Stretch ceilings: from myths to reality

Starting to repair and facing the choice of materials, many without finding answers to questions about stretch ceilings, their harmlessness and the absence of negative negative effects, deprive themselves of the embodiment of subtlety of taste, impeccable appearance, bright aesthetics and noble luxury. It is time to dispel all myths and get to know the facts. Reveal all hidden, invented and tell only the truth.

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Stretch ceilings are a very durable fabric or film stretched on a frame (baguette) specially mounted around the perimeter and creating as a result a perfectly flat plane. Distinguish between fabric and film, seamless and seam stretch ceilings. In the choice, of course, everything is important: cost, performance, appearance. But let's start with the most important fact - security.

Myth one: Stretch ceilings at home can not be installed, they are harmful to health - it's PVC!

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This is the most popular misconception! Of course, consumer concerns are justified: stretch ceilings, both fabric and film, are made of synthetic materials, and we all live in a country where no one can be trusted. However, this is not a reason to reach the point of absurdity. Please note that synthetic materials surround us everywhere: household appliances, linoleum, plastic footwear, furniture edge, window and door profiles, clothes, accessories, compactors in refrigerators, food grade plastic, equipment in medicine and, eventually, even children's toys. and toothbrushes - all made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Just like stretched ceilings, which, by the way, are installed in all types of houses and apartments, office buildings, educational, sanitary and medical institutions, including cancer treatment centers, as well as in large retail chains, fitness clubs , swimming pools, car dealerships and exhibition halls.

The main thing in this issue will be to protect themselves from fakes, requiring the provision of appropriate certificates. It is worth paying attention to the fact that, for example, environmental legislation and safety standards in Europe are much stricter than in China, and that Russian manufacturers also receive sanitary-epidemiological findings and certificates indicating fire safety.

Speaking of security, it is worth noting another misconception associated with the choice: cloth or film? If you think that fabric ceilings are made of natural material, then you are very mistaken. They are made from polyester impregnated with polyurethane. And they will be harmful or not, entirely depends on the manufacturer. Again, distinguishing safe materials is very simple by the availability of certificates.

And at the end of the whole truth about the safety of stretch ceilings, I would like to say that in this case we can trace some analogy with plastic windows: their manufacturers also had to prove their products were environmentally friendly, they succeeded, and now they are successfully used.

Myth Two: Stretch ceilings do not allow air, forming a greenhouse effect.

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In this statement, you should immediately discard the fabric stretch ceilings. Fabric air passes!

A PVC film, of course, no. However, I would like to note the following: linoleum floors also do not let it through, but until now nobody complained about the lack of oxygen. In addition, to ventilate the outside of the stretch ceiling, there is no need to invent anything - just open the windows or windows specially provided for this. As for the inner surface, when installing stretch ceilings of their PVC films, it is planned to create special ventilation ducts.Moreover, if in conventional rooms the ventilation ducts can serve as technological gaps (which are closed with a baguette, become invisible and do not spoil the look of the interior), then in bathrooms and kitchens the presence of such channels to create air circulation is mandatory. There will be neither condensation nor unpleasant odors (stretch ceilings made of film do not absorb them at all and are resistant to chemicals). In addition, they are easy to clean with any product designed for washing windows (preferably alcohol-based).

Not everything is so smooth in fabric suspended ceilings, they absorb odors, and dust settles on them. And cleaning in comparison with the film version is quite difficult. From the rooms in which you can install such ceilings, you can immediately delete the kitchen, but on the balconies and loggias it is the most: stretch ceilings made of frost-resistant fabric (unlike PVC stretch ceilings that can withstand only -15 ° C).

Separately, I want to say about mold. Since we have agreed on honesty, mold can appear everywhere, where there is no ventilation and constant humidity, and stretch ceilings are no exception. But unlike, for example, drywall constructions, the mold does not destroy the film. In general, such problems are solved once and for all by installing fans in bathrooms and kitchens.

