Stretch ceiling in the bathroom

Is your bathroom «happy» with uneven ceilings with visible joints of slabs and traces of formwork? Do your neighbors from above regularly flood, forcing you to make repairs much more often than you would like? Do you need to visually increase the height of a small bathroom? All of these problems have a single solution — stretch ceiling in the bathroom.

The design, consisting of a polymer sheet and a supporting profile, fixed around the perimeter of the room, has a number of advantages over other methods of finishing:

• Quick installation and the absence of a preparatory stage of work, for example, leveling surfaces, cleaning them from paint or plaster, sealing cracks, etc.

In addition, the installation process does not damage adjacent walls and there is no need to remove construction debris.

• Resistant to damp environments.
• Hygienic and easy to clean, anti-static properties.
• Reliable protection against leaks from above.
• Ability to hide electrical wiring and other engineering communications.
• A variety of decorative solutions, which allows you to use the technology for interiors of any style.

Also to the pluses of stretch ceilings should be attributed durability — on average they serve at least 15 years, maintaining the original appearance and performance characteristics. It is important to choose a quality canvas, entrust its installation to specialists, and then provide competent care.

Despite the obvious advantages of the technology, some doubt whether it is possible to make a stretch ceiling in the bathroom? There are fears that between the canvas and the concrete floor may appear mold, which will be difficult to detect, and therefore, and in time to eliminate.

If mold still appeared, the design is dismantled and clean the affected surfaces. After which the canvas can be installed in its original place.

The high cost of tension shelves and restrictions on the width, are also attributed to their disadvantages. And yet this is one of the best types of finishing for the bathroom (see photo):

What stretch ceiling to choose for the bathroom

Not all finishing materials feel equally «good» in the specific microclimate of bathrooms. This statement is also true for stretch ceilings. They come in two types:

• pVC-film
• fabric-based (polyester with polyurethane impregnation)

The first option is optimal for rooms with high humidity, the second is allowed to be used with great restrictions: only in spacious rooms with good natural ventilation.

Fabric stretch ceiling

This variety is usually used for interiors in the classic style. Absolutely devoid of gloss cloths with a pleasant texture, externally do not differ from traditional plaster. They can be repeatedly painted, decorated with photo prints or hand-painted. Stretch ceilings with a drawing look no worse than real frescoes.

Pluses of fabric cloths:

Minuses when it comes to the bathroom:

Fabric stretch ceiling in the bathroom, photo:

PVC canvas

If fabric ceilings are more suitable for the living room or bedroom, then in the bathroom recommended unpretentious and water-resistant vinyl fabrics.

There are three types of PVC-film:

• glossy
• matte
• satin

The first variety has good reflectivity. There is even a mirrored stretch ceiling that transmits reality almost without distortion. It is not only creative, but also visually «doubles» the room, giving the impression that it is more spacious and lighter than it really is.

hvOusual glossy stretch ceiling in the following selection of photos:

Matte film looks elegant. In texture, it resembles a fabric canvas. The material does not reflect light at all, so it is well suited for interiors where there are already shiny surfaces, such as glossy furniture fronts or tiles.

On the photo — matte stretch ceiling:

Satin canvas is characterized by a soft, diffused shine. It is a versatile choice for bathrooms of any style and size.

Vinyl stretch ceiling in the bathroom. Pros and cons

 Among the pros of PVC ceilings should be noted: 

• Ability to hold water, elasticity. In case of flooding, quality vinyl can withstand up to 100 liters of water per 1 m². After removing the liquid, the ceiling is again stretched and is suitable for further use.

• Resistance to dirt. To clean PVC ceiling, you will only need a sponge and ordinary water. More difficult stains are removed with liquid detergent. The surface is then wiped with a microfiber cloth to avoid streaks or white patina.

• Varied design. In addition to three types of texture, PVC-film pleases with a wide choice of colors and shades. It can be decorated with photo prints, including those with 3D effect.

• Health safety. Contrary to existing opinion, quality polyvinyl chloride ceilings are non-toxic, and the characteristic odor of the new cloth quickly disappears.

 Disadvantages: 

• PVC-film is easy to damage with a sharp object.

• Installation of the canvas is performed only by specialists, using a heat gun, which heats the material, making it plastic.
• Insufficient width of the film (no more than 3 meters) forces in rooms with a large area to connect several elements. The seam between them can be visible even with very careful soldering.

• Cracking at low temperatures. In dacha houses, where the heating is not turned on in winter, it is better to refuse PVC-film.

• Vinyl does not let the ceiling under it «breathe», which leads to the appearance of mold.

Design of a stretch ceiling in the bathroom

Immediately agree that since PVC-film better meets the specifics of bathrooms, we will further talk only about it.

