Is there a suspended ceiling in the bathroom: advice from the experts

We analyze the pros and cons of suspended ceilings in the bathroom

Features Pros and cons Varieties How to choose How to care

The most popular type of bathroom top design is stretch fabrics. Their popularity is explained by their excellent consumer qualities, affordable cost and a huge number of model options. And if what you need is not in the catalogs offered, then it can always be made to order, resulting in an exclusive room design. With all its advantages, this finish also has disadvantages that you need to be aware of at the beginning of the renovation. We'll tell you what the pros and cons of suspended ceilings in the bathroom are.

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How much does the ceiling drop in the case of other ceiling structures (for reference)

• The suspended ceiling will drop to the same distance as the suspended ceiling - 5 cm without overhead light, 6-10 cm with a chandelier and built-in lamps.
• A suspended panel ceiling with side lighting and fastening metal guides to the wall with liquid nails will eat up only 3.5 cm of space. In overhead light - standard 6-10 cm.
• Slatted ceiling - the shortest distance to the ceiling is 3-4 cm.
• The hemming option for finishing the ceiling space will take 3-4 cm off the ceiling height.
• Glue ceiling – about 1 cm.

Design Features

High competition among manufacturers of ceiling coverings leads to a constant improvement in the quality and aesthetic properties of their products, as well as a reduction in their prices. This finish is used in all living rooms, including bathrooms, where high humidity and temperature fluctuations create problems for other types of coatings. Unlike hanging models, tension ones do not significantly reduce the height of the room. Their installation is quick and depends on the complexity of the design, the number of levels and the shape of the room. Installation is quite simple, but to avoid unforeseen situations, it is better to entrust this matter to specialists.

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Advantages and disadvantages of technology

A suspended ceiling in a bathroom is a long-term investment that pays off in the first years of operation. Whatever material is used to make the linen, it has moisture-repellent properties, so it feels great in the humid microclimate of a sanitary room. The minimum price for 1 square meter of stretch ceiling is 250-300 rubles; more complex canvases, the design of which contains a drawing or pattern, can be purchased for 500-700 rubles.

The advantages of this method of finishing the ceiling are:

• Speed ​​and accuracy of installation. Specialized teams are invited to install suspended ceilings, since installation requires special equipment. They complete a bathroom ceiling of an average size in 3-4 hours, after which the room can be used immediately. After installation, there is no debris or dust left; you don’t even have to cover furniture and plumbing with film.
• Long service life. Cheap coatings made in China can be used for at least 15 years with high-quality installation. More expensive ceilings from Germany or France last even longer.
• Easy to care for. During the entire period of operation, stretch ceilings do not require special care, maintaining their original appearance. They are cleaned from dirt with a regular soap solution.
• Fresh design. With the help of multi-level ceilings with different colors and textures, and lighting, finishers bring to life original design projects that make the bathroom a real masterpiece.

Experienced craftsmen note that one of the most important advantages of suspended ceilings is that to install such a structure, you do not need to first remove the old coating from the surface, clean it, or level it. Moreover, they allow you to hide communications or wiring under the canvas.

Professional finishers draw attention to the fact that installing tension fabric in the bathroom “eats up” 10-15 centimeters of space . Therefore, this technology is rarely used in rooms with low ceilings. In addition, remember that sharp objects easily cut through the canvas, compromising the integrity of the waterproofing layer, worsening the appearance of the coating.

Is it worth making a suspended ceiling in the bathroom?

Arguments for"

Models are selected based on their quality and appearance. The positive aspects of using this type of finish include:

• environmental friendliness - even at high temperatures the material does not emit toxic substances;
• hygiene - bacteria and fungi do not take root on the surface, so it is not susceptible to rotting and a healthy atmosphere is always maintained in the bathroom;
• ease of maintenance - due to the antistatic properties, dust and dirt do not stick to the surface, thanks to this, maintaining cleanliness is not difficult, especially since the coating does not require special cleaning agents;
• speed of installation - within one day, and the structure can be installed after finishing the walls and floor, since there will be no construction waste;
• durability - with proper installation and operation, the ceiling will last from 15 to 25 years (the warranty period varies among different manufacturers);
• moisture resistance - condensation on the surface does not leave streaks or marks, but simply dries;
• impenetrable to water - in case of leaks from neighbors above, the rest of the repair will not be affected, it will be enough to simply drain the water;
• masking construction deficiencies of interfloor slabs and height differences;
• fire safety - the film does not burn, but melts;
• compatibility with any type of wall and floor decoration.

