Types of False Ceilings

False Ceilings – Is your knowledge base up-to-date about this Interior Design trend that is gaining traction among the urban world? Know more now!

Ceilings are often the most overlooked piece of a development, yet the modern-day trend of false ceilings could add a sparkling touch of magnificence and redefine your living space. This interior design style has picked up footing among a significant part of the urban populace in India and abroad. Individuals these days are eyeing products within their budgets in order to make the ceilings of their establishments look gorgeously alluring rather than the typical ordinary dull looking ceilings. With the latest surge of adorning living spaces with false ceilings, it sure has become a trend for people to embellish the beauty of their premises with these false ceiling roofs. False ceilings add a sophisticated look to any establishment, whether it is a home, office, business complex, private residential complex, eateries and restaurant, theatre, and so forth.

So what are false ceilings?

False ceilings are secondary ceilings that are suspended below the primary ceiling with the help of suspension cords or beams. These false roofs are constructed from a wide range of materials. Let us glance through the benefits of false ceilings and have a brief overview of some of the popular varieties of false ceilings, helping you make well-informed choices for your next interior design project.

What benefits do false ceilings have?

The conventional ideology about false ceiling is that it improves the interior design and aesthetical appearance but this advantage is just the tip of the iceberg as there are a whole lot of benefits that false ceilings provide. Few of them are listed below:

• A false ceiling provides temperature insulation to the place, keeping the room cool in summers and warm in winters owing to the air insulation between the primary ceiling and the secondary ceiling (false ceiling).
• The false ceiling is an efficient energy and cost saver in the long run as it helps in reducing the load on the air-conditioning system.
• False roofs are resourceful as acoustical barriers especially in conference halls, auditoriums, theatres, production and manufacturing plants etc, effectively reducing echo and noise problems.
• If the material used in making the false ceiling tiles are fire resistant, false ceilings can also act as a fire separator.
• By using false ceiling you can reduce the height of the room in cases where the height is excessive.
• False roofs enable concealment of a wiring of light fixtures, air-conditioner ducts, security cameras wiring and other fixtures that hinder the beauty of the room.
• A false roof also gives a nicely textured base for a wide range of embellishing electric lights and fans that give a sense of grandeur, immediately uplifting the mood of the place.

With all these advantages of false ceilings plus the aesthetic appeal, who wouldn’t want a false ceiling in their establishments! This would undoubtedly be a decision you would never regret.

Now let’s glance through some of the varieties of false ceiling.

It is obvious that your selection of a false ceiling would be based on three criteria: place of application, aesthetic ambiance required and your budget. In order to make your next refurbishing venture a prudent one, it would be worthwhile having a general idea of the popular varieties of false ceilings. A few variants among theseareGypsum Ceiling, Plaster of Paris (POP) Ceiling, Fibre Ceiling, Wooden Ceiling, Metal Ceiling, Synthetic Leather Ceiling, Cloth Ceiling, Armstrong Tiles False Ceiling, Track False Ceiling and PVC False Ceiling, all of which are briefly summarized below for your convenience.

Gypsum Ceiling:

The most commonly used false ceiling variety is the Gypsum Ceiling. The gypsum boards or panels come with either tapered or square edges. The advantage is that they can be easily fixed either by placing on a metal grid or by nailing.

Features:

• Allows different shapes and customized designs
• Fire and moisture resistant (Waterproof)
• Flexible
• Lightweight
• Easy to install
• Soundproof

Plaster of Paris (POP) Ceiling:

This is also one of the most commonly used types of false ceiling material. Among all false roof varieties, this one is the cheapest. Artistic workmanship and creative designs are essential to create splendid false ceiling styles using POP which is mixed with water and is applied to fibre board or wood base.

