Ceiling panels with their own hands. Do-it-yourself plastic panel ceiling

Is it difficult to assemble a false ceiling with your own hands from plastic panels? Today we will get acquainted with the technology of its installation and the auxiliary materials used for this. The article will be built in the form of answers to the questions most frequently asked by our readers.

Security

1. Is plastic harmful?

At room temperature, PVC is absolutely stable and does not release any potentially hazardous substances into the air. It can be dangerous only in case of fire: heating to 120 ° C and above starts the process of thermal decomposition of the polymer with the release of caustic hydrogen chloride HCL.

1. Is PVC flammable?

No, it does not burn and does not support combustion.

Expenses

1. How much will a plastic false ceiling cost?

The price per square meter of wall vinyl panels varies from 160 to 250 rubles. The exact value depends on the thickness of the panels, the pattern, the surface texture and the place of production: logistics can make a significant contribution to the formation of retail value.

However: the cost of the frame, fasteners, plinth, etc. increase the total costs by about 80-100 rubles / m2. The total cost of a square will thus be 240-400 rubles.

Is it a lot or a little? For comparison:

• A square with self-assembly costs about 300 rubles;
• with turnkey installation cost from 260 rubles / m2;

• will cost 650-1000 rubles / m2.

Comparison with competitors

1. Which ceiling looks better - plasterboard, stretch or plastic?

GKL gives more opportunities to create multi-level and / or curvilinear structures. The advantage of a glossy stretch film is that, due to the partial reflection of the interior items of the room, the ceiling seems higher. From both solutions, the panels differ unfavorably in that after the installation is completed, the seams between them remain visible.

1. How is the plastic suspended ceiling with water resistance?

Neither high humidity nor flooding will affect the appearance of the ceiling. In the worst case, it will have to be wiped from the streaks remaining after the flood. However, unlike stretch film, the panels will not retain water and will not protect finishes and appliances.

Advantages

This material and its construction have a number of advantages over alternative options:

• Moisture resistance, which is important for rooms such as a bathroom. Plastic will not only not get wet and lose its physical properties, but will be completely resistant to mold.
• Plastic has a fairly large assortment of colors and textures, which allows you to create original skins.

• The price of the material is quite low, which allows it to be included in the most budgetary repairs. This is primarily due to the fact that the market is now highly competitive, so suppliers reduce the price of plastic goods as much as possible, but this does not mean that any product will be available. For example, quality panels can cost a little less than MDF or drywall.

• Simple installation is, perhaps, the nuance that makes most users make a choice in the direction of plastic ceilings.
• Like any suspended structure, a plastic ceiling allows you to hide all communications.
• Plastic is a finishing material, so after installation you get a finished ceiling, which needs, perhaps, edging with baguettes.

Restrictions

1. In which rooms is it appropriate to finish the ceiling with panels?

In small ones. In the living room or bedroom, plastic looks ... let's say, much worse than stretch film or drywall. But in the bathroom, toilet, hallway, kitchen or corridor connecting the rooms, it will be very useful.

Panel selection

1. How to choose false ceiling panels?

Here are the main selection criteria:

• They must be tough. A simple test will help you evaluate the quality and thickness of the plastic: if you squeeze the corner of the product between your thumb and forefinger, it should not wrinkle. Low stiffness will mean a greater chance of accidental damage to the ceiling;
• Gloss looks better than matte texture and gets dirty much less;

• Monochrome panels look better than products with a pattern. The imitation of wood texture looks especially unattractive on plastic;
• So-called seamless products make a much more favorable impression compared to lining with highlighted seams;
• In rooms with low ceilings, light colors should be preferred: like gloss, they will make the ceiling visually higher;
• The wider a single panel, the fewer seams are exposed and the neater the room finishes.

Auxiliary materials and tools

1. What additional materials are needed in order to assemble a suspended ceiling from plastic panels?

Here is the list:

Today, there are many ways to finish ceilings in residential and public buildings. This includes classic whitewashing, wallpapering a given surface, and tension and suspension structures, including multi-level ones. can be slatted (metal and PVC), plasterboard, plastic panels, tiled (Armstrong type), cassette.

Each of these types of ceiling structures, of course, has its own advantages. If you want to choose the most budgetary, but at the same time practical and with certain aesthetic merits option, you can stay on a suspended ceiling made of plastic panels. Such designs are especially popular in bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, loggias, garages. About that, from plastic panels, and will be discussed in the article.

Features of PVC panels

Decorative PVC panels are a hollow structure, arranged like a honeycomb, with a large number and, accordingly, air cells inside. The plates are equipped with locks along the edges, which are a comb on one side and a groove on the other. Thanks to this device, you can easily and efficiently dock them together.

The main advantage of this material is moisture resistance. In addition, plastic panels are hygienic because they do not contain pores on the surface, and therefore they cannot be chosen by mold or fungus. Housewives really appreciate how easy and simple the care of this material is: it is enough to occasionally wipe them with a rag moistened with soapy water. That is why making the ceiling in the kitchen with plastic panels is a very attractive option.

