The size of the foam ceiling tiles. Styrofoam ceiling tiles: the use of a facing coating for interior decoration. Painting of installed cladding

For the purpose of decorating ceiling surfaces, there is a wide range of materials. It can be plastic, vinyl wallpaper or even ordinary plaster.

One of the solutions is to be foam ceiling tiles. They are affordable, but at the same time practical and very attractive.

Features of Styrofoam Ceiling Tiles

The fastest and most budget-friendly way to make your home look beautiful is to buy foam ceiling tiles. This kind of material will help decorate any room.

It is suitable for offices, living spaces and even restrooms. If a question arises how to paint foam ceiling tiles, then the answer is simple - any paint.

It is an environmentally friendly material. The main advantage of the tile is the compliance with technical characteristics and prices. Designers around the world noted that such tiles are a good helper in decorating an apartment. It behaves well in rooms with high humidity and temperature changes.

Now on the construction market there are a huge number of tile modifications. You can choose an ornament for every taste. A big plus is that it lends itself well to painting and visually smoothes the ceiling. Styrofoam ceiling tile size depends on its type.

One of the advantages of ceiling tiles is that the pattern is uniform, but with a large number of seams. Plates are installed very quickly. All these qualitative characteristics make this kind of material in demand.

If you do not like the seams on the ceiling, then you can use a different type of tile. They are called seamless. The price for them will be higher, but the result is worth it. Panels of this shape look good in large rooms and office spaces. All tiles of this plan will be only snow-white shades.

There are 3 ways to produce foam tiles:

pressing method;
injection method;
extruded.

The pressing method involves compression in the manufacture of foam using a press. Such plates will have a thickness of about 0.7 centimeters. In the future, the products are compacted and a pattern is applied to them.

In order to obtain thicker products, there is an injection method. In this case, the plates are cast in a mold at high temperatures. The resulting products will be the most expensive. The slabs obtained by extrusion have the smallest thickness.

Types of foam tiles

The variety of ceiling tiles makes this material very popular. The shape of the foam tiles is:

square;
Rectangular.

As a rule, plates are made square. This is done for comfort in their gluing. But recently it is also possible to find rectangular slabs. They are more practical to use when decorating ceilings in large rooms. They will help to reduce the consumption of materials.

By the size of the plate can be:

small;
Large.

The most popular size of plates is 50*50 centimeters, but there are also plates - 30*30. Depending on the method of production, they are:

stamped;
Injection;
extruded.

The first slabs will be the most readily available in price. They will be grainy in type and usually white in color. Due to this type of production, the boards are not very durable and the seams are very visible. In the manufacture of plates, there are errors, so when gluing the plates, gaps may appear.

When injected, the plates are of high quality. The main characteristics of the products will be: the correct shape, barely noticeable seams and a large number of plate design.

In the manufacture of the injection method, the plates turn out to be off-white in color, so they are subsequently covered with a special film. This kind of material will be the most durable, but also quite expensive.

When finishing the surface can get:

Mirror;
laminated;
Seamless.

The most popular of them is laminated. After gluing the plates, the material is covered with a film. This greatly increases the quality characteristics of a single material. Such foam ceiling tiles in the kitchen, will look more than attractive.

Advantages and disadvantages of foam ceiling tiles

Like any building material, tile has its pros and cons. The pluses include:

High soundproofing properties;
Light weight;
Ease of installation;
Low price;
Variety of invoices;
Huge color palette;
Hides defects.

Styrofoam tiles have high thermal and sound insulating qualities, and also weigh little. This makes it possible to carry out installation without the help of third parties.

It is also distinguished by its own decorative effect and a large number of textures. Each buyer can buy styrofoam ceiling tiles perfect shape. The ceiling, which is covered with such material, is not afraid of moisture and high temperature.

You can glue such a tile yourself without the presence of a master. However, despite the large number of advantages, the material has several disadvantages:

Rapidly flammable;
fragility.

Over time, such plates tend to turn yellow, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.

The disadvantages of foam tiles can be considered its fragility and softness.

Styrofoam tile laying

Installation of plates includes a number of stages, namely:

Calculation of the number of plates;
The choice of glue;
Surface preparation;
markup;
Sticking.

First of all, before starting work, it is necessary to calculate the amount of material that will be needed. To do this, it is enough to understand the length and width of the room.

Multiplying these characteristics, you get the area of the room. But buy plates according to this calculation. It is necessary to take about 15% of the total calculation in reserve. The shape of the ceiling in many apartments is not ideal, so the calculation can be wrong!

Styrofoam Ceiling Tile Adhesive must be chosen carefully. The service life of the plates depends on it. So, several types of advice when choosing glue:

It is necessary to choose glue with a thick consistency, it will not roll off the plates. Well suited for these purposes "Moment" or liquid nails. Plus, this kind of adhesive quickly sets to the surface, which saves time. On average, 1 square meter will require about 6 milliliters. It turns out that a medium-sized room needs about a tube of glue.
The next favorite among consumers is Titan glue. It grabs and dries quickly. He has one drawback: after applying to the tile, it must be applied to the place of gluing and removed again. This is done in order to fill the gaps with air and the glue has a good grip on the surface;
If the choice fell on more budget adhesives, then these may be adhesives from Chinese manufacturers. They will be less viscous and not so quickly glue the surfaces of the plates to the ceiling.

In order to glue the tiles you need a tool. It needs a little, and it is quite accessible to any person. This is:

Cord for marking;
Scissors;
Roulette and pencil;
Brush;
roller;
Putty knife.

Before you start gluing the plates, you need to prepare the ceiling. So, the old coating can not be removed if it is smooth, if the surface is not even, then it must be cleaned.

Important! If the ceiling is to be whitewashed, then the whitewash must be removed, the tiles will not stick to it! If there are gaps or holes, then they are puttied. In order for the adhesion of the plates and the ceiling to occur, it is primed. The primer must dry for at least 3 hours.