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From an aesthetic point of view, the advantages of choosing such canvases include:

• a wide range of surface designs - one-color or two-color, white or colored, with photo printing, one or several levels;
• the ability to optically increase the height of the room and its illumination by choosing a glossy type of canvas;
• creating the effect of a “floating” ceiling through the use of LED strips;
• absence of connecting seams due to the large width of the roll (up to 5 m);
• the ability to hide utility lines, sound and heat insulation.

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Arguments against"

Like any material, this type of finish also has disadvantages:

• cost - when choosing this type of finishing, you pay not only for the material itself, but also for the installation work. However, a long, trouble-free service life compensates for this disadvantage. Having installed it once, you can forget about repairs for many years, updating only the walls or floor;
• vulnerability to punctures and cuts - for all its elasticity and resilience, the film is afraid of sharp objects, and small punctures can quickly expand into large holes due to surface tension. Not all cuts can be repaired, only those located near the edge. An additional lamp can be made at the site of a small puncture. In other cases, you have to change the entire ceiling;
• restrictions when choosing lamps - the material is afraid of strong heat (above 60 degrees), so it is recommended to choose LED or halogen lamps.

All of the listed shortcomings can be solved one way or another, resulting in a perfectly flat, smooth surface that will delight you with its appearance for many years.

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How far does a suspended ceiling fall during installation?

The installers prepared perfectly for the advertising campaign - they theoretically substantiated their statement, backing up the words with perfectly executed diagrams. In accordance with the drawing that they show to future customers (shown below), with a harpoon ceiling mounting system, the height of the room is minimally reduced by 35 mm.

Harpoon fastening of the canvas.

This is due to the height of the profile to which the canvas is attached (professionals call it a baguette, sometimes a cornice). It is made from plastic or aluminum. Considering that metal adheres better to the wall and holds the canvas, it is better to immediately abandon plastic.

Wall molding for harpoon tension system.

A baguette for a wedge (plaster, clip) has different dimensions - it is smaller. And here the interests of the performing company come into conflict: on the one hand, it very often wants to avoid installing a stretch ceiling under a clip-on fastening system due to the lack of high-quality performers, on the other hand, it seeks to show the potential customer that the reduction in the height of the apartment with such a baguette will be minimal . Theoretically, how much height does a suspended ceiling with plaster fastening take up? Only 3.0 cm.

Dimensions of the baguette for clip-on (wedge-shaped) fastening of the canvas.

If the height of the room does not allow the use of wall mounting of baguettes - the ceiling drops too low, an option for ceiling mounting of baguettes will be offered. How much does a suspended ceiling eat when the profile is mounted in this way? With a wedge-shaped fastening system 1 cm, harpoon - 2 cm.

Harpoon fastening system.

The given schemes are purely theoretical. However, life and theory take different paths.

Types of stretch fabrics

To the question whether it is possible to install a suspended ceiling in the bathroom, the answer will be in the affirmative. But in order to choose the right type, you need to understand their modifications.

They come in two types: film and fabric. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film is waterproof and can protect against leaks from above. In this case, the corner of the canvas is dismantled, the water is drained and the film is fixed back, maintaining its original appearance. The surface is not afraid of steam and does not become damp during bath procedures. Drops of water simply roll down or dry out, leaving no trace on the surface. At the same time, the color does not change throughout the entire service life. During installation, the film is heated with special guns, stretched and secured to profiles located along the walls.

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The fabric consists of a weave of polymer fibers. Thanks to this, it allows air to pass through and provides natural ventilation to the ceiling slab. This reduces the risk of mold. Fabric ceilings do not require heating during installation, so you can install them yourself. However, such fabric is vulnerable to moisture, which is not very good in a bathroom where there is a high level of humidity. Therefore, film varieties are most often installed in bathrooms.