Manufacturers guarantee the service life of plastic panels for at least 10 years. In fact, if everything is done correctly, the ceilings will last much longer without loss of quality. Plastic is frost-resistant, able to withstand significant temperature changes, is not subject to decay, pests are not afraid of it.

Advantages of PVC ceiling

If the time has come to update the repair in the apartment, but you want to get by with a small investment of money and effort, not to breed a lot of dirt, you should think about how to make a false ceiling from plastic panels, because the installation process is quite simple and does not require any special tricks. During operation, if such a need arises, it will be easy to replace one or more panels with new ones.

Another advantage is a wide choice of panel colors. They can be matte or glossy, patterned or plain, imitate natural materials: metal, stone, wood and even a mirror. There are plastic panels for both ceiling and wall decoration. They should not be confused: the latter are more rigid and weighty, therefore it is not recommended to pile them on the ceiling.

Plastic panels are a finishing material that has a very affordable cost. Plus, you can save on a team of repairmen: the material is light both in processing and in weight, and the idea of ​​​​how to make a ceiling out of plastic panels yourself is very real in execution. If you make the structure hinged, then the resulting gap can be used to hide communications, arrange additional noise and heat insulation, and spotlights. In addition, in apartment buildings there are such significant defects in the ceilings - cracks, crevices, level differences - that rather than trying to level this disgrace, it is better to seriously think about how to make ceilings from plastic panels.

Environmental safety of the material

Plastic, of course, is not a natural material, but it is considered absolutely safe for humans. Indeed, PVC has found a very wide application in everyday life, industry, and medicine. However, making the ceiling in the room with plastic panels is not the best idea, especially if it is a bedroom. The advantages of this material will be more appropriate in other rooms. For example, you can make plastic panels. If you choose glossy light models for this, this can visually expand the dimensions of the bathroom.

Disadvantages of ceilings made of plastic panels

Before you seriously think about how to make ceilings from plastic panels in an apartment, you need to have an idea not only about the advantages, but also about certain disadvantages of this material.

Plastic does not support combustion and dies out, but at the same time it smokes and releases toxic substances. It is not without reason that in public and administrative buildings and premises it is forbidden to finish escape routes in case of fire with it. Plastic panels - the material is quite fragile, easily damaged by shock loads. In principle, such an impact does not threaten the ceiling, but this should be borne in mind during transportation and installation.

Another disadvantage of finishing ceilings with decorative plastic panels is that you cannot build an original design from this material, but it looks rather rustic. However, if you correctly think over the design and combine various materials during the repair process, you definitely won’t be ashamed of the result.

The joints between the panels will always be visible, even with the most accurate installation. But sometimes it is even welcome: for example, if a material that imitates wood is used. Economical models of plastic panels tend to burn out over time, so it is better to choose a higher quality material.

How to make a false ceiling from plastic panels: preparatory work

Special preparatory work, in fact, is not required. It is enough to brush off dust and cobwebs from the ceiling, clean up those places where the plaster peels off. You can putty the deepest cracks. But there is no need to be especially zealous: the new ceiling will close all the defects.

What is really important is to make sure that there is no mold and fungus, and prime the surface with special antiseptic compounds that prevent their occurrence. For convenience, it is worth to free the room from furniture to the maximum, remove the cornices with curtains, and remove the carpets. However, there will be no special dust.

Procurement of ceiling panels

Before finding out all the nuances of how to properly make a ceiling from plastic panels, and putting this knowledge into practice, it is necessary to calculate the amount of materials for the future ceiling. Knowing the values ​​​​of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room and one plastic panel (this value is indicated on the package), it is easy to calculate the number of plates by dividing the first number by the second and rounding the resulting value up. It is unreasonable to purchase materials without a stock: after all, the panels will have to be cut, or marriage will come across, or something may not work out the first time - so it is better to foresee such moments. As a rule, standard plastic panels are 24 cm wide and 3 m long, but other options are also possible.

When choosing PVC, you need to pay attention to their quality. The edges should be smooth, without chips, burrs, and the pattern should be applied evenly. A quality panel can withstand repeated bending in the same place without cracking. The stiffeners must not be visible on the face of the panel. You should definitely check how easily two plastic strips fit together and whether there is a gap between them.

Frame materials

In addition to the actual PVC panels, metal profiles or wooden beams will be needed to equip the ceiling. From these materials it will be necessary to build a crate, to which the panels for the ceiling will be attached. Profiles or beams are fixed both around the perimeter of the room and parallel to one of the walls in increments of 50-60 cm. If you decide to place the panels perpendicular to the window opening so that the joints are not visible, then, therefore, the ceiling strips must be mounted along the wall with the window .

It is easy to calculate the number of the guide profile: this value will be equal to the perimeter of the room. With ceiling slats is more difficult. You will have to draw a diagram of the room on a scale, on which to draw the required number of parallel lines indicating the frame for the ceiling tiles, and make careful calculations.

You will also need a decorative PVC baguette (collapsible or monolithic): with its help it will be possible to close the joints of the surfaces. In addition, the ends of the ceiling panels are tucked into the groove of this plinth.

