6 Tips for Choosing and Installing an Aluminum Rack Ceiling

Content

1. №1. What is a metal lath ceiling?
2. №2. Advantages and disadvantages
3. No. 3. Open and closed lath ceilings
4. №4. Design of metal lath ceiling
5. №5. What else to consider when choosing?
6. №6. Features of installation of aluminum railing ceilings

The variety of ceiling finishing materials knows no bounds. If our parents chose only between whitewashing and wallpaper, then today we can use stretch ceilings, lining, polystyrene plates, a mirror and even a metal. The latter option requires more detailed consideration. Metal ceiling of the ceiling allows you to realize bold design fantasies, create interesting lighting and at the same time it is resistant to moisture, durable and durable. At first glance, such a solution may seem ideal. Is it so? Consider how to implement the selection and installation of aluminum lath ceiling, get acquainted with the main advantages, disadvantages and types of this design.

Metal is widely used in the design of ceilings, because it is a durable material that easily takes and preserves the necessary shape. Thanks to painting, corrugating and perforating it allows creating very interesting ceilings. Made of metal make modules of different shapes:

Racks, panels, cassettes and grilles. All of them are mounted on the principle of a suspended structure. In apartments use, basically, only rejki - other variants have found application in public and office premises.

№1. What is a metal lath ceiling?

The name is easy to guess that the basis of such ceilings are metal slats. Theirlength usually ranges from 2 to 4 m, but some companies also produce racks and up to 6 m in length. However, for a spacious living room, for example, and this will be small, so some large manufacturers offer Special connectors to the rails, which make the joint site invisible, turning several racks into a monolithic element.

Bythe width of the slats can be from 30 mm to 400 mm, but more often there are elements in the range of 50-200 mm. Here the choice depends on personal preferences, the desired effect and the features of the room. If it is necessary to decorate the ceiling of a large area, it is better to take wider racks and vice versa. The choice of thickness is also based on minimizing the scraps.

As for the material of manufacture, the slats can be carried outfrom aluminum and steel. The second option is less practical and popular, so we will only talk about aluminum lath ceilings.

The decorative coating is applied to the aluminum:

• powder coating;
• polymer protective layer;
• anodized aluminum;
• laminated layer.

If you add that the slats can be smooth, matte, mirror, perforated, simulate a tree and take almost any form, they can be called a source of inspiration for the designer and a way to embody any interior idea for life.

№2. Advantages and disadvantages

Aluminum lath ceiling is not yet so popular, but it seems that the period of its glory is not far off. This is an ideal solution for ceiling installation in the bathroom or in the kitchen, and with a certain approach it can be used in the rest of the rooms.

Main advantagesmetal lath ceiling:

• High durability, measured in decades;
• high strength;
• excellent moisture resistance, the ability to maintain the original appearance even in rooms with a constantly elevated humidity level, so often such ceilings are installed in bathrooms and kitchens;
• antistatic properties and ease of maintenance. Not only does the metal poorly accumulate dust, so it's simple in cleaning. Sometimes it is enough to wash the surface and wipe it with a disinfectant solution;
• possibility to hide communications between racks and a surface of a basic ceiling, therefore it will be possible to create any system of illumination - the main thing, to think over all in advance;
• there is no need to prepare and align the main surface for a long time;
• fire safety;
• small weight of the structure, so the additional load on the ceiling will be low. To equip the lath ceiling uses metal thickness of about, mm;
• simple installation, which can be done with your own hands. Mountains of mud after installation of such a structure to export it is not required. Moreover, it is also very easy to disassemble the metal lath ceiling, a special tool is not needed;
• huge room for design solutions, and it's not just the color and type of panel surface. The rack ceiling can be multilevel, supplemented by an interesting lighting system, combine panels of different thickness and texture. By the way, the ability of a metal surface to reflect will not only create interesting visual effects, but also save electricity.

Now aboutcons:

• like all suspended structures, the ceiling ceiling removes the height of the room. After its installation, the room will be 5-15 cm lower. If the ceilings and so low, then it is better to look at other options for decoration;
• When installing with racks it is worth to handle carefully, since they can deform from the impact;
• installation of a multi-level design requires certain skills, therefore, it may be necessary to help specialists;
• metal does not absorb sound, but with a large area of ​​the ceiling can create resonance, which is not very pleasant;
• the cost. Rack ceiling will cost a little more expensive than the more common options for finishing the ceiling, but it is still cheaper than tensioning structures.

No. 3. Open and closed lath ceilings

The fundamental difference inaluminum ceiling rails- this is the presence of a gap between individual racks:

• open typeassumes a small gap between the slats. Such ceilings are mounted in high rooms. In the gaps can be installeddecorative insertsFrom aluminum of other color, receiving as a result interesting visual effects. Designers do not recommend using more than three colors at once;
• closed typethe ceiling is assembled according to the principle of a wooden paneling, all the panels are fastened to the side by side.

