8 tips on how to choose and glue the foam polystyrene ceiling tiles

Contents

1. №1.What is a ceiling polystyrene?
2. №2.Advantages and disadvantages
3. №3.The main types of polystyrene foam tiles
4. №4.Surface Type
5. №5.Seamless ceiling tile
6. №6.What else to consider when choosing?
7. №7.The best manufacturers of expanded polystyrene plates
8. №8.Do-it-yourself installation of expanded polystyrene tiles

Beautiful, inexpensive and easy-to-install ceiling finishing material - is it a myth or a reality? All these qualities boasts ceiling tiles made of polystyrene foam, a material that conquers with its diversity and low price. We understand the advantages and features of the choice of ceiling foam polystyrene, as well as learn the basic principles of installation.

№1.What is a ceiling polystyrene?

Decorative tiles are made from polystyrene, which foams during heating. During production, flame retardants and carbon dioxide are added to the material, substances that increase the resistance to high temperatures. A tile of expanded polystyrene, made in a similar way, although melted under the influence of fire, still shows itself better than regular foam. By the way, you can also find ceiling foam plates for sale: they are not only less safe, but also more rough in appearance.

markings indicate the presence of flame retardants in the composition of the plates: domestic manufacturers add the letter C, foreign - F.

In size, shape, color and appearance, the material can be very different. On sale you can find tile square, rectangular and design forms. The surface can imitate decorative plaster in the style of country or refined stucco in the style of Baroque. The classic color of the tile is white, but color variants and products with a mirrored and laminated surface are also sold. Standard sizes are 50 * 50 and 100 * 16.5 cm, but there are also other formats.

№2.Advantages and disadvantages of

Foamed polystyrene ceiling tiles are among the most popular finishing materials. Buyers appreciate it for numerous advantages of :

• affordable price .In this regard, the tile can become a competitor, even ordinary painting. The most expensive designs with exquisite designs, which generally do not allow at first glance to determine what the ceiling is made of, will cost much less than, for example, a system of suspended or suspended ceilings;
• ease of installation .You can cope with sticking ceiling tiles on your own, without any special skills. Given the low price of the material, it can be called an ideal choice if the budget for repairs is limited;
• a large variety of .You can find both the simplest white tile with a plain pattern, and the material, which very closely follows the structure of wood or stone, can be found on the market; therefore, you can arrange any interior with the help of ceiling tiles. White tile can be painted in any desired shade;
• additional thermal and sound insulation premises;
• resistance to temperature extremes and high humidity, so the tile can be used even in the bathroom;
• tile does not steal height, unlike stretch and suspended ceilings. In addition, it hides small irregularities and cracks that would necessarily have to be removed when painting;
• expanded polystyrene - although not a natural material, but does not carry any particular danger. He does not emit harmful substances under normal operating conditions, unless, of course, he is of high quality and has all safety certificates. Dangerous tile becomes at high temperatures, i.e.during a fire;
• is easy to care for; it can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or a damp sponge;
• high maintainability .If part of the ceiling is damaged, then several old elements are easily replaced with new ones, so always take a tile with a margin.

Now about the disadvantages of :

• low durability and ability to turn yellow with time, and the process is accelerated if direct sunlight constantly falls on the surface;
• tiles are easily damaged by tobacco smoke, grease and soot, so they are not recommended to use it in the kitchen;
• constant temperature drops can lead to some elements falling off, but this is only if poor-quality glue was chosen for installation;
• expanded polystyrene is a rather delicate material, so be careful when transporting and installing it;
• polystyrene tile is not very resistant to fire, and even when impregnated with flame retardants can ignite, releasing toxic substances. To be safe, it is better not to place the lamp very close to the ceiling. Such precautions, moreover, will prevent the yellow stains from the lamp from appearing on the material;
• should be extremely careful when cleaning the surface - too wet sponge or using a rough brush can cause the tiles to peel off.