Fasteners and tools

To fasten the frame and plastic ceiling plates, you will need dowels and self-tapping screws, the number of which is calculated taking into account the fact that one fastener is needed for every half meter of a profile or panel. Ceiling strips are attached with straight hangers, located an average of 70 cm apart, and dowels are also needed for this.

Now about the tool. You must have: a drill, a hammer drill, a screwdriver, a hacksaw, a building level, a tape measure, a ruler, a pencil and, of course, a stepladder.

Installation of the supporting frame

It should be noted that the entire installation process can be divided into two stages: the installation of the frame and the actual assembly of the ceiling. First you need to determine the size of the gap between the base and suspended ceilings. It depends on what exactly is planned to be placed in this gap. Perhaps these will be spotlights, and then you will need at least 10 cm. To lay the wiring, 3-5 cm is enough.

Having determined the lowest corner of the ceiling with the help of the level, a report should be kept from this point, finally drawing a line along the perimeter of the room. This marking will be a guide for attaching the guide profile, which must be drilled very tightly to the wall, without slots and voids. Keeping in mind that the ceiling frame strips (they use a less rigid profile than the one fixed around the perimeter) will be perpendicular to the plastic panels, they are installed in 50-60 cm increments, inserting the ends into the guide profile and fixing them on hangers every 70 see. During installation, you can navigate along the line stretched across the room.

In principle, it is possible to build a supporting frame from a wooden beam, which is attached directly to the base ceiling, but only if we are not talking about rooms with high humidity. In any case, the wooden elements of the frame should be pre-treated with an antiseptic. Considering that the ceilings in modern apartments are most often uneven, it will not be so easy to set each wooden lath strictly horizontally.

At the stage of mounting the frame, you should think about the electrician and do not forget to bring out the wiring in the right places. The frame must be strengthened at the location of the lighting fixtures. Further along the perimeter of the room, a decorative PVC baguette for ceiling panels is attached to the guide profiles: in its entirety, if the model is monolithic, or its removable bar, if the plinth is collapsible. In this case, its decorative part is installed after the ceiling is assembled.

Installation of PVC panels

When the frame is ready, start assembling the ceiling from the wall. First remove the protective film from the ceiling panels. The first plate is inserted into the grooves of the skirting boards - both longitudinal and transverse, after which it is fixed with self-tapping screws to the frame. The next one is installed in the same way, with the exception that instead of the longitudinal groove of the plinth, the fastening occurs to the adjacent panel. Each subsequent panel is easily snapped into the groove of the previous one, after which it is attached to the crate with screws. Plastic panels are pre-cut so that their length is 5 mm less than the corresponding room size. Holes for lamps in the plates must be made in advance. If fastening is made to a wooden crate, you can use staples instead of self-tapping screws, but this is not a very reliable option.

When mounting the panels, be careful not to bend them too much in an arc to prevent distortion. The last panel will most likely need to be pre-cut to the desired width. It is not necessary to fix it with self-tapping screws - it will be enough to fix it in the grooves of the previous panel and this work, with a sufficient degree of dexterity, is carried out quickly.

There is another way to make ceilings from plastic panels - frameless. In this case, the panels sit on liquid nails directly to the ceiling. But this option requires a perfectly flat base surface, and therefore it is not always acceptable.

Plastic (PVC) panels or lining, as they are also called, are very easy to install, beautiful and have quite affordable prices. This page contains a video - how to make a modern ceiling from plastic panels, as well as an explanation of it in the form of step-by-step installation instructions.

Combining visual information with textual information, you will very quickly understand how to make a ceiling from panels yourself.

Step-by-step instruction

Ceiling markings and frame

• To mark the ceiling, you will need a water level, it is especially necessary in a large room, because how to make a modern ceiling from plastic panels if you do not build an even frame at the same time ?!
  And for this, arbitrarily put a mark on the wall, but consider the distance from the lowest point of the main ceiling. It should be no less than the thickness of the wooden or metal profile from which you will make the suspension frame.
  Now, using the water level, transfer the mark to all corners of the room.
• If the room is small, then you can get by with the usual long level or even short, but attaching it to the building rule.
  And how to make a plastic ceiling from panels if the walls are lined with ceramic tiles? Even easier, because you can focus on the seam between the tiles or on the end of the top row of tiles.

• You need to draw a control line between the marks and, to speed up this process, use a chokeline (paint cord).
  Its length should be enough for almost any size room, so it is enough to stretch the thread from one corner mark to another and, pulling it, beat off the line for the frame.

• After that, install U-shaped tape hangers on the main shelf - they can be used for both metal and wooden profiles. The distance between hangers in the profile line should not exceed 50-60 cm.

• But how to make a ceiling surface from plastic panels, on a wooden or metal base? By and large, it will be right this way and that - the appearance and quality will not suffer from this, in any case.
• For a metal frame around the perimeter of the room, screw the UD profile so that its lower edge lies on the control line.
  The distance in places of fixation is 40-50 cm, but sometimes in such profiles there are already ready-made holes for mounting, and you can navigate through them.

• Cut the CD profile to the desired size, and it will be equal to the distance between the walls minus 5 mm, which must be taken away - in order for the profile to be inserted without deformation.
  The distance between should be an average of 40-50 cm, that is, if there are built-in lamps on the lining, do less, and if the panels do not load, more.

