Feature Ceilings
Ceilings Perth is an important structural component that can impact a space’s overall design. Understanding the different types of ceilings can help homeowners, architects, and builders make the right decisions for their projects.
High ceilings fill a room with natural light and create an impressive, grand look. They also offer an opportunity to frame views and use window furnishings.
Feature ceilings are designed to be ornamental and act as a focal point in a room. They are typically made of plaster and utilize the designs, patterns, and styles popular in an era. Plaster ceilings can be customized with different paint colors to complement or contrast with the surrounding walls.
The ceiling is often overlooked when it comes to interior design, but it can be a perfect canvas for creating a unique and stunning aesthetic. The right ceiling can help keep a space quieter, increase headspace, and make it feel bigger and more open. In addition, a custom ceiling can add character and value to a home and showcase your attention to detail.
Any new homeowner or renovator should start by exploring their options regarding ceilings. This includes understanding the differences between conventional and specialty ceilings and the many benefits of each.
Conventional ceilings are flat, drywall finishes found in most homes. This ceiling type is a common choice due to its simplicity, low installation and maintenance costs, and ability to accommodate lighting fixtures and electrical wires. However, conventional ceilings offer little aesthetics, limiting a home’s potential for visual appeal.
Creating a decorative feature ceiling in a room is an excellent way to enhance the look of the space while hiding pipes, wiring, and ducting. Feature ceilings are also exposed to less moisture and sun than timber floors, requiring fewer regular re-surfacing and re-coating tasks.
A resurgence of interest in natural timber ceilings has made these features more popular than ever. A natural timber ceiling can make a room feel warm and inviting and add a sense of luxury to a space. However, it is important to note that a natural timber ceiling can be quite expensive to install and maintain.
A more cost-effective alternative to a natural timber ceiling is a metal ceiling. These ceilings are made of a durable fabric that is stretched between perimeter tracks and secured with clips. They are ideal for basements as they can hide ductwork, wiring and pipes. These ceilings can also be treated with special coatings that can improve hygienic qualities and resist the growth of mold and mildew.
Suspended Ceilings
Suspended ceilings are a cost-effective way to transform a space and add value. They hide wiring, cables and pipes in an accessible area for future maintenance and provide insulation to reduce the amount of conditioned space required to heat or cool a building, helping lower energy bills. They also allow air to circulate more freely, which helps promote wellbeing and boost productivity.
There are a wide range of tiles and panels to choose from, so you can match your suspended ceiling to the aesthetic of your premises or even create a whole new room design. Light-reflecting aluminium surfaces are particularly good at brightening up spaces, reflecting up to 90% of light back into a room. This can help to reduce eye strain and fatigue, as well as headaches.
Aesthetics: A suspended ceiling can create a more modern feel to an existing room, while creating the illusion of height to make rooms look bigger. The tiles can be coloured and textured to suit your preferences, and can be combined with lighting systems for maximum effect.
Fire safety: A fire-resistant suspended ceiling offers up to one hour of protection for evacuation corridors, preventing the spread of fire and smoke. It can also be combined with a sprinkler system and additional fire barriers to increase the level of protection offered.
Durability: A suspended ceiling can be used for a long period of time, as it is a durable, flexible solution that can be easily removed when necessary. They can also be installed quickly, without requiring major disruption to daily activities.
Installation: Installing a suspended ceiling is relatively simple and mess-free, which means it’s a great DIY project for the weekend. It can be completed in a few hours, so you won’t need to worry about your work being interrupted or having to re-plan your renovation schedule.
Beamed Ceilings
Wood ceiling beams are a classic design choice, adding rustic or country charm to any space. They can also offer practical benefits like concealing wires and pipes that would otherwise be hidden beneath drywall. These ceiling beams can be made of real wood or faux wood and can be installed horizontally or vertically. They can be used to create a vaulted ceiling or as part of a coffered ceiling. Since they’re hollow inside, it is easy to run new cables or pipes through them. This can help lower the cost of a renovation or remodel project because existing walls won’t need to be changed.
Depending on the style of your home, you can choose to leave the ceiling joists exposed for a more rustic appearance or to make the room look larger by creating a more dramatic vaulted ceiling. In either case, you can use a variety of lighting options to illuminate the room and add a decorative touch. If you choose to expose the ceiling joists, they can be left as-is or painted in a color that suits your decor. For instance, limewash paint is ideal for a natural, coastal effect and it can bring out the natural grain of the wood.
For a more contemporary look, you can install faux wood beams. These are usually manufactured with a manufactured texture that mimics hand-hewn or band sawn wood. They are available in various colors and sizes, including those that replicate the appearance of reclaimed wood. You can also buy beams in a variety of shapes and lengths, such as three-sided box beams that are used to create coffered ceilings.
When you’re installing ceiling beams, be sure to follow building codes for electrical and plumbing. It’s important to use a stud finder to locate ceiling joists and mark the locations where you plan to attach beams. Whether you’re using real or faux wood beams, it’s important to cut them precisely to the dimensions of your ceiling layout. Use a circular saw or miter saw to get precise cuts. Then, you can attach the beams to the ceiling joists with L-brackets. Be sure to secure the brackets securely with screws.
Concealed Ceilings
Concealed ceilings are a popular trend for commercial interiors, bringing together style and practicality. They help to enhance a space’s aesthetic and acoustics, whilst providing easy access for maintenance.
They conceal the grid system that is normally visible in suspended ceilings and therefore offer a more seamless finish to a room. They can also be customized to accommodate various services, such as smoke detectors and lighting fixtures. Concealed ceiling systems can be made up of a variety of materials, including gypsum, metal tiles and lightweight concrete. They can be either fully concealed or partially concealed, depending on the requirements of the project and available space.
Rondo offers a comprehensive range of both concealed and exposed grid ceiling systems that are designed to meet a wide variety of acoustic, fire-rated, wind loading and seismic design requirements. These include acoustic and suspended metal tile ceilings, bulkheads, and trafficable ceilings. The majority of the range is held in stock, allowing for fast delivery times and minimising lead-times.
Quick access to utilities for maintenance – concealed grid ceilings enable easy access for electrical, plumbing and HVAC professionals to carry out inspections, repairs and upgrades without disrupting the whole ceiling. This is particularly helpful in buildings with integrated MEP installations and reduces the need for costly downtime, which can result in lost productivity and profits.
Improved hygiene – suspended ceilings can be coated with antibacterial and moisture resistant materials to help reduce the spread of germs, improving hygienic conditions in food preparation and storage areas.
Lowered energy costs – suspended ceilings help to reduce the load on air conditioning units by trapping cool air under the roofing, which is then kept in the room for longer after the air conditioner is switched off, helping to cut electricity usage.
Acoustic performance – ceiling panels with sound absorption or insulation improve acoustic performance by restricting the transmission of noise from one room to another, which can be a significant problem in commercial premises.
Our KEY-LOCK ceiling system is an advanced suspended panel solution for a feature or flush finish to plasterboard or fibrous/cellulose ceilings, with full acoustic and fire-rated ratings. The KEY-LOCK system comprises components that are easily clipped together to form a gridwork where building boards can be simply fixed.