CEILING
PROVISION OF CEILINGS
CEILINGS
A ceiling is a part of a building which encloses
and is exposed overhead in a room.
Ceilings help create enclosure of and separation
between spaces, they help to control the diffusion
of light and sound around a room, and help
prevent the passage of sound between rooms.
Functional requirements
Ceilings should:
be durable enough to withstand changes in
climate and temperature
conform to the building regulation code and
fire rating of internal products
provide structural fire protection to steel
beams supporting the concrete floor
provide the required sound and thermal
insulation
be easy to construct, repair, clean and
maintain
impart aesthetic value to property
Classification of ceilings
There is no standard
classification of ceilings
Some are classified by their
functions e.g. acoustic ceilings;
some classified by materials
used e.g. drywall ceilings
Classification by method of
construction is however the most
common method of classification.
Types of ceilings
Conventional ceilings
Suspended ceilings
Drywall ceilings
Tightly attached ceilings
Exposed ceilings
Acoustical ceilings
Radiant chilled ceilings
Convective ceilings
Integrated service modules
1. Conventional ceilings
Boards are fixed to the underside of
upper floor or ceiling joists with
galvanized or sherardized nails.
Depending on the ceiling board type
the finish can be gypsum plaster or
mere painting.
If boards are not plastered the joints
between boards are covered with
timber cover strips and coved
cornice when the board meets the
wall.
CONVECTIONAL
2. Suspended ceilings/
Dropped ceilings/False
ceilings
These are secondary ceilings suspended from
the structure above such as typical roof or roof
slab creating a void between the underside of
the slab or roof and the ceiling top.
The void can be useful by providing a space for
the distribution of (HVAC) services, plumping
and electrical wiring services
Three types:
Jointless suspended ceiling;
Panelled suspended ceiling; and
Decorative and open suspended ceiling.
Jointless suspended ceiling.
Provide a continuous jointless
surface.
They may be selected to fulfil
fire resistance requirements or
to provide a robust form of
suspended ceiling.
The plaster board is supported
by a thick layer of mild steel
hung from the structural soffit
for strength.
Paneled suspended ceiling.
Consists of a suspended grid
frame to which ceiling covering is
attached.
Covering can be a tray, tile or a
board.
The metal used for the grid frame
is T-shaped to enable easy fitting of
the panels.
This is the most commonly used
type.
.
.
Decorative and open suspended
ceilings
These usually consist of an open
grid or suspended shape onto
which the lights may be fixed at,
above or below ceiling level.
These lights create a decorative
and illuminated effect.
Their main purpose is to impart
aesthetical value on the building.
.
3. Exposed ceilings
This is when all the structural and
mechanical systems are left exposed,
either in their natural state or painted.
This can offer the economical benefits
and ease the access for maintenance
and can also expose the thermal mass
of a building
Can also give an attractive aesthetic
effect if left exposed on the space
below e.g. timber beams, concrete
slabs, space trusses.
Exposed ceiling
4. DRY WALL CIELINGS
Drywall (also known as
plasterboard, wallboard, gypsum
panel, or gypsum board) is a panel
made of calcium sulphate dehydrate
(gypsum) with or without additives
and normally pressed between a
facer and a backer.
It is used to make interior walls and
ceilings.
The structure of the ceiling can be
made of either wood studs or of
metal studs.
The ceiling frame must be level for it
to have a pleasant appearance and in
time the joints between the drywall
boards won’t crack.
In the picture below the drywall
ceiling is installed on a metal stud
frame, but it can be installed on
drywall boards or wood studs as
Install mineral wool
insulation and an anti-vapor foil,
for both saving energy and
ensuring a long lifespan for the
drywall ceiling.
The anti-vapor foil can be
installed on a double adhesive
tape or can be locked with staples.
The main aspect is to make sure
the foil is fixed properly and it
doesn’t make folds.
Drive in the screws, making sure
their heads are aligned with the
drywall surface.
After installing the drywall
ceiling, the joints are finished by
applying putty and drywall paper.
This step is essential for a neat
look.
Drywall Textures
a. Mud swirl
This texture is used most often on
ceilings but occasionally is seen on
the walls of apartment buildings.
A swirl texture, as its name implies,
leaves a swirled pattern of half
circles across the ceiling.
A variation of this texture uses
silica sand to create a rough look to
the swirled drywall mud.
Mud swirl
b. Hawk and trowel
The terms hawk and trowel refer to
two tools used in plaster stucco
(exterior finish composed of
cement, sand, and hydrated lime
mixed with water) and cement
finishing applications.
The material is moved from the
hawk to the wall with a quick
motion scraping the material onto
the trowel and subsequently to the
Hawk and trowel
c. Popcorn Texture
Also known as sprayed acoustic texture,
popcorn textures have the appearance of
popped corn thus the nickname.
Spraying popcorn texture requires the
use of a special texture sprayer.
Popcorn textures have Styrofoam (a kind
of expanded polystyrene) as well as other
materials added to the drywall mud
mixture to create the puffy appearance.
A spray gun is used to spray popcorn
texture
Popcorn Texture
5. Tightly attached ceilings
Ceilings made of materials like
gypsum, plasterboard, and tongue
and grooved timber maybe attached
tightly to timber joists or rafters,
steel joists or concrete slabs.
Services, for example vents,
conduits and pipes and other
obstructions protrude through the
plane of the ceiling.
Tightly attached ceilings
6. Acoustical ceilings
These are made from fibrous
material that absorbs solar energy
unlike plaster and gypsum ceilings
They do not necessarily reduce
the transmission of sound
between spaces but rather they
reduce the amount that reflects
back into the space.
Acoustical ceilings
[Link] Chilled Ceilings
These typically incorporate a
network of chilled water coils in
ceiling panels with insulation
above.
The ceiling surface then cools the
occupied space by both radiation
and convection.
This provides even temperatures
throughout the space and avoids
draughts.
Radiant Chilled Ceilings
[Link] chilled
ceilings.
These vary on radiant chilled ceilings in the
way that the network of chilled water pipes
incorporates fins increasing the proportion of
cooling that is provided by convection.
[Link] service module
These are sometimes referred to as multi
service chilled beams
Integrated service module are a form of
factory chilled beam that incorporates other
services in addition to cooling for example
lighting, speakers, sprinklers, passive
infrared sensors and many others.
Question
Identify and describe the major parts of a
conventional ceiling