• We continue to consider how to make a modern ceiling from plastic panels yourself and at the same time with a flat plane. This is quite difficult, especially if the room has a large perimeter.
  But there is always a way out - pull a nylon thread under the frame in the center of the ceiling, fixing it on self-tapping screws to the UD profiles.
• To prevent the profiles from pulling the nylon - pull each of them with a suspension, simply bending its ears under the CD. When the thread is completely free, start leveling the plane of the frame, exposing each profile separately.
  Screw it to the pawns with special small self-tapping screws and connect the CD and UD with the same screws.

• Now let's look at how to make a modern ceiling from plastic panels on a wooden frame yourself, or rather, installation of the device itself from wood.
  All parameters for distances remain the same, but the rail can be deformed, so in order to align it, add suspensions as needed.
  Such a device has one advantage - it is not necessary to install a profile around the perimeter.
• So, we are learning how to make plastic ceilings from panels and continue to mount a wooden frame. The rail with its edges is set along the control line, and the center is aligned along the thread and using the building rule.
  The end profiles must be installed close to the wall.

Advice. For fastening to the ceiling and wall of profiles and hangers for the suspended frame, plastic dowels 6 mm in diameter and screws 4-5 mm thick are usually used. If you decide to use impact dowels, then this can be done only if the dowel itself fits tightly into the body, because the screw included in the kit is thin and does not expand the plastic well.

Advice. After installing the frame, you need to do the wiring - use a cable channel for this in the form of a corrugated metal or plastic hose and attach it to the main ceiling. This will protect against various force majeure and the ceiling, even with a possible short circuit, will not deteriorate.

Panel mounting

• Now, how to make panels on a metal frame? If you install an L-profile for lining, then screw it with self-tapping screws with a press washer, and if you subsequently mount a ceiling plinth, then fix the first panel from the wall with the same screws. Twist them in such a way that they can be covered with a fillet.
  
• And how to make a design with panels on a wooden frame? Likewise. Only now, instead of self-tapping screws, you can use staples and hammer them with a stapler.
• Watching the video - how to make a ceiling from plastic panels will solidify your knowledge, but remember one thing - you will never know how to make a panel on the ceiling if you do not have practice.

Conclusion

If you have learned how to make a ceiling structure from plastic panels and continue to work on your own, then over time you will acquire certain skills and techniques that are peculiar to you alone. Each master has his own installation style, sometimes even different from the manufacturer's instructions.

Plastic has many supporters and no less opponents. But if you need an inexpensive, quickly mounted and attractive finish, then one of the most popular options is plastic panels. Every year their range is increasing. There are plain, striped, checkered, with flowers and floral elements, imitating brickwork, natural stones, etc. Of all this variety, the ceiling of plastic panels is usually made plain. And most often - white or very close to it - with a slight shade, such as "baked milk", ecru, ivory, etc.

According to the type of surface, they can be glossy or matte. There are collections with a rough surface - for those who prefer original solutions. Also available with glitter inserts. But since the ceiling of plastic panels is almost always made in technical rooms - kitchen, bathroom, toilet, on the balcony - small, as a rule, sizes make you choose a glossy surface: it visually raises the ceiling, and due to reflection, the room seems more spacious. Also, the reflections on the ceiling increase the illumination - with a matte ceiling, you need to take more lamps or increase their power.

Harmful or not

You can often hear that there is no place for plastic in the house. Maybe, but plastic is almost everywhere. They even pack goods into it, we have many products in the kitchen and in the bathroom also made of plastic. PVC panels are made from the same group of plastics as syringes and food containers. What is nice is that this material does not have pores in which bacteria and other microorganisms can settle. If there is a nutrient medium on the surface and conditions are favorable, they will multiply, but they can be removed with one movement of a rag dipped in soapy water or a disinfectant solution. Plastic panels are really hygienic. Evidence can be considered the fact that the sanitary station allows them to decorate medical institutions.

There are plastic mirror panels or with mirror parts - stripes

The second point that stops many is the flammability of plastics. They really are on fire. They begin to maintain a flame at a temperature of + 360 ° C. For comparison: and fiberboard, start to burn at +250°C. If we compare these materials in terms of the amount of smoke emitted, then plastics emit 40-50% less smoke.

Another argument: the ceiling of plastic panels does not breathe. If you live in a private house, and you have a ventilated attic above, air exchange is important. If you live in a high-rise building, you still need to equip a ventilation system, which is a must in both the kitchen and the bathroom with a toilet. And to prevent condensation from accumulating behind the ceiling, build a pair of ventilation grilles into the ceiling in opposite corners. Although, the ceiling is still leaky and with sufficient air exchange, no problems arise.

Types of plastic ceiling panels

All PVC panels are divided into two categories: wall and ceiling. They differ in rigidity and weight: mechanical strength is unimportant on the ceiling, therefore the material is made lightweight, with thin walls. You need to handle them carefully: you can even crush them with two fingers. Is it possible to mount wall panels on the ceiling. It is possible, but they are more expensive, and their higher strength is unclaimed. In addition, they are heavier, because the load on the frame will be slightly increased (if any) and this must be taken into account when installing it.

