How To Make A Plasterboard Ceiling In An Ice-lit Bedroom

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Backlit plasterboard ceiling is a good solution for the bedroom
• Before you get started
• Frame materials
• We make a ceiling frame for the bedroom on our own
• The second stage is the installation of drywall
• Finishing takes patience and skill
• We embed lighting and illumination
• What you need to know about the room you sleep in

Gypsum is a natural mineral with good anti-allergenic properties. Drywall is almost entirely composed of gypsum. In addition, it is non-flammable, prevents the propagation of sound waves, allows air and steam to pass through itself, creating a healing and comfortable microclimate in your bedroom. Therefore, the walls and ceiling made of plasterboard with lighting in the bedroom will be the right choice when decorating your apartment or house.

Backlit plasterboard ceiling is a good solution for the bedroom

The location of light sources is of great importance in choosing a design for a bedroom. For rest to be complete, lighting should be subdued and not annoying. A plasterboard backlit ceiling meets this requirement in the best possible way. The use of neon lamps in combination with the diffused light of spotlights will create an intimate atmosphere in the room and will completely eliminate the central light source.

GKL structures are often made in two or three levels, if the height of the old ceiling allows. So the installation of hidden lighting in the drops from one level to another will not be difficult. Often, a designated area on the ceiling continues on the walls in the form of columns or a niche for a bed. Such a ceiling in a plasterboard bedroom with lighting is not only functional, but also looks very impressive.

The area, shape and height of the old ceiling play a decisive role in choosing the style and number of levels of the new ceiling. The higher the bedroom height, the more imagination and ingenuity can be applied. And the most interesting thing is that you can work with drywall without involving third-party organizations or craftsmen. Having certain skills in handling a power tool and in finishing work, it is quite possible to create a masterpiece from your bedroom on your own.

Before you get started

For information on how to make plasterboard backlit, written many articles and many movies filmed. All of them have one thing in common - the gypsum board, along with the low cost, has a lot of additional advantages for use in residential premises. This material also has disadvantages. One - and the most serious among them - is low moisture resistance. If you are flooded by neighbors from above, the ceiling will have to be changed, although it is difficult to imagine that this particular version of the universal flood will happen in the bedroom.

Backlit plasterboard ceiling can take any shape and color, and this is its main advantage. A rigid frame made according to the rules will ensure the trouble-free existence of this interior element for decades.

For your information: gypsum boards have a certain weight, therefore, to create a metal frame, it is advisable to purchase products from well-known manufacturers in this area. The use of low-quality profiles and fittings will certainly lead to the appearance of cracks in the ceiling and other defects.

The installation of a backlit plasterboard ceiling should not be started until the following steps have been completed:

1. To begin with, you need to make a sketch of the future ceiling or choose from hundreds of photos on the Internet the one that best suits your ideas of beauty. Do not forget about the combination of different colors in the interiors.
2. Estimate the real number of levels. Each such level "eats" from 6 cm to 15 cm of the height of the room.
3. The backlit plasterboard ceiling scheme should contain real dimensions, then it is possible to calculate the required number of profiles and gypsum sheets. You need to take with a small, 15-20 percent, margin. If there is no experience of such work, there is always the possibility of overspending of materials.
4. Standard hangers are limited in length, so they are used only for assembling the first, highest layer. The second and subsequent levels are created from the sections of the ceiling profile (PP) and the guide profile (PP). This is the same 20% indicated above. This is especially true for curved lines in designs.
5. For fixing straight hangers to the ceiling, anchor wedges are usually bought. They fix hard enough, but they also cost a lot. Their use is fully justified when the old ceiling is made of factory floor slabs with air channels. When the floor is made of monolithic reinforced concrete, it is possible to save a little by using ordinary dowel-nails instead of anchors, as for a wall. But this method is absolutely unacceptable for bulky multilevel structures.
6. If you decide to use an LED strip for illumination, you must remember that the power supply is designed for about 5 m in length. If the actual length is longer, it is worth purchasing 2 blocks.
7. In addition to materials (more details about them will be discussed below), you will need tools: laser and bubble levels, an aluminum rule of 2.5 - 3 m, a paint cord, scissors for metal, a tape measure, a hammer, a knife for cutting drywall, a marker or a pencil, puncher and drills for concrete, screwdriver, drill with mixer attachment, spatulas of different widths, paint brush and roller. Most of these tools are present in the home of a person who is used to doing everything with his own hands.

