Armstrong ceilings belong to a class of suspended ceilings that have become very popular. They are most often found in various office spaces. It is not recommended to install ceilings of this type when decorating apartments, since the slabs contain asbestos.
In the article we will tell you about the installation of the Armstrong suspended ceiling with your own hands, we will give step-by-step instructions, as well as photo materials.
Requirements for work
- Plates should be installed only after completion of installation and construction work in the room, including "wet" finishing work, laying the floor, installing doors and windows.
- It is recommended to carry out work on installation of a suspended ceiling at a temperature of 15 to 30 ° C.
- The recommended air humidity in the rooms is no more than 70%.
It is necessary to mount massive lamps and air conditioners only on self-contained supporting structures.
- If it is required to lay an additional layer of insulating material on top of the slabs, or to install built-in lamps, then it is necessary to increase the number of used suspensions.
- To prevent overloading of the profile, the extreme suspension must be placed at a distance from the walls no more than 0.60 m (for slab weight ≤ 4 kg / m²) and 0.45 m (for slab weight ≥ 4 kg / m²).
- A distance of at least 120 mm must be maintained between the frame and the base. This contributes to obtaining in the future the possibility of dismantling the plates during the operation of the Armstrong ceiling.
- The fixing step should be no more than 1200 mm.
Stages of installation work
Installation should begin after placing all communications behind the false ceiling, since their laying at the end of installation will be extremely inconvenient.
When choosing a suspension system, pay attention to the weight of the equipment and communications planned for placement in the false ceiling. The Armstrong ceiling is designed for a load of approximately 6.5 kg / m².
We proceed to consider the stages of the installation work.
- First, mark the horizontal surface of the future ceiling: put the first mark on any of the walls of the room at a distance from the floor or the existing ceiling so that the system you are installing can close the communications laid on top or existing protrusions. The markings should be carried out taking into account the height of the built-in accessories.
- After making your first mark, project the rest of the necessary marks on all walls of the room in the same way so that you can easily connect them with an even straight line. The projection of the marks should be carried out using a special water level. You can also use a more modern laser level.
- After drawing a straight, even line on the walls that sets the level of the surface of the future ceiling, you can proceed with the installation of the ceiling system.
- Attach the L-shaped profile, which is usually included in the kit, to the walls along the drawn line. You can divide the profile into the required dimensions with a hacksaw for metal. Use a miter box or protractor to cut corner joints. The profile must be fastened with the painted side down and in such a way that it forms a shelf.
- Next, you should mount the guide profiles, which look like the letter T, only inverted. Their length is different. At the two ends of the short profile there are small projections, and in the long one there are slots into which the short profile is inserted during installation. As a result, you should get a lattice of profiles, consisting of cells with a size of 600x600 mm.
- Fill the resulting grille with Armstrong cassettes, and at the same time with the accessories with which you decided to decorate the new ceiling. It is best to start laying in the middle of the room. By gradually securing the remaining slabs away from the center, you can evenly trim the outermost slabs to make the ceiling look neat.
- The guide profiles are hung on a regular wire with a diameter of ≤ 2 mm, or using hanging elements (2 thin metal rods threaded through holes in a curved plate, the so-called "petal"). If you decide to use a wire, then you need to first straighten it using any mechanical tool at hand, and then form at least three loops at the points of its attachment to the profile system and ceiling fasteners.
- Choose dowels for screws based on the quality of the ceiling material.
- Hook or ring screws are used as fasteners.
- Using a spirit level, align the grating horizontally. Repeat the alignment of the Armstrong ceiling in a couple of days - by this time your new ceiling has already had time to receive full load.
A well-executed false ceiling installation will help to decorate any office space.
Video
Installation of a mirrored ceiling like Armstrong. The main focus is on marking the ceiling, aligning the structure and cutting mirror cassettes:
Assembly of Armstrong suspended ceilings:
Reading time ≈ 3 minutes
Ceiling Armstrong (Armstrong) gained its popularity due to the simple installation technology and the ability, even with the ceiling in use, to easily get to the communications that are traditionally carried out in the ceiling space.