Experts convince us that truly high-quality ceiling tiles due to the use of additives will not turn yellow for a long time and almost does not support combustion. Diligent manufacturers say that all the myths that prevail among the people, caused by the abundance of poor-quality products on the counter, and advised to always ask for a certificate of conformity. Sometimes we ourselves are to blame for the fact that the experience of using polystyrene foam turns out to be negative. Speech is not only in the choice of low-quality tiles, but also in the wrong selection of glue, on which much also depends.

Expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles can be used in almost any room. It is undesirable to just glue it in the kitchen, and for the nursery you can still find other material.

№3.The main types of polystyrene foam tiles

According to the type of production, ceiling expanded polystyrene is of the following types:

• stamped or pressed;
• extruded;
• injection.

is used for stamping plates by placing polystyrene foam blocks in special shapes and then squeezing them. The result is products with the most simple and not very embossed patterns, small thickness( about 6-8 mm) and very fragile. Since such plates are not covered with a protective layer, they absorb dirt and are difficult to clean. The main advantage is the price.

Extruded panels are considered the strongest, most durable, reliable and moisture resistant. The material is produced by hot extrusion of raw material strips. As a result, tiles come out with a slight graininess and almost smooth dense surface, due to which it becomes possible to apply a decorative coating. Such panels can be simply white and have complex patterns, or they can imitate the surface of a tree of any kind or stone. Due to the high density, minimal porosity and impregnation of water-repellent compositions, the material receives sufficient resistance to moisture. It is extruded tiles that can be seamless, which we will discuss below.

. Injection foam polystyrene is produced by filling the raw material into a mold and sintering it under high temperature. The result is a product with a precise geometry and a clear relief pattern, the thickness of the plates is 9-14 mm. Such panels are well tolerated by moisture, perfectly retain noise and heat, they are quite durable and feature a large variety of patterns. Due to the intricate ornament and good performance, such plates are sometimes even used for wall decoration. Often, injection panels are produced with imitation of leather, wood, fabric, ceramics.

№4.Surface Type

In terms of diversity, polystyrene ceiling tiles eclipse many other finishing materials. According to the type of surface, the entire range presented can be divided into the following types:

• plain white tile , which, if desired, can be painted in any suitable shade;
• mono colored tiles;
• laminated tile .Due to the thin film that is applied on top of polystyrene, you can imitate any kind of wood, stone and other noble materials. The film allows you to make tile more resistant to moisture and dirt, as well as simplify the process of cleaning;
• mirror tile is characterized by the presence of a thin mirror layer. Such products are exclusive design options and are perfect for arranging small spaces, as they visually expand the space. The only exception is the bedroom, where the mirrored ceiling is inappropriate.

In shape, the tile can be square, rectangular, diamond-shaped, there is also an irregular tile.design form.

№5.

Seamless Ceiling Tile Seamless tiles should be highlighted separately. Many are embarrassed that during installation seams are formed. If you glue ordinary tiles and act neatly, they will be almost imperceptible, but if you are a perfectionist who wants to get a monolithic surface, then you will like seamless tiles.

The main feature of the material is a special processing of edges, due to which the seams will be minimally noticeable. As a rule, the manufacturer on the packaging attaches the installation scheme, and if you follow it exactly, you can get a perfect holistic ceiling surface.

№6.What else to consider when choosing?

When choosing polystyrene foam tiles, it is very important to personally see and evaluate the quality of the material:

• tile edges should be smooth and not crumble. If you choose square or rectangular tiles, the corners should be clearly straight;
• all grain tiles must be the same;
• all tiles must be of the same size, because discrepancies of a few millimeters will not allow for good joining of elements and surface integrity;
• quality tiles must have sufficient strength to withstand their weight. Check it out easily. It should take a tile at one angle: this operation should not lead to the appearance of cracks.

According to , the shape and size of tiles can be any. The most popular is a square tile with a size of 50 * 50 cm, 30 * 30 cm and a rectangular 100 * 16.5 cm. It is easy to calculate the required amount of material .First of all, it is necessary to know the surface area to be finished. It should be divided by the area of ​​the material in the package. For example, if you take a large square tile, then its packaging is usually 8 pieces or 2m2.If the ceiling area is 17 m2, then it is worth taking 9 packages, better at 10-11: a small margin will not be superfluous, it will come in handy during repairs, especially during installation and trimming, part of the tiles can be damaged. It is better to take a stock of material 15-20%.

