2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 22:24
- Plasterboard ceilings are profitable
- Photos of beautiful two-level ceilings
- We make an exquisite ceiling with our own hands
- Materials and tools that will come in handy during installation
- Installation of a double-level ceiling frame is not an easy task for a beginner
- Longitudinal PP on the ceiling
- Diagram of the device of the second level of the ceiling with a niche for lighting
- Drawings of the frame of a two-level ceiling with a niche
- What you need to remember while working
Many people know the expression: "The repair never ends!" This expression is especially relevant for those who have lived in their home all their lives. But residents of apartments have to do this thankless job at least once in their lives. You can't get away from this - no one wants to "live in a hut" or be known as a retrograde. And in construction and decoration, new materials, designs and solutions appear every day. It makes sense to consider in detail how to make yourself a two-level plasterboard ceiling with lighting and to give the original design to the apartment.
Plasterboard ceilings are profitable
There are many modern ways to turn a ceiling into a work of art. These are suspended systems, stretch ceilings, special plastic panels, expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles, and metal structures. And yet, the plasterboard ceiling is still in demand. Why?
The first and main reason is the relative cheapness of this method. Many people have to count every penny during construction and repair. And a ceiling made of gypsum sheets will save you a little.
Another positive point: the suspended structure will allow you to hide all the flaws of the old ceiling, as well as wires, ventilation covers, pipes, etc. objects that spoil the design of the room.
The third plus is the uniformity of the texture of the walls and ceiling. If the walls are finished with plasterboard, it is logical to sheathe the ceiling with them. You just need to buy a little more material. In addition, the ceiling can be made both simple and unique. The flight of fantasy in this method is not held back by anything, except for the contents of your wallet.
It is also important that any man who knows how to use a building level and a screwdriver is able to mount a two-level suspended ceiling made of plasterboard with lighting on his own. Of course, you will have to seriously dig into the Internet in search of information, ask your friends for help and find a few days free from your main job. But the result is worth it.
First you need to draw or find a photo of the ceiling you like on the Internet. Measure the ceiling and draw some drawings. A two-level plasterboard ceiling with backlighting is a rather complicated structure and it will not work to make it "by eye". Separately draw the layout of the main and spotlights, determine the type of lighting between the levels. LED strip is the most common, but other light sources can be used.
Photos of beautiful two-level ceilings
We make an exquisite ceiling with our own hands
If you have experience in the construction industry, tools and free time, you can try yourself as a professional finisher. It is difficult to make a two-level plasterboard ceiling with backlighting with your own hands, but it is quite within the power of every master who is not afraid of dirty work. In the sense - dusty, because gypsum leaves behind a lot of dust.
Calculate in advance and purchase all the necessary tools and finishing materials. Their assortment and quality are chosen according to the amount that it was decided to spend on repairs.
It is better to take "just barely enough": in any settlement of materials for such ceilings above the roof and you can buy them, if not enough, at any time. But what to do with the leftovers after repairs in a small apartment is a big question! And it's a pity to throw it away - money is not lying around on the road, and there is nowhere to put it. However, everyone must decide this issue on their own.
There are several leaders in the production of plaster products and materials:
- Knauf. The company occupies a leading position in our market, and throughout the world. Drywall and everything for finishing with this material. Time-tested quality. Among the assortment - arched gypsum board 6.5 mm thick. An excellent choice for creating curved lines of a two-level ceiling.
- A Scandinavian firm obsessed with sustainability. Their products are in great demand all over the world. Many products are more expensive than those of its German competitor.
- Lafarge Group. The Polish firm has scattered its factories all over the world. European quality of products at quite affordable prices. Not as well known in our market as Knauf. She was the first to establish the production of gypsum boards with a semicircular bevel on all four sides of the sheet.
- JSC "Gips". The only Russian enterprise, the quality of products of which corresponds to the European level, and the range of goods is wide and varied. Based in Volgograd. Products with the Volma logo can be seen at all construction sites in our country.
As for the components. The most famous and expensive ones on our market are from Knauf and Gyproc. Most of the remaining manufacturers are small private Russian factories. So there will be no problems with the acquisition. The same wide range of accessories - from expensive to luxurious - for lighting installation.