Features:

• The false ceiling surface can be customized and painted to create amazingly impressive design elements
• Gives smooth finish
• Construction is easy and the design pattern determines the cost
• Lightweight
• Thickness is usually 12-15 mm

Fibre Ceiling:

Fibre Ceiling which is also called as Mineral Fibre False Ceiling is made from synthetic materials with added natural minerals. They are available in various shapes, patterns and sizes, with a smooth or rough finish, with or without imprinted designs and patterns and with various options for edges. Hence there is a wide ranging assortment of fibre false ceiling tiles from which individuals can choose as per their specific likings. Being low in cost and quick to install, this false ceiling variety is in high demand especially in the commercial domain. One of the biggest benefits is that the fibre ceiling tiles can be removed without damage to the false ceiling system and the items above the false ceiling can still be maintained whenever necessary.

Features:

• Very good heat insulators
• Excellent sound absorption
• Superior moisture resistance
• Better fire resistance
• Easy Installation
• Good light reflectance
• Special anti-sag property
• Low on Budget

Wooden False Ceiling:

If we consider the appeal factor in traditional style interior design, nothing beats the splendour of wooden false ceilings. These are suitable for all kinds of settings, giving a unique distinctive feel to the place. The wooden false ceiling is commonly used in places with cooler climate as it provides greater insulation.

Features:

• Very good insulation
• Heavy
• Fairly higher budget required

Metal Ceiling:

This variety of false ceiling is appropriate for a large range of applications and is ideal for concealing ducts and wiring. The metal ceiling boards or panels are mounted either on steel cross sections or T- sections and suspended using rods.

Features:

• Easy to install and access
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Soundproof material
• Fire and moisture resistant (Water proof)
• Economical

Synthetic Leather Ceiling:

Synthetic Leather Ceilings are a new variety of false ceiling with a resemblance just like original leather. In venues that have a tendency to get too loud, this is the ideal type of false ceiling to use because of their excellent noise absorption property. Not just on the ceiling, these synthetic leather tiles are excellent for use on the walls of the room too. These are ideal for use in home theatres, movie theatres, game rooms, libraries, pubs, hotels, restaurants, conference rooms etc. The added advantage is the splendid grandeur with an aesthetic appeal.

Features:

• Light weight
• Excellent sound absorption
• Water resistant
• Fire resistant
• Easy installation

Cloth Ceiling:

Cloth or fabric false ceiling tiles provide high acoustic absorption and find immense use in conference halls and theatres. These false ceiling tiles are accessible in a wide range of fabric colors and of customized thickness. They are designed to be conveniently placed into typical suspended T-bar grid systems. Another variant of cloth false ceiling is adorning of drapes or other patterns of cloth on the ceiling, giving a royal touch to the setting. This not only adds on to the ambiance of the place but also provides good acoustic absorption.

Features:

• Light weight
• Excellent sound absorption
• Easy installation

Armstrong Tiles False Ceiling:

Armstrong false ceiling tiles are mineral fibre tiles that can be directly attached to a ceiling. With a humongous variety of stylish patterns, Armstrong offers a vivacious range of designs to choose from, enabling you to find the false ceiling design that works best with your design. These tiles are an affordable way to add magnificence and appeal to any living space.

Features:

• Non-Directional and fine Texture
• Good Acoustical Performance
• Higher water resistance and fireproof
• Good Light Reflectance
• Easy maintenance
• Easy Installation

PVC False Ceiling:

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) false ceiling is also a popular false ceiling idea which is suitable for all types of environment or climate. It is one of the easiest to install and hassle free false ceilings.

Features:

• Allows different shapes and customized designs
• Moisture-resistant (Waterproof)
• Durable
• Economical
• Low maintenance
• Light weight

What do we recommend?

As with any structure, well maintained and long-lasting false ceilings are possible when the following are taken into consideration:

• Proper construction and maintenance of the false ceiling with time.
• Selection of appropriate false ceiling material bearing in mind the environment in which the false ceiling is constructed as well as climatic considerations.
• Suitable floor to ceiling height.

It is recommended to discuss lighting and piping details with your interior designer before the false ceiling is installed. As with ordinary concrete ceilings where wiring and piping installed behind ceilings are difficult to modify once the ceiling is installed, the same holds true with false ceilings. Also, don’t forget to keep in mind the Dos and Dont’s with regard to your selection of false ceiling. Bear in mind the weight it can bear, the general cleaning procedure, etc.