Different types of False Ceiling options.
Different types of False Ceiling options, this is the topic of the blogpost.
In recent times false ceiling has become a very compulsory product in any interiors. Whenever, you want to give an exclusive look to any home interiors, you will like to go for a designer or an exclusive false ceiling. There are different types of false ceiling options available in the market.
Originally the concept of false ceiling started when various service lines that are given in the ceiling needs to be covered for better ambience.
The following supply lines are provided in the ceiling in commercial building.
- Fire Safety System.
- Air Conditioning lines.
- Cooling Ducts.
- Cables and Wires.
In homes and flats the electrical wiring is provided under the false ceiling and the false ceiling is installed to install decorative and beautiful lights. This enhances the overall ambience and design of the flat or home. For better designed homes, other safety lines may also be installed under the false ceiling.
Following are the few different type of false ceiling options available in Indian market.
- POP false ceiling
- Gypsum board false ceiling.
- PVC false ceiling.
- Soffit false ceiling.
- Calcium silicate false ceiling.
- Mineral fiber tile false ceiling.
- Cement board false ceiling.
- Stretch fabric false ceiling.
This article will be of great help while deciding upon the type of false ceiling in your space.
We will talk briefly about each type of false ceiling below:
POP false ceiling.
Pop means Plaster of Paris. Plaster of Paris is a very fine powder which has the properties of fast setting. You can create any design shape or structure till the time the pop is wet. The property of fast setting of POP is very helpful in creating beautiful designs in a pop false ceiling.
After finishing the work of POP false ceiling, the technician can rub the false ceiling with emery paper and create a very smooth surface. The fine and smooth surface of POP false ceiling can be further finished by applying chalk mitti and then rubbing the top surface once again. A coat of primer paint is required to give a even better look to the false ceiling. After applying the primer coat, the actual paint can be applied on POP false ceiling. The designer clan play with the designs by applying different type of colours in the false ceiling. The concealed lights and light fixtures can create magic in POP false ceiling.
It has been seen that in homes, flats or residential applications POP false ceiling is preferred by designer. The reason behind selecting pop for false ceiling is the convenience of creating different type of look, feel, angles and designs in the false ceiling.
Disadvantage of using POP false ceiling
- The understructure of P o P false ceiling can rust as water is used to make the mixture of pop material.
- The pop false ceiling structure can become very heavy when a very complicated design has been created on it.
- There has been instances of POP false ceiling falling down and creating accidents.
- POP false ceiling can generate cracks which are difficult to repair. Even if repaired they may recure in some other place due to structural changes and expension and contraction.
- We have to paint the top surface of POP false ceiling. This is an additional cost. However you cannot save this cost in POP false ceiling and gypsum board false ceiling or false ceiling created by using different types of boards.
We will be talking about different types of boards which can be used for false ceiling later in the article.
Gypsum board false ceiling
Gypsum boards are made using gypsum powder as raw material. The look and feel of gypsum board false ceiling is almost similar to pop false ceiling. However we cannot create complicated and round or don’t safe designs using gypsum board. Gypsum board can create only straight line designs in false ceiling. Minor bends and turns can be created definitely by bending the gypsum board.
The process of installing gypsum board false ceiling is a bit similar to pop false ceiling. A metal structure is created before installing gypsum boards on the structure. It should be taken care that the understructure is of very good quality and there is minimum possibility of expansion contraction or rusting. The screws and bolts must be firmly installed so that any possibility of accident or sagging of false ceiling is avoided.
The actual design is plant and executed in the structure itself. After the structure has been created as per design the gypsum boards are installed fixed using screws on the metal under structure. The joints are covered using tapes and Gypsum compound. The process of sealing the joints must be done in a very professional way. This jointing needs to be done multiple times so that the gypsum board false ceiling does not create crats and joint expansion. The user most ensure that the manufacturers instruction of covering the joints of gypsum board has been followed properly by the installing agency.
Gypsum board false ceiling is the cheapest false ceiling option available in the market. This type of false ceiling using gypsum board can complete your project much faster in comparison to pop false ceiling.
Disadvantages of gypsum board false ceiling.
- If not done properly the joints can expand and some cracks can be visible in the gypsum board ceiling.
- For accessing the area behind the false ceiling you have to remove the gypsum board or the gypsum board needs to be broken. It becomes difficult to repair the broken gypsum board area and may leave some unbulation at that point where the repair has been carried out.
- The gypsum board false ceiling can get damaged due to water seepage or some AC leakage is there from behind the false ceiling.
- Only straight line designs can be created on gypsum board false ceiling. Miner bands are possible but the design which can be done in pop cannot be done in gypsum board false ceiling.
- The gypsum board false ceiling needs to be painted which is an additional cost.
PVC false ceiling.
PVC false ceilings are created using PVC panels. PVC means plastic. Plastic panels up to the length of 10 feet by 8 to 10 inches are available in the market. 20 PVC panels are printed in wooden and different type of designs. The availability of designs on this PVC panel is very white and you can create any look and feel of your false ceiling. Installation of PVC false ceiling is easier in comparison to pop and gypsum board false ceiling.
The installation process of PVC false ceiling is started by creating a light understructure of GI sections. The PVC panels are then installed over the GI section. Wherever possible the PVC panels are directly installed on the ceiling, where the ceiling is does not have much undulations.