This property of the ceiling is especially appreciated when creating office communications that need to be periodically modernized, changed and simply maintained. The ceiling structure consists of slabs fixed to a metal frame. Solid slabs are interspersed with Armstrong fixtures. Both those and others can be easily dismantled and removed. How to make an Armstrong ceiling with your own hands?
Preparatory work
It is not difficult to install the Armstrong ceiling with your own hands, which will save on installation work. Before starting the installation, you need to carry out all communications, install ventilation ducts, and make wiring for lighting. All wiring must be enclosed in corrugated tubes to protect the cables from short circuits in the event of a flood or fire.
Markup
First of all, with the correct installation of the Armstrong suspended ceiling, marking is carried out. To do this, you need to determine the lower corner of the room, measure 10-15 cm down from the ceiling (depending on the height of the lamps to be placed) and use a laser level to draw the markings to all corners and walls. You can duplicate the laser pointer with a marker or masking tape.
According to the markings, you need to attach wall corners 19 \ 24. The longer side should be against the wall. With scissors for metal, the joints of the profiles are cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
With a chop cord with applied paint, you need to mark the diagonals and determine the center of the ceiling. Next, we set the dimensions of 120 cm by 60 cm on the laser projector and draw a grid on the ceiling in accordance with the laser marking. Immediately on the markup, you need to apply the installation locations of the lamps.
Installation of suspensions
A T-shaped hanger will be installed every 120 cm from wall to wall. Between the two profiles, 2 Armstrong slabs with dimensions of 60 by 60 must fit.
The profiles must be suspended from the ceiling.
The spacing of the suspensions depends on the severity of the profile and the distance between the walls: on average, the suspensions are attached to the ceiling at a distance of 90 cm -150 cm. It is advisable to install additional suspensions in places where slabs with lamps will be installed.
Assembling the frame
For the most part, 90% correct and beautiful installation of an Armstrong suspended ceiling depends on the thoroughness and accuracy of the assembly of the frame. All work on the installation of guides should be checked with a level. When all hangers are attached, the guide profiles are installed.
Typically, the profiles already have holes for hanging onto the hangers. The edges of the profiles must rest on the wall angle, and the center is adjusted by the height of the suspension.
A connecting profile of 120 cm is installed between the T-shaped profile at intervals of 120 cm.The profile is inserted into the grooves on the T-shaped profile, located every 30 cm.
All other gaps are filled with a connecting profile 60 cm long. This profile connects the midpoints of the 120 profile at a 90 degree angle, resulting in a 60x60 cm grid.
Dear clients, at the moment there are no free masters to work with Armstrong ceilings.
The service is temporarily unavailable.
It is not by chance that the Armstrong suspension system has gained immense popularity among consumers: a simple installation scheme that hides defects, makes it possible not to use expensive materials for repairing the ceiling. Ready-made modules are attached to a solid metal structure. Taking into account the exactingness of consumers and their aesthetic resource, our company is constantly expanding its range, including:
- dimensions of slabs;
- richness of color design;
- varieties of materials;
- the presence of decorative elements.
A close-knit team of builders works smoothly, efficiently and fulfills absolutely all the customer's requirements, and if necessary, specialists will help you determine, free of charge, which type of Armstrong suspended ceiling is appropriate in each case.
The cost of services for the work being carried out is regularly updated in the price list, the current price for 1m2 work is also easy to see in the table and make a preliminary calculation. Employees who have proven themselves as the best specialists in the construction labor market will make the installation of the ceiling quickly, smoothly at a high professional level.
Price list for Armstrong installation
Armstrong ceiling installation and its advantages
The secret of the design's popularity lies in its disarming simplicity. During installation, the wishes of the customer are taken into account:
- on design,
- placement of the required number of lamps,
- installation of air conditioners or ventilation systems,
- hiding defects made during construction.
When installing the Arsmtrong suspended ceiling, the consumer should remember that the structures:
- easily dismantled if necessary;
- mask electrical wires, hoses;
- other communications.
We must not forget that Armstrong suspended ceilings have unlimited possibilities for mounting various modules and arranging a convenient lighting system.
Briefly about installation
Using modern equipment, our team of professionals:
- outline the outline around the entire perimeter of the room;
- install corners;
- will mark the guides;
- will fix the suspensions to ensure the strength of the structure;
- He will drill holes with a hammer drill, install anchor bolts in them, on which Amstrong ceiling modules will be attached.