Now about the dimensions of the panels and the types of their surfaces. There is a material whose appearance resembles a lining: the same strips, only made of plastic. The ceiling of such panels is also called slatted because the surface is very similar in appearance.

An almost flat, crack-free surface, with hardly distinguishable joints, is obtained from seamless plastic panels. The joints of such panels are almost imperceptible: the front surface is even and smooth, and on the sides there is a spike and a groove, as on a conventional lining, with which the skin is assembled.

There is also sheet plastic. It is more difficult to work with it and it is used little: it is necessary if columns or other non-linear surfaces are trimmed, and it is more convenient to assemble the ceiling from rails.

The advantages of ceilings made of plastic panels include the ease of care for them: almost any contamination is washed off with warm soapy water. The appearance remains unchanged for about 5-10 years - it depends on the quality of the plastic.

How to make a ceiling from plastic panels

When buying PVC rails, you will also need finishing profiles - moldings - with the help of which the ends and joints are formed. Their choice depends on the configuration of your room and on how exactly you are going to make the ceiling. There are two options: make a false ceiling or attach plastic directly to the main one.

Suspended ceiling made of plastic panels

On the one hand, a suspended ceiling allows you to covertly lay communications without chasing the walls. On the other hand, it "eats" some height. It will take a minimum of 3 cm. But this is if the lamps are installed ordinary, and not built-in. To install a built-in lamp, the false ceiling must be lowered from the main one by 8-12 cm. You will not find smaller lamps, except for furniture or LED ones. If you put them in sufficient quantities and separately illuminate the mirror, then the illumination should be enough.

Assembling the frame

When installing a false ceiling, a frame is assembled from guides. Most often, profiles are used to work with drywall. If you are doing the ceiling in the bathroom or in the kitchen, take galvanized profiles and fasteners. In drier rooms, this is not critical. They also assemble a frame from wooden bars of 30 * 30 mm or a larger section.

They nail the strips or profiles first around the perimeter, putting them all in level. Then, on standard suspensions (there are two types) or wooden bars, intermediate guides are fixed in increments of 50-60 cm. They are also aligned so that they are in the same plane as those installed earlier (it’s easier to do if you pull the threads between those already installed and align them).

If you decide to make a minimum indent, just to lay a corrugated hose - 3 mi, then the planks are nailed directly to the ceiling. If necessary, the level is leveled with linings - pieces of plywood, wedges made of wood, etc. In this case, the framework looks something like this.

Installation of starting strips

After the frame is assembled, you can begin the installation of plastic panels. It begins with the installation of the start profile. In the case of a ceiling, a ceiling molding is also used.

It is attached close to the profile or bar fixed around the perimeter of the room. The edges are cut at an angle of exactly 45 °. The length must be measured very accurately: the slightest discrepancy leads to gaps. Against the background of a white ceiling and white profiles (or colored ones, it doesn't matter), the cracks turn black very clearly. If they are small, it will be possible to cover them with putty, but it is better to cut them off clearly: exactly exactly along the length of the wall or with a light - 1 mm - spacing.

The cut off bar can be glued or screwed with self-tapping screws. Ceiling molding is better - to glue (on liquid nails). So the joint turns out to be perfect: when gluing, you press the bar tightly, screwing onto the “bugs” you cannot achieve this effect, since it twists forward a little.

On the side that goes to the wall, a thin strip of glue is applied in a zigzag pattern. The surface of the wall is degreased (you can take 646 solvent). After drying, the piece is set in place, pressed tightly along the entire length and torn off. There should be glue on the wall. Leave it to dry for a few minutes (4-8 depending on the viscosity, the bar should not float, and the glue should stick well) and then apply it in place. To be sure that the bar is level, take a rule, a ruler, an even bar and check the level of the glued starting profile. If necessary, until the glue has finally set, the bar is adjusted.

Having glued the starting profiles on three sides (letter P), they are left to dry, otherwise, when installing the planks, they can be moved. After 8-12 hours, the adhesive will harden and it will be possible to continue the installation.

If, during gluing, “liquid nails” squeezed out somewhere, do not clean it. Wait until completely dry, then pry with a sharp knife. The glue will simply break off and there will be no traces left. If you try to remove it with liquid, it will only smear and stain everything around.

Installation of plastic panels on the ceiling

After the glue has dried, you can begin the installation of the plastic panels themselves. Measure the size from one joint of the already mounted skirting boards to another, add 1.5-1.8 cm to this value. Cut panels of this length. You do not need to make them across the entire width or length of the room - they will not become in profile. If the geometry of the room is ideal, you can cut a lot at once. If there are deviations in size, make several pieces, adjusting the length as you go. You can cut plastic with a jigsaw or grinder.

