A perfectly flat ceiling in the apartment is a rarity. A variety of flaws in the plates, their poor-quality connection, mismatch in height is a serious obstacle to repair. In order to cope with these shortcomings, the help of professionals is required. However, it is not always possible and reasonable to pay for expensive services. Therefore, you have to look for an alternative finish, with which you can mask defects yourself. One of these materials is ceiling tiles - a beautiful, lightweight and affordable product. With it, you can create a smooth and attractive coating that will delight you for many years. In this article, we will analyze in detail the features of various types of this material, tell you how to calculate the required amount, and explain how to glue the ceiling tiles correctly.
Ceiling tiles are produced on high-tech modern equipment, which allows to ensure a high-quality structure and high performance of the material. She has many advantages, including:
a wide variety - products vary in composition, shape, style, texture, patterns and colors. Can imitate wood, mirror, metal, fabric, leather;
wide design possibilities - you can stack and combine the material in a variety of ways;
a variety of forms - in addition to the standard, there are many options for designer tiles, which allows you to create a unique finish in any style, taking into account the characteristics of the ceiling;
light weight - allows you to use glue for fixing;
ease of installation - even a layman will cope with it, and it’s quite possible to do it alone;
good thermal insulation ability - this is especially felt in winter;
soundproofing properties - a great bonus for getting rid of extraneous noise;
the possibility of coloring in any color;
a wide range of products can be found in any building materials store;
low cost - available to most buyers;
Fits perfectly into the interior of any room in the house. It is quite appropriate in the living room, study, nursery, bedroom, kitchen, hallway, bathroom, toilet. A variety of products allows you to choose the best option for any of the rooms.
At the same time, this type of finish has its drawbacks:
material often has to be calibrated because it may not be identical. As a result, the installation process may be delayed;
some types of tiles are highly fragile and can break.This leads to an increase in the percentage of defects and the cost of repairs;
so that the tile does not deform, it is necessary to carefully select the type of glue for each type of material;
when glue gets on the front side, it is often impossible to remove it without a trace without damaging the surface. We recommend that you install as accurately as possible;
tiles from the porous category can shrink when applying glue and let it out.
Types of Ceiling Tiles
The variety of this material is impressive. Different types differ in texture, design, density and composition.
Plastic
The plastic tile is strong and lightweight, easy to wash and clean. However, it is not an environmentally friendly material and burns out under sunlight, so it is better not to use it in well-lit rooms - a living room or a nursery. But for the bathroom is a great choice. In humid environments, this tile is indispensable. It will not absorb water, it can easily be washed, preventing the formation of fungus. Such tiles are a good option for decorating the ceiling in the kitchen, toilet, pantry and even the hallway.
Plastic tile has a number of significant advantages:
affordable cost - innovative technologies made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of plastic manufacturing; therefore, PVC tiles are very competitive in the market for similar materials;
installation speed - the work is as simple as possible, therefore it is performed in the shortest possible time;
allows you to create a unique design by unusual arrangement on the ceiling and a combination of different shades;
the tightness of the material allows you not to be afraid of the formation of fungus, which is especially important for bathrooms;
hygiene - the material is not afraid of water, detergents and cleaners, so maintaining it in a clean state is not difficult at all.
Extruded
This is the most expensive material among all types of ceiling tiles.It is produced by pressing with a protective coating in the form of a film or dyeing. The tile has a minimum thickness of not more than 3 mm. However, it has high strength. Facing is represented by a wide variety of colors and patterns. In addition, there are many options for products that mimic natural materials - wood, marble and granite colors. The surface of the laminated film products is tight, so that it can be washed using detergents. This means that the material can be successfully used in wet conditions of the bathroom and in the kitchen, where the ceiling is constantly exposed to attacks of steam, grease and dust. Judging by customer reviews, this is the most popular type of ceiling tile to date.
Foam
The second name of the foam tile is stamped. It is made by pressing. Most often, it has a relief pattern on the front side, which is also extruded using a press. The tile has a loose, granular texture and a porous surface. Because of this, it cannot be cleaned and washed thoroughly. The pores fill up with dirt over time and the color of the material fades. The only salvation for such a tile may be staining, which must be done using acrylic dispersed paints. Water-based analogues in this case will not work.
The loose structure does not provide the material with sufficient strength. Such a tile easily breaks and crumbles, so it is very difficult to cut it qualitatively. The trimmed edges must be hidden under the baseboard. You need to purchase products for cladding with a margin, since such a tile is very inexpensive and will not hit your budget.
Injection
During the manufacture of injection tiles, molds are used in which sintering of expanded polystyrene takes place. Due to this, the resulting material has a much higher quality in comparison with the stamped analog.In thickness, such tiles are from 9-14 mm.