Having decided for yourself whether to make a stretch ceiling in the bathroom, the next step is to determine its design.

For the premises of classical and Scandinavian style, as well as shebby-chic, retro and Provence will be suitable matte or satin cloths of white color. The main decorative role here is given to furnishings, so the finishing of the walls and ceiling should be kept in light, neutral colors.

But Art Nouveau with its laconic forms and a minimum of accessories often requires additional bright accents. Such a coloristic «highlight» may well be a colored ceiling in the bathroom:

Separately it is necessary to highlight the red stretch ceiling. Some people find this color too intrusive and aggressive. However, with a properly selected background, we, on the contrary, we will get a powerful charge of positive energy, which clearly prove the photos below:

Black stretch ceiling looks original and stylish. And to make it not too gloomy, it is necessary to choose glossy cloths that give a mirror reflection.

And here is another popular solution: a light-colored stretch ceiling in a beige bathroom. This combination will appeal to adherents of classical traditions.

But the most interesting effects are created by a stretch ceiling in the bathroom with photo printing. It seems to give birth to another dimension, especially if 3D-print is used.

Two-tier stretch ceilings

To create stepped structures, plasterboard boxes with openings cut out in them are used, which are covered with PVC-film. Two-level ceilings are suitable for bathrooms with a large area — they are used to distinguish different functional zones.

In addition to the play of volumes, color is used to create contrast. Often the stretch ceiling is decorated with a print.

The undoubted advantage of multi-level designs is an impressive design, the main disadvantage — the complexity of installation and expensive.

Examples on the photo:

Lighting in a bathroom with a stretch ceiling

The lighting fixtures are planned before the PVC ceiling is installed. According to the existing standards, the illumination of the bathroom for a comfortable stay in it should be 200 lux.

Based on this value, calculate the number of ceiling lights, taking into account the fact that PVC-floor melts from high temperatures and it is allowed to mount bulbs, with a capacity of no more than 40 watts.

The luminaires can be:

• built-in
• surface-mounted

In the first case, the installation is made directly in the plane of the stretch fabric. To PVC-film is not melted and not deformed from heating, it is recommended to use only LED lamps. Their advantages:

• low thermal conductivity
• cost-effectiveness
• smooth operation
• high level of energy saving
• durability (up to 10 years)

The disadvantages include a cold, bluish glow, which is not to everyone’s liking.

Surface-mounted lamps are mounted above the ceiling plane. This allows you to use all kinds of lamps: incandescent, halogen, fluorescent and LED. In addition to this significant plus, it should be noted that it is also possible to change the angle of inclination, which creates a bizarre play of light shadows on the ceiling. The minus model — its design has to be chosen very carefully, so as not to violate the style of the interior.

For lighting in the bathroom with a stretch ceiling you can also use chandeliers, raster lamps or spots.

Stretch ceiling in the bathroom with backlighting

There are two options for the location of lamps:

• around the perimeter
• above the stretch ceiling

To emphasize the contour of the ceiling is used LED tape or cord durolight with different shades.

Backlighting from the inside gives the impression of daylight pouring from the ceiling. This is a great solution for bathrooms in both modern and classic style (see photo). LED tape can also be laid out various patterns that will appear when turned on.

The most beautiful kind of backlighting from the inside is the so-called «starry sky». For it, too, LEDs are used, but not ribbons, but individual devices glued to the base concrete slab.

Stretch ceiling in the bathroom «starry sky» further on the photo:

Stretch ceilings in a small bathroom

On the question: to be or not to be PVC-ceilings in small bathrooms, it is difficult to give an unequivocal answer. Such a solution has its pros and cons, it is important what outweighs in each case.

 Advantages of stretch ceilings in a small room: 

• possibility to install compact built-in lamps
• protection against leaks from above
• durability and ease of maintenance
• resistance to condensation and temperature fluctuations (which is especially important because the ventilation in small bathrooms is poor)

small bathrooms have poor ventilation)

• high decorativeness, especially if a mirrored ceiling is used

 Disadvantages: 

• the real height of the room is reduced
• it is not possible to use the area under the ceiling, where additional storage sections can be placed
• matte PVC-film can visually narrow the space, and glossy is not suitable for all styles
• the canvas is easy to damage, because the distance to it is small

The last problem concerns, first of all, stretch ceilings in the bathroom in the «Khrushchevka», where the height of the premises is 2.5 meters.

Examples of decorating small bathrooms in the photo below:

Do stretch ceilings in the bathroom? Unequivocally, yes. High-quality canvas — a guarantee of a long perfect service and comfortable use. There is a reason to think about it, isn’t there?