False Ceiling Materials – Unknown facts, which one is the best and why?

Creating your dream home is a significant endeavour, filled with careful decisions. While the location and building materials are crucial, the interiors, particularly false ceilings, play a remarkable role in adding an exotic touch to your home and saving on energy costs. Exploring the realm of false ceiling materials is an innovative way for Indian homeowners to enhance their spaces. This blog is your guide to discovering the best options, understanding how they cut your energy bills, and infusing your home with a touch of elegance. Transform your ceiling into something extraordinary, making your dream home both beautiful and budget-friendly.

Why you should choose False Ceiling Materials carefully?

The material that goes into the construction of any living area is of utmost importance and requires thorough analysis. This analysis needs to be even more specific if it is concerning ceilings. Ceilings are the topmost layer that can make or break the house. Therefore, the structure material needs to be quite reliable and sturdy.  

Also commonly identified as a drop ceiling or suspended ceiling, a False ceiling is a supplementary section of the roof that is hung down to create an additional portion between the original and the appearing ceiling level. As the name suggests, false ceilings create an illusion of the lowered roof level and helps in enhancing the aesthetics of the place. Interior decoration of the house is a significant aspect that helps in making the place look more welcoming and productive. Not only does it improve the appearance but also the living quality of the space. 

There are also numerous functional benefits of investing in false ceilings

1. Optimization of air conditioning by having to cool a lesser room volume. Also provides added space for air-conditioning ducts, improves the functionality of air conditioners, and reduces the usage of electricity.
2. Increases the level of acoustics by absorbing all the external noises. 
3. Insulates the room by trapping any extra heat and keeps the space significantly cooler.
4. Hides away the electrical wires, pipes, and ducts.
5. Increased reflection and deflection of light eliminate the need for extra lighting.

False Ceiling Materials: Description

To ensure that you are gaining maximum benefits by installing the false ceiling, the basic building element needs to be selected carefully. The best false ceiling material may vary according to individual requirements and monetary limits but some options work better than others in aspects of lifelong durability and maintenance. The sustainability of each material varies according to environmental conditions and other installation factors.
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Popular False Ceiling in the Indian Market

Gypsum Ceilings

Gypsum has become the best material for a false ceiling. It is available in the form of factory-made square boards.

Pros

• Gypsum false roofs are extremely robust and long-lasting.
• The nicest thing about gypsum boards is that they are simple to install and produce very little dust throughout the process. Furthermore, because the gypsum boards come in enormous sizes, the ceiling has few obvious joint lines.
• Gypsum is a fire-retardant substance.
• Gypsum has excellent acoustic characteristics and provides excellent sound insulation.
• The thermal insulation provided by these ceilings is excellent.
• The factory finish on gypsum boards is quite smooth. Paint, laminate, or wallpaper can be used to finish the ceiling.

Cons

• If there is any damage to the ceiling, it must be fully dismantled because it cannot be repaired. Over time, obvious cracks in the ceiling may appear.
• Because gypsum has a propensity to warp, it is not suited for damp places such as the bathroom or outdoors. It could potentially become infected with fungus.

POP (Plaster of Paris) Ceilings

When mixed with water, POP is a quick-setting white powder that hardens immediately. This material used for the false ceiling is painted on a chicken mesh, dried, and then installed as a false ceiling.

Pros

• POP is an extremely long-lasting artificial ceiling material.
• Because the same material is used to close all of the connection lines, it creates a smooth surface that does not exhibit fractures. The paint and POP ceiling work well together.
• POP is a versatile substance that can be moulded into any shape.
• It is one of the most affordable false POP ceiling materials available.

Cons

• If there is any damage to the ceiling, it must be fully dismantled because it cannot be repaired. Over time, obvious cracks in the ceiling may appear.

(Note – Because gypsum has a propensity to warp, it is not suited for damp places such as the bathroom or outdoors. It could potentially become infected with fungus.)
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Wood Ceilings

Wooden ceilings can give your design a warm, rustic, or high-end modern feel. Wooden blocks or panels are fixed to the structural ceiling and finished with veneer or wood polish.

Pros

• The inherent textures and grain patterns of wood make wooden ceilings stand out. These ceilings look well in both traditional and contemporary settings.

Cons

• False ceilings made of wood are highly pricey.
• Termites can cause damage to wooden ceilings.
• As the wood expands and contracts, it is susceptible to warping and cracking.

Different Types of False Ceiling Materials

The main requirement for different false ceiling materials includes strength, acoustics, affordable installation price, maintenance, fire, water resistance etc. Let us learn about different false ceiling materials and their attributes.

1. Gypsum false ceiling materials – Gypsum is an evaporite mineral, also chemically known as calcium sulfate dihydrate. Gypsum has emerged as a common choice for false ceiling material due to its lightweight and convenient installing procedures. It comes in the form of pre-designed panels which can be easily suspended from an iron framework. It absorbs extra heat and noise, thus making it an ideal choice for living room ceilings. Compressed with gypsum powder surrounded by thick paper sheets, these boards are not suitable for areas that trap moisture.