Advantages of injection products
They have good noise and heat insulation properties.
The edges of the products are of high quality, so that the seams on the coating formed by them are practically invisible.
It does not require calibration, because it has accurate dimensions and has a distinctive pattern.
With all its advantages, it should be noted that the material absorbs water just as well as the previous version, and its fragility does not allow it to withstand even minor mechanical damage.
By type of edge
The edges of the ceiling tiles can be made in different ways. It depends on what the finished cladding will look like.
There are models in which the edging is made:
with straight cut straight edges without chamfer. When installing such material, the joints will be as invisible as possible. This is the so-called seamless tile;
with clear edges or frames - form a beautiful patterned coating;
with uneven twisting contours - works of design art that allow you to create original and spectacular compositions on the ceiling.
Regardless of the type of edging, the installation process remains unchanged.
According to the drawing
Today, the material is produced with a huge variety of patterns and drawings. There are products with:
patterns in the form of geometric shapes or concise lines;
floral ornament;
imitation lace;
decorations, for gypsum stucco molding;
imitation of wood, natural stone, bamboo straws;
photo printing - it is especially popular to decorate the ceiling with tiles depicting the sky with clouds.
Tile without print is neutral. It can be used as a standalone material or combined with textured or painted elements. A little imagination and you will get a beautiful, stylish, and most importantly - an exclusive ceiling.
Calculation of the required number of tiles
After you have decided on the type of material and its design, you need to calculate the required number of tiles. So you will find out how much material will be needed to cover a certain area. We recommend purchasing panels with a margin in case of damage and rejection of products. At a tile corners, edges can be broken. When trimming and fitting you can make a mistake, and then the material may not be enough. Buying goods in a store is not always a successful way out - it is possible that it will be from a different batch and will not be identical to the one purchased earlier. Therefore, you always need to buy 10-15% more.
The calculation is made in this way:
The ceiling is measured and its area is calculated.
The ceiling area is divided by the area of one tile and the required number of cladding elements is obtained.
Choose glue
The final result of the cladding depends not only on the choice of tiles, but also on the quality of the glue. It must be resistant to moisture and temperature changes.
The main points to consider when choosing glue:
It should not be based on a solvent that will begin to destroy the material already during application to the tile. In addition, this glue contains toxic substances that adversely affect human health. The composition should be based on water.
The adhesive properties of the mixture should be up to standard. Otherwise, it is not possible to fix the tile well on concrete or putty-covered substrates.
It is better to choose a thick glue. It will hold the panels, preventing them from slipping. When using liquid formulations, you have to wait time, allowing them to thicken a little. Only then can ceiling elements be glued. As a result, extra time is spent and the process is much slower than planned.
Do not use quick-setting agents. The tile needs to be adjusted, and there should be time for this. Otherwise, inaccuracies cannot be corrected.
Foundation preparation
Before you begin gluing tiles, you should prepare the base of the ceiling.
First of all, you need to dismantle all the lighting fixtures, disconnect the cable and insulate the bare wires. Next, you need to remove the old finish, and you need to do this with the utmost care.
The choice of surface cleaning technology is made depending on the material to be dismantled.
Whitewashing - you need to blur it using clean water. It will be enough to do this 2-3 times.
Putty or decorative plaster - pre-wet with water and remove with a sharp iron scraper.
Ceiling tile - tear off using a scraper, we clean places with the remains of tile and glue.
Wallpaper - moisten abundantly with warm water and leave to completely soak. Periodically spray water from a spray bottle to prevent drying of the top layer. After that, remove the soaked material with a scraper, without leaving particles of paper and glue.
Oil paint. It must be scraped off, otherwise it will not work out to achieve good adhesion. We use a scraper, a drill with an emery nozzle or a pick.
Water emulsion. If a weak composition is washed off with water, like whitewashing, then the strong ones must be removed mechanically. After the paint has been peeled off, wash the surface with soap and water.
If the layer of plaster or putty is strong enough, it is not necessary to remove it.
After cleaning the old material, the base is inspected. If defects or differences of more than 4-5 mm are detected, alignment is done using putty. After this, it is necessary to prime the concrete or plaster surface to ensure high-quality adhesion of the tile to the base. Soil needs to be applied 2-3 times, waiting for the previous layer to completely dry.
Tile gluing schemes and ceiling layout
Due to errors made during installation, even the most beautiful tiles will not look the best way.In order for the finish to be effective and at the same time harmonious, you need to draw a tile layout. To do this, measure the walls - keep in mind that the opposite walls may have differences in size. First draw the outline on paper to scale. This is necessary in order to accurately calculate the number of plates and the order of their placement. After this, the drawing must be transferred to the ceiling. You will need a ruler, pencil, square, and twine. The markup is made depending on the selected scheme. The layout method is determined depending on the height of the ceiling and the designer's idea.
