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What is better to make the ceiling in the bathroom, so as not to regret it later
This room has its own microclimate, this must be taken into account. And also – renovation in the bathroom is always akin to a disaster. After all, until you lose access to it, you don’t even think about the place it occupies in our life.
The difference between a bathroom and other rooms is that there is always water in it: splashes, steam on the walls, on the ceiling, and on the floor. And if it’s easier to wipe the floor and walls, you can’t just jump to the ceiling. Together with an expert, we will understand the pros and cons of three popular ceiling materials that are not afraid of steam and water.
Head of the Building Materials Department of the Leroy Merlin Kashirskoye Shosse hypermarket
Materials – as for the tropics
If you compare the “climate” in the bathroom with the weather on earth, it is most similar to the tropics. There are tropical rains here at times and it is humid all the time. Many materials have a hard time in these conditions. Wood, if not varnished, loses its shape and warps. Interior paint, popular a couple of decades ago, resists moisture better, but over time it becomes faded. And if the paint was applied incorrectly, it can begin to peel off long before the next repair. Therefore, the material for the ceiling should not lose shape, strength and color with constant contact with water.
Only two materials – metal and plastic – withstand contact with water for a long time and painlessly.
In a modern high-tech bathroom, a bright glossy ceiling made of metal strips will be appropriate. A quiet Scandinavian-style bathroom will look good with a discreet matte vinyl suspended ceiling.
The last criterion to consider is affordability. You don’t have to worry about it: there are solutions for suspended or stretch ceilings for different budgets. Let’s consider the most popular ones.
Plastic panels
The traditional decoration of the ceiling with interior paint on plaster is rapidly falling out of fashion. This is a great and budget solution, but it has the drawback of all inexpensive solutions: the paint has to be updated frequently. This is especially noticeable in the bathroom with its high humidity and temperature changes. Unsurprisingly, paint has given way to modern and durable suspended ceilings.
One of the most affordable and popular options is plastic panels. This is a set of PVC planks that are tied together and fixed to the frame on the ceiling. The ceiling is installed in two stages. First, a frame is made from a bar or a metal profile. Then panels are attached to the frame. They fit easily with each other thanks to the snap joints at the edges.
The main advantage of the panels is the large selection of colors and textures. There are dozens of designs available in home improvement stores. Plain or patterned panels are the cheapest. Typically, the drawing is stylized like marble, expensive types of wood, fabric, frescoes. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to make a ceiling at an affordable price that successfully imitates more expensive material.
The higher grade panels offer a choice of texture in addition to the choice of pattern. The assortment of such panels has very interesting solutions – a mirror surface, a 3D coating, a “chameleon” color change effect and others.
Pros
The panels do not absorb moisture at all, they can be washed.
The PVC surface is installed below the level of the draft ceiling by 10-15 centimeters. Therefore, it is convenient to hide wiring or pipes behind the panels.
Luminaires can be built into the plastic ceiling.
Cons
The disadvantage of PVC panels is the relative difficulty of installing the frame. It takes experience to make the frame even.
Metal strips
This type of suspended ceiling is also assembled from panels, but the style of the ceiling made of metal slats differs from plastic. Narrow strips of aluminum or steel look sleeker, especially with a mirror finish. Metal ceilings are perfect for bathrooms with a lot of modern decorative elements – lamps, faucets, mosaics.
A slatted ceiling is a whole system of frame elements and panels. The frame is fixed below the level of the draft ceiling, it is easy to hide the wiring behind it, like behind plastic panels. Slatted ceilings are also suitable for recessed luminaires.
Many color options are available for slatted ceilings. Particularly impressive are the mirrored metallic paint panels. But there are fewer texture options. Embossing metal is difficult, and textured ceilings are significantly more expensive.
Pros
One of the important advantages of aluminum panels is that they do not lose their attractiveness for a long time and do not rust.
Ceilings made of steel are reliably protected by enamel and retain their gloss as long as the car.
Ceilings are sold in kits, which include everything you need for installation – guides and other suspension elements. With the help of instructions or a video on the manufacturer’s website, it is quite possible to install the ceiling with your own hands.
Previously, users complained about the difficulty of fitting panels together. But today this flaw has been corrected: manufacturers have developed closed-type systems. They have special elements that hide the joints between the slats.
Cons
The disadvantages of the slatted ceiling system include the cost that is less affordable in comparison with PVC. However, the longevity of the ceiling justifies the cost of purchasing it.
Stretch ceilings
The main advantage of the stretch ceiling is that it forms a flat surface above the head without seams and joints. This effect is almost impossible to achieve with other types of ceiling, with the exception of interior paint.
There are two important benefits to vinyl ceilings. First, the ceiling is very quick and easy to install on any area. The canvas is stretched over a simple frame attached to the walls. The second important plus is the rich selection of colors and textures. Modern stretch ceilings offer a choice of two materials – vinyl and fabric.
The dignity of vinyl ceilings is in an almost perfect surface that from a distance resembles high-quality interior paint. Fabric ceilings have an independent design value due to the noble texture.
Stretch ceilings are produced in glossy and matte versions. Each manufacturer has their own line of vinyl colors and fabric textures. Modern technologies make it possible to apply drawings, patterns and even a photographic image to the ceiling.
In large rooms, you should still turn to professionals, even despite the ease of installation. But when it comes to the bathroom, you can buy a do-it-yourself kit – you can buy these at home improvement stores.
Pros
Stretch ceilings are great for masking wiring and other engineering systems. They can accommodate recessed luminaires.
Vinyl and fabric last as long as PVC panels or metal slatted ceilings and require little maintenance. If the canvas is covered with dust, it can be removed with a special tool.
Cons
The disadvantage of stretch ceilings is that the number of lamps must be calculated in advance. Luminaires cannot be added, since all the holes for them are made during installation.
Stretch ceilings cost a little more than PVC panels, but are more affordable than slatted ceilings. However, the beauty of a flat surface, excellent moisture-repellent properties and a wealth of design options allow you to enjoy pleasure that is difficult to measure with money.