Which stretch ceiling to choose

Recommendation points

• What material is the canvas made of
• Film ceilings
• Fabric ceilings
• Width of canvases
• Features of the front surface
• Stretch ceiling color
• Unusual stretch ceilings
• Stretch ceiling quality

In this article we will consider the main types of stretch ceilings, we will figure out for what conditions this or that model is better suited. Let’s also pay attention to how to distinguish a high-quality canvas from a fake. The article will be useful to those who are going to order a stretch ceiling, but find it difficult to choose.

Stretch ceiling has deservedly gained popularity among developers, contractors and designers. The assortment on the market is very wide, but it can be difficult not only for the layman, but also for professionals to choose the right canvas. The fact is that the technology continues to evolve, new products with new properties and characteristics appear regularly. There are many manufacturers, and almost each of them offers its own unique product description, where only the competitive advantages of the brand are usually put at the forefront..

In order to somehow simplify the life of their clients, firms that sell and install stretch ceilings are taken to streamline the classification. Even imperfect unification allows the consumer to consciously give preference to products that are most suitable for the given requirements.

What material is the canvas made of

Depending on what type of material is used to create the canvas, the key technical and operational characteristics of the stretch ceiling will differ.

Film ceilings

The basis for the film is polyvinyl chloride, therefore these products are called “PVC ceiling”. Such canvases are very popular, as they are practical and durable, they are presented in a huge number of textures and colors, in particular, glossy options with a “mirror” effect are available, which are not in fabric rulers.

This material can be considered universal, but there are some limitations:

1. PVC canvases are thermoplastic, they are installed when heated to about 60 degrees (a heat gas gun is used), but it is not always possible to do this in a furnished living room.
2. For the same reason, it is undesirable to use film materials if a room or some areas can get very hot, for example, directly above a kitchen stove or a heating boiler, etc. You must carefully use powerful lighting devices that generate heat.
3. You cannot operate PVC ceiling at subzero temperatures, as the film will harden and collapse. That is, for cold balconies and unheated country houses, you will have to look for other options..
4. Most of the film canvases are not wide enough (up to 2.7 meters) to completely cover the room without a seam, only recently wide rolls of Chinese production have appeared, but their quality is questionable.

Fabric ceilings

This type of canvases is created on the basis of densely woven canvas. The fabric consists of very strong threads, it is impregnated with a polymer composition and is treated on both sides with a protective coating (including waterproof varnishes), which sets many consumer characteristics of the ceiling.

Unlike foil, ceiling fabric is immune to temperature fluctuations and can be installed without heating. It can be used in rooms with any operating temperature. A fabric ceiling is an order of magnitude stronger than a film ceiling, for example, it is much more difficult to pierce it. It should be noted that almost all models of fabric canvases are produced in a wide range of sizes, you can buy a whole canvas with a width of more than 5 meters.

Among the conditional disadvantages are:

1. There are no glossy surfaces – you only have to choose from matte and satin options.
2. A small selection of colors and shades. Usually, no more than a dozen colors are available for a specific fabric model..
3. The fabric has minimal ductility, which complicates installation and reuse.

Width of canvases

Stretch ceilings are produced in rolls of different widths so that dealers can cut the canvas for specific premises, which will give a minimum of waste. This plays into the hands of the developer, because, in fact, the consumer pays for running meters of material. But there are oversized rooms that are difficult to close in one piece, then drywall boxes are assembled around the perimeter or the film is welded together.

Traditionally, it is customary to divide ceilings into:

• seamless
• with seam

These are not entirely correct definitions. Due to its technological features, a fabric cloth, in principle, cannot have a seam, and there is no need for this, since manufacturers are able to make even 5-meter rolls.

But film ceilings of a large width, due to technological limitations, cannot be obtained. Only a few Chinese manufacturers, neglecting safety, use plasticizers that are harmful to health and produce canvases 4–5 meters wide. As a way out of the situation, in order to block the ceiling from wall to wall, relatively narrow canvases are welded together using special equipment. With high-quality welding, correct installation and competent positioning of the blade relative to the light, the seam is smooth, reliable and inconspicuous.

Calling narrow PVC canvases “seam” is a mistake, because even one and a half meter films can be used in small rooms, such as a balcony, toilet, or between plasterboard boxes, which actually narrow the room.

Attention! When ordering a ceiling with a seam, it is necessary to clarify with the contractor how it will be located relative to the walls. By default, the seam is displaced from the axis due to the fact that a narrower missing piece is added to the main canvas. Symmetry usually comes at extra cost as more waste is generated..

Features of the front surface

As we have already noted, fabric stretch ceilings are not glossy, while the film canvas is produced in several versions. The following surfaces are considered classics:

• glossy
• matte
• satin

A glossy (“lacquered”) ceiling is chosen if it is necessary to visually increase the height and volume of the room. The mirror effect, due to the reflection of the rays, increases the illumination of the room, and for different films the reflection coefficient can vary from 60 to 98 percent. Many consumers consider the lacquered ceiling to be the most spectacular, especially since these models have a lot of color variations..