Laying schemes:
Classical Tiles are placed in tight rows along the walls. Pasting starts from the center. The decision to choose this installation method is made if they want to create an integral surface using seamless tiles. Another version of the classic version - laying with the shift of each next row to half the tile - resembles brickwork. Such ceilings look more interesting and airy. For this method, purchase a tile with a margin - there will be many scraps.
Diagonally. A universal method that is suitable for cladding ceilings of any size. The marking is carried out along the diagonals so that styling is carried out along them. You need to start gluing from the chandelier. It should be fixed in the center of the first square. It should be at an angle of 45 degrees relative to each of the walls. Stretched threads are used to find the center. On them you can draw diagonals. Subsequent tiles are tightly attached to the central element until the entire surface is laid out. Plates must pass strictly along the intended lines. Laying with a rhombus makes the ceiling luxurious and presentable, visually adjusts dimensions. One minus - there will be much more scraps than with the traditional method.
In a checkerboard pattern.For the equipment of a “chessboard” on the ceiling, panels of two colors are needed. Contrast combinations look spectacular - black with white, with red, yellow, blue. It is important that the selected colors find support in the rest of the interior space. Pasting starts from the center and continues until the work is completed. Rows of tiles are parallel to the walls. An additional advantage of this method is that with its help you can distract attention from the unevenness of the base.
Snake - performed on diagonal markings. It is important to choose colors that combine well with each other. You can choose close or, on the contrary, contrasting shades and stick the tiles in accordance with the prepared picture. If the idea to lay the ceiling with a snake came to mind after buying a plain tile or the store did not find material in suitable shades, the elements can simply be painted in colors that are suitable for this interior. You will need a white acrylic paint and two color tones.
Step-by-step instructions for gluing tiles can be found on the video.
Seam cleaning and puttying
After gluing the panels, it is necessary to clean the surface from glue accidentally falling on it or protruding along the seam. It must be completely removed and this case should not be put off the bat. Wipe it off with a damp sponge or a soft rag cloth. A few seconds of delay can lead to the fact that the spots harden and they can no longer be wiped off. Therefore, during operation, keep a rag and a bucket of water nearby, and do not forget to clean each tile immediately after gluing.
If you didn’t succeed in laying the tiles close, that's okay. Fill small voids with mastic that was used for installation, or putty, if it matches the color of the tile. Mask seams well with white acrylic sealant. It adheres perfectly to the facing materials and perfectly hides all the cracks.Use a small rubber spatula to fill the gaps. After smearing the seam, immediately wipe off the excess with a damp sponge or rag. If the seams are closed carefully, they will not spoil the appearance of your ceiling.
Conclusion
Now you know how to use the ceiling tiles to do it yourself quickly and easily, and most importantly, inexpensively repair the ceiling. The variety of design of this material allows you to create harmonious ceiling coverings for any style. Examples of interiors with tile ceilings, see the photo.
A perfectly flat ceiling in the apartment is a rarity. A variety of flaws in the plates, their poor-quality connection, mismatch in height is a serious obstacle to repair. In order to cope with these shortcomings, the help of professionals is required. However, it is not always possible and reasonable to pay for expensive services. Therefore, you have to look for an alternative finish, with which you can mask defects yourself. One of these materials is ceiling tiles - a beautiful, lightweight and affordable product. With it, you can create a smooth and attractive coating that will delight you for many years. In this article, we will analyze in detail the features of various types of this material, tell you how to calculate the required amount, and explain how to glue the ceiling tiles correctly.
Content
Advantages and disadvantages
Ceiling tiles are produced on high-tech modern equipment, which allows to ensure a high-quality structure and high performance of the material. She has many advantages, including:
At the same time, this type of finish has its drawbacks:
Types of Ceiling Tiles
The variety of this material is impressive. Different types differ in texture, design, density and composition.
Plastic
The plastic tile is strong and lightweight, easy to wash and clean. However, it is not an environmentally friendly material and burns out under sunlight, so it is better not to use it in well-lit rooms - a living room or a nursery. But for the bathroom is a great choice. In humid environments, this tile is indispensable. It will not absorb water, it can easily be washed, preventing the formation of fungus. Such tiles are a good option for decorating the ceiling in the kitchen, toilet, pantry and even the hallway.
Plastic tile has a number of significant advantages:
Extruded
This is the most expensive material among all types of ceiling tiles.It is produced by pressing with a protective coating in the form of a film or dyeing. The tile has a minimum thickness of not more than 3 mm. However, it has high strength. Facing is represented by a wide variety of colors and patterns. In addition, there are many options for products that mimic natural materials - wood, marble and granite colors. The surface of the laminated film products is tight, so that it can be washed using detergents. This means that the material can be successfully used in wet conditions of the bathroom and in the kitchen, where the ceiling is constantly exposed to attacks of steam, grease and dust. Judging by customer reviews, this is the most popular type of ceiling tile to date.
