False Ceiling Ideas

1. When another ceiling is installed beneath the original, it is referred to as a drop ceiling, suspended ceiling or false ceiling. Its purpose is to hide such things as the heating and air-conditioning ductwork, wiring, pipes and anything else that needs to run from one area to the next. Other reasons for installing a false ceiling are thermal insulation, soundproofing or something to accommodate a change in lighting, such as recessed lights.

Metal Strips

2. You can buy long metal strips in a variety of colors to add a different dimension to your ceiling. These have a base piece that hangs from the original ceiling and the metal strips latch into the base. The final result is very streamlined and without gaps.

Pressed Metal Panels

3. Pressed metal includes tin, aluminum, copper and any other metal you can think of that has been made into a panel for the ceiling. Some manufacturers have started making an interlocking grid that the tiles slide into. When that isn't available, use the traditional metal suspended ceiling grid, with some modifications to adjust for the size of the metal panels. Another option is to use strips of wood that the metal panels can be tacked onto.

Fiberboard Panels

4. This is what most people think of when they think of ceiling panels and false ceilings. They are called fiberboard because they are made from a mix of fibers from wood or cane and chemical binders that are pressed into flat panels. These are typically installed by resting them on a metal grid installed across the entire ceiling. Special chemical treatments can also be added to these for fireproofing and moisture resistance.