Next, the ceiling is marked and the center is determined. Diagonals are drawn from the corners of the room and their intersection is found. This is done in order to determine the number of plates needed. If the ceiling is uneven, then you need to buy more plates to fill the gaps.

Wall gluing can be done parallel to the walls or diagonally. The adhesive is applied to the slab and the laying starts from the corner of the wall. The tile must be pressed well and wait about 3 minutes.

If there is excess glue, it can be easily removed with a sponge. All subsequent slabs are glued to the junction of the previous ones. The ceiling will dry for about a day. How to glue foam ceiling tiles clear, it remains to disassemble the painting.

For painting foam ceiling tiles, the following paints are suitable:

Water emulsion;
latex;
Acrylic.

All these types of paints dry quickly and lay down evenly. If the tile was subject to lamination, then it is not worth even trying to paint it. The paint will drain and the result is unlikely to please.

If the surface of the tile is rough, then it is better to use an airbrush so that there are no smudges or gaps left. Joints must be sealed with sealant. Then apply and let it dry.

It is advised to choose paint from well-known manufacturers, and it must meet the following requirements:

Moisture resistant;
Dense structure;
High adhesion;
Should not fade from direct sunlight.

As for the choice of color, it should harmoniously fit into the interior of the room.

Price and reviews of foam tiles

Styrofoam ceiling tiles price varied and varies from $1 per square meter. This applies to general products. If the tile is obtained by extrusion, then the price of the products will be about $ 12, but the service life is an order of magnitude longer.

Many consumers note that such material behaves very well in any premises. And of course, a big plus when choosing is the price. From a wide range of finishing materials, foam tiles are inexpensive. Of the negative: over time, it may turn yellow and burst.

The average service life of this material depends on the manufacturer and varies from 5 to 15 years. Of great importance is the room in which the tiles were glued. If this room is in high humidity, then the material will lose its operational properties earlier than in a dry room.

It's no secret that in our time in almost any industry there is a huge amount of materials that compete with each other for the greatest distribution and popularity. And the sphere of construction and repair is a clear proof of this. Both stretch and suspended ceilings, as well as those made from other materials, are popular here. If you are interested in ceiling tiles, foam will be one of the best materials. It is about him that we will talk today.

We will discuss why foam plastic ceiling tiles are popular now and will not lose their relevance in the near future, consider their manufacturing technology and some of the disadvantages. We will also make sure that foam plastic ceiling tiles have not lost their relevance.

Distinctive features and diversity

Sticking ceiling tiles in most cases means making your ceiling more modern and attractive. Styrofoam ceiling tiles, although not the most common type of ceiling finish, are still not going to lose ground and have the same market share as before.

Ceiling tiles come in different types, and the features of each depend only on. First of all, it is distinguished by its shape.

Styrofoam ceiling tiles can be:

rectangular;
square;
diamond-shaped;
hexagonal.

The most popular are square-shaped products, which have become, figuratively speaking, the standard for all materials for pasting the ceiling. And indeed, it so happened that it is the square shape that is one of the most natural for a person, without distracting him from work and other activities.

It is also divided into several types according to the type of front surface:

simple;
laminated;
waterproof;
embossed;
painted under the texture of wood, leather or stone;
with imitation of carving or stucco.

The type of surface is individual for each room and depends on its purpose. For example, in a bathroom, nothing can replace waterproof tiles, otherwise moisture will seep through the surface of the ceiling and spoil the materials inside it. In the kitchen, laminated tiles will look good, which will enhance the shades of the applied paint.

And yet the tile differs in the way it is made:

stamping method (stamped);
sintering method (injection);
and extrusion method (extruded).

Basically, the first two types differ in their thickness. Stamped tile has a thickness of 6-7 mm, injection - from 9 to 15 mm. By the way, it is worth noting that the injection tile itself is almost waterproof. Extruded tiles are approximately equal in thickness to stamped tiles, but can sometimes be even thinner. They are very reliable and varied, but their cost leaves much to be desired. Each of these three types will be discussed in more detail below.

Production technology

Stamped tiles are cut from expanded polystyrene blocks, and then, using a special press, acquire their final thickness and density. This simple manufacturing method does not require special costs, so the final cost of the product is low. On the other hand, it does not have any special positive properties. We can say that simplicity is the main motto of stamped tiles.

Injection tiles are made in a mold of high-quality raw materials from self-extinguishing polystyrene foam. Due to this, the granules of the material are not destroyed and remain intact. As a result, injection tiles have good sound insulation and are practically waterproof. And the fact that its thickness is greater than all other types allows you to create a variety of relief forms and make a small strip along the edge invisible.

Extruded foam ceiling tiles are made of polystyrene (not to be confused with polystyrene foam!) By extrusion (forcing at high temperature through a forming hole) of its melt. Then it is covered with a film using a press. The extrusion process makes the material very strong and dense. It comes in a variety of colors, making it easy to match it with the design of the room.

Advantages and disadvantages

Now let's move on to a point that clearly shows the ratio of positive and negative properties of the material. The pros and cons allow you to find out whether it would be appropriate to cover the ceiling with foam tiles specifically in your circumstances.

Let's look at the positives first:

The surface for pasting can be absolutely any. The result of the work does not depend on the type of the previous ceiling.
Extruded tiles can be installed near a radiator or radiator, even if the temperature of the latter sometimes reaches 80 degrees Celsius. Although it is unlikely that you will ever heat your house with such temperatures ...
Used under normal conditions, the material is able to last for several years, or even decades.
Styrofoam ceiling tiles do a good job of keeping noise and cold out of your home.
Since the foam tiles are lightweight, it is not necessary to look for the highest quality and most expensive glue. This will save on the purchase of fastening materials.
The installation itself does not take much time, as with the right tools they are very easy to cut.
Styrofoam is not bad in terms of environmental friendliness. It does not contain toxic substances or gases.
Compared to other finishing materials, the cost of most is small and insignificant. And this is another factor that helps to save money.
And finally, the last advantage of foam tiles is a good combination with interior elements.