The first panel enters the previously installed molding from three sides. She is placed with a spike forward - in the bar. Sometimes, if the trim profile is made of soft plastic, the top part (mounting shelf) will flex, making installation difficult. To make the deflection smaller, this edge can be grabbed with self-tapping screws. So it will be easier to insert the bar, otherwise you have to correct it with a spatula, setting the panel in place. It should go into the baseboard or starting profile exactly along the entire length. The inserted strip is fixed to each guide with a self-tapping screw. For fastening to a wooden frame, you can use a stapler with staples (if you mount it in a bathroom or kitchen, then take the staples from stainless steel or galvanized).

The setting of subsequent bands is the same. They are installed first with one edge - into the molding (it enters the plinth by 6-7 mm), then insert the other edge. After that, the bar is leveled, lifting the middle with the hand and eliminating the deflection, tap on the edge with the palm, driving the lock into the groove. It doesn't take much effort, just to make it sit tight. Below you will see that there is no gap at the junction, which means the strip has become normal.

If there is an assistant, he supports the installed panel so that it does not fall out while you fix it on the screws (brackets). If you work alone, you can eliminate the sagging by sticking small pieces of double-sided tape on the profile. They will hold the bar until you secure it. So collect all the panels.

During installation, do not forget to cut holes for installing fixtures. You can do this with a ballerina or a ring nozzle, you can try with a jigsaw, but if you have a good command of the tool and you can make a round hole. As it turned out, you can make a hole with an ordinary drill with a thin drill ... how? Watch in the video. There are a couple more good tips in there.

Having installed a strip or strips in which there is a hole for the lamp, you immediately mount it, connect it and check it. If this is not done immediately, then problems may arise: how can you connect the wires if the entire ceiling is already assembled? Just disassemble part of it. And if you put the last strip on glue? Have to break. Therefore, we install and check the performance immediately.

Installing the last panel

Most of the difficulties arise when installing the last strip. It usually has to be cut. Measure the actual distance from one side of the ceiling and from the other. The difference can be several centimeters. There is nothing unusual or difficult about this. And then there are two options:

• The cut strip is simply inserted into the pre-glued starter profile or plastic plinth. With sufficient panel width, this is possible. But then you need to subtract about 5-7 mm from the measured distance and cut off the strip in this way. Otherwise, you won't put it in. And so it has to be carefully corrected with something thin (steel spatula) so that it falls into place. After a few attempts, it still works out ... But besides the difficulties with installation, there is another drawback here: after a while, since the strip is a little shorter, it moves away (it sinks more into the molding) and a small gap appears in the ceiling.
• The second option is to glue the strip. Then, cutting off the last panel, set aside the distance measured earlier on the ceiling as it is. And not from the beginning of the panel itself, but from the thrust bar. Then it is glued in its pure form on “liquid nails”. Only glue is applied not to the strip, but to all guides. And the one along the wall, and on the perpendicular laying (to which they were attached with self-tapping screws). Further, the technology is the same: they applied it, pressed it down, set it aside for a few minutes, and then finally installed it. The disadvantage of this method is that this strip is not removable. It will need to be broken if necessary. Therefore, leave one more in stock - just in case.

Installation of a plastic ceiling made of PVC panels is almost completed. It remains to install the last plastic plinth. On it, the mounting plate is first cut off: leave only the plinth. After it, you also cut it at the corners at 45 °, try it on, cut it off exactly. After trying it “dry” again and making sure that the size is correct, the plinth is smeared with glue, only both shelves are already: the one that will be glued to the ceiling, and the one that will be glued to the wall.

Sealing cracks with acrylic

Actually, the installation is completed. But sometimes one more operation is necessary: ​​covering all the gaps with white acrylic. This operation is not needed if you bought high-quality panels that have perfect geometry - French and Belgian. After their assembly, there is no need for correction: there are no sags that form due to the fact that the panels are uneven. Otherwise, we take acrylic sealant, insert the tube into the mounting gun, and fill all the cracks and gaps. Usually these are joints and corners, and also the junction of the plastic plinth with the ceiling. Often there are so many gaps that you have to go through the entire perimeter.

Fill the gaps in small sections of 30-40 cm, removing all unnecessary and leveling the seam. Acrylic levels well until it sets, which is a matter of seconds. Therefore, they smeared a piece, corrected it. If everything is ok, move on. You can remove excess acrylic with a soft cloth, but sometimes it’s more convenient with your finger - for some reason it turns out smoother. Having smeared a piece, take an object with a sharp and even edge (a small spatula) and a damp sponge. Excess putty evenly cut off with a sharp corner of the spatula, then wipe everything with a damp sponge until it is clean, otherwise you will not wipe it off later. So go through the entire perimeter and leave to dry for 8-12 hours.

After the acrylic dries, it can be drawn into the seam. You have to take the tube again and fill the gaps that have appeared, rub it, remove the excess and wash off the smeared. This, the second time, is usually the final one. After drying and this layer, stains remain on the plastic ceiling. Wipe them with a damp clean sponge and then gently rub with a soft cloth to a shine. Now the ceiling of plastic panels is ready, and after installing the fixtures, the repair can be considered completed.

How to mount to the ceiling

If the ceiling is already flat and does not need to be leveled, plastic panels can be mounted directly on it. The order of work is the same: first, the starting profile, then cut-to-size strips are inserted into it, fixing at least every 50 cm.