Contact proven, reputable companies, in projects where the installation of ventilation ducts will be provided immediately, and questions about greenhouse effects will evaporate without a trace!

The third myth: Stretch ceilings smell unpleasant.

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We immediately agreed to speak only the truth. Therefore, to say that such a statement has no reason to be impossible. The truth is that the unpleasant smell can be definitely felt if you enter the room immediately after installation. And also that it gradually disappears forever (usually within a few days (maximum after 2-3 weeks)).

It is worth noting that for some time they also smell vinyl wallpaper, which also includes PVC film, paint and other materials used in the repair process.

At this point, I want to draw attention to a possible deception. The fact is that the smell disappears only in high-quality materials. If the film or fabric, forged, for example, in China, the smell will remain for a long time (or forever). Very often selling "Germany", "France", or "Belgium", put "China". It is the long-lasting smell that allows an uninformed, seeing a stretch ceiling for the first time to reveal a deception to a person. In addition, on the Chinese film will be visible roughness, stripes, divorces and other incomprehensible inclusions.

Myth Four: Seam stretch ceiling looks ugly, it can easily disperse.

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This is all untrue. To dispel this myth, one should answer the question: “Do you know how the seam is made?” Many people often say what they don’t know or know superficially. In fact, suspended ceilings "sew" on special equipment when exposed to high frequency current. The seam is as strong as the film itself. In addition, all this is easy to check: try breaking!

As for the appearance, the seam is only 0.2 mm thick! Qualitatively welded seams are practically invisible. You can consider them only in the vicinity, and even then in conditions of natural illumination when the rays of the sun hit a certain angle. With artificial lighting, they are not visible at all.

Contact a serious company that manufactures stretch ceilings with due attention to quality, and then you will definitely not have to worry about the seam visibility.

Fifth Myth: Stretch ceilings explode.

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This is a true myth. The ceilings themselves, of course, can not explode. The fact is that the heat guns, necessary for the installation of stretch ceilings, run on liquefied gas.Therefore, during installation, gas cylinders are present, which by definition are sources of potential danger. The main cause of the explosion is not adhering to the rules of operation, not following safety regulations and equipment malfunction.

Choose reliable installers with reliable equipment. For example, with explosion-proof composite gas cylinders.

In addition, many people worry that the heating gun can spoil the furniture. There are no such cases in practice. The canvas itself is subject to heating, and the temperature in the room rises not enough to spoil the property. Unless it is necessary to endure indoor flowers, as they are sensitive to temperature extremes.

Myth six: Stretch ceilings save from the "floods", arranged by the neighbors living above.

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This is not a myth. It's true. But only for stretch ceilings of their PVC films. Fabric ceilings are, of course, durable, but inelastic, and when water accumulates over the ceiling in large quantities (especially when it is quickly received), such a ceiling will simply break out of the fixing profile, and all the water will be in the room. By the way, fabric stretch ceilings, unlike film analogs, are not re-installed.

So, many probably heard stories about inattentive neighbors, who organized the flood and how stretch ceilings protected them from "flooding". This is about PVC ceilings. They are made of very durable material that has been specially treated, they are very elastic and at the same time very strong.

Maybe you will not even believe it, but stretch ceilings can hold about 100 liters per 1 square meter inside. Therefore, if your room has 14 square meters, then the stretch ceiling will withstand about 1,400 liters. Now is the time to think about what will happen to the ceiling. It's simple: it will stretch without cracks and damage. Sometimes stretch ceilings can sag to the floor, saving the house from drowning.

After the flood, you must remove the water from the stretch ceilings. As a rule, this is done through the hole of the removed chandelier, rolling the accumulated water. Next, the film should be dried with a heat gun, it will again get perfect smoothness, and you will continue to admire the beautiful and useful stretch ceiling.

However, experts do not recommend doing this on their own, especially since it is unlikely that everyone has the necessary equipment for this. It’s better if done by professionals who know how to remove water properly.