Materials and tools that will come in handy during installation
A two-level ceiling made of gypsum plasterboard with your own hands with backlight will require a lot of materials and tools. If there are dimensional drawings, the approximate amount of this or that material is easy to calculate. You will need sheets of ceiling drywall 9.5 mm, a sheet of arched drywall 6.5 mm for finishing the winding lines of transition of levels. If the 2nd level is straight, it makes no sense to buy arched drywall.
In addition, you need a primer and plaster putty, a self-adhesive tape (serpyanka) for sealing joints, a damper tape to improve sound insulation. The metal frame is assembled from ceiling guiding profiles (PNP), ceiling profiles (PP), arched profiles, straight suspensions, single-level suspensions (crab). For fasteners use dowel-nails, anchor-wedges, self-tapping screws for metal 3.5 by 9.5 black ("seeds" in the jargon of the masters) or white PSh, as well as black self-tapping screws for drywall.
All this cannot be mounted with a hammer and a screwdriver. Therefore, you need to prepare or buy the necessary tools. In addition to the above, you will need a laser and bubble levels, metal scissors, a hacksaw with fine teeth, a dyeing cord (beating), a tape measure, a stationery knife for cutting drywall, a plane, an emery cloth or a painting net, a screwdriver, a perforator, spatulas of different widths of the ceiling for putty …
Don't forget about lighting. Two-level plasterboard ceilings with backlighting, in addition to the central chandelier, must be equipped with LED strip, duralight or neon lamps. In addition, you can add 220 volt spotlights on both the first and second ceiling levels. Their choice is huge and a simple listing will not give anything. Everything is decided by a specific choice of style and design of the ceiling structure.
Installation of a double-level ceiling frame is not an easy task for a beginner
There are two ways to install a two-level plasterboard ceiling with lighting. The first way is easier and more understandable for a non-professional. The second is more time consuming and more labor intensive. But everyone has freedom of choice. Let's consider the first method in more detail …
With this method of constructing a two-level ceiling made of gypsum plasterboard, the first level frame is first mounted. It is a horizontal lathing of metal profiles, on which drywall will be attached.
A drawing of the frame is made, dimensions are affixed. A standard GKL sheet has a width of 1200 mm. To create a structure with good rigidity, 3 ceiling profiles per sheet are sufficient, i.e. the distance between the centers of the longitudinal PP is 60 cm.
First, guide profiles (PNP) are mounted. On the walls, using a laser level, marks are placed at a distance of 6-7 cm from the ceiling. These marks are connected by a line using a long rule or a paint cord (skip). Do not forget to stick a damper tape on the back of the profile; it will serve as additional soundproofing for the room. A profile is attached to the line from above, holes for its fastening are marked. The holes are drilled in the wall with a perforator, then the profile is attached to the dowel-nails. The easiest part of the installation phase is now complete.
Then the lines of longitudinal ceiling profiles (PP) are applied to the ceiling. Try to clearly maintain a distance of 60 cm. The width of rooms is rarely a multiple of 60, so the distance from opposite walls is calculated approximately the same; it is different for each room. On the marked lines, every 60 cm we make marks perpendicularly. These are the attachment points for direct suspensions. The hangers are fixed to the ceiling using dowel nails or wedge anchors. The choice depends on the design of the old ceiling. The ends of the suspensions are pulled down.
The longitudinal profile is inserted into the guide at one end. The other end is secured with a nearby straight suspension. The correctness of the fasteners is controlled by a laser level or a long rule. To fix the parts, self-tapping screws PSh are used, as well as "seeds" - black screws for metal. After that, the profile is fixed along its entire length in straight hangers and a guide profile.
This operation is repeated for all longitudinal profiles. If the length of the PP is not enough, it is lengthened using a longitudinal connector and a piece of PP of the required length.
Longitudinal PP on the ceiling
It remains to mount the transverse strips. Their length is 1 cm less than the distance between the longitudinal profiles. They are attached using single-level connectors (crab) at intervals of 50 cm. This is done so that the edge of the drywall sheet - and its length is a multiple of 50 - falls in the middle of the transverse profile for convenience and reliability of fastening. All connections are fixed with self-tapping screws. As a result, you should get a structure as in the photo above. Then the electrical wiring is mounted. Be sure to place the wires in a corrugated, non-combustible pipe. We make loops at the places where spotlights or chandeliers are placed.
In order to avoid penetration of screws, it is forbidden to lay inside metal profiles.