Choose fasteners depending on the material from which the ceiling is made. Carnations or staples from a stapler can be beaten into a tree. It is more difficult with concrete: self-tapping screws will not work, and you will be tormented by drilling a hole for the dowel for each fastening. Then it’s better to assemble the frame with a minimum indent from the ceiling and then assemble everything as described above.

Another option is to glue on liquid nails. The technology is well-known, but its minus is that such a ceiling made of plastic panels turns out to be non-separable and it will have to be completely dismantled if something happens.

Lamps in the ceiling made of plastic panels

It's not about design or quantity - here everyone is determined by himself, but about the type of lamps and power supply. There are two options: install conventional lamps at 220 V or with a step-down transformer at 12 V. In the first option, ordinary incandescent or housekeeper lamps are installed, in the second - halogen or LED. In any case, a separate machine with an RCD should be allocated for lighting the bathroom or kitchen, which will turn off the electricity supply in the event of a short circuit.

Features of installation and selection of luminaires for 220 V

If you install lamps for 220 V, and put even low-power (40-60 W) incandescent lamps in them, you will have to somehow take care of the thermal insulation of the case. Due to the fact that the lamp is heated, its body also becomes very hot. From the heated case, the plastic darkens and warps over time. Therefore, glue a layer of some kind of flexible heat-insulating material onto the body.

The second point concerns electrical safety when working in 220 V lighting. It is necessary to install lamps with a high degree of protection in the bathroom: not lower than IP44. This means that the lamp housing is protected from water jets. Such lamps cost a lot: the technology is complex. The second point: for the most part, they are rather bulky, since the case is usually ceramic. Just hanging it on plastic will not work: mortgages will be needed. They are installed when assembling the frame: these are additional jumpers in those places where the lamps will be attached.

Halogen and LED

Since this type of lamp requires only 12 V, the electrical safety requirements are lower here. In principle, any design is suitable. Power from the shield after the machine is supplied to the transformer, and from it to the lamps. Up to 4 lamps can be powered from one transformer, but there is a limitation in the instructions for them: the maximum length of the wire to the lamp should not exceed 2 meters. Lamps work normally even at a distance of 2.5-2.7 meters. At a higher voltage drop is already significant and the glow is weaker.

If you decide to put a transformer outside the bathroom for added safety, this is a serious limitation, especially if the bathroom is rather big. Then it will have to be transferred to the bathroom and hidden behind a false ceiling made of plastic panels (the thickness of the device is about 3-4 cm).

Sometimes a transformer is put on each lamp. This is normal, it just costs more, but with a large distance between the lamps it is justified.

Due to the abundance of modern finishing materials, the ceiling surface is decorated not only with whitewash. Various suspended ceiling systems are especially popular, allowing you to hide defects in the base and communication, quickly mounted and well leveling the surface. The ceiling of plastic panels is used in different rooms. We will tell you how to finish the ceiling with PVC panels with your own hands.

Are plastic panels harmful to the body?

Some people claim that plastic ceilings in our apartments are harmful to health. But is it really so? Confirmation that plastic does not emit harmful substances is the fact that this material is used to make medical syringes and food is packaged in it.

Plastic belongs to the group of non-porous materials, therefore, pathogenic microorganisms cannot settle in its structure. In addition, the smooth surface of plastic products is easy to clean. That is why finishing the ceiling with plastic panels is considered hygienic and is allowed by sanitary standards for use in medical institutions.

The disadvantage of this material is its combustibility. Plastic supports combustion at temperatures ranging from 360 degrees. Although compared to wood products that ignite at 250 degrees, plastic materials are less combustible. Compared to wood, plastic emits 50% less smoke, but it contains toxic substances.

As for the low vapor permeability of the material, the problem is solved by installing ventilation grilles in the ceiling. Moreover, in high-rise buildings, ventilation of the ceiling space is not as important as in private houses with an attic.

Scope of ceilings made of PVC panels

The reasonable price of the material and good performance characteristics allow to significantly expand the scope of its application. The cost of the most inexpensive white panel starts from $0.21 apiece. The price of PVC ceiling panels with a decorative coating, a pattern and a relief surface is in the range of $ 2.1-3 per element.

Installation of plastic ceilings is carried out in the following rooms:

• swimming pools, toilets, bathrooms and other areas with wet processes;
• loggias, balconies, verandas, including those without heating;
• kitchens and kitchen-dining rooms;
• corridors and hallways;
• storerooms.

Advantages and disadvantages

Installation of plastic ceiling coverings provides the following advantages:

1. The main advantage of PVC board ceilings is their moisture resistance and unpretentiousness in maintenance. Contaminated coating is easy to clean with detergents. The material is not susceptible to mold and other microorganisms, which is very important for rooms with high humidity. The product does not absorb odors and pollution, does not attract dust.
2. Plastic coatings have all the advantages of suspended ceiling systems - they allow you to hide defects in the base and communication, do not require careful preparation of the base surface and are suitable for installing built-in lighting.
3. Installation of the coating is carried out quickly, without the help of specialists. All work can be done independently.
4. The coating will not suffer as a result of flooding by neighbors from above. Simply wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
5. The product does not require special care and is durable.
6. Behind the ceiling, you can install materials to increase the heat and sound insulation of the room.
7. The coating retains its technical characteristics even in conditions of high humidity and temperature changes.
8. Reasonable price of the material is an additional advantage.
9. Possibility of installation of multi-level structures with straight and curvilinear transitions of tiers.