If the determination to make a plasterboard ceiling in a bedroom with lighting without the help of professionals did not leave you, we proceed to specific actions.

For rooms small in height and area, a ceiling of one level is quite suitable. The choice of its final finish is quite varied, ranging from painting to wallpapering. In this version, you can also use the backlight by placing the LED strip behind the baguette. The latter, of course, is glued to the walls around the entire perimeter or in a certain place, just below the level of the finished ceiling.

When there is enough space above your head, it makes sense to make a two-level plasterboard ceiling, with lighting between levels. It's a little difficult for a layman, but not enough to give up trying to create a little wonder in your bedroom. The lines of such a ceiling can be any. Often the second level is a rectangle parallel to the walls.

Sometimes curved lines are used instead of straight lines, such options look quite unusual and attractive. The photo below shows this type of ceiling. Its manufacture is worth studying in more detail.

There are several ways to make a plasterboard box on the backlit ceiling, here the most accessible one will be considered.

Frame materials

To begin with, you should make a drawing, indicate all sizes and radii. Then it is desirable to transfer this scheme to the old ceiling. For such a design, you will need the following materials:

1. Ceiling guide profile (PNP) 27x28 mm. Available in galvanized steel, 3 and 4 meter lengths. If the product is produced by a reputable company, it contains holes for dowel-nails for fastening to the wall.
2. Ceiling profile (PP). It has stiffening ribs, dimensions 60x27 mm. Produced by different firms, to buy cheaper or more expensive - everyone chooses for himself.
3. Direct suspension is usually in demand when assembling the first, highest layer of the future ceiling. The distance between the first and second layers must be at least 15 cm so that it is possible to change the burnt-out lighting elements in the niche.
4. The dowel-nail is used to fasten the guide profile to the walls. Usually, to ensure normal rigidity of the structure, a size of 6x40 mm is enough. The final choice depends on the diameter of the holes drilled in the PNP.
5. The wedge anchor is the most suitable fastener for straight hangers. This is described in detail above.
6. Backlit plasterboard ceilings need sound insulation. This is especially true for the bedroom. This problem can be partially solved by purchasing a sealing (damper) tape. It is rarely used by "professionals" in drywall, but performs several functions important for comfort and quality. These include leveling wall irregularities and damping vibrations and sound waves transmitted through walls. The tape has an adhesive layer, which facilitates its installation on the reverse side of profiles and straight hangers.
7. To create a rigid frame of the first level, one-level connectors (crabs) are used. They connect the longitudinal and transverse ceiling profiles to each other. It is worth knowing that most craftsmen ignore crabs and join profiles with each other with self-tapping screws.
8. The screws with which the profiles are fastened together in a monolithic lathing may be different. Some use small black self-tapping "seeds", others use short PSh with a sharp end. Do not just take the PSh with a drill for metal. They will be difficult to screw into a soft profile.

We make a ceiling frame for the bedroom on our own

It's time to find out how to make a plasterboard box on the backlit ceiling. For the ceiling shown in the photo above, two mounting options are applicable. The first is that the first level frame is first assembled along the entire perimeter, and then the elements of the second layer are attached to it. The second involves first assembling the curved lines of the second level, and then the remaining space is reinforced. Which method to use is up to you, both methods have their pitfalls. The only condition is to make a preliminary drawing of each of the levels.