But at the same time, foam plastic delivers a number of inconveniences that you should pay attention to:

The cheapest models have the unpleasant property of turning yellow over time. But this is easy to fix by regularly painting the surface with water-based paint.
One of the biggest downsides to foam ceilings is vapor tightness. It is this property that creates the effect of a thermos in the apartment. It will accumulate moisture. If vinyl wallpaper is used at the same time, then condensation will accumulate on the surfaces, and in especially humid places a fungus will begin to form, poisoning the human body. And such consequences will be difficult to minimize by simply regularly airing the room.
Although Styrofoam is fireproof, it melts easily. Therefore, those tiles in which it is used as a base should not be placed in the immediate vicinity of a powerful light bulb. The optimal distance is 25-30 cm. As mentioned above, in other warm places, for example, near pipes and radiators, this danger does not threaten your ceiling (read: "").
It should also be remembered that polystyrene is a very easily injured material. Take this into account both when transporting it and when moving other large items. It does not matter whether the object has sharp corners or not - you can ruin the tile with a slight touch anyway.

Calculation of the amount of purchased material

Now we finally come to the practical part. We hope that those photos that will accompany the process of its description will help you better understand the essence of the ongoing processes. If you have precisely decided on the choice of material, and you are attracted by foam plastic tiles for the ceiling, then you can proceed to the first step of installation work. It consists in calculating the surface on which the tile will be glued. The amount of purchased material and other calculations will depend on this.

First you need to measure the width and length of one room. Multiplying them, we get the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. If you plan to carry out repairs in several rooms, perform the same calculations in them, and then add up all the numbers received. Now you need to divide the resulting number by the area of \u200b\u200bone tile of the material. It depends on the type you choose, the dimensions of which are usually indicated on the packaging. Now we divide the surface area of the room by the area of the sheet and round the number up. Be sure to add one tenth of it and round up again. The resulting integer will be the number of sheets needed.

Adhesive selection

In order for the foam ceiling tiles to be exactly on the ceiling, and not remain lying in the corner, we need an adhesive that can attach the material to the surface. The squares are usually glued with Moment glue. “Liquid nails” glue is best, as it is quite viscous, but hardens within 15 minutes. You should not buy Chinese Dragon glue, as it is not viscous enough and does not stick well. Unless you're a masochist, you won't enjoy standing for more than an hour holding each ceiling tile with your arms outstretched above your head.

On average, each square takes a little less than 20 ml of glue. It is most profitable to buy it with a capacity of 450 ml, and then there will be enough glue not only for the ceiling, but also for other elements of the apartment.

If you have an uneven base ceiling, you should not bother too much with props, spacers, etc. Of course, it is absolutely impossible to glue on such a surface, otherwise one day the fruits of your labor will begin to peel off from the right place. But you can correct this situation by just leveling the cavities with a solution of finishing putty mixed with PVA glue.

The solution is first prepared without the participation of glue: Water is gradually added to the dry putty and stirred to the desired consistency. Then, for each kilogram of putty, 200 g of glue is added. Stir again, after which we carefully eliminate all the shortcomings.

Required Tools

To finish the ceiling with foam tiles, you do not need to purchase a whole set of unique tools. Moreover, some of them are sure to be found in your home.

So, you need 7 items:

A paint cord that will help draw the axis of the ceiling.
The most common scissors or a mounting knife, with whose help we will cut the sheets if necessary.
A medium-sized spatula or their set for applying a putty solution.
Measuring tools for determining the dimensions of some elements of the ceiling and delineating them on a sheet of foam tiles.
Fly brush, needed mainly for applying glue.
A set of rags for wiping the pasted material from excess glue.
And finally, a pencil, beloved by all builders.

By preparing these tools and taking the right materials, you most likely will not have to interrupt your work in search of something important, because everything you need will be at your fingertips. But still, it will not be superfluous to have one of your friends or family nearby as an assistant.

How to glue ceiling tiles, in detail on the video:

Ceiling surface preparation

Styrofoam ceiling tiles can be glued to any surface that is free of debris and old finishes. Cleaning must be done carefully so that subsequently the adhesive can firmly adhere to the base. But before performing the next step of work, it is also necessary to open the surface with a deep penetration primer in order to protect against the side effects of the glue. In this case, especially pay attention to the protrusions and depressions that will interfere with the normal fixation of the ceiling.

Marking the ceiling for sheets of foam tiles

For this step, we need a marking cord. Its device is very simple - it is an ordinary rope, which is tinted with powder dye. These materials are sold in a hardware store or in the market.

Before marking, decide how the tiles will be located on the ceiling: in longitudinal rows or diagonal. If you do not want to complicate the installation process, then a longitudinal arrangement is quite suitable, and if you desperately need to visually expand the room, then you should sacrifice your convenience during work for a better appearance later.

The initial marking of the ceiling should be carried out with the participation of your friend or family member. The marking cord must be pulled from one corner of the ceiling to the one that lies opposite, that is, draw a diagonal. You need to do this with a little effort, and after pulling it, pull it a little from the ceiling and release it. Do the same for the other two corners. After drawing both diagonals, find the point of their intersection, which will show the center of your ceiling.

After that, at a certain equal distance from the center, leave marks along the diagonals of the ceiling. After that, connect them with lines using a marking cord. After this operation, a square or rectangle should form. Opposite sides should not differ by more than 5 millimeters, otherwise you will have to re-mark and connect them.

If everything went well, then use the tape measure to find the middle of the sides and make the axes along which the tiles will be glued with a marking cord. All these steps are applicable for the longitudinal arrangement of sheets.

