What is the best ceiling in the bathroom? This question naturally comes to mind when carrying out repairs in this room. After all, I want to make it beautifully, both durable and modern. In this material, we will tell you how to do this and which ceiling to choose for a given room, taking into account its requirements.
Features of the bathroom and requirements for the ceilings of this room
#1. This room is very damp and therefore must be finished with waterproof materials. While bathing in the shower, you can inadvertently direct a stream of water to the ceiling - it should easily withstand this. In addition, a good ceiling will also take out the suddenly gushing water from above. But this happens in the bathroom - for example, a neighbor will forget to turn off the tap or the washing machine will leak.
# 2. We also need a ceiling that will not be very difficult to maintain. Ideally, wipe it down from time to time with a cloth, and that's it. Indeed, in this small room there is usually a mass of all kinds of equipment and items that impede cleaning. It is inconvenient and unreasonable to climb onto a washing machine or a bath, and sometimes there is nowhere to put a stepladder.
# 3. Well, and the aesthetic requirements should not be overlooked. The ceiling in the bathroom should fit well into the whole environment of the bathroom and the entire apartment, its style and interior. And to look at him was pleasant, taking, for example, a fragrant foam bath.
How suitable is this or that type of ceiling for use in the bathroom
Since the basic requirements for the ceilings of this room are known to us, now we will consider how this or that type of ceiling covering meets this requirement.
Putty and ceiling painting
It is not only simple enough, but also relatively cheap. Paint and putty are inexpensive, and you can do all the work yourself. But this option is beneficial when the base for painting is sufficiently flat - then it is not particularly necessary to putty and level the base. At the same time, one must not forget that all materials, namely paint, primer and putty, must be waterproof. If there are large differences between the ceiling slabs, the process of leveling the ceiling with putty will be very laborious, so it is better to give preference to other options.
- The painted ceiling does not shine with originality, but you can turn on your imagination and combine 2 or 3 colors in various bold combinations.
- Such a ceiling serves for 10 years (but only on condition that there will be no flood from the neighbors).
- It is not difficult to take care of it, but darkening (from time to time) cannot be washed off, since the paint absorbs dirt. But it is extremely easy to refresh the ceiling - just walk over it with a brush or roller and the surface will shine again with cleanliness.
- You will not be able to embed lighting with all the desire - there is nowhere. But you can buy beautiful pendant lights that will decorate the bathroom. Alas, communications cannot be hidden under such a ceiling either.
- I think it's no secret for you that it is on such ceilings that mold and fungus most often settle.
- For more details see: Do-it-yourself ceiling putty - practical tips and tricks.
As you can see, from a practical point of view, such ceilings are not very good, but fortunately there are many more options, more on that later.
Plastic PVC panels - lightweight and cheap
When deciding what to make the ceiling in the bathroom, many people choose PVC panels. It is a relatively durable and absolutely moisture resistant coating. You can mount them yourself, they look quite nice and do not need additional finishing. Their surface does not require special care; it will be grateful to periodically wiping with a damp cloth. The design of such a ceiling allows you to mount spotlights.
- There are seams at the joints of the individual panels, into which dirt gets into over time. This is not very pretty, but can be remedied by periodic cleaning. Worse, if there is poor ventilation in the bathroom, then it is not dirt that settles in the cracks, but a fungus, which is much more difficult to remove.
- In addition, the metal frame can rust over time. It happens that even the galvanized coating on it does not help. But this can most likely happen when there is poor ventilation and high humidity in the room.
- If you want to update such a ceiling, then be prepared for the fact that it will not be done easily and quickly. It is necessary to completely remove the old plastic, and then mount the new cover.
Other photos of PVC panel ceilings:
Rack ceiling - beautiful, durable, stylish
The rack-and-pinion ceiling is also assembled on the frame. Reiki are narrow, long panels. They can be plastic, steel or aluminum. Of course, from metal, aluminum is better - they are absolutely waterproof, and corrosion does not "eat" them. The color scheme of the slatted ceiling can be varied, since the panels are produced in gold-plated, chrome-plated, monochrome and patterned. Installing them on the shoulder even for an amateur - after all, they are assembled like a designer. And the care of such a ceiling is quite simple. Therefore, when deciding which ceiling is better in the bathroom, many people choose exactly the slatted ceilings.
It is also very convenient during installation that the slats are flexible enough. Therefore, such a ceiling can be made not straight, but curved. Also, the polished surface of the slats has reflective properties, and the ceiling of them looks almost like a mirror. This property, however, is also found in some ceiling tiles.
Disadvantages of rack streams:
- Of the minuses, it can be noted that the interpanel seams are clogged with dirt. In principle, we do not even notice clean seams, but when they get dirty, untidy dark stripes are formed. However, this trouble is easily fixable - you just need to clean the ceiling from time to time.