Both options look good, but the second is more strict and classic, and the decorative inserts in the open design make it possible to create a unique ceiling.

№4. Design of metal lath ceiling

Reiki can be painted in any color or stylized for any material. Most often today use such options:

• matt white slatswith enamel coating, which can be called a real classic. They perfectly fit in any interior, do not attract attention, but at the same time they allow you to quickly and simply create a beautiful flat ceiling;
• mirror rails, which can additionally be painted for gold, bronze, copper. Such a material perfectly reflects the light, so with a competent selection and arrangement of lamps it will be possible to achieve interesting effects. Chromed rails will complement the interior in the style of high-tech;
• rails,laminated with veneernatural wood, allow you to create a ceiling that is virtually indistinguishable from what is done with a wooden lining. This is a good option for rooms decorated in a classic style.

№5. What else to consider when choosing?

With the direct purchase of aluminum rails, pay attention to such nuances:

• quality racks are supplied inprotective film, which significantly reduces the risk of deformation and damage during transport;
• if you want to create the most durable and durable construction, it is better to take slats with enthusiastic thickness;
• poor sound insulation qualities can greatly spoil the impression of the whole system of rack ceilings. If the design will be mounted in the living room, then it is better to take the so-called. acoustic ceilings, i.e. Reiki, on which the back side glued soundproof material.

Please note that the metal ceiling does not let air through. If the rest of the finishing materials in the room also do not "breathe or if powerful ventilation is needed, then in the overflow space it is possible to equip the exhaust duct, and to allow air to approach it, use several perforated shelves. An alternative option for ensuring proper ventilation is the use of an open design without decorative inserts.

Now with regard tomanufacturers of lath ceilings. If a firm guarantee of quality is required, then it is better to take the products of foreign companies. You can recommend the American manufacturer Ceiling Group USA Corporation, German Geipel and Dutch Luxalon.Domestic producersRecently, they also offer products of good quality, besides it is somewhat cheaper. Mark is the lath ceiling of the companies "Bard "Albes" and "Lumsvet".

№6. Features of installation of aluminum railing ceilings

It's not very difficult to install a metal ceiling with your own hands, but it's better to take a helper and be very careful at all stages. The installation technique is as follows:

• installation of a guide profile along the perimeter of the ceiling. Marker on the walls mark a line that corresponds to the level of the future suspension structure. The distance from the main ceiling to the rack is to be at least 5 cm and sufficient to hide all necessary communications. When determining the level and carrying out the line, it is best to use the laser level, but you can do everything with the help of the usual water, just have to tinker a little more. Now it is necessary to cut off a fragment of the angular profile, the segment along the length should correspond to the length of the wall. The procedure is repeated for all walls. The profiles are attached to the applied line using screws and dowels, preliminary holes are prepared in the wall and profile, for which you can use a drill or perforator. Strengthen the profile in steps of 50-60 cm;

• installation of suspenders for stringers.Stringer is a load-bearing bus structure, it is to it that all the slats of the ceiling will be fixed. This is a U-shaped profile with carved on the edges of the tongues, which are used to fix the rails. Stringers are made of steel and aluminum: the first option is suitable only for dry rooms, the second - universal. Stringers fasten to the ceiling on adjustable suspensions, thanks to which you can adjust the position of the tire to get a precisely horizontal surface. Suspension consists of a rod, which is installed on the ceiling, and the bracket to which the tires are attached. Stringers are mounted in steps of 1 m, the first tire is placed at a distance of 30-40 cm from the bearing profile. On the ceiling it is better to mark the places where the tires will be installed. Suspensions are attached to the lines, given the location of the fastening holes in the stringer. Hanger rods are installed on the ceiling with the help of anchors, all suspensions should be located on one level - they are easily adjustable in height. Control this stage of work better with the help of a laser level;
• tire installationis carried out by means of a screwdriver through a specially provided hole. It is very important to lock stringers in one level with a bearing profile;
• installation of laths. From the shelves remove the protective film and cut the elements of the required length. Experts advise cutting fragments 3-5 cm shorter than the distance from wall to wall. Reiki is inserted into the stringers and snapped along the entire length of the tire retainers. Elements are set sequentially, one after another. If necessary, the height of the tire can be adjusted thanks to the suspension. The last rake may need to be cut. First mark the line on the element, and then bend it and unbend the rail until it breaks. On long rails, it is better to make transverse incisions. The cut rails are fastened with scraps of a corner profile or wooden spacers;
• skirting board installationwhich masks gaps and makes the ceiling look complete.

If it is planned to install spotlights in the ceiling, then a circle should be drawn in the necessary place of the panel, and with a metal scissor make radial incisions from the center to the outer line. The petals are bent inside the slats. If you do not feel confident that you can perform the installation yourself, it is better to immediately turn to specialists and not to spoil the expensive stuff. Correctly installed metal rake ceiling will please you with its appearance for a very long time.

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