Now let's talk about diagonal markings. The axes along which it is necessary to glue the tiles must be placed at right angles to each other and pass from one corner to another (if the room is rectangular, but not square, then the axis will not fall exactly into the second corner, it will intersect one of sides). If the 90-degree angle is fuzzy, then in the midst of work, a failure may occur, as a result of which all work will go down the drain.

Glue application

Depending on the adhesive used, its application may be different, but the general principles remain the same. For example, glue is applied either in a dotted line or in a solid line on small protrusions on the inside of the product. If there are none, then it is applied in the corners and in the center.

Putty or glue is best applied directly to the tile so as not to block the markings on the ceiling. This is best done with a comb used for tiling. If there are irregularities up to a centimeter on the surface, use a comb with a large tooth from 11 millimeters. In the event that you see that the applied glue will not be enough, you can gently smear the ceiling. This must be done in such a way that the drawn axes are not erased, and the direction of spreading the glue on the ceiling and on the tile is opposite. For example, if you spread glue on the tile towards the door, then on the ceiling you need to spread it in the direction away from the door.

Special glue, such as ELTITAN, needs to be glued differently. Since it is necessary to wait 15-20 minutes before laying, you can save your own time if you apply glue to a whole batch of tiles at once - 3-5 at a time.

How to glue ceiling tiles: installation features "). Check the alignment with the axes and that the corner of the sheet is in the center. It is on this corner that you will be guided by gluing the rest of the sheets. There should be a joint of four sheets in the center of the room, and the next should be glued parallel to the previous ones .

The last pieces to be glued may not fit in the remaining space, so don't be afraid to cut them off. But do it carefully, measuring the length to the nearest centimeter. The same should be done if it is necessary to cut a place for any fasteners that cut into the base ceiling. But we should not forget that in this case it will be more difficult to determine the correct position of the sheet, so pay your attention to this part of the work. During gluing, the tile should be firmly pressed against the ceiling, although not to such an extent that dents remain.

But do not glue all the tiles at once. It is advisable after each glued batch, the dimensions of which you have determined earlier, to remove the remnants of the glue so that it does not dry out. The gap between the wall and the glued tiles should be closed with a ceiling plinth.

Sealing seams between sheets

To avoid accidental failures due to some factory dimensional errors, the sheets must be placed at a distance of 1-2 mm from each other. Then it is done with ordinary putty or sealant. After that, remove excess residue and paint the surface with a water-based emulsion.

Installation of the frieze

The final stage of work on your ceiling will be the installation of a frieze. There are an unimaginable number of them - a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and designs. Choose the option for yourself according to the size of the room and its design. It is not necessary that different rooms with the same tiles have the same friezes. Create diversity and be unique!

Although you can stick the skirting boards before starting work, it will be much calmer for you to stick them after the tiles are installed. Then you do not have to adjust each sheet to the nearest millimeter and be afraid to make a mistake by a hundredth of a degree. The plinth should be the element that will save you if something goes wrong.

So don't be afraid to make mistakes. Panic can only hurt. Try to do your job well and know that any deficiency can be eliminated, but it all depends on what price it can be done. Be successful and all the best to you!

Foam tiles on the ceiling allow you to quickly change the interior of the apartment, update the situation with budgetary funds, and even a non-specialist can install such a ceiling. Foam panels are very light, so anyone can work with them. They are moisture resistant, which allows them to be used for finishing ceilings in any room, including kitchens, bathrooms and bathrooms.

The colors, shapes and volumetric patterns on the tiles allow you to create ceilings of any appearance, they can imitate rough country-style stucco, and the luxury of rococo stucco, and antique-style caissons. Any design request can be met with foam ceiling tiles.

A necessary addition to such a ceiling are decorative plinths, which close the joints and irregularities. If desired, you can mount an LED strip for illumination on them. So that the foam does not shine, after installation it is painted with water-based or acrylic paints.

Kinds

The following types of foam ceiling tiles are on sale:

Pressed. They are up to 7mm thick.
Injection. They are up to 14 mm thick. They are made by sintering foam at high temperature.
extruded. They are made by extruding a polystyrene mass, after which the tiles are either painted or covered with a film with a pattern.

Tiles differ in shape. Most often they are square with a side of 50 cm, but there are also tiles in the form of rectangles, rhombuses, regular hexagons (honeycombs). Also popular are tiles that imitate the shape and color of a lining board.

From the front side, the tiles can be smooth or embossed, plain or covered with a film, laminated. Film, like painting, can imitate the texture of stone, fabric, plaster, wood, stucco, or even wood carving. Tiles with lamination are used in rooms reserved for the kitchen. For bathrooms and toilets, panels with waterproof properties are more suitable.

Advantages

The main advantage of such a ceiling covering is that it is very easy to glue foam tiles on the ceiling, and even an unprepared person can handle it.

In addition, the following advantages can be noted:

Light weight allows the use of tiles on ceilings of any design.
The tile has sound and heat insulating qualities, and is not afraid of changes in temperature and humidity.
The light weight of the tile makes it possible to use a simple adhesive that does not have ultra-high strength, and, therefore, a high price.
This ceiling covering will save not only on material, but also on work - because it can be done independently.

ATTENTION! Foam tiles on the ceiling can change the physical properties (melt) under the influence of high temperature, so it is not recommended to install powerful lamps in the immediate vicinity of it. It is better to use hanging lamps, and place them at a distance of at least 20 cm from the surface of the tile. The tile withstands the temperature of hot water without changing its shape, so it can come into contact with the pipes through which the heating takes place.

disadvantages

Styrofoam ceiling tiles differ in the method of production, quality and price. Cheap tiles quickly turn yellow under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, and in some cases collapse from dampness. In order to protect it from exposure to light and moisture, it is enough to paint the mounted ceiling with water-based paint.

