There are several ceiling panel applications – not just for bathrooms.
Although bathrooms are the most common use for ceiling panels many householders have used them in lots of different rooms around the home. There are some who have even replaced all of their ceilings with panelling to provide a low-maintenance solution for the whole home.
Some panels lend themselves to use in living areas better than others. Matt finish ceiling panels are preferred in living areas while gloss panels are preferred in bathrooms and kitchens.
Kitchen Ceilings
Kitchens put even more strain on a ceiling than a bathroom.
On top of the large amounts of steam from cooking it also has to deal with greasy deposits. PVC panels have a smooth, glossy or matt surface impervious to grease. The vast majority have a completely smooth surface so when it comes to cleaning, they just need a wipe over with a soft cloth and some kitchen cleaner (check with the panel manufacturer with regard to what products they recommend or discourage).
Kitchens tend to be bigger than bathrooms on the whole. So the manufacturers make longer-length panels with this in mind. If you are unable to find long enough panels you can either use a joining strip or run the panels across the room rather than along it.
They are very easy to install and work well with sunken lighting to provide a modern, easy to live with ceiling that will look great for years.
Bathroom Ceilings
Bathroom ceilings are the most frequently used application for ceiling panels
Why?
Well, they have many attributes that make them just about perfect for use in these areas.
Baths and showers give off huge amounts of steam and condensation. If you have tried to use a mirror after a shower, you will see how much moisture is in the air.
That moisture poses no problem on the glass surface of a mirror, but some surfaces struggle to cope with getting wet. Painted plaster is one such material. Mould spots can occur and paint can start to flake if moisture gets under the paint.
The surface of PVC panels is completely impervious to water so you can see why they are the ideal choice for bathroom ceilings.
Utility Room Ceilings
Moisture can cause havoc around the home. It will get carried throughout the property unless it is extracted. If it remains in the house it will condense on any cold surface it comes into contact with. This is why you tend to see mould spots on cold, south-facing walls and ceilings or in parts of rooms far away from radiators.
Certain rooms produce so much condensation that it can form on warmer surfaces and start to wreak havoc. Utility rooms are one such example.
Washing machines duct all of their water out through the pipework so the main culprit for causing condensation here is the tumble drier. There are two types of drier: vented and condenser.
It is the condenser type that causes the problems. Imagine a pile of washing that you have taken out of the washing machine. It is heavy because it is so full of water. Put that load into a condensing tumble drier and all of that water is ejected back into the room. You can see why they can cause mould issues.
Fitting panels to your ceiling in a utility room will prevent mould spots from forming. But you might want to consider some form of extraction to prevent the moist air from causing problems elsewhere in the home. Or better still switch to a vented tumble drier and duct all that moisture straight outside.
Ceilings In Living Areas
So far we have been looking at how well ceiling panels perform in areas of high humidity and moisture. Their PVC construction makes them perfectly suited for use in these environments. But there is another feature that makes ceiling panels highly regarded: they look amazing.
Not all ceiling panels lend themselves o use in living areas. There’s nothing stopping you from fitting gloss white panels in a living room but it would be more usual to see something with a matt finish, rather a gloss finish, in these areas.
There are panels designed with this in mind.
One design that is ever popular for use on living area ceilings is woodgrain.
Parana pine ceilings used to be very popular in the 70’s but the look fell out of favour. People wanted a much lighter-coloured ceiling and painting a wooden ceiling just results in more maintenance. So panel manufacturers came up with PVC versions that would never require painting and would stay looking good for years.
Some of these panels have a textured wood grain to them while others were completely smooth. Both are ideal for living areas with bedrooms, hallways, dining rooms and living areas all suitable recipients.
Installation of ceiling panels is quick, clean and easy. They can be installed over existing ceiling coverings, therefore, saving time and money in the process. They provide a modern, easy-to-clean, easy to live with surface that will look good for years and years.
Other Ceiling Panel Applications
Cloakrooms – light and airy so therefore a perfect solution in a small room
Indoor Swimming Pools – longer length panels work really well here
Narrow Boats – cutting the back of the panels helps them follow the curved ceiling
Caravans – the light construction and a degree of insulation make them ideal