The ceiling is the most noticeable element in the interior of the room, which greatly affects the first impression of the house. That is why, a lot of time is given to the design and decoration of the ceiling.

The use of seamless stretch ceilings is a popular and sought-after method of decoration, which has a number of indisputable advantages: aesthetics, decorativeness, economy, simplicity and ease of installation. The technology for the production of suspended ceilings allows you to use them in almost any room, guaranteeing the duration and reliability of operation.

Content

1. Features of seamless stretch ceilings  video
2. Seamless stretch ceilings made of PVC film
   • advantages and disadvantages of PVC stretch ceiling systems  video
   • pVC color and texture options for stretch ceilings
3. Seamless fabric stretch ceilings  video
   • advantages and disadvantages of tissue tension flows
   • comparative characteristics of fabric ceilings of various manufacturers
4. Tips for choosing seamless stretch ceilings  video

Features of seamless stretch ceilings

The development of technology in our time is happening quite rapidly, opening up new opportunities for creating the perfect interior space. One of the significant achievements in the field of construction and design is seamless stretch ceilings.

If more recently such flows were something unusual, today, they confidently take the first place in the market of ceiling systems. The leading position is explained by the features of seamless stretch ceilings.

The main advantage of this type of ceiling is its high aesthetic properties, which provide a perfectly flat surface and a beautiful appearance of the ceiling. The canvas is made of a sufficiently large width (up to 5 meters), this allows you to mount the ceiling without forming seams. However, even if the room has a large area, then a qualified specialist will be able to install a beautiful mount or arrange the canvas so that the surface is left without seams.

A variety of color palettes and textures of seamless stretch ceilings will satisfy the most demanding customers, and will allow the use of new technologies to decorate the interior of any style.

An important aspect of the popularity of seamless ceilings is their physical characteristics. Ceilings of this kind have increased strength (if installed correctly, damaging the canvas is very difficult), which ensures a long life. Seamless ceiling is a kind of protection against rain during leakage of the roof or flooding by neighbors.

Installing a seamless ceiling system allows you to easily place soundproofing and heat-insulating material in the ceiling, conduct wiring and a ventilation system. The flexibility of the material used makes it possible to create ceilings of various shapes, at any angle (to make tents, arches, smooth transitions).

Due to the excellent properties of the materials (they do not allow dust and condensate does not settle), seamless stretch ceilings are used to decorate various rooms, such as bedrooms, halls, children's rooms, swimming pools, kitchens and bathrooms.

Seamless materials differ in composition: the first option is a PVC film, the second is a fabric surface.

Seamless stretch ceilings made of PVC film

The composition of the PVC film used in the production of seamless stretch ceilings is not much different from the film for conventional film stretch ceilings. The main difference in the size of the paintings (up to 4.5 meters). The principle of tension is based on stretching the PVC web under temperature exposure (50-60 degrees). After cooling, the canvas shrinks and acquires its original appearance.

Advantages and disadvantages of PVC stretch ceilings

PVC seamless stretch ceilings have their advantages:

• the finished ceiling has a perfectly flat, smooth surface;
• there are no stains or bumps on the ceiling;
• the ceiling can be matte or glossy, have a different texture;
• variety of colors;
• water resistance due to stretching 1 square meter can withstand up to 100 liters of water (important when there is a risk of flooding; after draining the water, the ceiling is reinstalled);
• the installation method allows you to reinstall the same canvas repeatedly;
• does not require special care (if dirty, wipe the ceiling with a damp cloth and mild detergent soap);
• do not support combustion (melt);
• the stretch fabric has a high level of reflection (about 90 percent depends on the material), which makes it possible to beat the interior of the room;
• if the ceiling is treated with a special solution, then the dust will not be attracted to the surface of the canvas;
• brightness and original appearance of the ceiling are maintained;
• many manufacturers provide a 15 year warranty on PVC ceiling systems;
• the shelf life of seamless PVC paintings is unlimited;
• ideal for rooms with high humidity, such as swimming pools and bathrooms;
• the cost of seamless PVC ceilings is almost 1.5 times less than fabric ceilings.

The disadvantages of PVC stretch ceilings include:

• the vulnerability of the canvas can be easily damaged by a sharp object (putty knife when decorating walls);
• for the installation of the ceiling, special equipment will be required (it is necessary to heat the canvas to a temperature of 50-60 degrees);
• violation of steam and gas exchange, since PVC does not pass air;
• installation of PVC ceilings is not possible in unheated or irregularly heated rooms (garage, cottage or country house, where the owners come from time to time) due to the fact that at an air temperature below 5 degrees, the PVC film may crack;
• for proper installation, accuracy of calculations for the size of the room is important. PVC film is made at the factory, and a harpoon is welded along its edges, which is necessary for installing a stretch ceiling;
• the power of lighting devices located on the ceiling is limited (incandescent lamps 40W, halogen 35W);
• if the canvas is not of high quality, then initially after installation (in a heated room) the film ceiling can emit an unpleasant odor.

As you can see, seamless ceiling systems made of PVC film have both significant advantages and disadvantages, which must also be taken into account when choosing a material for the design of the ceiling.

Options for color and texture of stretch ceilings made of PVC

In the arsenal of designers there is a very wide color palette of PVC films of more than 120 various shades.

In addition, the undeniable advantage of PVC film is the ability to perform the surface of the ceiling of various textures: glossy, matte, marble, satin or suede.

Stretch ceilings seamless glossy provide a mirror reflection, visually expanding the space of the room.