Matte ceilings (both fabric and PVC) have a rough surface, similar to painted plaster. That is, you can get the look of an ordinary ceiling and at the same time – all the technological and operational advantages of tension technology. Matte canvases do not glare, completely absorb light fluxes, without giving reflections – they do not change their color. Such models are especially good in relatively large living rooms, such as a bedroom, an office, where you need to create a calm atmosphere or a conservative classic interior. Matte canvases are somewhat limited in color, but they are cheaper than glossy.

In terms of design, satin surfaces are a cross between lacquered and matt fabrics. The material is embossed, similar to fabric with light reflections, it, by analogy with matte models, is perceived as a restrained classic.

There are stretch ceilings with an exclusive texture, which in most cases imitates common natural or man-made materials:

• wood;
• marble;
• skin;
• velvet;
• foliage metal (steel, gold, silver);
• different types of art glass.

All these samples must be carefully selected to the style of the interior and pay special attention to the overall tone and reflective characteristics of these surfaces..

Attention! Stretch ceilings with different types of surfaces do not have significant technological differences.

Attention! It is possible to weld a sheet of strips with different textures, curved and in a straight line.

Stretch ceiling color

Stretch ceiling canvases are usually classified into:

• plain
• multicolor

Once again, design issues become central. Obviously, different color schemes can have a special psychological effect on a person, in addition, it is very important to correctly combine colors in a room. You can also add that light ceiling materials are more effective in increasing illumination and increasing volume, and, for example, dark glossy films – reflect objects better (mirror effect).

Multicolor canvases can have any texture: gloss, matte, satin. They are either assembled by soldering from several canvases of different colors (including complex patterns), or additional colors are simply printed.

A separate product category is an “artistic” stretch fabric, which is painted on a large format printer. You can print on fabric and on PVC foil, on any texture, on any base color. It will be a “flat” or three-dimensional 3D drawing (including photography), which penetrates into the depth of the material.

To get an absolute exclusive, some owners order an airbrush painting of the already installed ceiling.

Attention! Large format printing costs are added to the base price of the canvas. The estimated cost of this option is from 700 to 2000 rubles per square meter..

Unusual stretch ceilings

We are talking about ceilings that have advanced technical and functional capabilities. As a rule, the uniqueness of these models lies in the multi-layer nature of the canvases or in the complex use of special lighting equipment..

1. “Starry sky” – a film or fabric is perforated, and lighting is supplied to the holes: fiber-optic filaments, LEDs, miniature spotlights. Some canvases designed to create a starry sky have a light-absorbing backing layer.

2. “Glowing”, “floating” ceiling is created using a translucent canvas. Lighting fixtures are installed in the ceiling space, which give a uniform glow. Sometimes only specific areas are highlighted, such as the perimeter. An interesting effect can be obtained if you create a luminous pattern or ornament using an LED strip, especially since pulsed and multi-colored backlights are available.

3. “Acoustic ceiling with perforation” is not much different from conventional models, only its canvas has a large number of micro-holes that scatter sound waves.

4. “Insulating stretch ceiling” is a cold-mounted fabric sheet, on the reverse side of which there is an interlayer (about 2 mm thick) of foamed polymer, which dampens airborne noise and significantly increases heat transfer resistance.

Stretch ceiling quality

In this regard, European manufacturers are the undisputed leaders. Products of German, French, Italian companies are distinguished by durability, safety and repeatability of the declared properties. Russian firms are a little behind. Models of factory stretch ceilings from China cannot please us with stable quality, the situation with fakes is much worse.

Comparative characteristics of stretch ceilings:

Model	Material	Roll width, m	Texture	Mounting type	Number of colors	Unheated premises	Cost, rub. / 1 ​​m2
Lackfolien, Germany	Pvc	1.3-1.8	gloss	heat	65	not	520
Polyplast, Belgium / China	Pvc	3.6-5.6	satin	heat	6	not	300
AlkorDraka, Holland	Pvc	2.18	opal, clear.	heat	white	not	750
IvNIIPIK, Russia	Pvc	1.4	matte	heat	five	not	250
Barrisol Creadesign, France	Pvc	1.4	suede, pattern	heat	7	not	2500
Descor print, Germany	the cloth	5.1	matte	cold	8	Yes	680
Clipso 705 S acoustic, Switzerland	the cloth	2-5.1	matte	cold	6	Yes	1140
Cerutti Aurora translucent, Italy	the cloth	3.2-5.13	matte	cold	white	Yes	900
Plotter printing							from 700
“Starry sky” set of 188 points							6000

Responsible manufacturers provide a lot of information, but a little something can be learned by making a simple comparison of several samples of material. A high-quality canvas is always denser and thicker. A good fabric or film is “pleasant to the touch”, does not rustle, differs in flexibility and uniformity. If there is texture, then it should be uniform throughout the roll. The same applies to color, in addition, it is necessary to determine in sunlight whether the material is not translucent, whether there are bright spots or gaps. You should also pay attention to the smell of linen, strong phenolic emissions are harmful and are a sign of cheap Chinese counterfeit.