Improving Acoustic Ceiling Tiles

You can use acoustic ceiling tiles to both reduce sound that is transmitted from room to room and to improve the sound quality within a room. In commercial settings, they are used in music stores and schools, and in residential settings, they are common in media rooms or home theaters. Unfortunately, while these tiles are very functional, they are not very attractive. Try a few of these strategies to make your suspended ceiling tiles look a little better.

Painting Ceiling Tiles

One of the easiest ways to improve the look of your tiles is to simply paint them. Acoustic ceiling tiles are generally fairly porous in construction, which means that they readily accept paint. The tip here will be to select a paint color that will enhance the look of your home theater or commercial setting.

You have a few of options when it comes to painting ceiling tiles. The first option is to select a color that is one shade lighter than your wall color. This will make the room seem larger and more open. The second option is to paint the ceiling a shade darker than the wall color, which will make the room seem cozier. The final option is to paint the ceiling a neutral accent color to simply enhance the ambience of the room.

Add Texture to Your Acoustic Ceiling Tiles

Another option is to add texture to your tiles by applying a textured wallpaper. This will require a gentle hand and a little finesse. To start, you must take down all of your suspended ceiling tiles and lay them flat on a table or a work space. Clean each tile with a mile detergent and a soft cloth. Next, select a textured wall paper that you like. These papers can be expensive, so pick one that you can live with for a while.

Measure each tile and cut out textured wallpaper segments to fit. Apply the paper to the  tiles using wallpaper paste, and allow to dry completely. If you like the color the textured wallpaper, you can simply put the suspended ceiling tiles back into their grid frame when the glue has dried.

If you bought a paper that was plain white, you can paint it. In this case, select a paint color that is neutral, that is lighter, or that is darker than your wall color. When applying the paint, use very gentle pressure. If you press too hard or use your paintbrush too aggressively, you will damage the raised textures on the paper. Allow it to dry overnight before you iinstall the textured and painted acoustic ceiling tiles back in their frame.