The main disadvantage is impermeability to moisture vapor. If you cover the ceiling with foam tiles in a room whose walls are covered with vinyl wallpaper, the humidity in the room will increase dramatically, which can lead to the appearance of fungus.

Calculation

Before gluing foam tiles to the ceiling, it is necessary to determine how much and what kind of tiles will be needed, why make a calculation, purchase the required quantity, and prepare the ceiling surface for installation.

1 way: mathematical

To correctly calculate the number of tiles needed for repairs, you need to know the length and width of the room. Multiplying these numbers will give the area of \u200b\u200bthe ceiling, but you should not buy tiles based on this number alone. Since some of the tiles can be damaged when cut, besides the shape of the ceiling is not ideal, material waste is inevitable. Therefore, be sure to provide a margin of at least 15% of the total area.

For example, in a room measuring 2x3 meters, the ceiling area is 6 square meters. To cover 1 square meter, you need 4 tiles of a standard size of 50x50 cm. Thus, you will need 24 tiles to cover the entire ceiling, and 2-3 more tiles as a reserve. In total, you will need to buy 26-27 tiles.

2 way: on paper

On a sheet of paper, you need to draw a plan of the room, while maintaining the scale. Next, you need to draw diagonals and place tiles with maximum accuracy from the central part to the edges of the room.

If the wall has a gap less than 1/2 tile, then 1 tile will cover 2 such gaps. If the gap is more than 1/2 of the tile, then it should be noted that the whole tile will go to consumption.

Glue

The foam tiles are attached to the ceiling with glue, and when choosing it, you need to know some subtleties. So, it is very important how quickly the glue sets, how long it takes to dry completely, and also what density it has. All this will affect the quality, speed and complexity of the work.

Choose a thick adhesive, it will not “merge” with the tiles and get dirty. Glue "Moment-liquid nails", for example, has a suitable consistency, in addition, it sets in 10 minutes - which means that you do not have to stand with your arms outstretched up for a long time waiting for the moment when you can release the tile. In addition, the consumption of this glue is small - on average, it takes about 6 ml per square meter, or four tiles. Thus, for a medium-sized room, one tube with a capacity of 400 ml is enough, but it is more profitable to take a tube with a volume of 450 ml - these are equipped with a gun with which it is easy to apply glue, and besides, some margin is needed for gluing the ceiling plinth at the end of the work.
Another suitable glue is Titanium. It is very strong and sets quickly, but there is one subtlety in its application: after applying it to the tile, it must be applied in place, and then removed, and held for one minute in air, then reattached to the same place and pressed firmly. The main difficulty in this case is to accurately get to the same place, especially at the beginning of work.
You can glue foam tiles to the ceiling using cheaper adhesives such as Dragon, Eltitans, Power. They are made in China and are not of high quality. The main disadvantage of these adhesives is the long setting time, so you have to stand with your hands up for a long time, which is quite difficult for untrained people.

Tool

There are few tools for working with foam tiles, and they are all quite affordable.

You will need:

paint cord for marking the ceiling before gluing;
scissors or a special mounting knife for cutting tiles;
spatula (as well as putty) for leveling the surface of the ceiling before gluing;
application roller and primer;
thread, tape measure and pencil for marking tiles;
a brush (or gun) for glue, a clean cloth to remove excess glue.

Training

Before you start working with foam ceiling tiles, it is necessary to carry out surface preparation work.

The package of tiles must be opened a few hours before the start of work. During this time, it will relieve itself of the stress deformation that appears due to packaging in polyethylene, and will accept the temperature and humidity of the room where it will be glued.
The old coating from the ceiling can not be removed if it is even and durable, in other cases it is necessary to get rid of it. The tile will not stick to the whitewash, it must be removed without fail.
If there are significant defects on the ceiling - potholes, cracks, they need to be puttied. Minor defects do not need to be repaired, tiles will close them.
Before you start gluing the tiles, the ceiling must be primed with a roller to ensure better adhesion of the two surfaces. The primer should dry for at least three hours, and even better - four. After that, you can start marking.

markup

Before gluing foam tiles to the ceiling, it is necessary to outline how it will be located. This is done as follows:

Determine the center of the ceiling. To do this, diagonals are drawn from the corners of the room through the ceiling, and the center of their intersection is marked. You need to do this in any case, whether you are going to glue the tiles parallel to the walls, or diagonally to them.
On each of the walls, find and mark the middle, and stretch a thread between parallel walls - from one mark to another. The thread must pass through the center point.
Perhaps the walls will be of different lengths, and the thread will shift - then you will have to make an amendment.
Draw lines along the stretched threads with a pencil - they will serve as a guide when gluing the tiles.

Sticking

Tiles can be applied in rows, offset rows, parallel to walls or diagonally. Glue is applied to the tile in strips, leaving one and a half to two centimeters between them - otherwise, an excess amount will be squeezed out when pressed and may fall on the front side of the tile, spoiling its appearance.

The first foam tiles are laid on the ceiling at any angle, from the intersection of the axial ones at the central point. It must be pressed tightly to the surface and held until the glue seizes. If an excess of adhesive mass protrudes along the edges, it is removed either with a dry cloth or with a sponge. The second tile is glued end-to-end to the first in the second corner from the intersection of the axial ones. It is also held in place until the glue sets, after which it is released and proceed to continue working.

TIP: Before working on foam ceiling tiles, check their edges and if there are burrs, carefully cut them off with a sharp knife, otherwise the joints will be visible.

Work continues in a circle, starting from the center and moving to the periphery of the ceiling. When the need arises, the tile is cut, for which preliminary marking is done with a pencil. Cutting is best done with a clerical knife.

ATTENTION! Don't forget to cut a hole in the center for the chandelier! After pasting is completed, seal the joints if they are visible. The easiest way to do this is with acrylic sealant. At the end of the work, let the ceiling dry for a day, and then cover with paint, water-based or acrylic.