Let's take a closer look at the first one, it's easier to understand. It is quite possible to make a solid frame from a metal profile for a person who is used to working with his hands:

1. Draw the first level horizon line on the walls. We put marks with a laser, 6-8 cm below the old ceiling. We connect them, beating off with a paint cord.
2. We mount the guide profiles. To do this, we attach the profile to the line, mark the holes for fastening. We drill according to the marks with a perforator and dowel-nails, fasten the PNP to the walls. It is not recommended to hammer a nail dowel into the wall. Do not forget to pre-paste over the reverse side of the profile with a damper tape (if you still decided to purchase it).
3. We draw the ceiling into strips 40 cm wide - straight suspensions will be attached along these lines. The distance between the suspensions is 40-50 cm, marked with dashes on the lines. They are attached using wedge anchors.
4. We attach the ceiling profile to the direct hangers with self-tapping screws for metal. One edge of the profile is inserted into the PNP on the wall and fixed. The horizontal structure is carefully controlled by a laser level or an aluminum rule.
5. We cut several pieces of 33 cm long from the ceiling profile. These jumpers are fixed with crabs transversely at the joints of the drywall sheets. Crabs are fixed with screws. It is worth remembering that gypsum boards are usually mounted sprawling, this prevents cracks in the ceiling.

As a result, the structure should look like in the photo below.

If you've decided to soundproof your bedroom, it's time to do it. When the assembly of the second level frame is completed, access to the ceiling will be difficult.

It will be quite easy to make a straight backlit drywall box for the second level if you look at the diagram below.

On the profiles of the first layer we mark the width of the future box. We fix the guide profile with self-tapping screws. Into it vertically downwards, insert the PP segments equal to the height of the difference between the levels minus 27 mm. Insert another PUP at the bottom to make a frame. We attach another one to this profile from below, expanding it with the inside to the wall. On the walls, using a laser level, make a mark and attach a guide profile as described above for the first layer of the frame. We connect the lower PNP with sections of the ceiling profile, fix it with self-tapping screws. The straight sections of the frame are ready.

Assembling the radius components will be a little more difficult. In this case, the guide profile is cut so that it can be bent along the circumference. To facilitate the assembly of the frame, it is better to use an arched profile with which a curved structure is quickly created.

Collect the radius segments of the level in the same order as the straight sections. Since the diameter of the central circle is large enough, we reinforce it with transverse inserts of PP segments in one line parallel to the wall. The frame is ready.

The second stage is the installation of drywall

Before working with drywall, electrical wiring is done. The wires are placed in special corrugated pipes. Conclusions are made in the places of the future location of point lighting elements.

For ceiling cladding, 9.5 mm thick ceiling plasterboard is most often used. It is lighter than the wall one and is more convenient to work with. For fastening to the metal profile, black self-tapping screws with a small pitch of turns are used. But it is better to use 12 mm. For information, according to Knauf technology, the ceiling cladding is made in two layers.

First, the frame of the first level is sheathed. It is necessary to ensure that there is always an expansion joint of 1.5 - 2 mm between the gypsum sheets. All joints should be in the middle of the ceiling profile. In this case, the fixation of the sheet will be reliable. The screws are screwed in not only along the edges of the gypsum board, but also where the profile passes, i.e. every 40 cm.

Then comes the turn of the vertical transition between levels. Cutting a strip from the gypsum board and attaching it to the frame is not difficult. And on the bends you will have to be careful. Water will help to give the curvature of the plaster. On one side of the strip, pierce the cardboard with the tip of a knife and moisten the surface with a wet sponge. When the gypsum becomes wet, bend it slightly in the right direction. Then we fasten the strip in place with screws, giving the desired radius.

Lastly, the bottom of the second level of the ceiling frame is hemmed. On straight sections, problems are not expected, you just need to add 10 cm in width to install the backlight. The radius of curvature also needs to be increased. Fasteners should not be spared, otherwise defects may appear in subsequent years.

The finishing touch is marking the holes for spotlights. The easiest way to cut holes is with a drill with a crown bit for wood.

