling to the beginning of the window allows, then you can use any cornices with fastening to the wall. But if the height of the interfloor ceilings is small, then every centimeter is important. There are two ways to install the cornice:
- Open. The cornice is visible as it is installed flush with the ceiling. Before stretching the ceiling, a mortgage beam is first stuffed parallel to the window, to which the cornice will be attached. The best option in this case is a rail curtain holder.
An open method of attaching a cornice to a stretch ceiling - Closed. In this case, the ceiling is mounted indented from the wall to the width necessary for attaching the cornice, taking into account heating radiators and the number of rows of curtains. The cornice, recessed in a niche, is invisible from the room, and by hanging the curtains beautifully, we get the effect, as if they are “floating”.
Making hidden installation of the cornice is more difficult, but the view is more spectacular
During installation, keep in mind that wall cornices 3 meters long must be fixed to 3 support points. If the size you need is not available, then you can make a prefabricated structure.
Niche dimensions
Several factors influence the size of a niche.
- Measure the width of the window, the cornice should be 15–40 cm longer. If you want to do wall to wall, then subtract 2-3 cm from the width of the room.
- How far the radiator and window sill are extended. To make the curtain look beautiful, it should not lie on them (in the picture below, “p” is the removal of the battery). For this reason, 3–7 cm recede from the edge of the window sill / radiator (which protrudes further, which is why we measure it) (indicated by the letter “a”). The heavier the fabric and the more folds, the further you need to retreat. Using a plumb line or ruler, make a mark on the ceiling. This is the line along which the curtain closest to the window will move.
- How far the edge of the niche will go from the window depends on the number of rows of curtains.
- If it is in one row, retreat another 2–3 centimeters from the line towards the room – to the folds (“b” in the picture below).
- If there are several rows, it is better to choose a cornice by fitting. Place it on the ceiling so that the last row matches the mark you made. Mark the edge of the cornice, step back 2-3 cm, this will be the edge of the niche.
These manipulations take time, but they allow you to determine the niche parameters for installing a hidden cornice specifically in your situation. If you just need to estimate the dimensions, then on average, for single-row curtains, the optimal niche width is 15–18 cm. The minimum is 12 centimeters. Under double-row, it is optimal to retreat 23-25 cm from the wall. In this case, it is better not to do less than 20 cm.
Concealed installation gives a more aesthetic result, but the arrangement is somewhat more complicated. There are several options for arranging a niche for installing a cornice. The most budgetary is to fix a processed wooden beam on the ceiling. The parameters of the beam are selected based on how much the ceiling level will be lowered – usually it depends on the fixtures. A guide for installing a stretch ceiling is attached to the edge of the beam from the window.
There is a special aluminum profile for niches with different sections: square, rectangular, etc. It is installed with a groove for attaching the harpoon to the window. When the material is heated, the fabric fits the profile, obtaining a beautiful appearance.
Special cornices for a stretch ceiling with grooves for harpoons on both sides can beautifully decorate a niche. In this case, the same material is stretched from the cornice to the wall with the window as in the main area.
Sometimes the ceiling does not close the selected type of cornice. Then a drywall bar is added to the mortgage bar to the required height. It can be puttied and painted, or decorated with molding.
Before installing the cornice in a niche, the ceiling must be leveled. It’s not about aesthetics – differences will interfere with moving the curtains.
Which cornice to choose for a stretch ceiling
To understand which cornice will be better with a stretch ceiling, you need to decide on some questions:
- Niche size. If the ceiling is high and the niche is deep, then both wall and ceiling cornices can be installed.
- View of the curtains. If you are going to hang heavy curtains, such as blackout, velor, etc., it is better to use durable cornices made of aluminum, other metals or wood, which exclude them from sagging under the weight of the fabric. The design depends on the depth of the niche.
- Mounting method. With a small niche depth, it is better to choose tire cornices made of metal or plastic.
- Apartment interior style. When installing the cornice in an open way, it is important to observe the style orientation in the interior. Choose the right shape and color.
Photo selection of cornices in the interior of apartments
Сonclusion
The right choice and installation of cornices, especially hidden in stretch ceilings, can become a real decoration of a room and even an apartment. In conclusion, watch a video with expert advice.