Skirting board installation

After painting is completed, you can start gluing the ceiling plinth. In this case, there are tricks that make the job easier:

Keeping the skirting against the wall is more difficult than the tile, because it is longer. Therefore, the plinth, smeared with glue and put in place, is fixed with small carnations every half a meter, driving them into the wall. After a day, the nails can be removed, and the holes from them can be sealed with acrylic putty.
It is very difficult to join the parts of the plinth, converging in the corners of the room. To make them look beautiful, you need to use a miter box - a special carpentry device for cutting material at an angle. The angle is set to 45 degrees. After gluing the plinth, the cracks in the corners are coated with acrylic putty.
The final stage of work is painting the skirting boards with water-based or acrylic paint.

the main / Types of ceilings / From ceiling tiles / Pros and cons of seamless ceiling panels

For the design of ceilings, many different methods and materials are used. Below, we will talk about such a type of finish as seamless ceiling panels and find out what features, disadvantages, and positive qualities they have.

All coatings of this type are thin parts made of expanded polystyrene. The material is very light and strong enough to create the details of the coating from it. The parts themselves are square, and less often - rectangular in shape and thickness from 3 to 14 millimeters.

The word in the name of such coatings “seamless” does not mean at all that the surface will not have joints or seams, simply, thanks to the special configuration of the edge, the parts are interconnected without gaps, creating the illusion of a continuous surface. Regarding the designation "ceiling", we can only say that it indicates the place of application of materials of this type.

The advantages of such a finish

There are many advantages to such a solution. There is no particular need to consider them in detail - everything will be clear even without this, although we will talk about some points in a little more detail. The most significant benefits will be as follows:

Lightweight tiles. They will not create an additional load on the ceiling and can be mounted by one person, without the involvement of assistants.
Coating appearance. After finishing, the ceiling will turn out to be even, beautiful and, if necessary, will either have a certain pattern, or will be almost smooth. You have the option to choose a layout.
Tiled floors are easy to clean and wash with soapy water. You should not be zealous with pressure - you can damage the surface of the tile.
Ease of installation - the room can be arranged in a few hours.
Health safety. Despite the fact that the main material from which the parts are saddles is expanded polystyrene, it does not emit any harmful components into the atmosphere.
The ability to hide some flaws in the base surface. After gluing the tiles, the floor will look beautiful and small cracks or other similar defects will be covered with a new coating.

disadvantages

There are practically no cons, seamless ceiling panels, but it is worth mentioning those disadvantages that still exist. So, the most significant negative points are:

The panels will not hide significant defects, such as bumps or shells in the ceiling surface. The sinks will have to be repaired with putty or plaster, and the bumpy places need to be leveled - without such preparation, it will not work to assemble a solid plane without visible seams.
Low mechanical strength of parts. In case of careless handling, non-glued tiles can be broken, and already glued coating requires careful handling.
Some types of such coatings may turn yellow over time. This is typical for the cheapest and not very high-quality panels.

How to stick

With gluing, there are usually no problems if the surface of the overlap is initially prepared a little.

The essence of the preparation is to remove all the dirt, clean the flaking or crumbling areas of old coatings and prime the surface. If there are large irregularities, the ceiling will have to be leveled. Then everything will be simple:

The center of the room or the point that will serve as the starting point for finishing is determined.

The first panel is pasted. It will serve as a guide for all other details, therefore, preliminary marking should be made.
The second, third and fourth parts are glued along the borders of the first panel. They should form a kind of square.
The rest of the details are glued along the boundaries of the resulting figure.

In those places where it will be necessary, the panels are trimmed to the desired size. This is done with a simple clerical knife and is not difficult.

One of the good options for finishing the ceiling in a residential area (house or apartment) are foam boards. They are a very competitive alternative to such popular options as suspended and suspended PVC ceilings, and with proper installation, they can radically change the appearance of your ceiling for the better.

Ceiling tiles as a finishing material have a number of advantages, in addition - their installation is simple enough not to contact the masters, but to undertake this work on their own. That is why in this article we decided to pay close attention to the technique of working with this material.

Ceiling tiles through the eyes of professionals

What is a ceiling tile?

Most of the plates that are used for decorative ceilings are made from polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene. According to their characteristics, these materials are quite similar, therefore, within the framework of this article, we will consider only foam boards. The characteristics and technique of working with expanded polystyrene tiles are almost identical.

Modern industry produces foam boards of several varieties:

Pressed boards – up to 7 mm thick
Injection plates - up to 14 mm thick. Plates of this type are produced by casting the material into a mold and subsequent heat strengthening (sintering).
Extruded boards are produced by pressing strips of extruded polystyrene. In the future, extruded polystyrene tiles can be painted or covered with a decorative film.

In shape, foam boards are most often square (50x50 cm) or rectangular (100x16.5 cm)

As for the surface design, from this point of view, ceiling tiles are very diverse. You can find both smooth slabs with no pattern at all, as well as slabs with a pronounced texture, as well as slabs with extruded bas-reliefs. Such a wide choice makes it possible to "play" with the design of the room, decorating the ceiling in exactly the style you want.

Advantages and disadvantages of foam ceiling tiles

Ceiling tiles made of expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam have a number of advantages that make this material very attractive to craftsmen:

Foam tiles are lightweight, so they can be used to finish almost any ceiling, regardless of their load-bearing capacity.
The ceiling made of foam tiles has high rates of heat and sound insulation, and the tile itself is not afraid of external influences (primarily moisture)
High-quality foam and polystyrene tiles are made from practically non-combustible raw materials, so they can be used even in the immediate vicinity of stove heating pipes.

Note! Under the influence of high temperatures, polystyrene and polystyrene may begin to melt, therefore, foam tiles cannot be used where open powerful lamps affect the ceiling.