Finishing takes patience and skill

First, about patience. You should not start finishing the ceiling panels right away. Wait a day, let the gypsum "get used to" in the microclimate of the room. And then you will have to remember more than once about patience when working with gypsum putty.

The entire surface of the ceiling, especially the inner part of the joints, is treated with a penetrating acrylic primer over plaster. To do this, use a narrow paint brush and roller. Allow time for the layer to dry.

Then they begin to putty the seams and grooves from the caps of the screws. The gypsum mixture sets quickly, so it is worth mixing it in small portions so that lumps do not form. After applying the putty, all joints are reinforced with a special serpyanka tape, pressing it into the layer of the mixture. The remains are smoothed with a spatula.

The abutment of the ceiling to the wall is also sealed with a plaster mix using a serpyanka. Subsequently, you can glue the baguette there.

After drying, the entire surface of the ceiling is tightened with a thin layer - 2-3 mm - of the finishing putty. Here you will need skill, it is very difficult to carry out high-quality finishing of the entire ceiling without habit. You need to start with hard-to-reach corners and a niche for lighting. Do not forget to process the light holes as well. For finishing, it is worth looking for a plaster mix with additives that prevent the formation of mold.

Next, the backlit plasterboard ceiling box is treated with a painting net fixed in a special holder. Some people use fine-grained sandpaper for this purpose. This generates a large amount of gypsum dust, so reasonable people always keep a vacuum cleaner close at hand.

The quality of the processing should be checked using a narrow beam of light from a flashlight directed towards the ceiling at an acute angle. The slightest bumps and depressions will become visible. If you are preparing the ceiling for painting with water-based paints, such a check will come in handy.

Before finally finishing the ceiling, the masters recommend treating it with a primer. It makes sense to heed this advice, but the final decision is still yours.

The finishing touch will be the installation of a side for the lighting niche. Along the edge, a guide profile is screwed to the drywall with screws, in places where it is rounded, it is naturally cut to obtain a wavy structure. A sheet of gypsum board is cut into strips 6-7 cm wide and attached to the PNP, forming a side (clearly visible in the diagram above). All joints are carefully processed.

We embed lighting and illumination

If the electrical wiring is done correctly, we just need to connect point light sources to the connectors and insert them into the holes made in advance in the second level box. Then an LED strip or neon tube is placed in the niche. Recently, flexible neon has appeared on the market - progress does not stand still. It gives a bright and diffused glow without the need for a central chandelier. In addition, the service life of new tubes is quite long.

The scheme presented below will allow you to determine both the source of lighting between the levels of the ceiling, and the way it is placed in the niche. The diode tape is equipped with a power supply, which is also easily placed behind the side and is not conspicuous.

Better to use a monochrome LED strip. It is unlikely that the multicolored disco illumination before bedtime will contribute to normal rest. But the final choice, of course, is a purely individual matter …

Some designers believe that the rich blue color of lighting in the bedroom is not very appropriate. Therefore, you should listen to your own taste! And finally, some interesting photos of plasterboard ceilings with lighting in the bedroom, which you can try to bring to life on your own.

And remember: "The path of a thousand li begins with the first step!" (Chinese wisdom)

What you need to know about the room you sleep in

A bedroom is a place in which a person rests from the hustle and bustle of the past day and gains strength before the day to come. These are soft, soothing colors of walls, ceilings and furniture, muted and diffused lighting. This is a minimum of wave emissions from electronic devices that have a negative effect on the brain. This is good soundproofing, because background noises often prevent sleep and cause irritation. These are natural materials. And not only bed linen. The maximum number of items should be natural. Furniture, carpet on the floor, and the floor itself, and even the walls and ceiling.

Surrounded by natural materials, you can relax most effectively. And it is no coincidence that in modern interior decoration more and more people are choosing wall and ceiling cladding with plasterboard sheets. GKL have many advantages over other finishing materials.

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