The final work is reduced to the alignment and final installation of the panels. Such manipulations in the skillful hands of our repairmen are carried out promptly with impeccable quality, and in the event of disputes, employees can easily solve all problems.
Today you can meet very often. These suspension systems are very popular for their modern style. Installation of Armstrong suspended ceiling is very simple and allows you to hide any ceiling communications.
The usual Armstrong suspended ceiling has impressive technical characteristics:
- Suppression of noise up to 39 dB
- Light reflectance over 92%
- The ceiling deflection is only 2 mm at a temperature of +32 degrees and a humidity of 90%
In addition, the materials from which the ceiling plates are made are environmentally friendly and do not contain formaldehyde and asbestos.
In a room with an already completed renovation. Compared to plasterboard ceilings, Armstrong does not need additional finishing (putty, painting, wallpapering).
Any kind of lighting fixtures can be built into them. The structure is attached to the floor slabs, however, due to its low weight, it does not put a serious load on them.
If you decide to use an Armstrong type suspended ceiling for decorating an apartment or a country house, then this is a great option. It will give the room a modern, stylish look.
Ease of assembly of the structure will not take much of your time, and will also avoid dust in the room. Almost any self-respecting home craftsman can do Armstrong with his own hands.
Calculation of the ceiling system kit
To know how to calculate the Armstrong suspended ceiling, you need to draw a floor plan (top view) and indicate on it the exact dimensions of each wall. To do this, use a measuring tape. To calculate the ceiling, you need to know what is included in its delivery set.
Components for Armstrong are listed below:
- Decorative ceiling tiles 600mm x 600mm x 15mm
- Wall corner (profile PU 19 x 24)
- Bearing profile type T 15 x 38 or T 24 x 38
- Transverse profile type T 15 or T 24
- Universal suspension (spoke, spring)
- The number of the wall corner is equal to the perimeter of the room. It is attached to the wall with dowel-nails 6 x 40 mm with a pitch of 35-45 cm.
- The Armstrong suspended ceiling support profile is suspended from the existing one along the long wall. The distance between the profiles is calculated in such a way that the decorative board with dimensions of 600 x 600 mm lies on the shelves of two adjacent profiles.
- When the Armstrong suspended ceiling is mounted, the suspensions are placed in increments of 1 m along the line of the bearing profiles. The lines must be drawn on the plan of the room and the points of attachment of the suspensions must be indicated.
- The supporting profiles and the wall corner are connected by jumpers. They are fastened with a step of 600 mm.
It's important to know! The bearing profiles must be placed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the room.
These four simple rules will help you easily calculate the number of elements for a suspended ceiling system. The calculation of Armstrong suspended ceilings is completed and you can proceed to the next operation.
How to assemble a false ceiling: wall and ceiling markings
It's important to know! The minimum height to which the ceiling can be lowered is equal to the height of the recessed luminaire plus 1 cm (this is the technological gap).
Using a laser or water level, the horizontal plane of the ceiling to be assembled is determined. To do this, make marks around the perimeter and connect them with masking plaster tape. The operation requires the presence of one assistant.
After marking the walls, the axes of the bearing profiles are marked. To simplify the work, at a distance of 30 cm or 60 cm from the longest wall of the room (depending on how the axes are plotted on the drawing), pull the cord parallel to the wall. The edges of the cord are tied to the dowels driven into the walls. This is the first axis.
The second axis is pulled perpendicular to the first, departing from the corner the distance according to the drawing. The remaining bearing profiles are marked from the axes. On the lines with a step of 1 m mark the installation points for universal suspensions.
Installation of the suspension frame
The galvanized wall corner is cut to size. The ends of the profile, which are joined in the corners, are cut with metal scissors at an angle of 45 degrees. Holes are drilled in the corner with a step of 30-40 cm.
The angle profile is applied to the wall along the marking line and marks for the holes are made with a pencil. The holes are drilled with a drill and a drill for concrete (or depending on the material from which the walls are made). After the holes are ready, dowels are hammered into them with a hammer. The wall corner profile is fixed to the wall with self-tapping screws.