Styrofoam slabs are easy to cut, so fitting the finishing tiles to the dimensions and configuration of the ceiling is not difficult. And in general, the installation of ceiling foam tiles is quite simple - as you can see by reading the following sections and applying the recommendations received in practice.

Of the shortcomings of foam boards for finishing the ceiling, only a few deserve mention:

Styrofoam boards may turn yellow when exposed to sunlight for a long time
Some (although this applies only to very cheap models that do not differ in quality) foam boards do not tolerate moisture well

However, you can safely turn a blind eye to these shortcomings, because the ease of installation, together with the budget cost of the material, more than covers them.

Below we will tell you how to finish the ceiling using this material.

Finishing the ceiling with foam boards

Finishing preparation

Styrofoam and polystyrene ceiling tiles are quite "unpretentious" material and are attached to almost any surface.

And yet, in order for the new ceiling to be of sufficient quality, it is necessary to perform a number of simple steps:

A few hours before gluing the tiles, open the package. This allows the tile to "get used" to the temperature and humidity in the room where the finishing will be done.
Before gluing the tiles, we remove the old finish from the ceiling - wallpaper, paint or whitewash (see Is it possible to glue ceiling tiles on whitewash?).
If there are deep potholes on the ceiling, we putty the ceiling, but the tile itself will hide small defects.
Immediately before gluing the tiles, we process the ceiling with a primer. This will ensure reliable adhesion of the surfaces to be glued.

Ceiling markings

With the help of proper placement of elements, you can significantly transform the ceiling of foam boards, organically fitting it into the overall design of the room. That is why, before starting to finish the ceiling with tiles, it is necessary to carefully consider its layout.

Ceiling tiles can be placed in the following ways:

in rows
Razbezhke - each next row is shifted by half a tile
Diagonally.

To adjust the placement of tiles on the ceiling, you must draw the following lines:

Diagonals - connect opposite corners of the room
Main lines - connect the midpoints of opposite walls

Ideally, the intersection points of the diagonals and the main lines should coincide (in a rectangular room), but this is not always the case. Having found a shift in the intersection points, you need to shift the markings so that the change in the pattern on the ceiling is minimal (read also about the installation features of Armstrong ceiling tiles).

When the markup is applied, you can start gluing the tiles.

Installation of foam tiles on the ceiling

Before starting work on pasting the ceiling with foam tiles, prepare the adhesive mixture (if required). We start pasting the ceiling from the center of the room, or from the location of the chandelier.

Pasting is done like this:

The first stage is the application of glue. We apply glue both on the ceiling itself and on special ledges on the tiles.

Note! Some brands of adhesive require the adhesive to be left on the tile before gluing. In this case, we apply glue to several tiles and only then proceed to gluing.

We lay the first tile in such a way that one of its corners coincides with the center point. If there is a chandelier in the center of the ceiling, we cut the corner a little. We align the laid tiles according to the markup, carefully pressing them to the ceiling. We continue laying tiles until we reach the wall.

As a rule, when docking with a wall, foam boards require trimming.
The next tiles are laid, focusing on the first row. We remove excess glue with a sponge immediately after gluing, otherwise the tile will be damaged when the glue is removed.

Completes the work on facing the ceiling with foam tiles, covering the seams. We fill the seams with white silicone sealant, and remove the excess with a damp sponge.

This technology allows you to quickly mount foam boards - and as a result, get a smooth and beautiful surface. At the same time, the low cost of the material makes this finishing method very attractive.

Sources:

wikipotolok.com
potolokspec.ru

There are no similar posts, but there are more interesting ones.

Beautiful, inexpensive and easy-to-install finishing material for the ceiling - is it a myth or a reality? All these qualities can boast of expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles, a material that conquers with its variety and low price. We deal with the advantages and features of the choice of ceiling polystyrene foam, and also study the basic principles of installation.

No. 1. What is a ceiling foam polystyrene?

Decorative tiles are made from polystyrene, which foams during heating. During production, the material is added flame retardants and carbon dioxide, substances that allow you to increase resistance to high temperatures. Expanded polystyrene tiles made in a similar way, although they melt under the influence of fire, still show themselves better than ordinary foam. By the way, on sale you can also find ceiling tiles from: they are not only less safe, but also rougher in appearance. The presence of flame retardants in the composition of the plates indicates marking: domestic manufacturers add the letter C, foreign - F.

The size, shape, color and appearance of the material can vary greatly. On sale you can find tiles of square, rectangular and designer shapes. The surface can imitate country style or exquisite stucco style. The classic color of the tile is white, but there are also colored options and products with a laminated surface. The standard sizes are 50*50 and 100*16.5 cm, but there are also other formats.

No. 2. Advantages and disadvantages

Expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles are among the most popular. Customers appreciate it numerous benefits:

affordable price. In this regard, the tile can become a competitor even to the usual one. The most expensive samples with an exquisite design, which will not allow at first glance to determine what the ceiling is made of, will cost much less than, for example, a system of stretch or suspended ceilings;
ease of installation. You can cope with gluing ceiling tiles on your own, without having any special skills. Given the low price of the material, it can be called an ideal choice if the repair budget is limited;
big variety. On sale you can find both the simplest white tile with an uncomplicated pattern, and material that very closely repeats the structure of wood or, so you can equip any interior with the help of ceiling tiles. White tiles can be painted in any desired shade;
additional heat and sound insulation premises;
resistance to temperature extremes and high humidity, so the tile can be used even in;
tiles do not steal height, unlike stretch and suspended ceilings. Additionally, it hides small bumps and cracks that would have to be removed when painting;
expanded polystyrene - although an unnatural material, it does not pose a particular danger. Under normal operating conditions, it does not emit harmful substances, unless, of course, it is made with high quality and has all safety certificates. Tile becomes dangerous at high temperatures, i.e. during a fire;
it is easy to care for the material, it can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or a damp sponge;
high maintainability. If part of the ceiling is damaged, then a few old elements are easy to replace with new ones, so always take a tile with a margin.