2. POP false ceiling materials – Gypsum when heated till there are no water molecules left it, results in the formation of a powdery substance called Plaster of Paris. This powder when combined with water gives a thick white paste that can be set in any required shape or size. False ceilings made of PoP are quite long-lasting and flexible. If you have a certain ceiling design in mind along with a few weeks and skilled labour, Plaster of Paris ceilings are an ideal choice. It improves the brightness of the room and does not show any crack lines. It further provides insulation against cold and heat at the cheapest price. However, the process of construction can be quite a time consuming and messy. 

3. Fibre false ceiling materials – Available in the configuration of tiles, fibre ceiling material is made by merging natural and synthetic materials like wood, stone, tar, bitumen, vegetable fibre etc. This material is sturdy and economical. Its properties include heat, noise and fire resistance which makes it a prime option for commercial spaces. The main drawback of fibre false ceilings is the lack of aesthetic appeal which makes them unsuitable for home decor. 

4. Metal false ceiling materials – The metal false ceiling is made up of aluminium and galvanized iron which automatically makes it a strong and durable choice for your home. This material is ideal for places that need to be repaired at regular intervals for electric wires, pipes and air conditioning ducts. Metal false ceilings are easy to maintain and give a polished yet antique look to the home. Given its multiple benefits, it is also comparatively expensive and requires a protective coating to limit any corrosion from taking place. 

5. Wooden false ceiling materials – If you want to give your space a texture-rich, vintage, and rustic look, wooden false ceilings are what you should be looking for. Wood maintains a natural yet artistic vibe without disrupting the aesthetic appeal of the place. Wooden ceiling material comes in various forms of hollow blocks, boards or panels and is light in weight which eases the installation process. Wooden false ceilings might be pleasing to the human eye, but they are also the perfect spot for termite infestation. If not maintained properly, wood cracks with time due to its expansion and contraction in different weathers. Usually preferred for cold climates, wooden false ceilings are also quite expensive and less durable.  

6. PVC false ceiling materials – Originally generated in Germany, Polyvinyl Chloride is a plastic material that has various applications. One of them is its usage in false ceiling materials. PVC is water and heat resistant. Not too expensive, this material is easy to maintain and install due to its lightweight properties. PVC is exceptionally durable and does not allow moisture particles or termites to settle in. Also resistant to UV rays, this material is highly appropriate for usage in kitchens, garages, bathrooms, or extra storage areas.

Best False Ceiling Materials 

Technically it is hard to generalise all the materials and term any one of them as the best material for false ceiling. Different types of ceiling materials have their various pros and cons which might make them the best fitting option for one location and a total disaster for another. Let us have a look at some of the different factors and the best false ceiling options in each category.
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1. Best False Ceiling Material in terms of Price – Gypsum and Plaster of Paris are cheap false ceiling materials. They are quite long-lasting and have a great number of benefits. Costing around Rs 50-150 per square foot, both false ceiling materials are quite affordable. On the other hand, PVC is extremely cheap and an ideal option for moisture-rich areas. 

2. Best False Ceiling Material in terms of Acoustics – Due to its porous structure, wood has natural sound-absorbing properties and provides the room with a rustic and creative vibe. Wooden false ceilings are lightweight, available in many patterns and ideal for improving acoustics.

3. Best False Ceiling Material in terms of Aesthetic appeal – Wood has a natural aesthetic appeal to it that makes the area look peaceful yet productive. However, it is high maintenance and not as durable. Plaster of Paris false ceilings can be designed in any shape or size fitting to the aesthetic and are also quite long-lasting. If you like antique, shiny areas – metal false ceilings are what you should be looking for.

4. Best False Ceiling Material in terms of Heat and Cold Resistance – Plaster of Paris is easily the best false ceiling material in terms of heat and cold resistance along with its high durability, flexible configuration, and affordable cost.

5. Best False Ceiling Material in terms of a fire hazard – Fires can cause serious damage to life and property if not contained on time. Gypsum false ceiling is quite effective in case of a fire due to its chemical nature. Gypsum contains water of crystallization compounds which are released in the form of water vapours when the temperature suddenly rises. Once all the water is lost, Gypsum material is just a layer of Calcium sulphate which is an insulator. 

How Can NoBroker Help?

False Ceilings might seem like a recent fad to some people but certainly, there are numerous practical benefits to it too. Not only does the false ceiling enhance the look of your place, it also improves lifestyle and productivity with its advantages. The roof over our heads is the most important wall there is. The floor sets the foundation, but the roof keeps it stable preventing the external elements from reaching us. Enhancing the features of the ceiling should be crucial for every new homeowner or renovator. With the number of false ceiling materials available in the market, it can be quite tiresome to decide which material suits best for your specific purpose.

In that case, leave it to the professionals at NoBroker. The team of interior decorators can help you out by suggesting the best false ceiling material for your space.

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