According to the marks on the axes of the bearing profiles, the suspensions are fastened with dowels 6 x 40 mm. With a drill and a drill for concrete, a hole is prepared. A dowel is hammered into it with a hammer. Screw a self-tapping screw with a screwdriver through a loop at one end of the suspension. If dowel-nails are used, then the nail is hammered into the dowel with a hammer.
Fastening the Armstrong suspended ceiling to the hangers is made with a crochet hook into the groove on the profile. The end of the profile should rest on the shelf of the wall angle. In order to increase the length of the profiles, they are joined together.
To do this, you can use ready-made joints or homemade plates cut from scraps of the same profile. The profile is cut to size with a grinder or a hacksaw for metal. The height of the profile is regulated by a universal suspension. A spring is installed to fix the position of the suspension spokes. It is tough enough to withstand high tensile forces. This will ensure reliable fastening of the structure with floor slabs.
For the device of jumpers and the rigidity of the structure, a transverse profile is used. In the supporting profile, there are cuttings for the joint, and on the transverse profile there are hooks. The hook and the notch (notch) form a secure lock when connected.
Important to remember! There must be an angle of 90 degrees between the load-bearing and cross-section. Check this condition with a building corner.
At the wall, the hook of the transverse profile can be cut off so that it rests on the shelf of the wall corner. After assembling all the elements of the frame, you can proceed to the installation of the lighting wiring.
Installation of luminaires
Before starting work, make sure that all electrical communications (wires) do not have bare ends and are laid in protective corrugated pipes.
This precaution will prevent possible electric shock and short circuit wiring. Run the electrical wiring to the locations of the lighting devices. At the connection points of the lamps, the corrugation is cut, and the wire is removed with a loop.
Daylight raster lamps are often used. Their size 600 x 600 mm allows them to fit exactly on the shelves of the supporting and transverse profile. In addition, daylight is remarkably scattered throughout the room thanks to its large mirrored reflectors. For lighting, you can use recessed spotlights. To do this, carefully cut a hole in the decorative ceiling panel equal to the diameter of the lighting device.
Armstrong false ceiling spotlights have mounting springs. They are squeezed out and the device is installed in the hole, after which they are gradually released. Springs press the luminaire against the panel.
Installation of ceiling panels
When the lighting fixtures are installed and connected, the false ceiling cells are filled with decorative panels. If necessary, they are trimmed to size using a pencil, ruler, and a construction or clerical knife. If metal panels are used, they are cut with a grinder.
The installation of the false ceiling is complete. The video on the installation of suspended ceilings will help you visually familiarize yourself with the process
Armstrong presented above.
Slab-cellular suspended ceiling (ceiling of the "Armstrong" type) or simply the armstrong ceiling is the most common type of suspended ceilings. Do-it-yourself installation of an armstrong suspended ceiling is child's play compared to the installation of other types of suspended ceilings, and armstrong breaks all records for its cheapness. However, nothing is perfect. The armstrong ceiling has both undeniable advantages and significant disadvantages.
What is good and what is bad about Armstrong
The armstrong ceiling, in addition to ease of installation and low cost, also provides excellent sound and heat insulation. The space between the ceilings is vast, it conveniently accommodates lamps and communications. Access to and repair of the ceiling is easy and requires no tools.
However, the Armstrong ceiling is not very strong and does not actually protect against leaks from above, and if the plates are fibrous, then it itself irrevocably deteriorates from moisture. It is impossible to obtain curvilinear configurations with an armstrong, and the already diagonal design of the ceiling negates all its simplicity and cheapness: only a highly paid master will undertake such work, and it will take a lot of time.
In terms of the height of the room, the armstrong ceiling "eats away" at least 250 mm, so it can be found extremely rarely in city apartments. Nevertheless, the armstrong ceiling is used not only in offices and supermarkets, as conceived by its creators, but also in restaurants, entertainment centers, etc. But in such cases, Armstrong is no longer an economic, but a design solution (see the picture above).
How armstrong works
Armstrong ceiling device is clear from the figure. Designations on it:
- Ceiling plate.
- Cross section 600 mm long.
- Carrying profile with a length of 3700 mm.