Now oh shortcomings:

Experts make sure that quality ceiling tiles thanks to the additives used does not turn yellow for a long time and almost does not support combustion. Conscientious manufacturers claim that all the myths that exist among the people are caused by the abundance of low-quality products on the counter, and they advise you to always ask for a certificate of conformity. Sometimes we ourselves are to blame for the fact that the experience of using polystyrene foam turns out to be negative. It is not only the choice of low-quality tiles, but also the wrong choice of glue, on which a lot also depends.

Expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles can be used in almost any room. It is undesirable only to glue it in the kitchen, and yet you can find other material.

No. 3. The main types of expanded polystyrene tiles

By type of production, ceiling polystyrene foam can be of the following types:

stamped or pressed;
extruded;
injection.

stamped plates produced by placing polystyrene blocks in special forms and then squeezing them. The result is products with the simplest and not very embossed patterns, small thickness (about 6-8 mm) and very fragile. Since such plates are not covered with a protective layer, they absorb dirt well and are difficult to clean. The main advantage is the price.

Extruded panels are considered the most durable, durable, reliable and moisture resistant. The material is produced by hot extrusion of strips of raw materials. As a result, tiles come out with a slight graininess and an almost smooth, dense surface, due to which it becomes possible to apply a decorative coating. Such panels can be simply white and have complex patterns, or they can imitate the surface of a tree of any breed or stone. Due to the high density, minimal porosity and impregnation with water-repellent compounds, the material receives sufficient resistance to moisture. It is extruded tiles that can be seamless, which we will discuss below.

Injection Styrofoam produced by filling the raw material into a mold and sintering it under the influence of high temperatures. The result is a product with precise geometry and a clear relief pattern, the thickness of the plates is 9-14 mm. Such panels tolerate moisture well, perfectly retain noise and heat, they are quite durable and have a wide variety of patterns. Due to the intricate ornament and good performance, such plates are sometimes even used for wall decoration. Often injection panels are produced with imitation of leather, wood, fabric, ceramics.

No. 4. Surface type

In terms of variety, expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles outshine many other finishing materials. According to the type of surface, the entire range presented can be divided into the following types:

The shape of the tile can be square, rectangular, rhomboid, there are also irregular tiles, the so-called. design form.

No. 5. Seamless ceiling tiles

Seamless tiles should be highlighted separately. Many are confused by the fact that seams are formed during installation. If you glue ordinary tiles and work carefully, they will be almost invisible, but if you are a perfectionist who wants to get a monolithic surface, then you will like seamless tiles.

The main feature of the material is the special processing of the edges, due to which the seams will be minimally noticeable. As a rule, the manufacturer on the package attaches the installation diagram, and if you follow it exactly, you can get the perfect holistic ceiling surface.

No. 6. What else to consider when choosing?

When choosing a tile made of expanded polystyrene, it is very important to personally see and evaluate the quality of the material:

By shape and size tiles can be any. The most popular are square tiles sized 50*50 cm, 30*30 cm and rectangular 100*16.5 cm. Calculate the required amount of material not difficult. First of all, you need to know the area of the surface to be trimmed. It should be divided by the area of the material in the package. For example, if you take a large square tile, then there are usually 8 pieces or 2m 2 in a package. If the ceiling area is 17 m 2, then it costs 9 packs, 10-11 is better: a small margin will not be superfluous, it will come in handy during repairs, especially during installation and trimming, some of the tiles may be damaged. It is better to take a stock of material 15-20%.

No. 7. The best manufacturers of expanded polystyrene boards

The best guarantee of quality is the name of the manufacturer. In order to protect yourself, you should look towards the products of famous companies that value their reputation. Among the largest manufacturers its useful to note:

Armstrong is a company that produces both the most ordinary and rather non-standard tiles. Performance is in any case at altitude;
Ormit - German-made tiles, characterized by high moisture-resistant qualities, a wide range of sizes and colors;
Antares - admits all types of plates, the color scheme is diverse. Also produces skirting boards and corners;
Matrix is a Chinese-made tile of small thickness. The main advantage is low price;
Angara - another Chinese manufacturer with an attractive pricing policy, produces panels with a thickness of no more than 8 mm.

When buying a tile, in any case, it is better to make sure that there are quality certificates.

No. 8. Do-it-yourself installation of expanded polystyrene tiles

One of the main and most important advantages of the material is the ease of installation, but the preparatory work should be given maximum attention.

Ceiling preparation is done as follows:

Another difficulty when gluing expanded polystyrene tiles is markup and set the first elements correctly. Exist two layout options:

The installation process itself looks like this:

glue is applied to the tile, it is best to use and apply them pointwise or in stripes. In this way, it will be possible to save glue and provide the tile with maximum breathability. You can apply a little glue on the end to guarantee;
the tile is pressed against the surface of the ceiling at a pre-designated place quite tightly, but without excessive force. After a few minutes, the tile should already be glued if a high-quality fast-setting adhesive has been chosen;
if part of the glue gets on the front side, it is better to immediately wipe it with a damp sponge, otherwise traces may remain;
the rest of the elements are mounted in the same way, if necessary, they are cut with a paint knife. Trimming will be needed for the extreme elements, as well as for the central ones, if a chandelier is located in the center of the ceiling;
installation . It is also attached with glue. Masters recommend fixing it with additional small carnations in several places, since it will be difficult to keep a long plinth pressed to the surface. The next day, the cloves are removed, and the holes from them are sealed with acrylic putty;
if discrepancies or seams appear between the tiles, they can be repaired in white.

All work is carried out in the absence of drafts. After the glue and sealant have dried, if desired, the tiles can be painted, and it is not necessary to use only one shade: the relief areas can be highlighted in a different color.

If you pay attention to the choice of polystyrene foam ceiling tiles and install them carefully, the result will delight you for many years.