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If the height of the bathroom allows, you can make a multi-level design. It can be plain or contrasting. At each level, you can install lamps that highlight the differences in height.

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How to choose color and style

The opinion of designers is clear: in small bathrooms, plain linens . In a small space, any bright decor can create disharmony. The ceiling is not as often paid attention to as the walls. But it should unite and emphasize the design of the room. This is best accomplished with monochromatic films.

Color selection

The range of color and decorative solutions for canvases is extremely wide. This is true for glossy and matte films and fabrics. Basically, the color of the ceiling is chosen based on two options:

• to match the interior or finishing material;
• in contrast.

There is a third, neutral option, suitable for any style and color scheme of the room. These are white film and fabric canvases, matte and glossy. This is the standard choice for office and public spaces. White color wins in several ways:

• increases the intensity of natural or artificial lighting;
• provides a calm environment;
• minimizes defects in wall finishing.

The white suspended ceiling in the bathroom goes well with ceramics and faience plumbing equipment. If you have doubts about choosing a color, you can stop at this decision.

The stylish design will be emphasized by a black stretch ceiling , with which the bathroom will become ultra-modern. But this choice is possible only if black is present in the decoration and furnishings of the room. Contrasting tones are inherent in the laconic high-tech style.

Lighting selection

At the stage of planning finishing and facing work, the question inevitably arises: is it possible to decorate suspended ceilings in the bathroom with powerful lamps , which ones and in what quantity. In order to avoid mistakes, follow two rules.

1. Less powerful lamps are installed in film canvases than in fabric ones. This is due to the fact that the former are less resistant to heat and can become deformed when exposed to heat.
2. It is safe to install three types of lighting fixtures in a suspended ceiling for a bathroom: energy-saving, LED, halogen.

Attention! Regardless of the type of lighting device chosen, its power should not exceed 60 W.

Tips for choosing a ceiling

To harmoniously fit a tensile structure into the bathroom interior, you need to choose the right texture and color. According to the degree of gloss of the material, they are divided into glossy, satin and matte.

Glossy ones have the most reflective surface. For small bathrooms, it is better to choose this type, as they will add light and volume to the room. This is an undeniable advantage, but when choosing lighting fixtures, you need to make allowances for the fact that the surface will reflect their light. The most suitable type is built-in lamps.

Satin has a noble silky shine, but is inferior to gloss in terms of reflection.

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Matte ones do not shine, so there are no restrictions on their use. They fit into any interior without distracting attention. Photo printing looks good on canvases of this type - extra glare does not distort the picture, allowing you to see it in all details. Fans of non-standard solutions will like panels imitating marble, wood, leather, plaster or silk.

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The color is chosen according to the taste of the owner, taking into account the rest of the decoration of the room. The general rule is that warm colors (yellow, orange, red) optically make the room smaller. Cold (blue, green, purple), on the contrary, increases it. Classic white suits any style.

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Pastel colors (sand, light green, pink, light gray) are suitable for small spaces. The traditional design of bathrooms in a water theme allows the use of blue-green tones (blue, turquoise, emerald) in the decoration. Dark shades hide height, so they are recommended to be used in spacious rooms.

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Bright rich colors are used in the bathroom with caution so as not to create emotional tension in a small enclosed room. The ceiling should be thoughtfully combined with the rest of the room's design. You can make one wall an accent, decorating it to match the top, and leave the rest neutral for the background.

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Reasons for lowering the ceiling

In reality, the above diagrams are not used (they are needed only for demonstration purposes), since there are many factors that make it possible to stretch the ceiling in comfortable conditions. The companies that install the ceiling are well aware of this, but they talk about it after signing the contract.

1. Reducing the height of the apartment by just 1-2 cm will not work. Two reasons: Two reasons:

• The building construction methods used do not provide perfectly flat ceiling surfaces. They always have a difference in height, which is not noticeable under water-based paint. A stretched film of any texture immediately emphasizes this drawback. The distortion of floor panels under polyester is less noticeable, especially under artificial lighting. During the day, all the irregularities are visible;
• One of the reasons for stretching the canvas under the ceiling space is the emerging possibility of installing built-in lamps. Here overhead lighting is excluded.