Matte seamless stretch ceilings (classic) will be appropriate to look in any interior, without distracting attention from other design elements of the room. The canvas has no shades and highlights, which will not make a mistake when buying with a choice of colors.

Suede fabrics add softness to the interior and fill the room with an atmosphere of coziness and comfort. Such a ceiling would be a great solution for a bedroom or a nursery.

The ceiling made of marbled PVC film will fit perfectly into the business style of the office or give the living room aristocracy.

Any image can be applied to a PVC film, using art painting or photo printing, the picture is clear and realistic.

Seamless fabric stretch ceilings

Fabric stretch ceilings or French ceilings of knitted fabric, created from polyester yarn and impregnated with a polyurethane mixture. Fabrics are sold in rolls up to five meters wide, and their installation does not provide for preheating, unlike ceilings based on PVC film.

Advantages and disadvantages of PVC stretch ceiling systems

Fabric ceilings have advantages over PVC ceiling systems:

• the ability to withstand significant mechanical loads (the strength of the fabric cloth is 10 times stronger than the PVC film), the ceiling will be able to withstand the weight of fallen plaster;
• installation safety when installing a fabric web does not use a heat gun and gas cylinders;
• the ability to use fabric ceilings in unheated buildings (withstand temperature extremes in the range from -40 degrees to +80);
• the surface of the ceiling does not attract dust particles, since the fabric is not electrified;
• fire safety (do not support combustion);
• the color of the canvas can be changed up to four times;
• the fabric does not have an unpleasant odor;
• do not change color and do not turn yellow during the entire period of operation;
• possess the properties of heat and sound insulation;
• moisture resistant.

Just like PVC ceiling systems, fabric ceilings have some disadvantages that can affect their choice when buying:

• the fabric does not have high elasticity, so it is unlikely to withstand a long load (for example, during flooding, the stretch ceiling will break out of the baguette, and the water will pour out);
• the ceiling does not let air through;
• cannot have a glossy surface;
• the range of color solutions is not as rich as that of PVC ceiling films;
• re-installation of fabric stretch ceiling is not possible (the fabric is cut strictly according to the size of the room and does not have elasticity);
• the cost of fabric stretch ceilings is 1.5 times higher than the cost of PVC ceilings;
• fabric ceilings are more difficult to clean than film ceilings, so it is not advisable to install them in kitchens and rooms with increased pollution.

Comparative characteristics of fabric ceilings of various manufacturers

Three brands are considered leaders in the production of seamless fabric ceilings:

• Descor (Germany);
• Cerutti (Italy);
• Clipso (Switzerland).

Each of the manufacturers has established itself in the market, and their ceiling systems have both similarities and differences.

Descor seamless stretch ceilings are made of finely porous fabric woven from a thin thread with a smaller weaving step than Clipso fabrics. Tissue cells are almost invisible from a distance of 2.5 meters, which adds credibility to the image.

Rolls of material have a width of 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1 meters. The ceilings can be fixed in a clip-on or glazing method (Russian-made baguettes are suitable for installation).

Stretch ceilings Descor are divided into 4 categories (depending on the texture and color of the canvas):

1. Descor Trevira in production uses the safest additives, which allows you to install such ceilings in children's rooms and hospitals (high price category).
2. Descor Fr contains additives of low quality (the cost of the canvas is 15-20 percent less).
3. The Descor Color category has about 30 different colors.
4. Descor Acoustic ceilings manufactured using the latest technologies that allow you to hold about 90% of the sound without creating an echo (Clipso has a similar model).

Clipso's canvas material is coarser and gives the impression that the ceilings breathe, but this is not so. Large canvas cells add room to the room. Canvases are produced in rolls with a width of 2-5.1 m in increments of 0.5 meters.

Clipso stretch ceilings can have a different texture (for silk, suede, leather) and have additional properties:

• good acoustics (prevent the appearance of echo in the room);
• antibacterial or dirt resistance (treated with special impregnation);
• moisture resistance;
• translucency (you can create interesting color effects).

From an economic point of view, the purchase of German seamless stretch ceilings is more profitable (the price of Clipso paintings is slightly higher than Descor).

Cerutti's fabric webs are heavier than Clipso and Descor, as they are double and double-sided with polyurethane. This adds strength to them, but using them in large rooms is quite problematic, the canvas can sag.

Cerutti stretch ceilings are recognized as the most environmentally friendly, but their color palette is limited to white and pastel shades.

Tips for choosing seamless stretch ceilings

In order to choose the optimal solution for a seamless stretch ceiling, the following points must be considered:

• the functional purpose of the room (in the bathroom, kitchen or pool, it is preferable to install a ceiling made of PVC film, and the combined with the texture stretch ceiling systems will give exclusivity and originality to the living room);
• lacquered or glossy ceiling is an ideal solution for small rooms;
• fabric seamless ceilings, which has a high degree of security with the image of cartoon characters, will decorate any children's room;
• before choosing a ceiling, you need to determine the general lighting of the room (spotlights or ceiling chandeliers);
• it is believed that the ceiling should be slightly lighter than the walls, this will add a sense of comfort;
• the installation of seamless stretch ceilings is best entrusted to professionals;
• before choosing an image for the ceiling, you need to determine the general style of the house;
• installation of a stretch ceiling is carried out after full decoration of the walls, floor.

Seamless stretch ceiling systems are the most progressive method of decorating the ceiling, with strong arguments in their favor. When choosing this or that type of ceiling canvas, one must remember that a stretch ceiling is not just a successful combination of color and texture, but also highly professional assembly and installation.

Author: Sergey and Svetlana Khuentsov

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