Types of Suspended Ceilings

The flexibility and look of suspended ceilings has made them a popular choice with homeowners that are planning a remodeling project. As popular as the idea of suspended ceilings is, they are still somewhat of a mystery to the average homeowner. You may see them at your place of work, or at a department store or restaurant, but that is only part of the story. There are several different kinds of suspended ceilings for you to choose from. Once you become acquainted with the variety of designs available, you will develop a renewed enthusiasm for putting designer suspended ceilings in your home.

Visible Grid

The visible grid suspended ceiling is the one that most people are familiar with. It is that grid ceiling you see in the office, or at the local fast food restaurant. You can get the grid itself in several different colors, and the panels can come with a variety of designs and colors as well. The drawback to visible grid ceilings is that they are limited to the size and shape of the panels. Whatever panels you choose, that is how your ceiling will look. The advantages to a visible grid ceiling is that they are inexpensive and extremely easy to install. If you add some recessed ceiling lighting, you would have a very nice ceiling when you are done.

Invisible Grid

You may have seen an invisible grid ceiling and never even realized it. These are just visible grid ceilings, but the grid is hidden by the panels. They are a bit more complicated to install, but they are considered much more decorative. That means that you can purchase them in a wider variety of designer colors and patterns. The invisible grid ceiling has the same drawback as the visible grid does. You can only install designs based on the panels you buy. You can not create your own patterns or customize your installation at all. You fit the ceiling to your room, install it and then enjoy.

Drywall

If you want the look of a clean drywall ceiling, but you do not want vaulted ceilings along your roof, then get a suspended drywall ceiling. This is not the kind of ceiling you want to install yourself. A drywall suspended ceiling requires a great deal of experience to install, and there is some engineering that goes into making it fit just right. It is also a very labor-intensive installation. But when the job is over, you will have a smooth and clean drywall ceiling.

Bandraster

If you want to invest a truly unique and customized suspended ceiling, there is the bandraster ceiling. A bandraster ceiling needs to be designed and installed by a contractor. It uses grid parts of various sizes and shapes to create designs and patterns in the ceiling. The contractor works with you on the kind of design you want, you pick out the tiles you want installed and then the work can begin. With a bandraster suspended ceiling you can have the tiles create multiple patterns on your ceiling, or you can use different colored tiles to create a sweeping design over your entire ceiling.