The Benefits of Historic Tin Ceilings

By Alden Smith

In our search for historic correctness in renovations and restoration of fine old Victorian homes, storefronts, and market places, we should look to our past and consider the beauty and safety of a tin ceiling. In a remodeling project, using tin ceilings in a great room, living room, or even the bathroom can add elegance and charm to any setting. Many outstanding design ideas can be had from using this decorating idea from a bygone era.

Tin ceilings were very popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Originally designed to allow people the beauty of a sculptured plaster ceiling or ornamental stucco decoration without the high cost, they graced many Victorian homes and stores in many areas of the United States. The cost of sculptured plaster ceilings was sometimes out of reach for many builders at that time, and the alternative was to use a stamped tin plate to simulate that same elegance and beauty of a sculptured ceiling. The tin ceiling tiles were also used to cover over unsightly plastered or damaged ceilings.

Tin ceilings had an added benefit - they were a good fire barrier. Many stores had apartments over them, and if a store caught fire, the occupants of the upstairs apartment had a much greater chance of survival due to the fire barrier resistance of the tin steel ceiling plates.

Over a period of many years, tin ceilings were replaced with ceiling tile, and this beautiful arrangement of tin ceiling tiles was generally covered over with everything from wallboard and plaster to suspended ceilings. Then, after the end of World War I, as people began the process of restoring old buildings to their original splendor, they were greatly surprised to find beneath layers of added on ceiling fine old examples of the tin ceilings of the early 1900s. People began to quickly restore this fine old Victorian heritage.

Historic Ceilings in Modern Homes

A decorative ceiling cornice to accompany a tin ceiling.

Today, many manufacturers sell and install tin ceilings. Nowadays, they are manufactured from several different types of metal, including tin, steel, copper, brass and even light weight plastic. Many companies have carefully reproduced the original designs, and some even advertise that the original dies are used in the new manufacture of tin ceiling tiles. This practice can be very beneficial to a restorer, and makes the reproduction of original patterns readily available to those wishing to restore a classic home to its original condition.

Tin ceiling tiles are also being utilized for many other applications, such as a backsplash in a kitchen, as a decorating statement on such things as kitchen islands and stand up bars, and in the bathroom, where the ease of cleaning and maintenance of tin ceiling tile makes clean-up a snap. A search of the Internet reveals many different applications for tin ceiling tiles besides using them on the ceiling. All that is needed is a bit of creativity and ingenuity to come up with a very unique presentation.

Because the tin ceiling tiles come in so many different configurations, the possibilities for decorating are endless. Many of the tin ceiling tiles available today are powder coated, and come in a variety of colors to match almost any interior. If the proper color combination is not available, the ceiling tiles can be painted to match the decor. Tin ceiling tiles can even be "antiqued" using simple methods, to provide the look and patina of aging. Online tutorials, and even video presentations, are readily available from various manufacturers.

Continue to Part 2: Planning and Installing a Tin Ceiling >