The resulting crate is sheathed with plasterboard. For fastening, use black self-tapping screws with a fine thread pitch 4-5 cm long. The distance between the screws is taken equal to 20 cm, the distance to the sheet edge is 2 cm. This will protect the sheet from destruction. The caps of the screws are slightly recessed into the surface, later they are masked with plaster.
If the sheet has to be cut into pieces, an edge is made on the cut part with a plane or a sharp knife. Then the cut must be cleaned with sandpaper.
The seams of the first level are made with a rough layer of plaster using serpyanka. At this, the first stage of installation of a two-level ceiling with plasterboard lighting is completed.
The beginning of the second stage is identical to the beginning of the first. We retreat down the wall 12-15 cm. Why so many? Once the ceiling is made with illumination, then this is just right: the height of the side that obscures the light source + the ability to stick your hand into the niche to replace the burnt element.
Diagram of the device of the second level of the ceiling with a niche for lighting
So, below the ceiling on the walls we make marks, connect with lines and mount the guide profiles. If the second level is planned along the entire perimeter of the room, the guides go along all the walls. If this is a diagonal, then the profile is attached only in those places where the second level is adjacent to the wall.
The second level of the ceiling is usually curved. For smooth curves, it is best to use an arched profile. But most "craftsmen" prefer to save money. They cut the triangles on the sidewalls of the ceiling or track profile as often as possible and bend it according to the pattern. The drawing is best applied to the ceiling of the first level. This line is repeated, stepping back from the future edge of the second level inward by 10-15 cm. This distance can be less if you use LED strip or duralight in lighting. Here the attachment of this level to the first one will take place.
We cut pieces of the ceiling profile 12-15 cm long (level height). These pieces will replace straight hangers. Along the inner winding line, we bend and mount an arched profile or a cut guide profile on the ceiling. We attach suspension pieces to it. We connect their lower edge with the PNP, fixed on the wall, using PP segments. The length of these segments must be equal to the distance from the wall to the outer, extreme winding line of the future level. If the length of such segments is more than 60 cm, it is recommended to make transverse inserts from single-level connectors and PP segments.
Try to keep the structure as rigid as possible. The final touch will be the edging of the protruding PPs with a guide profile with cut sidewalls. It is bent so that, when viewed from below, the line of this profile repeats the bends of the pattern on the ceiling. The resulting edging is fixed with self-tapping screws. The frame is ready.
Wiring is installed in the same way as for the first level. The location of the spotlights is roughly marked on the ceiling.
Plastering the resulting frame with plasterboard will be the next step. An even surface is sheathed as described above for the first level. The edges are sawn along the bend line. The problem will be to sheathe the end of the second level. There are two proven ways to do this:
- A strip of drywall from the inside is pricked with a needle roller or the tip of a knife. Then the surface is moistened with water using a sponge or rag. Moisture permeates the gypsum and the strip is applied to the profile. Bend it slowly and carefully, fixing it in stages to the profile with self-tapping screws.
- The inside of the strip is cut in a V-shape down to the outside board at small intervals. In this case, the strip will repeat the bend of the profile. But this method is only good for short sections.
Next, the drywall is primed, a rough and final layer of putty is applied using spatulas. Holes for spotlights are cut, an LED strip and other track light sources are attached in a niche. Contacts are well insulated and hidden. The surface is painted in the selected colors. A two-level plasterboard ceiling with DIY lighting is ready.
Drawings of the frame of a two-level ceiling with a niche
Consider in detail the various schemes for the device of plasterboard streams with a backlight device in one and two levels.
What you need to remember while working
Installation of a two-level plasterboard ceiling with backlighting will not be an overwhelming task if you adhere to a few rules.
- You need to believe in yourself:).
- Carefully develop sketches and drawings of the future ceiling, starting from the marking of the frame of each level and ending with the location of each lamp. Make sure that the lamps do not coincide with the crate.
- Choose quality-tested materials that will serve you for decades.
- Do not rush. Start the next stage of work only after completing the previous one.
- If problems arise, carefully study all the available material in order to choose the simplest and most effective way to fix it.
- Do not hesitate to use the help of friends. It is almost impossible to cope with such work alone without having experience.
- It is advisable to entrust the work with electrical wiring to a professional.
If all of the above did not frighten you, then good luck! In addition, watch the video on the installation of ceilings.
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