Few people would like to have a bare ceiling at homes or offices and would prefer to have some kind of decorative texture added to it that beautifies the interior. The concept of beautifying homes with textured ceilings led to the enormous popularity of popcorn ceilings, also known as acoustic ceiling and cottage cheese ceiling. During the 70s and 80s, it was a rage to have popcorn ceilings at homes not only because it looked nice but also is an ideal foil to imperfections on the ceiling that remained concealed under the sprayed texture of various patterns. A typical popcorn ceiling has a bumpy and rough texture, and it can be a cheaper way to finish the ceiling.
But as times changed, popcorn ceilings fell out of favor because at the beginning it contained asbestos that people later realized was a dangerous material as it had carcinogenic properties that can cause cancer besides severe respiratory problems. The era of popcorn ceiling removal began in the eighties, and today popcorn ceilings are asbestos-free completely. However, homes that still carry the legacy of popcorn ceilings have started looking for solutions that could minimize the risks. According to Popcorn Ceiling Solution New Jersey, there are only two solutions available – after covering the popcorn ceiling with drywall and tape, you can paint it or paint the ceiling after scraping popcorn ceiling paint and skim coat.
The removal process is messy, time-consuming and costly
Handling hazardous material like asbestos requires special protection of the people on the job, and they must have proper safety training. Scraping is one way to remove popcorn ceilings, and the process generates lots of dust that creates a new hazard for the people working on the project as well as the residents. The people working on the project might use some protective gear like the face mask, full sleeve apparel, gloves, and goggles but the residents cannot avoid the harmful exposure as dust spreads all around and sits on all the objects kept in the room. Indeed, you would cover all items in the room to save it from dust, but it will settle on the covers and continue to pose the risk of exposure. Spraying the ceiling before scraping reduces dust generation but still, the mess remains.
Issues with lighting
Overhead lights look very good, but unfortunately, popcorn paint sprayed over the ceilings may not have the provision for accommodating it, and it is simply not possible to improve the lighting of rooms that have popcorn ceilings. Having popcorn ceilings over concrete would mean that you must settle for less than adequate lighting as you do not have the flexibility of installing overhead lights in the way you want to enjoy good living. This can reduce the pleasure of living in a well lit up home.
Condos are no better in this respect because you cannot channel into the concrete slab to run the electrical wiring as the housing society does not permit it because drilling channels in the concrete slab can weaken it. This puts an end to your desire of installing recessed lighting that looks beautiful. Apartment owners must live with the original lighting plan in order to abide by the rules of living, and it denies them of adapting trendy lights during a home upgrade.
Stretch fabric ceiling is the solution
To do away with the problems of replacing popcorn ceilings by scraping or drywall painting an easier solution is to leave the ceiling intact and cover it with a stretch fabric ceiling system that completely covers up for any limitations of the existing ceiling. The stretch ceiling consists of PVC membrane that you can install just an inch below the existing ceiling (concrete/popcorn) and effectively conceal the ugly looks that had been a concern for you. In addition, it creates a barrier to asbestos that your existing ceiling may contain.
The space left between the existing ceiling and the stretch ceiling fabric is useful for running electrical wires on the concrete and accomplish the task of installing any type of pendant light fittings, including LED recessed lights.
Stretch fabric ceiling gives you the freedom of lighting up your home with trendy light fittings without any concern because the limitations of popcorn ceilings and the rules of condo living are effectively circumvented.
Endless possibilities in creativity
Stretch fabric ceilings open up endless creative possibilities as you can break the stereotypes of ceiling textures and create any design on the ceiling. You can digitally print the stretch fabric with the image or design that seems most befitting whether it is the reproduction of some timeless artistic creation of the master artists of the yesteryears or something related to modern artistic creations. The high-quality printing can create the most stunning images and designs that not only make the home interiors look gorgeous but also display your taste and style.
Easy to clean and requires no maintenance
Once you install the stretch fabric ceiling, except for cleaning it periodically, it does not require any maintenance. Just as you would care for any painted wall or one covered with wallpaper, you must do the same for the ceiling. Printed stretch ceilings are even easier to clean than white walls or white fabric ceiling, and the interval of cleaning will also be longer as the painted surface does not get dirty quickly.
Eco-friendly solution
Installing stretch fabric ceiling means you are doing something good for the environment because only safe UV resistant ink is used for printing the fabric. It is completely non-toxic and safe for use at any place in the home, including the kids’ room.
You can use any type of PVC film as the material for the ceiling because of the convenience of printing any image or design on it by using the technique of digital printing and achieve the desired finish in matte, gloss or satin. However, glossy pictures can appear slightly distorted after printing.
Stretch ceiling systems are so versatile that you can use it anywhere and in any space, whether it is residential or commercial.