Myth Seven: Stretch ceilings are easy to damage, spoil careless blow.

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In fact, such a constructive solution as a suspended ceiling is considered shockproof. The myth was born due to the fact that the film or fabric is under tension. However, such surfaces can withstand not only corks flying from bottles of champagne, but also children's balls, and any blunt objects.

Only sharp things are dangerous. Yes, and then, we can say, conditional. At damage only the hole is formed, but the entire ceiling is not damaged at all. In addition, they can be treated with a special (based on cyanoacrylate) glue composition and pick up a piece of film by color (in the case of a significant cut).

It should be noted that stretch ceilings are characterized by thermal insulation and sound absorption, do not sustain combustion (they deform when ignited) and, unlike other ceiling coverings, are never covered with cracks.

Myth Eight: Stretch ceilings inevitably sag.

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To some extent it is. According to the SNIP under its own weight (which is approximately 200-300 grams per square meter), a 1 mm sag is allowed, which is simply unrealistic to notice with the naked eye.

However, there are several nuances in this issue.For example, the cause of sagging could be the lack of tightness in the area above the film, which creates the so-called “air leakage” (drafts are formed that appear when opening doors, windows, starting ventilation, exhaust). The ceiling is as if inflated as a sail, or vice versa is drawn upwards to the base ceiling. All this is corrected by installing the so-called diffusers - ventilation ducts, which, as mentioned earlier, are hardly noticeable. Experts advise that special attention should be paid when installing suspended ceilings in private wooden houses, loggias, attic floors and balconies.

Another reason could be the lack of professionalism of installers who do not install dividing baguettes on areas of more than 40 square meters that do not firmly fix the profile or incorrectly choose shrinkage (for PVC films).

It should be noted that the maximum service life of stretch ceilings is 65 years, for 10-15 of which manufacturers give a guarantee (who would give such long guarantees if the suspended ceilings subsided). Therefore, we can draw the following conclusion: knowing the features outlined above, you should seriously consider the choice of both material manufacturers and installation organizations.

In the end, I want to note and the myth of the high cost of suspended ceilings. Such a formulation arose in the middle of the 90s, when both the canvases and components were imported from abroad and, naturally, were very expensive. Today is a different situation. Stretch ceilings are set at an affordable cost.

For example, stretch ceilings made of fabric (they are seamless) of quality texture, produced in Germany or France, cost from 600 rubles per 1 square meter, canvases of Western manufacturers from 550 rubles per 1 sq. M.

High-quality French PVC film (considered the best, since France is the founder of this business) can cost 850-1200 rubles per square meter, PVC from Germany - 700-1000 rubles per "square", Russian film canvases 400-550 rubles per square meter. m

Please note that an acceptable price does not mean cheap. Compare with Chinese prices of 200-300 rubles! Production and installation of these high-quality stretch ceilings at such prices can not be profitable. In addition, cheap ceilings of poor-quality, foul-smelling material pose a health hazard.

And one more useful advice: comparing the prices of stretch ceilings of different companies, compare the final full cost, which includes the execution of all works and all consumables. Do not "get fooled" at ridiculous prices of the type of 200-300 rubles per square meter !!! Seeing them, many rush to order without thinking, and then it turns out that you need to pay extra for guides, installation, metering, delivery, etc., and so on ... And in the end they get the ceiling not for 200-300 rubles per square, but twice as expensive.

Only by taking advantage of the realities and discarding myths, you can avoid mistakes and appreciate the advantages of high-quality stretch ceilings: durability, environmental friendliness, durability, the ability to disrupt the defects of the draft ceiling and communication systems, reliability and, of course, incomparable, perhaps even three-level, voluminous , dome and hip beauty!

See also:

• How to care for suspended ceilings?
  How to wash stretch ceilings from PVC? How to clean the fabric? How to remove stains? We answer questions.
• The best washing vacuum cleaners - prices and reviews