Which ceiling is best to choose for an apartment: pros and cons of options

Not so long ago, everyone either whitewashed the ceiling, or papered with wallpaper, or painted with enamel. Now, thanks to the rapid development of technology, the modern market offers all kinds of finishing materials. Therefore, choosing one or another version of the ceiling, it remains to focus only on your taste and financial capabilities.

Ceiling Stages:
1. The choice of design solutions;
2. calculation of the amount of materials;
3. calculation of the total amount of expenses (delivery, installation, etc.);
4. purchase of necessary materials;
5. the actual process of finishing the ceiling;

Stretch ceiling

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This finishing option is the most prestigious and expensive, only specialists perform its installation. The most daring revelry of fantasy can reign here. For example, you can use photo printing, art painting, make a ceiling in the form of tiers or arches. The ceiling can also be multifaceted and multilevel. If fiber optic threads are used, the ceiling will be able to overflow.
Manufacturers of suspended ceilings are German, French, as well as Russian companies. Foreign ceilings are better in quality, but more expensive about two times. You can read the main signs of a poor-quality canvas here.

pros

Advantages of suspended ceilings:

durability: a guarantee is given for 10 years;
the ability to dismantle and reinstall;
moisture resistance (manufacturers claim that the canvas can easily withstand 100 liters of water);
low loss in height (the minimum loss in the height of a room, experts say, is 3 cm);
fire safety (the material does not support fire);
high strength;
high insulating properties.

Minuses

Disadvantages:

high cost;
installation complexity: the installation process takes a short period of time (several hours), but is practically impossible without special equipment;
not resistant to temperature extremes: sags at very high temperatures, and at low - elasticity disappears.

Various pendant designs

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This type of decoration is now widespread, as this option allows you to create the most incredible design solutions. Most often, drywall is used for this type of finish. This is especially true for surfaces with large defects. Using this material, you can create beautiful multi-level ceilings.
Also, other finishing materials here can serve:

plastic panels;
mirror panels;
textured plywood;
lining;
decorative wood-based panels.

The basis of the suspended ceiling is the frame. It can be made of plastic as well as metal profiles. You can use wooden slats. The frame is attached to the ceiling and to the walls with screws, glue or other fasteners.

pros

Advantages of such coatings:

in the inter-ceiling space you can hide communications, ventilation, pipes, etc .;
the ability to create a magnificent exclusive interior;
high sound and heat insulation: this ceiling design allows you to additionally lay insulating materials;
practicality and ease of care;
does not require prior alignment of the base ceiling and other rough works;
the ability to install original fixtures.

Minuses

Disadvantages:

installation complexity;
sufficient cost;
many types of coatings are afraid of moisture, including drywall.

Wallpapering

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This type of decoration is beautiful and modern. Dense wallpapers are used here. For example, you can use non-woven wallpaper. A more modern version of cullet, this coating will help to hide all microcracks, perform a reinforcing function and last longer. In addition, cullet is not torn, resistant to moisture and fire and can be painted many times. You can also apply on the ceiling and liquid wallpaper. This is done using a special gun or trowel. The ceiling for this must be dry and dust free.

pros

Pros of wallpapering:

sufficient cheapness;
ease of implementation.

Minuses

Minuses:

low service life;
the material can peel off over time and lose its original appearance;
low aesthetic appearance in the interior.

Whitewash

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This type of decoration is traditional, but already, basically, a thing of the past. When whitewashing, the ceiling is covered with a special solution, which can be either chalky or calcareous.

pros

Pros of this coverage:

low cost of all materials;
simplicity of the work itself.

Minuses

Minuses:

laborious preparatory work;
dirt during surface preparation and during the work itself. In this case, everything must either be closed or taken out of the room;
fragility of the coating;
even a small amount of moisture causes serious damage to the appearance;
if a thick layer of plaster is applied, then there is a likelihood of cracks;

How is all this done? First, an old coating, such as paint, chalk or any other, must be removed or washed off. If there are yellow spots on the surface from leaked moisture, then they must be etched with specially formulated chemical compounds. If this is not done, then yellowness will appear through any whitewash layer. After that, the ceiling is leveled, and the better the surface is prepared, the better and longer the new finishing material will hold.
First, plaster is applied, then a primer, as well as a putty. After all this, a whitewash is already applied. You can decorate the white ceiling a bit with the help of polyurethane stucco molding, various shades and paintings. You can also use different types of lighting, some kind of suspended structures with different stained-glass windows, and much more.

Ceiling painting

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

Before painting, the ceiling must be prepared in the same way as before whitewashing.

pros

Advantages of such coverage:

practicality (resistant to moisture, easy to clean);
variety of colors;
low cost;
simplicity in leaving.

Minuses

Minuses:

labor input;
fragility;
the possibility of rapid cracking;
quality is highly dependent on preliminary work (leveling, primer, etc.).

How is painting done? Most often, the ceiling is painted with water-based paint. First, the corners are painted over with a brush, and then with a roller with a fleecy fur coat and everything else.
The emulsion is applied in several layers, moreover in different directions. In this case, it is desirable to apply the last layer perpendicular to the wall with the window.
Using water-based paint, a person may not wait for the layer to dry out, but immediately apply another. This technology is called wet.

Adhesive ceilings

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This type of finish is made with square polystyrene tiles. You can read more about this material here.

pros

Advantages:

the ability to stick to almost any base;
ease of installation;
the ability to replace damaged tiles;
the ability to close almost all surface flaws;
sufficient cheapness.

Minuses

Disadvantages:

heterogeneity of the finished surface;
rapid loss of appearance;
low decorative qualities.

Ceiling tiles come with different patterns and different colors. When using seamless tiles, the ceiling seems fairly even. Practice has shown that polystyrene tiles do no more harm than oil paint or vinyl wallpaper.

Cassette Ceilings

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This design is based on special cassettes, which are thin metal plates. The drawings and colors of the outside of such ceilings are very different and look pretty nice. You can familiarize yourself with the cassette ceiling here.

pros

The advantages of such ceilings:

ease of maintenance and cleaning;
ease of construction;
absolutely resistant to moisture and temperature extremes;
due to its characteristics it is often used in laboratories and medical rooms.

Minuses

Disadvantages:

low sound insulation;
high cost.

Slatted ceilings

Cost of materialDecorative qualitiesDifficulty of installation

This type of ceiling is a structure consisting of metal plates (racks) with different colors and many patterns. This ceiling coating is used for small rooms. Read more about the rack ceiling here.

pros

Their advantages: