Do-it-yourself repair of a stretch ceiling makes it possible to eliminate various cuts and punctures that form on the coating as a result of careless handling during operation.
By themselves, they are quite durable and reliable in use. But their improper operation can cause various defects to appear on the surface of the coating. Most often they occur in the following cases:
- With poor-quality installation of metal profiles that move away from the attachment points and cause breaks in tension structures.
- During the installation of cornices. The sharp edges of these products often tear the ceiling material. When installing eaves, it is imperative to place between the edges of the product to be mounted and the web of a gasket made of some kind of soft material.
- When throwing up various objects. A hole in the ceiling may well be formed when the coating comes into contact with sharply thrown children's toys - pistols, arrows, dolls, darts, as well as books, shoes, and so on.
- When installing lighting fixtures and their operation (a powerful lamp may well lead to melting of the tension structure).
Defects on the surface of the tension coating
The need to repair ceilings, in addition, often arises from the careless opening of bottles of champagne. Also, holes in the coating can also form during unprofessional installation (excessive film constriction, poor quality seam).
If a defect has formed on the ceiling covering not far (no more than 15 cm) from the wall, professionals recommend dismantling the material from the side where the gap appeared. Then you need to cut off the damaged piece of material and install the updated product in the guide.
When the hole is more than 15 cm from the wall, the described repair method is not suitable - there is a high probability of damage to the entire ceiling. In such situations, you can try to hide the place of damage with a ventilation grill or a lighting fixture. Just install an additional luminaire or the indicated grid on the defective area.
At the same time, remember that you will need to reinforce the hole that you make for a new accessory. For these purposes, a plastic thermal ring is usually used.
Thermo rings made of plastic
It is attached to the ceiling material with a special adhesive. And then they make a hole in the ring of the required size for the lamp.
Large cuts can be sealed with applications or multi-colored film. Such a creative approach to repair will allow you to get rid of the defect and bring an original touch to the decor of the room. If the cut area is large, applications, unfortunately, will not help, you will have to completely replace the coating.
The installation of a new coating is also carried out when the film is torn along the seam. It is unrealistic to seal such an impulse. It is due to unprofessional installation of the ceiling or the poor quality of the material used.
Small holes in such ceiling coverings are eliminated in several ways. You can:
- Seal the hole with a patch from the remnants of the material that was used to mount the ceiling. You need to take a patch of slightly larger geometric parameters than the defect itself, smear it well with glue (it is best to use paint adhesive, not) and press it to the cut. Perform this operation with extreme caution. You can not strongly press the patch into the ceiling, as there is a risk of glue droplets spreading over the material and the appearance of so-called assemblies on the surface. After installing the patch, do not forget to carefully and gently smooth the repaired area with your hands.
- Seal the cut with tape. Small holes are repaired in this way very simply - clean the damaged area of \u200b\u200bthe canvas from dirt and dust, cut off a piece of adhesive tape and attach it to the ceiling. You can try to restore the integrity of the ceiling and with more serious damage. Prepare a piece of canvas that matches the texture and color of the existing coating, attach it to the gap, and then glue the patch with adhesive tape on all sides. If there is no suitable material, try experimenting and sealing the defect with an appliqué or insert from another fabric. By the way, instead of adhesive tape it is allowed to use glass wallpaper, the effect will be the same.
Fabric stretch ceiling repair
Small holes are allowed not to be sealed, but simply stitched together. In this case, you need to use kapron threads. Subsequently, it is desirable to mask the stitched area with paint that merges with the ceiling coating.
Let's talk a little more about installing any decorative ornaments, chandeliers, ventilation grilles, and a lamp in place of the cut of the canvas. You can eliminate the ceiling defect, for example, in a very original way. Take an ordinary plastic plate, cover it with paint of the desired shade and glue this decoration on the defective area of \u200b\u200bthe coating. Such an accessory will look very unusual!
Installation in place of the cut of the chandelier canvas
It is also allowed to mount small lamps on damaged areas of the coating. In this case, the lighting device may not be connected to the mains if there is no electrical wiring at the cut site. Just install a beautiful ceiling or sconce - the gap will not be visible.
If you want the mounted lamp to fulfill its function - to illuminate the room, use the thermal ring, which we have already talked about. Note! Hanging a massive chandelier or lamp is carried out exclusively on a special hook, which is attached to the base ceiling surface.
Good luck with your self-repair of stretch ceilings!
Stretch ceilings appeared relatively recently, but they immediately managed to gain great popularity and demand.
Today, such designs are one of the most popular ways of interior design.
This is not surprising at all, because they:
- Durable and reliable;
- Very easy to install;
- They have a beautiful view.
However, despite all their advantages, there are certain disadvantages, because they are very sensitive to temperature changes and to sharp objects. In addition, they can sag for no apparent reason.
Stretch ceiling is a film fixed on a metal frame. A small gap of just a few centimeters remains between it and the main ceiling, which is why the surface of the stretch ceiling is vulnerable to damage both inside and out.
In some cases, with minor damage, it is quite possible to eliminate defects quickly with your own hands, but there are situations when only the master can determine the extent of the damage and offer the most optimal way to carry out repairs.
Many people wonder whether it is possible to repair a stretch ceiling quickly and easily with their own hands and how exactly such work is carried out. There are a variety of reasons why a stretch ceiling may need urgent repairs.
The main reasons for the need to repair a stretch ceiling
The main reasons are:
- Puncture;
- Cut with a sharp object;
- Gap;
- material melting;
- Ingress of water;
- Sagging.
Puncture, cut or rupture of the web mainly occurs in the very first days after the installation, when it is still very tightly stretched. The cause of damage may be if the cat pierced the canvas, a toy was thrown that touched the ceiling, the corner of the cabinet was damaged, there was careless handling of tools during the installation of fixtures. If a small hole appears as a result of a puncture with a sharp object, then it can be sealed with glue and the canvas will not diverge further.
It is very easy to repair the ceiling if there is a cut on a seamless canvas made on a fabric basis. If the length of the cut is not more than 10 cm, then it can be sealed with double-sided masking tape, and it will not spread further.
Depending on the scale of the damage, it can be eliminated or masked with the help of special decorative elements, having previously made a neat seam with a nylon thread at the cut site.
How to close a hole in a stretch ceiling without a trace
Over time, many owners of stretch ceilings are faced with the problem of how to close a hole in a stretch ceiling.
Even with careful handling of the structure, no one is immune from accidental punctures.
- A hole in the stretch ceiling may appear as a result of its improper operation, as well as the unsuccessful creation of holes for various communications.
- Sometimes there may be a gap along the seam, which occurs in the event of a strong tension of the web during installation.
- It is worth noting that such a defect is a warranty case and it must be fixed by the master free of charge.
In addition, with poor-quality installation, the canvas may break at the very edge. In this case, the damaged part is cut off very carefully, a harpoon is glued to the film, the canvas is heated, stretched and tucked into the profile again. This method leaves absolutely no traces. In the place of the cut, you can additionally install a lamp, ventilation or a fire safety system. However, the cut must first be strengthened, because otherwise the canvas will continue to tear.
If the ceiling is torn very much, then nothing can be done and a new canvas will have to be changed.
If the stretch ceiling canvas is damaged, you should immediately call the masters who will be able to assess the violations and help eliminate them in the best way.
The stretch ceiling is torn: what to do to fix the problem
If the stretch ceiling is torn, it is very important to know what to do and how to remove the cut or hole in the canvas. Damage can occur as a result of mechanical impact on it. Depending on the size of the damage, a variety of repair methods are used.
If the room is not heated and the temperature in it is less than 20 degrees, then the PVC film may burst from the cold. Such a defect requires mandatory replacement of the canvas.
Even in the event of a small defect, it must be immediately eliminated, because the canvas is in a highly stretched state and the gap can quickly increase. To stop further damage to the canvas, it is necessary to stick adhesive tape in the place of damage and call the master.
Damage to the ceiling by furniture or cornices may have torn edges. In the case of a fabric canvas, it can be sewn up with a nylon thread of a suitable color, and then painted over. The most difficult thing to sew up is a round hole, which is why in some cases an additional piece of fabric will need to be sewn to the ceiling, which is then painted over. When tightening a hole, it is important to ensure that there are no wrinkles.
How to repair a stretch ceiling when it breaks near a wall or lamp
The stretch ceiling is a reliable and high-quality coating, which, with careful handling, can last for a dozen years. However, there are unforeseen circumstances that lead to damage to the canvas and then it will definitely need to be repaired.
If the canvas is damaged near the wall or near the chandelier, you need to carefully remove the damaged part and install an additional patch that will help eliminate the defect. This type of repair should only be carried out by experienced craftsmen, because it is almost impossible to do it on your own. When carrying out repair work, it is very important to ensure that there are no bumps and folds.
To avoid damage to the stretch ceiling and its further repair, you need to follow some specific rules.
Rules for the operation of a stretch ceiling
- The device of a stretch ceiling should always be the final stage in the repair or construction;
- It is necessary to avoid punctures with sharp objects;
- You can not install the ceiling in unheated rooms;
- Luminaires built into the ceiling must have a power of no more than 40 watts;
- Must be able to clean properly.
- For washing, use only neutral products.
How to repair a stretch ceiling with a cut (video)
So, in order to do without repairing the stretch ceiling, you need to carefully treat the entire structure. To maintain the structure in good and attractive condition, you need to periodically wipe it with a damp sponge.
What to do if the stretch ceiling is damaged? A small cut can usually be repaired. Larger gaps are more difficult. But the best thing to do is to prevent damage. And for this you need to know for what reasons cuts occur.
What causes cuts and how to prevent them
A large or small cut on a stretch ceiling most often appears from careless actions with sharp objects nearby. The material is most sensitive to mechanical damage in the first few days after installation. During this period, the canvas is strongly stretched, and the owners have not yet mastered how to handle it carefully.
The named sharp objects are usually plumbing tools with pointed edges. Electrical appliances with rotating parts (drill, grinder) are also dangerous.
Children's games also often cause trouble. When children play, toys and other things may damage the film. For example, an innocent game with a radio-controlled helicopter can seriously damage the surface.
Be careful when installing furniture. The corners of a cabinet can't compare to the sharpness of a knife, but for a sensitive canvas, they are quite dangerous.
PVC film does not like temperature changes. From frequent jumps, it loses elasticity and may burst over time. Therefore, it is not advisable to install PVC in unheated rooms; in such rooms it is better to install a fabric ceiling.
Sometimes the cause of integrity violations can be inept cutting and installation.
If the cut happened
If the hole is tiny - no more than 1 millimeter - it is enough to coat it with glue. The canvas will no longer spread, and the hole will remain invisible.
When the stretch ceiling has spoiled a small cut, you should immediately stop its growth. Tape will help. It is better to use not ordinary, but double-sided or painting.
After the “first aid”, you should assess the degree of damage and understand whether it falls under the warranty case. This is, for example, a gap along the seam or separation from the profile. While the warranty is in effect, and the trouble did not occur through the fault of the owners, there is no need to undertake repairs with your own hands. It is wiser to contact the company that installed the structure.
When the cause of the rush is inaccurate operation, the craftsmen will have to pay or, if possible, make repairs on their own.
Film repair
When the hole in the PVC film exceeds 5 cm, it is wiser to call the experts. You may even have to completely change the coating. But, if the cut on the stretch ceiling is small, that is 2 ways to solve the problem.
- When the cut is no more than 10-15 cm from the wall, it can be hidden in a baguette. To do this, it is necessary to dismantle part of the canvas from the profile, cut the material to the point of cut, glue the harpoon along the edge of the canvas. Then, you need to heat up this area with a heat gun or a building hair dryer and smoothly fill the canvas into the profile using a special spatula.
- If the hole appeared far from the wall, there is only one way out - to stick a patch. A transparent adhesive or sealant is used. The patch will not spoil the look if it is decorated decoratively in the form of a star or a flower. Also, at the site of the gust, you can install a ventilation grill or an additional lamp.
Fabric repair
Fabric repair can also be approached in two ways.
- You will need nylon threads in the color of the fabric. It is necessary to carefully sew up the hole if it is not large (up to 10 cm). Additionally, it is worth painting the ceiling with water-based paint to hide the seam.
- Glue a patch from the remnants of the canvas. It is best to glue the patch on the fabric with colorless glue, and then you need to paint the entire surface of the ceiling.
A large hole over 10 cm long can no longer be masked. In this case, it is necessary to replace the entire canvas.
When to glue the material is not allowed
Not in every situation it is permissible to seal the cuts on the stretch fabric. If the gap occurred along the seam, then gluing is not only useless, but also harmful. Only re-stretching will save here. It is pointless to glue even if the membrane has separated from the wall. It will also require the dismantling and reinstallation of profiles.
Of course, it is quite possible to fix a small cut in a stretch ceiling without outside help. But, if there is an opportunity to entrust the case to professionals, do not neglect it.
Even the most skeptical apartment owners pay tribute to the advantages of stretch ceilings during repairs. The list of their advantages is quite long, there are only two drawbacks: they take the height of the ceiling by several centimeters and are very afraid of sharp objects.
It is difficult to imagine under what circumstances the ceiling will be damaged - it is exceptionally durable, but unforeseen situations happen: installation of cornices, thrown children's toys, champagne, rupture along the seam, backlog of a poorly mounted profile. If, however, you can accidentally cut the ceiling, then you need to know how to eliminate the accident. If a puncture has occurred on the ceiling and left a slot or a small hole, then it must immediately be sealed with paper tape. Then only decide how to eliminate this trouble. The adhesive tape will not allow the slot to grow further. Repair is quite possible if the stretch ceiling is seamless. Now you have time to call the master installer. He will give professional advice on how to repair the damage to the ceiling as firmly and imperceptibly as possible. One of the repair options is to put a patch with a film in the same color as the ceiling, so that it is invisible from below, or to make an original application. Choosing the latter solution will hide the flaw, it can even decorate the interior, become a designer find.
For any, even minor damage to the ceiling, call a specialist. Only he can assess the damage and make a verdict on what to do in this situation. This is not the case when repairs can be done independently. Only the master will accurately determine whether it is necessary to change the entire coating or part of it, or cosmetic repairs may be enough. In any case, it will be cheaper and much easier than the initial installation of a stretch ceiling.
As a ceiling finish, stretch ceilings are very often used, which have a lot of advantages - they look good, provide good sound insulation, protect the apartment from flooding from above and do not require special care. However, no matter how good tension structures are, they also have disadvantages, and the main one is the extremely low strength of the web.
Of course, a good canvas can withstand stretching and pressure well, but the slightest touch with a sharp or angular object will leave a noticeable hole on the ceiling surface, which will expand over time. In such cases, the owners have a question about how to repair a cut on a stretch ceiling - and this is what will be discussed in this article.
Types of paintings
You can damage the canvas in a lot of different ways - for example, careless movements during cleaning, or during some kind of game. When determining how to close a cut on a stretch ceiling, you need to consider what kind of material was used as a canvas, so you first have to figure out all the materials suitable for this purpose.
All canvases are divided into two main types:
- fabric. This option is a polyester fabric, which is impregnated with a special composition of polymers. For the manufacture of fabrics, synthetic fibers are used, slightly diluted with natural threads. The thickness of such a web is on average about 0.37 mm. However, in this article we are talking primarily about the strength of the material and the possibility of its repair. Fabric webs in this regard are quite convenient - they practically do not stretch and have a porous structure, thanks to which it is quite simple to repair such material. Replacement of the entire blade is only necessary if the size of the cut exceeds 30 cm.
- PVC. This material is based on polyvinyl chloride fibers. With a relatively small thickness (from 0.17 to 0.22 mm), the material has good strength. It can withstand temperatures up to +100 degrees, and when this indicator is exceeded, it begins to melt. In the case of sudden and significant temperature changes, it can crack, as a result of which the strength of the web decreases. PVC fabric has good elasticity, allowing you to stretch the material if necessary. However, you should not overdo it with this - strong stretching and pressure on the film can lead to a change in its characteristics, and after repair it will be deformed.
Despite the similarity of composition and application, the presented materials have serious differences, which determine the repair methods suitable for each specific situation.
Causes of damage
As noted above, any canvas used for stretch ceilings initially has a fairly high strength - but it does not appear at all when it comes to piercing and cutting effects. The biggest danger that a stretch ceiling can be exposed to is a simple cut. Even a small cut on the stretch ceiling violates the integrity of the canvas and leads to a complete deformation of the ceiling surface.
To figure out how to fix a cut on a stretch ceiling, you need to handle it carefully, starting from the stage of its installation. However, during operation, accuracy and understanding of the properties of the material are also required - for example, for several days after installation, the material will adapt to new conditions, so you should refrain from any serious work in a room with a newly installed ceiling.
Most often, a cut on a stretch ceiling occurs for the following reasons:
- Mistakes were made during installation, low-quality material was used for arranging the ceiling, which, in addition, was also incorrectly cut;
- Careless rearrangement of large furniture - for example, a cabinet that has sharp edges that can damage the ceiling;
- It is strongly not recommended to install stretch ceilings in children's rooms - any active games will sooner or later lead to accidental damage to the canvas;
- Very often, the ceiling is damaged by accident due to careless handling of sharp objects in the room - for example, with further repairs to the room, you can pierce the canvas with a screwdriver or cut it with a grinder.
There can be quite a few ways to damage the canvas, and as a result of such an impact, you will definitely have to figure out how to fix a cut on a stretch ceiling.
Temporary covering of the ceiling
To perform a temporary repair of a stretch ceiling cut, you need to prepare a set of materials and tools, which includes:
- Masking tape or fabric tape;
- Scissors, regular tape and a small piece of cable about 10 cm long;
- A patch from the remnants of the canvas;
- Nylon thread, needle, varnish and paint;
- Hairdryer and spatula.
This entire set is necessary for the primary, temporary sealing of the cut. The fact is that small cuts on the surface of the stretched canvas tend to gradually spread, so first of all, measures must be taken to localize the damage so that there is no further rupture of the stretch ceiling.
Small cuts on any canvas can be dealt with very simply - just connect the edges of the cut with tape. To close pinholes no larger than 2 cm, you can even use ordinary glue. This option will not be a panacea - it is only suitable as a temporary solution, and in the future you will still have to do a full repair of the stretch ceiling cut with your own hands.
Film ceiling cut repair
The first step is to understand how big the slot in the stretch ceiling is. This is a very important point - if the size of the damage exceeds 15 cm, then the material can no longer be repaired, and it will have to be completely changed. You also need to evaluate how far from the wall the cut is located - if it is removed no further than 20 cm, then you can try to drag the canvas and hide the damaged area in a baguette.
In the latter case, the repair of stretch ceilings after a do-it-yourself cut will look like this:
- An antenna cable is glued directly over the cut;
- When the glue has hardened, the canvas needs to be heated with a hairdryer;
- The canvas is carefully pulled up to the baguette and tucked into it with a spatula;
- Next, the material needs to be straightened and leveled so that it looks like new.
You also need to figure out what to do if you cut the stretch ceiling at a distance from the wall. Under such conditions, you will have to use more complex repair methods that require detailed consideration.
Applying a patch
For the manufacture of the patch, a piece of the same canvas that was used in the ceiling itself is used. The dimensions of the workpiece should be a couple of centimeters larger than the size of the damaged area. Such an amount of glue is applied to the patch so that its excess does not eventually come out - it will be impossible to wipe them off the ceiling surface, and the appearance of the structure will be spoiled.
The patch is applied to the damaged area and pressed. Excessive effort during this operation is not necessary - folds will appear. The glued patch should be carefully smoothed out after the glue has set a little so that the surface is as even as possible. On this, the repair of the stretch ceiling cut can be completed, or you can go even further in the desire to return good decorative properties to the ceiling.
So, on the areas repaired with a patch, you can later apply a PVC application or some kind of drawing. Individual patches of PVC are quite suitable for use as patches - but you should always glue them not only over the cut, but also on entire sections of the canvas so that individual places do not stand out. The same goes for simple images.
Before you remove the cut on the stretch ceiling, you need to choose the right version of the glue. There are no special requirements for the glue used. By and large, there are only two parameters - the quality of fastening and color. Most modern adhesives are colorless and perfectly hold the surfaces to be joined, so all such options are suitable for repairing stretch ceilings.
It is best to use the following types of glue:
- Universal glue - reliable, strong enough and durable;
- Specialized adhesive, which is divided into compositions for heavy, medium and light materials;
- Regular superglue.
Mounting the ring for the lamp
This method is relevant only for vinyl canvases. A special ring is glued onto the damaged area, into which lamps are usually mounted. When the thermal ring is glued, a canvas is cut out along its inner perimeter. If the damage is large enough, then nothing will have to be cut.
Using this repair method, you need to take into account that the lamp will eventually be mounted in the same way as any other lighting fixture on a stretch ceiling. Instead of lamps, you can use a fake ventilation grill or smoke detectors to mask damage - they are installed in a similar way.
Fabric stretch ceiling repair
It is much easier to work with fabric stretch ceilings, which is due to the fairly stable structure of the materials used. To determine the repair method, you need to figure out how big the damage is.
There are the following ways to repair a cut on a fabric ceiling:
- The first method involves the use of nylon threads of the corresponding color. Stepping back from the edge of the damage at least 3 mm, you need to pull the canvas. The finished seam must be treated with an acrylic-based sealant and a patch applied to this place, which will restore the texture of the fabric. After the sealant has completely cured, the repaired area can be painted or applied to it with a pattern.
- On large damage, the seam will be too noticeable, so it would be best to use a patch that is cut from fabric or fiberglass. The patch is glued to its place with glue. You need to glue the patch on the inside of the canvas, and when installing the patch, you do not need to put too much pressure on it so that the ceiling does not sag after the repair. In the future, it will be possible to cover the material with water-based paint - it will mask all traces of repair.
- Under suitable conditions, you can use a thermal ring for repairs. The damage repair technology looks exactly the same as in the case of film ceilings.
Possible defects
Illiterate repair work in the vast majority of cases leads to the appearance of new damage. Of course, even in the most difficult cases, there are options for solving the problem, so you need to first assess how damaged the ceiling is.
There are a number of defects that cannot be dealt with:
- The canvas, which has completely come apart at the seams, will have to be completely stretched again - gluing in this case will not help;
- If the ceiling is torn off the wall, then the canvas will have to be pulled over, and the stretch ceiling structure will need to be strengthened;
- If only one baguette came off, then it can be carefully attached to its place without touching the canvas.
To make the stretch ceiling as reliable as possible, when installing and repairing it, you should follow a number of recommendations:
- To better keep the patches in place, the repaired areas must first be degreased. For these purposes, a special spray or mild detergent is suitable.
- You need to understand what to do with a cut on a stretch ceiling. Having noticed a cut, it is necessary to immediately take measures to prevent its expansion - for example, by fastening the edges of the canvas with adhesive tape.
- On a ceiling with photo printing, it makes sense to remove a cut only if it will not be noticeable after repair. If the pattern is deformed as a result of repair work, then the most appropriate solution would be a complete replacement of the canvas.
- The air temperature in the room must correspond to the allowable for a particular material (as a rule, a temperature from 0 to 50 degrees is quite comfortable for canvases).
- If the room is damp, then you will need to regularly remove rust. A flannel cloth and a glass cleaner that does not contain abrasives are best for cleaning the canvas.
- Spotlights installed in a stretch ceiling must have an allowable power. Conventional lamps up to 60 W and halogen lamps less than 35 W are suitable for fabric. The film web has a lower power threshold - incandescent lamps can have a power of no more than 40 W, and halogen lamps - up to 20 W.
- In order for the repair to be of the highest quality, it would be best to turn to professionals who will find and implement the optimal solution to the problem.
Conclusion
Repairing a stretch ceiling with a cut is a completely feasible task, available for self-fulfillment. Before you repair a stretch ceiling from a cut, you need to assess the extent of the damage, take into account the features of the web, and only then take appropriate measures to fix the problem. Proper performance of such work will restore the ceiling and return it to its original appearance.