№7.The best manufacturers of expanded polystyrene plates

The best quality guarantee is the name of the manufacturer. In order to protect yourself, it is worth looking in the direction of products of famous companies that value their reputation. Among the largest manufacturers of it is worth noting:

• Armstrong is a company that produces both the most common and fairly non-standard tiles. Performance in any case at a height;
• Ormit - a German-made tile, characterized by high moisture-resistant qualities, a wide range of sizes and colors;
• Antares - lets in all types of plates, the color scale is various. Also produces baseboards and corners;
• Matrix - Chinese-made tile of small thickness. The main advantage is the low price;
• Angara - another Chinese manufacturer with an attractive pricing policy, produces panels with a thickness of no more than 8 mm.

When buying tiles, in any case it is better to make sure that quality certificates are available.

№8.Do-it-yourself installation of polystyrene foam tiles

One of the main and most important advantages of the material is its ease of installation, but the preparatory work should be given maximum attention.

The preparation of the ceiling is done as follows:

• removes the old finish. Wallpaper can be pre-soak, then they can be easily removed with a spatula. It is more difficult to paint - it will have to be heated with a building hairdryer or treated with a special solvent. If the ceiling was plastered, then remove the finish will not have to. True, it is necessary to reveal the weak points with the help of light tapping with a hammer and in the next stage fix them;
• cleaned ceiling cleaned from dust and dirt;
• priming the surface and sealing cracks, holes and other defects, if any. Ideally for this purpose, putty is suitable, which after drying is sanded with emery paper. The smoother the surface, the more accurate the ceiling will be. In the presence of strong irregularities, the tile will be deformed, loosely held and will soon come off;
• when the ceiling is dry, you can start to sticky.

Another difficulty when sticking polystyrene foam tiles is to mark up and install the first elements correctly. There are two markup options:

• direct .It involves the installation of tiles parallel to the walls. Since the geometry of the room can be imperfect, and the non-integral parts of the tiles are better placed along the edges, special markings are made, and installation is done from the center of the room. Diagonals are drawn from opposite corners of the room, for this you can use cords. The place of their intersection will be the center. From this point with a pencil using the level spend two lines crosswise, each of which is parallel to the wall. The first plates are mounted in the corners of the resulting intersection, then you can focus on the already installed elements. If the chandelier hangs in the center of the room, then it will become the central point. This installation allows you to avoid distortions, even if the walls in the apartment are far from ideal. Variation of direct installation - installation of each new series with a shift relative to the previous one;
• diagonal .For a start, it is also necessary to stretch diagonals from cords. The tiles will be mounted along the resulting diagonal lines, also from the center. The result is an interesting layout, and oblique lines will visually expand the space.

The installation process of the itself looks like this:

• glue is applied to the tile, it is best to use liquid nails and apply them in a dot or strip. In this way, it is possible to save glue and ensure maximum breathability to the tile. It is possible to put a little glue on the end of the guarantee;The
• tile is pressed against the surface of the ceiling on a previously marked place tightly enough, but without undue force. In a few minutes, the tile should already be glued, if high-quality, fast-setting glue was chosen;
• if a part of the glue hit the front side, it is better to wipe it off immediately with a damp sponge, otherwise traces may remain;
• similarly mounted the remaining elements, if necessary, they are trimmed with a painting knife. Trimming is needed for extreme elements, as well as for central ones, if a chandelier is located in the center of the ceiling;
• installation of a plinth. It also attaches to the glue. Masters recommend fixing it additionally with small nails in several places, as it will be difficult to keep a long baseboard pressed to the surface. The next day, the carnations are taken out, and the holes from them are sealed with acrylic putty;
• If there are discrepancies or seams between the tiles, they can be sealed with white sealant.

All works are performed in the absence of drafts. After drying, the adhesive and sealant can optionally paint the tile, and you do not need to use only one shade: the relief areas can be distinguished with a different color.

If you pay attention to the choice of ceiling polystyrene foam tiles and carefully install it, the result will please you for many years.