The PVC false ceiling panels are pre-finished and there is no need to paint or reefness the surface of this material. Ends the user saves on paint. It is very easy and less time consuming to do false ceiling using PVC panels. Two panels when installed side by side will give a very fine and beautiful finish. Only challenge is where the length of the panel ends. We have to install a profile to flush and finish the joints of the length of two PVC panels meeting each other.
Disadvantages of PVC false ceiling
- PVC means plastic and plastic maybe toxic or harmful for human health. This concern is very valid if the raw material is of very low price range.
- In Indian market the PVC panels are normally imported from China. The thickness and quality of PVC panels are very thin and light which tend to crack very fast.
- The maximum length of one panel is around 10 feet, hence there will be multiple joints after every 10 feet which may look bad. However profiles and beadings are available to flush these joints.
Soffit False Ceiling
Soffit false ceiling is also a PVC false ceiling. The difference between PVC false ceiling and Soffit False ceiling is that the quality of the plastic is much better in soffit false ceiling, in comparison to PVC false ceiling. The plastic material used in soffit false ceiling is excluded plastic which is very strong and serves for a much longer period of time.
The process of installation of Soffit false ceiling is similar to that of PVC false ceiling. A structure is created and then the Soffit false ceiling is installed on the base structure. The soffit panels gets interlock with one another giving a seamless look and feel. For the problem where the length of the panels ends, there will be a joint which needs to be flushed or hidden using a joint profile. At the ends and corners, corner and end profiles are required to give a beautiful look. This product can be easily installed outdoors as the quality of panels is very good and can bear the heat, cold and water of exterior weather conditions. The user can easily wash these panels. The Soffit false ceiling can also be installed inside the bathrooms if required. There are many different colours available, the majority of colours are in wooden shades. Lately new colours are also being launched by the sofit false ceiling manufacturing companies like Vox and Parre.
Disadvantages of Soffit False Ceiling.
- The panels can get soft if exposed to very hot weather conditions.
- There will be a joint where the length of the profit panels and which needs to be flush and finished using joint profiles.
- The user cannot change the colour of the false ceiling, the colour once installed will remain the same forever.
- Limited Colour options.
- Plasticy look.
Calcium silicate false ceiling.
Calcium Silicate False Ceiling have two options – a) Calcium Silicate Board b) Calcium Silicate Tiles.
Calcium silicate board is a product which is very strong. due to the content of calcium the board becomes antibacterial anti fungal and also enhances the thermal transmission capacity. in other words wherever we install calcium silicate board as false ceiling this helps in maintaining the room temperature. in tropical areas or countries where the summers are very hot this false ceiling helps in keeping the indoor species cooler.
calcium silicate boards do not get damaged due to termite attack and also are safe from water seepage. the board does not get easily damaged if there is some water seepage in the false ceiling.
After installing a calcium silicate board false ceiling the finished surface can be painted by finishing and smoothening the board with the help of putty. any shade or texture can be created on the false ceiling.
disadvantages of calcium silicate board false ceiling
- The calcium silicate boards are very heavy which leads to the risk of an accident in the case of the false ceiling falling off.
- Due to the texture and composition of calcium silicate board the joints may get crack due to expansion and contraction in the long run.
Mineral fiber tile false ceiling.
Mineral fibre false ceiling is the most popular type of false ceiling material in offices and commercial spaces. The false ceiling tiles made of mineral fibre are very light in weight and enhance the acoustics of the room or hall where these fall ceilings are installed.
Mineral fibre false ceilings are mainly used for reducing the noise of a space. The mineral fibre false ceiling tiles do a perfect job where we want to improve the acoustics and reduce the noise.
These tiles come in the size of 2 feet by 2 feet or 2 feet by 4 feet and can give a very neat and classic look to any commercial space. these fall ceiling tiles provide a proper space and design to add light fixtures to the ceiling.
it is very easy to install matching and good looking light fixtures in this ceiling. in addition to this this false ceiling helps in improving the light reflectance in any space where this type of fall ceiling is installed.
Disadvantages of Mineral Fibre false ceiling.
- the tiles are very fragile and can break easily.
- these tiles easily get damaged when it comes in contact with water.
- may get shagged in humid areas.
- the corners and edges get easily damaged.
- the tiles when they get damaged cannot be repaired or repainted.
Cement Board False Ceiling.
The cement board is mainly used for drywall partition walls. In special cases cement boards are also used as false ceiling material.
Stretch Fabric False Ceiling
Fabric stretch ceilings are decorative false ceilings. Stretchable fabric is mounted on the ceiling with the help of fabric holding clamps in the perimeter. The stretchable fabric then hangs straight through The Ceiling and gives a very beautiful look to your ceiling. to enhance the look and design, lightings can be fixed under the fabric on the ceiling. Very exclusive and beautiful designs can be printed on the fabric to further enhance and give an exclusive look to the area.
Disadvantage of Stretch Fabric False Ceiling
- The fabric of the stretch ceiling needs to protected from sharp objects.
- The price of Stretch Ceiing is relatively higher than anyother type of False Ceiling.
- Tools and Equipments are required for installation and removal of Stretch Ceiling.
- The new and fresh Stretch Ceiling may transmit fumes and smells of the solvent and inks used for printing the stretch ceiling.
- In Humid areas the fabric of the stretch ceiling may attract fungus and bacteria.
Will be gradually updating this information.
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