Foam
The second name of the foam tile is stamped. It is made by pressing. Most often, it has a relief pattern on the front side, which is also extruded using a press. The tile has a loose, granular texture and a porous surface. Because of this, it cannot be cleaned and washed thoroughly. The pores fill up with dirt over time and the color of the material fades. The only salvation for such a tile may be staining, which must be done using acrylic dispersed paints. Water-based analogues in this case will not work.
The loose structure does not provide the material with sufficient strength. Such a tile easily breaks and crumbles, so it is very difficult to cut it qualitatively. The trimmed edges must be hidden under the baseboard. You need to purchase products for cladding with a margin, since such a tile is very inexpensive and will not hit your budget.
Injection
During the manufacture of injection tiles, molds are used in which sintering of expanded polystyrene takes place. Due to this, the resulting material has a much higher quality in comparison with the stamped analog.In thickness, such tiles are from 9-14 mm.
Advantages of injection products
With all its advantages, it should be noted that the material absorbs water just as well as the previous version, and its fragility does not allow it to withstand even minor mechanical damage.
By type of edge
The edges of the ceiling tiles can be made in different ways. It depends on what the finished cladding will look like.
There are models in which the edging is made:
According to the drawing
Today, the material is produced with a huge variety of patterns and drawings. There are products with:
Tile without print is neutral. It can be used as a standalone material or combined with textured or painted elements. A little imagination and you will get a beautiful, stylish, and most importantly - an exclusive ceiling.
Calculation of the required number of tiles
After you have decided on the type of material and its design, you need to calculate the required number of tiles. So you will find out how much material will be needed to cover a certain area. We recommend purchasing panels with a margin in case of damage and rejection of products. At a tile corners, edges can be broken. When trimming and fitting you can make a mistake, and then the material may not be enough. Buying goods in a store is not always a successful way out - it is possible that it will be from a different batch and will not be identical to the one purchased earlier. Therefore, you always need to buy 10-15% more.
The calculation is made in this way:
Choose glue
The final result of the cladding depends not only on the choice of tiles, but also on the quality of the glue. It must be resistant to moisture and temperature changes.
The main points to consider when choosing glue:
Foundation preparation
Before you begin gluing tiles, you should prepare the base of the ceiling.
First of all, you need to dismantle all the lighting fixtures, disconnect the cable and insulate the bare wires. Next, you need to remove the old finish, and you need to do this with the utmost care.
The choice of surface cleaning technology is made depending on the material to be dismantled.
After cleaning the old material, the base is inspected. If defects or differences of more than 4-5 mm are detected, alignment is done using putty. After this, it is necessary to prime the concrete or plaster surface to ensure high-quality adhesion of the tile to the base. Soil needs to be applied 2-3 times, waiting for the previous layer to completely dry.
Tile gluing schemes and ceiling layout
Due to errors made during installation, even the most beautiful tiles will not look the best way.In order for the finish to be effective and at the same time harmonious, you need to draw a tile layout. To do this, measure the walls - keep in mind that the opposite walls may have differences in size. First draw the outline on paper to scale. This is necessary in order to accurately calculate the number of plates and the order of their placement. After this, the drawing must be transferred to the ceiling. You will need a ruler, pencil, square, and twine. The markup is made depending on the selected scheme. The layout method is determined depending on the height of the ceiling and the designer's idea.
Laying schemes:
Step-by-step instructions for gluing tiles can be found on the video.
Seam cleaning and puttying
After gluing the panels, it is necessary to clean the surface from glue accidentally falling on it or protruding along the seam. It must be completely removed and this case should not be put off the bat. Wipe it off with a damp sponge or a soft rag cloth. A few seconds of delay can lead to the fact that the spots harden and they can no longer be wiped off. Therefore, during operation, keep a rag and a bucket of water nearby, and do not forget to clean each tile immediately after gluing.
If you didn’t succeed in laying the tiles close, that's okay. Fill small voids with mastic that was used for installation, or putty, if it matches the color of the tile. Mask seams well with white acrylic sealant. It adheres perfectly to the facing materials and perfectly hides all the cracks.Use a small rubber spatula to fill the gaps. After smearing the seam, immediately wipe off the excess with a damp sponge or rag. If the seams are closed carefully, they will not spoil the appearance of your ceiling.
Conclusion
Now you know how to use the ceiling tiles to do it yourself quickly and easily, and most importantly, inexpensively repair the ceiling. The variety of design of this material allows you to create harmonious ceiling coverings for any style. Examples of interiors with tile ceilings, see the photo.