Pros and cons of stretch ceilings: what do you need to know?

Advantages of stretch ceilings

This design is a canvas stretched over a frame made of plastic or metal profiles. This approach allows you to get a perfectly flat surface. It is almost impossible to achieve this result with other decorative elements.

The material for the production of ceiling coverings is a polyvinyl chloride film or fabric made of polyester threads. In appearance, they can be satin, matte or glossy.

Fabric or film, regardless of the area, is installed in just 2 hours. Installation of other finishing materials takes more time. For example, it takes at least 3-5 hours to create a plasterboard ceiling. However, it may take about 2 days to install a complex structure in several levels or with lamps. The advantages of suspended structures do not end there:

• The covering will protect the apartment from flooding by neighbors from above. It can withstand about 100 liters of water. Even if huge bubbles appear after a severe flood, the material quickly restores its original shape.
• Masking of communications. The ceiling covering will help hide ventilation, electrical wiring, alarms or fire detectors. Moreover, heat or sound insulation can be laid between the suspended structure and the ceiling to improve the microclimate in the room and not hear noisy neighbors.
• Long service life. Stretch ceilings, if used carefully, retain their original appearance for about 20 years. Such a coating can be called reliable. Of course, if it is not subjected to mechanical damage. Therefore, you should not use hard brushes when cleaning.

• The film of the tension structure is too fragile and thin, but damage can be repaired with a neat patch if desired.
• A variety of colors and textures. You can choose a material in both calm classic shades and bright ones. Manufacturers produce glossy and matte stretch ceilings. There are even films that imitate metal, suede, marble and other natural products. These materials will help transform a bedroom and even an office. With them, designers can more easily implement unusual projects.
• The material is not afraid of moisture. This feature allows you to install the film in rooms with high humidity, such as a kitchen or bathroom.
• Antistatic properties. Dust practically does not settle on such canvases.
• Independent decor. You can apply paint to the film, create various images. A stretch ceiling with photo printing looks especially advantageous, which gives the room an originality.
• There is less dirt and dust after installing a stretch structure than when installing drywall, wallpapering or painting the surface. A little debris is formed only during drilling the walls.
• The material can be easily removed if necessary. Moreover, after dismantling, the canvas does not lose its positive characteristics. It can be re-installed if desired.

Another advantage of a PVC stretch ceiling is the ability to visually enlarge a room. This property is typical mainly for glossy coatings, which have high reflective properties. The mirror surface makes the room more spacious and increases the height of the walls. To achieve this effect, it is better to install canvases of the following shades:

• pink;
• yellow;
• black;
• beige.

If you do not have too much money for finishing, then you should pay attention to PVC stretch ceilings. Even an inexpensive film will make a practical and beautiful coating. When the material first appeared on the market, its prices were much higher. But with the growth of the number of manufacturers, the cost of stretch ceilings has become more affordable.

Before installing this material, there is no need to level the base. Thanks to this advantage, you can save a lot, because you do not have to buy primer or plaster. The canvas will perfectly hide all the flaws of the rough surface, including:

• large differences in height;
• unevenness;
• chips;
• joints of slabs.

A laser level is used when stretching the film, so you get a perfectly flat surface.

Today, manufacturers produce canvases of different widths. They can be installed both in non-standard rooms and in very large ones. With the help of fabric stretch ceilings, you can create a seamless surface.

Another advantage of the coating is its fairly easy maintenance. Stains are usually removed with a damp cloth. The film, unlike plasterboard sheets, can be washed, since it is resistant to moisture. But to clean the stretch surface, it is advisable to use products that do not contain abrasive particles.

For your information. During the installation of the stretch fabric, there is a strong odor. Do not worry, over time it will completely disappear from the room.

Disadvantages of stretch ceilings

Such coverings have not only advantages, but also disadvantages:

• They do not tolerate low temperatures. In a cold room, cracks may appear on the fabric. You should not use this material for finishing an unheated cottage or balcony.
• With long-term use, the stretch ceiling may turn yellow, especially in the kitchen.
• Strong visibility of the weld after installation. You need to think about the area of its placement in advance before work, so that the junction of the two sheets is less noticeable.
• It is quite difficult to install the material yourself. For careful stretching and fastening of the canvas, the craftsmen use special equipment: a heat gun, a hammer drill, a laser level, a drill, a hacksaw, mounting blades, a hammer.
• Glossy stretch ceilings strongly reflect the light of street lamps, glare interferes with sleep at night.