Conclusion: it is better to avoid attaching baguettes to the ceiling.

2. No one explains how to attach baguettes if the customer agrees to the theoretical option. The fact is that it will not be possible to drive the dowels under the screws into the wall at a distance of 1-2 cm from the ceiling.

You need to drill a hole, and the center of the drill from the top point of the body of the hammer drill or electric drill is at a distance of 4 cm, which is clearly visible in the photo below. This means that the hole will be drilled 4 cm below the ceiling. Part of the baguette must be added to this figure. As a result, the canvas will stretch at a distance of 5-6 cm from the ceiling (5 cm - clip fastening, 6 cm - harpoon fastening).

Hammer.

Some authors of materials on the Internet suggest drilling holes at an angle, which will minimize the lowering of the blade. This option can only be found within apartment walls, albeit with difficulties. They do not explain how to drill the walls on which the ceilings lie.

The fact is that the hole in this case runs along the top edge of the concrete panel or brickwork. In such cases, the concrete can withstand the drill and not peel off with a 50/50 probability. The brick just crumbles. Even if you managed to screw self-tapping screws into the concrete, they will not hold up for long - the concrete will peel off, since each hardware is subject to a load of 50 kg.

3. A two-level ceiling reduces the height of the apartment. Minimum 10 cm, when installing lamps - 15-20 cm.

4. The installation of overhead lamps eats up the volume of the apartment. Built-in LED light sources take up little space in the ceiling space - just 6-7 cm is enough (see figure). For more powerful lighting fixtures, up to 10 cm of ceiling space is required.

Installation diagram of the built-in lamp.

For example, chandeliers are hung in different capacities. For simple options (3-8 horns), a light hook and 5-6 cm are sufficient, but for heavy ones, for example, the German Cascade T522-PT40x100-G (Maytoni), you need a more reliable hook and up to 10 cm of inter-ceiling space.

5. The presence of communications also reduces the height of the room.

How to care for canvas

In order for the suspended ceiling to retain its original appearance for a long time, you need to follow certain rules for cleaning it. Since the material is vulnerable to mechanical stress, hard bristled brushes or abrasive scourers should not be used. It is also not recommended to use detergents based on acids and alkalis.

To safely clean stretched fabrics, you need a soft sponge or damp cloth. You can take a special composition for this type of surface or use ordinary household products: soap solution, mirror and glass cleaner.

conclusions

The optimal value by which the height of the room will decrease when stretching a film or fabric sheet at one level is 5.0 cm when attaching a baguette to the wall. The minimum distance of the tension fabric from the ceiling is ensured by the ceiling molding - 2-3 cm.

But in this case, it not only preserves, but emphasizes the lack of a perfectly flat surface at the ceiling. Considering that floor panels always have a skew (slope), it is better not to consider the option of ceiling mounting at all.

When determining the stretch ceiling line, the following should be taken into account:

• type of lighting;
• type of lamps;
• difference in height of the ceiling base;
• the presence of communications in the interceiling space.

Thus, there is no definite answer to how much the suspended ceiling is lowered during installation. Here it is necessary to take into account the influence of a whole group of factors.

Bathroom Features

The bathroom is without a doubt the wettest room in the apartment. In most apartment buildings, a standard hood simply cannot cope with removing the entire volume of moisture from this room, especially if several people live in the apartment. In such conditions, the appearance of condensation on pipes, walls and ceilings is inevitable. Condensation, in turn, favors the development of mold and mildew, which leads to the need for periodic repairs in the bathroom. In such a situation, it is important to select materials for finishing the bathroom that would be maximally adapted to these conditions.

Although the bathroom is not a public space, it is nevertheless definitely visited by all guests of your apartment. Therefore, its interior decoration will also affect the overall impression of the apartment. Naturally, the ceiling covering will definitely attract attention, and every owner cares not only about the durability and practicality of the materials he intends to use, but also about their aesthetic qualities. PVC stretch ceilings are ideally suited for this difficult task.