Think about the design in your ceiling panels and whether they will suit the measurements of your room.With a little forethought, you can create a "tin" ceiling that exudes the "Wow Factor." The "Wow Factor" is the reaction you will receive when your visitors look at your new ceiling for the first time. To get that factor, you need to spend a little time thinking about how the ceiling panels will fit your particular room. If the repeat pattern you have chosen measures two feet by two feet, will you need to trim all the outside panels in order for them to fit the dimensions of your room. If this would be the case, then you need to re-think your plans. You have two choices: choose a small all-over style which will look perfectly fine if trimmed to fit the room, or use a border panel around the outside of your room and have the larger designs in the center of the ceiling. Most of the larger designs require a border or filler strip around the edge; otherwise, they don't look so elegant when installed. Border or filler panels most usually have a small pattern on them, which complements the larger main panels in the center of the ceiling. If you require a border around your main panels then it will be worth consulting an expert to find out how wide the border should be. It is easy to upset the balance of your ceiling by having a border that is too wide or conversely too narrow.
Is crown cornice needed?
There is now a delightful range of crown cornice moldings made from aluminum. These come in a variety of sizes to suit various ceiling heights. Crown cornices need to be mitered in the corners of the room and there are now various accessories to suit the individual cornices. These accessories are very handy as they hide the mitered cut edges which can sometimes be a little rough for those home handymen who have little experience in mitering. Alternatives to metal crown cornices are timber moldings. Plaster cornices should not be used with metal ceilings.
Can you fix your tin ceilings yourself?
The easiest way to install pressed tin is to first affix building ply onto the old ceiling or walls and then nail the tin to the ply. Timber battens can be used but building ply makes the job much easier. It is best to remove existing cornices before the ply is fixed to the ceiling.
Most reputable ceiling suppliers will offer detailed fitting instructions. If you lack experience in this area, you may prefer to employ someone with building experience. Most metal ceilings are fitted by their owners. Tacking nails should be used initially until you are satisfied you have everything in its final position. Tacking nails are quite long and must only be partly nailed in so that they can be removed easily with pliers. When you are satisfied, that everything is in the right spot then you can remove the tacking nails and finish the job off with small nails. Details of which nails to use should be in the manufacturer's fitting instructions.
Painting your metal panels
Painting an ornate, aluminum ceiling in fine detail is easy because it is painted before it gets fixed to the ceiling. Most aluminum paneling is sold with etch primer already on it so it is immediately ready to paint. You can use one color over the whole ceiling, you can add just a touch of color on the moldings, or you can paint every detail in various shades of paint. The patterns in aluminum ceilings are more deeply pressed than other types of ceilings so they create lovely shadows themselves just from electric light or from natural daylight. Most people use one color of paint over the whole ceiling. It is strongly recommended that pale shades of paint be used. Darker colors can be appealing in theory but in practice they can often give a heavy oppressive feel to a room. Oil based paints are recommended. If the nails are still visible, you can dab each one with a little paint.
Jean Morrison is owner of Heritage Ceilings, a unique ceiling decoration business dedicated to bringing beautiful ceilings back into our public buildings and homes.
Courtesy of www.heritageceilings.com.au.
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