Armstrong suspended ceiling: advantages and disadvantages

Each person dreams to create in the dwelling a beautiful and unique interior. In the design of the rooms plays a big role ceiling. Talk about the benefits of Armstrong suspended ceilings.

Armstrong's tiled ceiling is one of the most popular types of wall covering. Products are used for finishing not only residential buildings, but also business offices, shopping centers. This foundation looks great in almost any interior and style direction.

Each Armstrong suspended ceiling includes a set of basic parts. It:

• special suspension system of strings and wire;
• easy frame design;
• modular slabs ranging in size from 0.6 m2 to 1 m2;
• clamping mechanisms that are attached to the ceiling with dowels.

Armstrong modular ceiling tiles are divided into two main types.

• Modern plates. This type of cell snaps into place when installed from the outside.
• Classic plates. Such cells are embedded in the frame structure from the inside.

Armstrong suspended ceilings can boast a large list of positive qualities.

• High fire resistance. These structures are made of non-combustible elements, which allows to avoid dangerous fire situations.
• Small cost. Among the wide range of products represented on the building materials market, these ceilings stand out at a price that is reasonable for practically any consumer.
• Little weight. Armstrong products are lightweight, which greatly simplifies installation work.
• Good sound insulation. This important property allows you to decorate even rooms with loud sound reproduction.
• Easy installation. Installation of such a ceiling structure does not take much time and does not require special skills.
• Beautiful appearance. According to many experts and consumers, such ceiling coverings look stylish and elegant. In addition, the market presents a variety of options for different colors and models, decorated with prints.
• Ability to hide additional details. Armstrong suspended ceiling allows you to install all the communication elements inside the product, not allowing them to spoil the overall look of the coating.
• Reflective surface. Such coverage allows to significantly improve the illumination of the room and visually expand the space.

Despite the large list of benefits, Armstrong suspended ceilings have several disadvantages.

• Low moisture resistance. When a certain amount of water hits the surface, the ceiling quickly swells and loses its original appearance. The coating becomes unsuitable for further use, it has to be completely changed.
• When installing a structure, a lot of height is lost. When laying it is necessary to retreat sufficiently noticeable from the base of the ceiling, otherwise the installation will be impossible.
• Monotonous arrangement. Armstrong products can be laid strictly in the same order.Diagonal and curvilinear types of design cannot be obtained from such material.

Armstrong curtain ceiling consists of plates. The standard dimensions of the elements are 60x60 and 120x60 cm. The thickness of the products can be from 0.9 cm to 3 cm. The weight of a single panel can vary from 3 to 8 kg.

It should be noted that GOSTs for the manufacture of Armstrong ceiling coverings have appeared a long time ago. They can easily be found on the Internet. Therefore, consumers will not have any problems with the study of certificates of such products. It is also worth noting that if you want to install such a ceiling yourself, then you need to first create its detailed drawing.

The scheme will help you to make all the installation work. Often, similar material for decoration is sold with a ready-made sketch, which greatly simplifies the work.

The main components of the Armstrong suspended ceiling include the following details:

• panels;
• profile;
• suspension;
• frame;
• mounting knot;
• ceiling mount.

The cassettes of such a product can be both rigid (from metal, glass, various mirror surfaces), and soft (from organic and mineral material). The first version of the plates is the most heavy and massive, so it needs special reinforced guides and frame structures. For the second option does not require expensive and large items. However, it should be noted that soft coatings are made of substances harmful to human health.

Most often, such parts are made of metal or painted metal. The profile must create a special small hole for the suspension. As a rule, the connection of these guides is carried out with the help of spring locks or bent antennae.

This element consists of two small rods, which are interconnected by a curved leaf spring. One of the parts must be made flat, and the second with a small hook at the end. It is worth noting that the suspension can be easily adjusted using a connecting spring.

This component of the ceiling is created in such a way that not only the main cassettes of the product, but also various additional elements can be embedded in it.Often, it hides the wires and other items of communications. Also quite often in the frame system install lamps and lamps.