- Not every bathroom will look harmoniously with a ceiling made of slats - it does not suit all interior styles.
More photos of rack ceilings:
Plasterboard ceiling
This construction is made on a frame - wooden or metal. However, wooden frames are usually not used in bathrooms. After the installation of the frame, it is "sewn up" with sheets of drywall, necessarily moisture resistant, containing protective additives against fungus and excess moisture. When buying, in order not to be mistaken, you need to look at the marking - it should be written "GKLV". That is, the gypsum plasterboard is moisture resistant. Look at the color of the sheets - they are usually green. Such "correct" drywall will not rot, damp or crumble.
Such ceilings allow you to decorate the bathroom in an original way. After all, they can be made at different levels, as well as to beat the location of the lamps built into the frame. By hiding all the flaws and irregularities of the ceiling, ventilation communications and wiring, we will get a beautiful and durable ceiling. Its service life is from 5 to 10 years.
Disadvantages of using plasterboard ceiling in the bathroom:
- Unfortunately, installation of such a structure cannot be called cheap. The frame needs to be made, the sheets must be fixed, and then still go through with putty, primer and paint.
- If you carry out the installation yourself, then in terms of the time and labor spent, such a structure is also very costly.
- In addition, periodically you will have to refresh the paintwork, as it will lose its appearance. As with a painted ceiling, it is inevitable that dirt will absorb over time. But the structure itself will not require replacement or repair at the same time.
Other photos of plasterboard ceilings:
Tiled suspended ceiling
On a similar frame, like drywall, you can build a ceiling from ready-made facing sheets, also called ceiling suspended tiles. The result is a cassette or cellular ceiling. Unlike drywall, it does not require priming or staining, which is a definite plus. After all, these boards have an already processed surface. They can be made from various materials. In particular, for this purpose, moisture-resistant modules made of plexiglass, metal or plastic, mineral plates are used. Such backlit designs look beautiful and a little magical.
What are the disadvantages of using tiled suspended ceilings in the bathroom:
- However, it can be noted that the cellular or cassette-type ceiling does not always fit well into the cozy atmosphere of the bathroom and the whole apartment. Sometimes he looks a little cold and officious, and one involuntarily wants to move him somewhere to a public bathroom. However, it all depends on the style of the bathroom interior. If this is, for example, minimalism or high-tech, then such a ceiling will fit into the design very organically.
Photo examples of suspended tiled ceilings:
If real mirrors are used, then the ceiling looks just gorgeous. But such a design will cost a lot. The frame will need a metal, reinforced (about the same as for fastening drywall). To attach the mirrors to the frame, holes are drilled in each of them. Only an experienced master can collect all this, but such a ceiling will last for a long time. But you will have to take care of him with all care, polishing and rubbing to a shine.
There are also budget options for a mirror-type bathroom ceiling - their cost is several times less. For example, you can take light shiny plastic panels, mounted on the Armstrong system. Installation is quick and easy - and an inexperienced master will cope with it. However, the frame of this system is rather weak and not very resistant to corrosion - it eats it up in a fairly short time.
What are the disadvantages when using mirrored ceilings in bathrooms:
- Such a ceiling creates a large amount of shine, which not everyone may like, especially if the ceiling is not so high and you are in the room for a long time.
- Since the surface is mirrored, in terms of care there will be all the same difficulties as with an ordinary mirror. But if your ordinary mirror is located vertically and it is easier to care for it, then care for the mirrored ceiling will be much more difficult.
See more photos of mirrored ceilings:
Stretch PVC ceiling - will not miss a drop of water
An excellent option for a bathroom - it will not damp, and will protect walls, floors and furniture with appliances from the flood. If a whole "lake" of water (up to 100 kilograms per square meter) pours onto such a ceiling, then nothing will happen. Specialists will drain the water and stretch the ceiling again. And it will not change its properties at all. Maintenance of stretch ceilings consists in wiping them with a wrung out damp cloth.
We also note that stretch ceilings fit into any design, look modern, noble and elegant. They have so many color and design options that you can't count. Matte and shiny, patterned and monochromatic, with photo prints and raised patterns. You can choose for every taste.
- Unfortunately, the installation of such a structure itself cannot be mastered - you will have to call professionals. Only they have the necessary equipment and materials.
- And one more minus of the stretch ceiling - it is quite easy to make a hole in it. Well, after that, the ability to retain water will disappear, unfortunately. Therefore, you need to be more careful not to touch the PVC film with sharp and hard objects.
- In the case of a white stretch ceiling, yellowing may be observed in those places where the lamps are fixed. These stains will not rub off or paint over. Therefore, if this happens, then you have to completely change the tensioning fabric.