Reliable roof: decorating the ceiling in the bathroom in 7 different ways

5 September, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works (foundation laying, wall erection, roof construction, etc.). Internal construction work (laying of internal communications, rough and final finishing). Hobbies: mobile communications, high technologies, computer technology, programming.

Starting repairs in the plumbing room, many pay attention only to utilities and wall decoration, missing such an important element as the ceiling in the bathroom.

So, for example, it happened with one of my acquaintances, a police colonel from the local district department. We discussed with him all possible options for arranging plumbing engineering systems, and the question of how to decorate the ceiling in the bathroom arose after I was finishing the wall cladding.

It is also good that the installation of the ceiling can be performed after finishing the walls (although it all depends on the type of material used and this statement is not always true). Therefore, we urgently sat down with him to discuss possible options. I proposed one design or another with an indication of the strengths and weaknesses of each solution, and he decided whether this option was suitable for him personally.

If you are just going to or are already doing repairs with your own hands, then sooner or later you will also face a similar problem. So that you know in advance how to make a bathroom ceiling, I will describe the most popular designs that I have ever installed.

Basic requirements for bathroom ceilings

I want to note right away that a bathroom is a room with a special microclimate, the distinctive features of which are high air humidity and significant temperature fluctuations. Therefore, your chosen bathroom ceiling finish must meet some requirements.

I will list those that I personally (and, by the way, my interlocutor - the colonel) consider the most important:

1. High hydrophobic properties. The selected material must be waterproof, not deteriorate and not change its appearance during operation in humid air.

Method 1 - Putty and painting

1. The service life of plastered and painted is about 10 years. Naturally, if another higher power does not intervene, the representatives of which are the neighbors from above.

I mean, if water leaks from the top floor, the decorative paint can deteriorate. Although it is easy to fix the defect. You just need to have paint, a brush and a stepladder, without which it will be difficult to reach the surface.

1. The ceiling is easy to maintain, although the surface will darken over time. The fact is that the paint absorbs dirt particles that cannot be washed with household detergents.

But many readers have already guessed that this question is also easy to read. For those who have not yet understood, I advise you to re-read the previous paragraph.

1. It is impossible to build engineering communications into such a ceiling. In particular, we are talking about a ventilation system and electric lighting. Therefore, you will have to be content with a pendant or wall lamp and a fan built into the niche (no air ducts).

pros Minuses Plastic panels are strong enough and withstand external mechanical stress well. Even if you accidentally hit the surface with an object, it will not damage the polymer in any way. Although, I once opened champagne in the bathroom (don't ask for details), so the cork left a dent on the ceiling. This finishing method requires the use of a metal or wood frame. Whatever the processing of parts, over time they become unusable, which leads to the need to dismantle and replace the entire structure. To increase the lifespan of your ceiling, I advise you to worry about efficient ventilation in your bathroom. Plastic perfectly tolerates not only humid air, but also direct contact with liquid. At the same time, neither its appearance, nor its operational properties are affected in any way. The panels, no matter how tightly they are installed, have seams, under which dirt gets clogged over time. It is easy to clean with a cloth. But sometimes, especially due to high humidity, mold appears inside, which can only be removed with antiseptics. Products are easy and simple to install by hand. You just need to decide how to install the metal profile, and every man can sheathe it with plastic. They say that the polymer has a bad effect on human health, releasing harmful chemical compounds into the air. Maybe it was before, but modern building materials are safe, as evidenced by quality certificates and other similar documents. The surface is very easy to maintain. The polymer can be easily cleaned with common household detergents. I have used a special long-handled window squeegee several times. And I didn't have to climb to the top. The ceiling made of plastic panels allows you to hide any number of utilities. Under it were laid not only electrical wires and lamps, but also air ducts with fans.

Personally, I prefer to use plastic ceilings paired with a similar one. In this case, the finishing work is carried out more efficiently, and the design of the room looks more organic.

Advantages disadvantages With the help of gypsum board, it is easy to make a unique and inimitable ceiling in the bathroom. I have often designed layered structures with any curvature. The implementation cost of such a solution is quite high. Moreover, you will have to buy materials and pay an experienced craftsman who is able to create a masterpiece you have drawn. Any reasonable amount of utilities can be hidden under the crate. The lamps themselves and the ventilation suction openings look organically on the ceiling surface, without spoiling the design of the bathroom. Drywall requires additional decorative finishing. To do this, you will need a putty, a primer, and paint. Not to mention the time that you will spend on work. Such a design is able to correct any curvature and defects in the interfloor overlap. The ceiling paintwork will have to be renewed from time to time, as it quickly fades from operation in a room with high humidity. The plasterboard ceiling has a long service life.

If the slats are expensive for you, and you don't want to mess with drywall, I suggest another suspended structure. This time, decorative ceiling tiles will be suspended. It is about her that will be discussed further.

Method 5 - hanging tiles

Here, which, I think, is no longer surprising for you, a special suspended structure is also used, similar to the one that has to be designed for a plasterboard ceiling. However, ready-made cells or cassettes are hung on it.

If we compare it with gypsum plasterboard, then this material does not require decorative finishing, and, therefore, priming, staining, and so on. For me personally, this is just a huge plus.

By the way, tiles can be made of different materials:

• organic glass;
• metal;
• plastic;
• mineral slabs.

I have mounted plates with built-in illumination once. The result was simply a mind-blowing bathroom that looked like a fairytale cave or a spaceship compartment (for whom, as fantasy works).

The disadvantages of the described solution can be attributed to the fact that cassettes or cells do not always fit into the design of the bathroom or your home as a whole. Often such a ceiling is installed in office or commercial buildings, so you and your home may have a similar association, which is not good for me personally.

On the other hand, if you decorate the house in a high-tech style, then the metal tiles on the ceiling will fit perfectly.

Method 6 - Mirrors

I have already talked a lot about reflective materials on the ceiling. And now I'll tell you about the best of these solutions - mirrors. If you decide to use them in the plumbing room, then it will turn out just gorgeous. Although you will have to spend a lot of money.

So, mirrors weigh a lot, therefore they can be installed on a reinforced frame made of a metal profile. Mirror plates are attached to the crate with screws, for which you need to drill holes (and, believe me, this is far from as easy as it seems).

You can, of course, cheat and put a "mirror type" ceiling. These are special panels that have a surface that reflects light well. They are mounted on their own suspension system, and this can be done quickly and easily.

An example of such a decision can be called the products of the Armstrong company located in St. Petersburg. But I think that in any city there are proposals for such systems. I will immediately warn you that the frame of inexpensive systems can be subject to corrosion, therefore, you need to organize effective ventilation.

The use of mirrored ceilings also has several disadvantages, which I did not fail to mention in a conversation with the colonel:

1. A ceiling like this is a source of overly intense shine that you might not like. Especially if it is located too low or you have to stay in the bathroom for a long time.
2. The mirror surface will have to be washed frequently to make it look spectacular. And if this process is quite simple with a vertical ordinary mirror, then very great difficulties can arise with the ceiling. Therefore, you need to coordinate such a project with your other half in advance.

Method 7 - Tension

I left this option for last, since it was my friend who was a police officer who chose it. And I completely agree with him, because such a construction has many advantages:

• perfectly tolerates exposure to humid air without changing its appearance and technical characteristics;
• does not require additional decorative finishing after installation;
• stretch fabric is able to hide any number of utilities laid under the ceiling;
• cleans well and washes using ordinary household detergents;
• has many design options (it can be plain, with a pattern, with three-dimensional photo printing, matte, glossy, textured, and so on).

Another important plus is the ability to withstand a large amount of water seeped from the upper floor. If such a nuisance happens to you, all the liquid will be retained by the ceiling. After that, experts will merge it, and the decorative material will restore its size.

I personally can name only two drawbacks that prevent the choice of this option:

1. You are unlikely to succeed in installing the ceiling yourself. If only because this requires special equipment and materials.
2. The canvas can be easily perforated with an object. This will not only worsen its appearance, but will also make it impossible to retain spilled water.

I will point out one more feature. If you buy a white ceiling and put spotlights in it, be prepared for the fact that in this area the polymer canvas may turn yellow due to the high temperature. To avoid this, install LED lights.

As I already mentioned, my client and interlocutor made his choice. For you, I have prepared a few tips that may help you in the difficult process of deciding which ceiling to use in the bathroom:

1. You need to choose an option that would be combined with the design of the bathroom and the home as a whole. The best option is white. You can make such a stretch ceiling, plasterboard or tiles. In this case, the lighting problem is easily solved (you need to put spotlights).

1. Textured ceilings help to visually increase or decrease the size of the sanitary room. In this case, I recommend modular or slatted ceilings. The texture of individual elements is clearly visible on them.

1. If you are fortunate enough to be the owner of a spacious bathroom, you can swing at the tiered ceiling. It is made, as you already know, from drywall. Solutions where geometric shapes on the ceiling are combined with the appearance of plumbing fixtures look especially impressive.

1. In the case when the aesthetic component is not a priority for you, but practicality comes to the fore, install a ceiling made of plastic panels. It is ideal for this purpose.

Of course, tension is even better, but you will have to pay extra to the installers for the work. So decide for yourself.

Output

As you can see, there are a huge number of decorative finishes. Using one or another option, you can easily arrange the ceiling in the bathroom so that it matches 100% your taste.

If it doesn't bother you, tell us about your results in the comments. And for those who want to study the options I proposed in more detail, I can suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video in this article.