It is presented by a usual dowel for the self-tapping screw. It should be noted that for reinforced suspension it is best to use a metal collet. Such mechanisms are necessary not only for the ceiling itself, but also for places with special loads, which include areas with built-in lighting and ventilation systems.

It is carried out with the help of a small flat bar, which is screwed using tools into the fixing knot. At the same time, it is not necessary to disassemble the suspension structure. Also, when attaching the ceiling, you must put a profile on the hook of the second bar and, holding the leaf spring, adjust the height and position.

Before direct laying of the ceiling you need to make accurate calculations. This is necessary in order to correctly determine how much material is required to install the product. Calculate the perimeter of the room is quite simple. For this there is a definite formula.You only need to measure all the walls, add up their size and round the result to a number that is divisible by 3.

Such simple calculations can be suitable for premises ranging from 8-10 square meters. m to 100-150 square meters. If you need to arrange the ceiling in a larger room, then it is better not to try to do the calculations yourself, but go to an online calculator that will quickly and accurately perform all the necessary calculations. Also in such cases it is appropriate to use a large-scale construction scheme.

Most experts advise to pay special attention to the lattice. When laying they recommend not to cut it more than half. Otherwise, during the installation of the ceiling will have to spend too much material. Although it is worth noting that the quality and strength of the design is completely unaffected.

Many consumers install Armstrong do-it-yourself cassette ceilings. To assemble the structure is not difficult at all. These products are always produced with step-by-step instructions, which describe the detailed installation technology of the device.

During the installation work it should be noted that the last suspension should be located at a distance of 0.3-0.6 cm from the wall of the room. This is necessary in order not to overload the guide profiles. It is important to remember the following rule: the greater the mass of the plate, the less should be indented. When laying the frame, it is better to leave some space between it and the base (the minimum indent is 1.3-1.5 cm). This is necessary for the work on the dismantling of the tile ceiling. In addition, various communication tools are often built into this opening.

After installation of the frame should be applied horizontal marking future coverage. Thus it is necessary to take into account the height of various additional elements (light sources, ventilation systems). It is important to plan everything so that the wires are hidden by the construction. After applying the markup, attach profiles. If they are not the right size, they can be trimmed with a regular hacksaw.

For cutting angular elements it is better to use a protractor.Fasten the guides so that the painted part is located at the bottom.

After fixing all the guides on the surface of the grid is formed. It is filled with ceiling plates and additional appliances (if they are available). Most experts recommend starting the installation of cassettes from the middle of the room. Laying of all other elements should be carried out from the central part to the side. In this case, you can trim parts, if their size does not correspond to the markings or the scale of the surface. Then fix the design. To do this, fit the simple plugs under the screws.

Today, customers can see a large selection of different types of Armstrong ceilings in hardware stores. Each sample has its own advantages and disadvantages. The choice of the optimal variant depends on personal preferences and on the type of room in which the material is placed. Currently, many prefer mirror ceilings.This option looks very impressive.

However, we must not forget that such surfaces are quickly contaminated. The coating will have to be washed regularly with special detergents to maintain its presentable appearance. This solution is not for everyone.

If you want to install a truly durable and reliable ceiling in your home, you better pay attention to metal cassette structures (made of aluminum and galvanized steel). They differ from other types of particular reliability and hardness. They also have the highest resistance to mechanical damage and heavy loads.

If you need to install a tiled ceiling in a place with high humidity or a lot of steam, you should buy ordinary plastic material covered with a special solution. It gives the details the special properties that protect the coating from the harmful effects of a large amount of moisture.

Also on sale are cassette bases with speaker systems. These types of coatings are suitable for those who want to protect their living space from unnecessary annoying noise.

Products with decorative patterns are very popular. Print can be applied to any material. This design option can give your home a special refinement. Many say that the patterns look best on mirrored ceilings, but in designs of designers there is often an ornament on plastic and metal cassettes.

It is worth considering that if the installation of the ceiling structure is planned in a room with increased hygienic requirements (medical institution), you should buy products that have been pretreated with a special composition. It prevents contamination of the panels, as well as the accumulation of dust and other harmful substances.

For information on how to assemble the Armstrong suspended ceiling, see the following video.