The coating can also disrupt air exchange if the room is not frequently ventilated or ventilation is not taken care of. But this only applies to PVC canvases, fabric ones allow air to pass through perfectly. Most often, owners of wooden houses face the problem. Wood, as you know, is a breathable material. The film, on the contrary, belongs to synthetic polymers. It does not let air through, which has a negative effect on the microclimate in the room.

To avoid such a problem, experienced installers make the system non-hermetic. Air in such a design passes along the perimeter of the film or through the lamps.

The disadvantages of stretch ceilings include collapse. In other words, the stretched covering sticks to the base surface. Collapse is observed in drafts, sudden opening of doors or windows. This phenomenon occurs mainly when air moves in the inter-ceiling cavity.

A popular disadvantage is sagging of the canvas. This problem usually occurs when installing a stretch ceiling in a large room. When the room has an area of more than 20 meters, there is a possibility of sagging of the film by as much as 4 cm. To prevent this, during the installation of the coating, it is advisable to use a separating profile to connect two pieces of material.

Any type of lighting can be used in stretch ceilings: spotlights or a single chandelier. They are mounted directly into the structure. But their power should not exceed 60 W. For example, it is undesirable to use for backlighting such a covering:

• fluorescent lamps over 50 W;
• halogen lamps — 35‒40 W.

If you do not follow this recommendation, the film will deteriorate over time, and yellow spots will appear on the ceiling around the lighting fixtures.

Popular myths

There are many rumors about stretch ceilings. The main misconception is the high cost of the material. In fact, today you can find excellent quality coatings at an affordable price on the market.

They take away useful height of the room

An equally popular misconception. When installing a stretch ceiling, the loss of height is at least 20-30 mm. When the rough surface is uneven, you can’t do without leveling. Drywall sheets are often used for this purpose. In this case, you will have to lose as much as 50 mm of height.

They need frequent maintenance

Another myth about these coatings. You don’t need to constantly wash the stretch ceiling, otherwise it can be damaged. If you don’t use products with abrasive substances and hard brushes, the material will last a long time.

There are special household chemicals on sale that are designed to care for the canvas. It is enough to clean the surface with a soft sponge soaked in detergent only once a month.

Not safe for health

A stretch ceiling made of high-quality vinyl film is no more harmful than plastic, which is used everywhere. It is environmentally friendly. Only coatings made of unknown materials can cause health problems. When buying a canvas, you must check the certificates for the product so as not to run into counterfeit goods.

You cannot stretch the film in the kitchen

Above the stove, the material will become covered with soot and turn yellow, and folds will appear on it. In reality, this will not happen, because most housewives use a hood when cooking. Hot air from the stove does not even have time to rise to the ceiling.

Fabric is more environmentally friendly than film

This is a huge misconception. Synthetic threads are used in the production of both fabric and film sheets, but the manufacturing technique is different. However, stretch ceilings are made from substances that do not cause allergies, so they can be installed even in children’s rooms.

They smell bad and tear

In fact, no foreign smell comes from PVC films during operation. It occurs only during the installation of the coating due to the heating of the material. The toxic smell disappears after the renovation is completed.

As for the strength of the canvas, it can withstand a lot of weight, but it can be damaged by a sharp object. If you are careful, this will not happen.

Condensation appears in the bathroom after installing PVC film

This is a fairly common myth. If there is no ventilation in the room, the air does not circulate, a greenhouse effect will occur in a damp room and without a tension structure.

It is worth installing a forced hood to get rid of excess humidity in the bathroom. A tension canvas, on the contrary, will help hide an unattractive ventilation shaft.

It is forbidden to stretch the film in a child’s room

The reasons are as follows – the harmfulness of the material and damage to the canvas during games.

Stretch ceilings do not emit hazardous substances, you should not worry about this. Many also claim that a child can easily pierce them with a sharp object. This is partly true, but the probability is extremely small. Children can also ruin wallpaper or scratch a plasterboard ceiling.

Even if a child accidentally hits the canvas with a dart, it will not burst like a balloon. Only a small hole will remain. The integrity of the canvas will not be damaged by children’s games. Instead of film, you can stretch fabric material in the nursery. A child will definitely not be able to tear it.

Having studied in detail the pros and cons of stretch ceilings, it is obvious that this is one of the best finishing options that will decorate any room. You can choose a coating for any interior style. The main thing when deciding to buy high-quality canvases is to beware of fakes. In addition, do not try to install them yourself, it is better to entrust the work to specialists. Professionals will perform installation according to the technology, they are in the know how to properly stretch the film. After that, you will be able to admire the coating for many years.