Worth knowing! The disadvantage of a suspended plastic ceiling is that when it is installed, the height of the room is reduced by at least 5 cm. With built-in lighting, the ceiling is lowered by 15 cm, which is not very good for low rooms.

Additional disadvantages of such coatings include the following:

• budget appearance (although there are more expensive and respectable panels with original surface texture, colors and patterns on sale);
• cheap products transmit light from built-in lamps, deform and turn yellow during operation;
• seams between individual elements are visible on the surface.

Installation technology of PVC panels

Before starting work, prepare all the necessary materials and tools. In addition to plastic panels, you will need metal profiles or bars to assemble the crate.

The following tools will also come in handy:

• perforator;
• short self-tapping screws for metal work (if a metal frame is being built);
• construction stapler and staples to it (when installing a wooden crate);
• dowels and screws;
• guide and ceiling steel profile for drywall systems or wooden bars with a section of 20x40 mm for the construction of the frame;
• starting bar or ceiling plinth;
• levels (laser and building);
• screwdriver;
• stationery knife;
• ruler, tape measure and pencil;
• a hammer;
• drill;
• suspensions.

Foundation preparation

Before you make a ceiling of plastic panels, you need to prepare the base. When installing suspended ceilings, special preparation of the base ceiling surface is not required. It is enough to dismantle the old coating, which does not adhere well to the base. If there are traces of mold on the ceiling, then these places are additionally treated with antifungal solutions.

Important! Before installation, cables for lighting fixtures are laid under the ceiling. Bases are prepared for hanging lighting.

After that, you need to apply the markup. To do this, determine the height by which the new ceiling surface is lowered. If there are no utilities passing under the ceiling, and it is not supposed to install built-in lighting, then the surface is lowered by 50 mm. Otherwise, they proceed from the dimensions of communications and the socles of lighting fixtures.

On the walls of the room you need to draw a line that indicates the location of the new ceiling surface. To do this, find the lowest corner of the room and lay down the height of the lowering of the ceiling from it. The mark is transferred to other corners using a level. All marks are connected by longitudinal lines on the walls.

Frame installation

Before attaching plastic panels to the ceiling, you need to assemble and install the supporting frame. The process of assembling a wooden frame is simple and straightforward, so we will describe the installation of a crate made of metal profiles.

Work is carried out in the following order:

1. We cut off the supporting profile according to the length of the wall and drill holes in it with a step of 500 mm.
2. Then we apply the profile with holes to the wall according to the marking and drill holes in the wall surface. We fix the profile with dowels and screws.
3. Cut the ceiling profiles to the width of the room. Do not forget to take into account that the plastic panels are attached in the direction perpendicular to the profiles.
4. Insert the ceiling profiles into the groove of the guide elements on the wall and position them in 40 cm increments. If the installation distance is larger, the ceiling panels will sag.
5. If the width of the room exceeds 1.5 m, the profiles are additionally fixed to the ceiling on suspensions. They are attached to the base with a pair of dowels and self-tapping screws and mounted in increments of 1-1.5 m. We bend the “protruding ears” of the perforated suspension up.

Installation of plastic skirting boards

Before starting the installation of the trim along the perimeter of the room, we fasten the starting bar or a special plastic profile with a groove for installing panels to the wall profile with screws. We screw the screws into the upper shelf of the starting element or plinth.

In addition, these same parts can be attached not to the frame guide profile, but to the wall. But in this case, you will have to drill additional holes in the wall surface and install dowels in them. If the walls in the room are finished with ceramic tiles, then plastic baguettes can be glued to them with liquid nails.

Fixing PVC panels

After assembling the frame, PVC panels are installed on the ceiling. To fix the coating, short self-tapping screws for working on metal or staples of a construction stapler are used. Staples are used when fixing plates to a wooden crate, and self-tapping screws are suitable for screwing the lining to a metal frame.

The process of installing PVC trim looks like this:

1. First, the ceiling tiles are cut to the required length. Then the end of one element is inserted into the groove of the plastic baguette, the panel is slightly bent and the second end is inserted into the starting profile on the wall. It is important to mount the element with a spike away from you. The longitudinal side with the spike is completely inserted into the groove of the plinth or baguette.
2. The element is screwed to the crate with a self-tapping screw in the place where the shelf of the product is located above the frame rails.
3. Similarly, the installation of all subsequent plates. They are wound with a spike into the groove of the previous product and attached to the crate.
4. The last plate is cut in width to the required size and inserted with the cut side into the groove of the starting profile or plinth until it stops. Then a spike is inserted into the groove of the previous plate, slightly pushing the panel out of the baguette on the wall.
5. Finally, the installation of lighting fixtures is carried out.

If you decide to make a ceiling from PVC panels with your own hands, the video instruction will help you visually understand the installation process: