DIY stretch ceiling installation

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:23

The market offers many varieties of stretch ceilings. They can be made on the basis of fabric and film, with a matte and glossy finish, with and without seams, be monochromatic and multi-colored, of different shapes. Surface finishing in this way is within the power of everyone. In addition to these advantages, they also distinguish the moisture resistance of the stretch ceiling, the minimum accumulation of dust and the aesthetic appearance.

As for the cons, they include:

• Relative high cost … This finishing method is one of the most expensive, although it will last much longer than other materials.
• Fear of sharp objects … In a room with a stretch ceiling, you need to carefully handle long objects (for example, curtain rods), since you can accidentally damage the film.
• Restriction on the use of lighting fixtures … If the temperature is too high, the film will deform, therefore the luminaires must be installed with a power below 60 W.

With the correct installation of stretch ceilings and their operation, many disadvantages are absolutely insignificant.

Materials and tools for installing a stretch ceiling

Before you install a stretch ceiling with your own hands, you need to decide what type you use for finishing - film or fabric, whether there will be seams on the canvas. When ordering, be sure to indicate the direction of the seam.

To work you will need:

1. Fasteners … Their types depend on the type of walls. For foam concrete, self-tapping screws 5 * 70 will be enough. For partitions made of brick or concrete, additional dowels will be needed.
2. Heat gun … The tool is expensive, and therefore it can be rented for one-time use. The power of the appliance is usually below 10 kW. It can be powered using a liquefied gas cylinder.
3. Scapula … With this tool, the edges of the canvas are tucked into the baguette.
4. Clippers … If you work alone, then they can fix the material.

In addition, you need to immediately decide on the type of baguette for installation. It comes in plastic and aluminum. The advantages of the latter are stiffness, but it will cost significantly more. The plastic model is cheaper, but it is less rigid, so pre-alignment of the walls will be required.

Preparatory work before fastening the stretch ceiling

The process of installing a stretching canvas with your own hands includes several stages: preparation of the coating, measurements of the canvas and components, installation of the stretch ceiling profile, laying wires and installing fasteners for lighting fixtures, fixing PVC film, installing lighting elements. At each stage, certain rules must be followed and instructions must be followed.

Before proceeding with the installation, take out large-sized furniture and cover the floor with thick cardboard to avoid damaging the canvas. In addition, you need to carefully study the condition of the ceiling surface and think over the layout of the lighting fixtures.

A loosely fixed layer of the previous finish must be removed, as this can cause the film to sag in the future. Large cracks, potholes need to be leveled. A stretch ceiling will hide most of the shortcomings, but if the differences are significant, it will ruin the appearance.

If there are rust, grime, mildew, or mildew stains on the surface, remove them and prime the surface. Otherwise, after a while they will be reflected in the material.

Installation of a profile for a stretch ceiling

Before you start attaching the baguette, you need to mark the fixing line with a level. The optimal distance to the ceiling is 3 cm, but if you plan to install point lighting elements, then the indent should be from 12 cm.

We work in the following sequence:

• Along the perimeter of the room, along the marked line, we attach the profile with fasteners in increments of 7-8 cm for walls made of gypsum plasterboard, concrete and brick. We maintain a step of 12 cm for tiled and metal surfaces.
• At the joints, the step of the fasteners is reduced to 1-2 cm.
• At the corners, we cut the profile at an angle of 45 degrees and bend it in the desired direction.

When trimming a baguette, it is imperative to grind it with sandpaper or a file.

Laying the wiring before installing the stretch ceiling

Before installing the racks, mark the location of the chandelier or spotlights on the ceiling.

We work in this order:

1. We fix the hook for mounting the central chandelier. For this, fittings with a diameter of 1 cm and a length of 20-30 cm are suitable.
2. We put the wiring in a plastic corrugated sleeve and fix it with clamps to the ceiling.
3. At the installation sites, we release cable loops with a length of about 30 cm.
4. We attach adjustable racks of point lighting elements to the ceiling.

For convenience, from the installation sites of the luminaire racks, you need to project a direct beam with a laser on the floor and make marks. This will help determine their location after stretching the canvas.

Fastening a stretch ceiling using a harpoon method

This method is one of the most reliable, although it is considered more time consuming. It is used only for installing PVC ceilings. In this case, a special harpoon is formed at the ends of the film. It is usually dyed black during production and made from a denser material. In this case, the canvas should be 7% less than the coverage area.

We carry out the work in the following sequence:

• We warm up the room with a heat gun up to +40 degrees.
• We begin to carefully unwind the canvas, taking care not to damage it and not get dirty. Please note that you cannot bring the material close to the fan heater.
• After heating the film to +60 degrees, we fasten the base end to the corner. It is usually noted by the manufacturer.
• We fix the opposite end on the diagonal and then we fix the remaining two.
• Heat the varnish with a heat gun until it starts to shine.
• We start using a rubber spatula to fix the sides of the material from the center to the corner, directing the gun to the middle of the film. First, we fix the first two opposite sides, then the remaining ones.

It is important to follow in the process so as not to overheat the film. If, after installing the stretch ceiling, creases appeared with your own hands, they can be removed by heating the material with a gun.

Installation of a stretch ceiling using the bead method

This installation method is more common due to its relative cheapness, but it has its drawbacks. For example, a wooden glazing bead can jump out of the groove, which makes the structure less reliable.

In the process, we adhere to the following instructions:

1. We warm up the room with a fan heater up to + 50-60 degrees, without acting on the canvas with a direct stream.
2. We unfold the material and fix it with clothespins around the perimeter of the baguette. To prevent the clips from damaging the film, you can wrap them in cloth.
3. We fix the canvas to a wooden glazing bead in a U-shaped profile at the corners. First, two opposite ones, then two remaining ones.
4. We begin to drive the material under the profile along the perimeter from the corners to the middle on opposite sides.
5. At the end of the work, excess material must be cut off and the room must be ventilated.

Clip-on stretch ceiling fixation

This method only applies to fabric ceilings and does not require the use of a heat gun.

We carry out work in the following sequence:

• We fix the material in the profile in the center on each side. The edges of the canvas should protrude 6-8 cm.
• Gradually we tighten and level from the center to the edges, fixing the fabric in the baguette.
• Finally, we attach the material to the corners.
• If folds appear, they can be smoothed out by heating the canvas with a hairdryer at a distance of more than 20 cm.
• After installation, you need to cut off the extra shreds.
• If desired, the fabric can be further dyed with acrylic paint.

Stretch ceiling lighting system

From the points on the floor, which we have previously projected, it is possible to laser project in the opposite direction the locations of the spotlight posts. It is optimal to use a laser level for this purpose. Then you can be sure that the beam is directed at the ceiling at a strictly right angle. It can also be done by probing, but you need to be very careful not to damage the material.

We work in this order:

1. We grease a special thermal ring with glue and fix it to the material. For these purposes, it is better to use cyanoacrylate.
2. We cut out the canvas inside the ring using a thin knife after the glue is completely dry.
3. We adjust the height of the racks to the level of the ring and screw in bulbs with a power of up to 60 watts.
4. At the end of the work, decorative caps are attached to the baguettes.

It is recommended to engage in the installation of lighting elements no earlier than a day after fixing the canvas. How to install a stretch ceiling - watch the video:

The stretch ceiling installation technology itself is simple. The main thing is to decide on the method of fastening and the type of material. If desired, the installation of the stretch canvas can be combined with a plasterboard frame and supplemented with LED or fiber optic lighting, embodying interesting design ideas. If the work is done correctly, then the canvas will not sag, change color or crack at the seams.