- Longitudinal profile 1200 mm long.
- Suspension, where 5a is a hook; 5b - barbell.
- Perimeter (wall) profile 3000 mm long.
- Fastening unit in the base ceiling.
- Fragment of a ceiling slab.
Explanations for the figure:
The dimensions of the ceiling tiles are 600x600 and 1200x600 mm. The latter are almost completely out of use - the ceiling of them is not strong enough.
Slabs produced soft, mineral and organic, and hard - metal and glass, mirror and patterned. Rigid slabs are heavy, therefore, profiles and hangers for them require special, reinforced; respectively expensive. Mineral soft slabs are also almost never used: they contain harmful mineral wool. Organic boards are made from recycled paper waste and are harmless. Soft plates are easily cut with an assembly knife, hard ones require special tools for processing; glass - diamond.
Profiles- metal painted or metal-plastic, with holes for suspension. Shelf width - 15 or 24 mm. Wall - L-shaped with a bend or just a corner; others are T-shaped. The profiles are connected along the length with spring locks or bendable antennae. All profiles can be cut to size from the side opposite to the lock.
Suspension consists of a pair of 6 mm metal rods, even and with a hook, connected by a curved sheet spring with holes - "butterfly". Squeezing the butterfly, the rods can be moved, adjusting the height of the suspension, and when released, it fixes them tightly. The upper part of the straight bar of the reinforced suspension is profiled for secure fixation in the fastening unit.
Fastening unit- an ordinary dowel for a self-tapping screw or a metal collet. The latter is used for reinforced suspension or for a smooth, even bar. Such suspensions are required not only for hard ceilings, but also for places with a concentrated load: lamps, ventilation grilles, etc.
Ceiling mount armstrong is completely reversible and collapsible: an even bar is driven or screwed into the fastening assembly without disassembling the suspension, a profile is put on the hook and, squeezing the butterfly, the height is adjusted along the tightly stretched cord. To access the interceiling space, one of the slabs is raised and moved to the side. Close the opening in reverse order.
About homemade stoves
Plates made of wood materials (solid wood, laminate, MDF) for armstrongs for some reason are not produced, but in vain. A ceiling like this looks great. Armstrong wood slabs can be cut yourself from 600mm wide or narrower planks. In the latter case, each square is assembled in a cell on standard grooves, and the excess in width is evenly cut off on both sides. If we take the cheapest "tin" for the frame for soft slabs, then each longitudinal bar will need to be reinforced with an additional suspension in the middle.
Armstrong ceiling equipment
For armstrong ceilings, a wide range of 600x600 mm equipment is produced: raster and shade lamps, ventilation grilles, indoor units of air conditioners, etc. Round holes for spotlights in soft plates are simply cut with a mounting knife; you can also cut curly holes. For rigid slabs, of course, a special tool is needed.
Armstrong factory plates
Armstrong's calculation
The armstrong ceiling is mounted according to the results of the calculation. The purpose of the calculations is twofold: to harmoniously fit the ceiling into the interior and determine the consumption of materials for it. The calculation of the perimeter is simple: we measure along the walls and round to a multiple of 3 m. For laying in the corners, the wall profile can be cut and bent like any corner.
As for the grating, manufacturers do not recommend cutting the slabs by more than half, i.e. up to less than 300 mm - additional cells appear, which requires unnecessary work and materials. However, excessive trimming does not affect the strength of the ceiling, and the materials are cheap, therefore, the slabs are often trimmed, gradually reducing their width to the walls. This gives the ceiling a less austere look.
Example # 1: the width of the room is 4.2 m = 7x0.6 m. We cut the slabs extreme to the walls by 400 and 200 mm.
- Along the length of the room, the cut row refers to the wall farthest from the entrance.
- In width, the trim is complemented by a solid size, the result is divided by 2 and a pair of slabs cut to this size are carried to the walls.
Example # 2: the width of the room is 2.7 m = 4x0.6 + 0.3 m. We take the width of three rows of solid plates 0.6x3 = 1.8 m.The remainder of 0.6 + 0.3 = 0.9 m is divided by 2. Rows of 45 cm slabs will adjoin the long walls. The number of frame cells will not increase.
The consumption rates of materials for rooms of conventional configuration are as follows:
For square rooms or with a 3/4 aspect ratio:
- Carrying profile 3700 mm - 0.80 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Longitudinal profile 1200 mm - 1.60 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Cross section 600 mm - 0.80 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Suspension - 0.6 pcs / sq. m ceiling.
For rooms with an aspect ratio of 2/3 to 1/2, the consumption rates increase slightly:
- Bearing profile 3700 mm - 0.84 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Longitudinal profile 1200 mm - 1.68 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Cross section 600 mm - 0.87 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Perimeter profile 3000 mm - 0.5 m / sq. m ceiling.
- Suspension - 0.7 pcs / sq. m ceiling.
In any case, the obtained values are rounded to the nearest larger whole values of the pieces of the standard length profile or suspension. The perimeter is fixed to the walls in 0.6 m increments for soft slabs without additional load, or 0.3 m for rigid or loaded ceilings. Spotlights and plastic ventilation grilles are not considered additional loads.
These norms are valid for premises ranging from 9-10 to 100-120 sq. m. For other values of areas or for rooms with complex configurations, the Armstrong ceiling is calculated using an online calculator, in a construction CAD (computer-aided design system) or according to a scaled diagram, see the figure in the next section. The main rule is that the load-bearing profiles should be parallel to the short walls, this strengthens the structure (fewer joints of the load-bearing profiles) and saves material.
Suspension units
The Armstrong ceiling installation rules provide for suspension by supporting profiles with a step of 1.2 m. Suspension nodes should be no more than 450 mm from the walls. The latter condition is not always met. In this case, the rows of suspensions along the length of the room are displaced back and forth so that the suspension nodes are staggered.
Armstrong ceiling design scheme
Lumped loads are supported by additional hangers located diagonally from the nearest main one. Very heavy liners (for example, an indoor unit of a split system or a dynamic light installation) are reinforced in the corners and, if possible, are located close to the wall.
Note: the hanger hook will not allow you to put an additional device in the cell, so additional hangers should be taken a little to the side.
When marking holes on the ceiling for fastening nodes of suspensions, special accuracy is not required: the slight inclination of the suspension is easily compensated by adjusting its height. An example of an armstrong ceiling design scheme is shown in the figure.
Installation of the ceiling frame
Installation of armstrong ceilings begins with the installation of the perimeter. SNiP recommend to use a laser or bubble level with a length of at least 1 m to break off the height of the perimeter, but in practice, the height of the perimeter is often beaten off from the opposite: they check the horizontalness of the floor (hack-workers often do without this, and nothing, they hand over the work), mark heights in the corners and three of them beat off the contour with a populated cord. Fast, simple and cheerful.
Armstrong ceiling assembly diagram (increase - by click)
Next, the wall profile is cut to size and attached to brick and concrete walls with self-tapping screws in dowels. If the walls are sheathed with wood, there will be no special weights in the ceiling, and the raster lamps are no more than 1 per 5 square meters. m, then the perimeter can be fastened with nails: the main load is carried by the suspensions. It is strongly not recommended to use hack-work on suspensions: take propylene dowels or put metal collet instead of dowels.
After marking with drilling holes in the ceiling, the bearing profiles are cut to size, connected on the floor into slats of the required length and placed in the perimeter. Then they are pulled apart along the length, the suspensions are installed and each supporting bar is aligned according to the sagging along the tightly stretched cord.
The next stage is the installation of longitudinal and transverse ties. Basically, two mounting schemes are used: parallel and cross, see fig; longitudinal ties are highlighted in green. In terms of material consumption, they are equivalent. The cross pattern is somewhat more laborious, but more durable, therefore it is used for places where communications will be laid or for additionally insulated ceilings. Of course, before installing the frame, incomplete profiles are cut to size.
Armstrong ceiling assembly
How to assemble an armstrong ceiling? It's very simple: the contents of the cells are lifted, tilted, one by one, inserted into the space between the ceilings and neatly placed into the cell. If it has risen obliquely, do not press from above to align! It is necessary to gently push from below in the corners.
First of all, concentrated loads are packed and communications are supplied to them. Then - plates with pre-installed spotlights; wires are immediately connected to the lamps.