Get creative with your ceiling

What you need to know:

Ceiling designs vary greatly, and home owners can be creative with that space above their heads

Ceilings have been with us for as long as we have had a roof over our heads. So, naturally, a proper ceiling in a key room can stamp a house with an indelible sense of character.

Joe Nuwamanya, an architectural designer and creative director at Creation Architects, says there are about seven types of panel ceilings namely, the cove ceiling, dropped ceiling, tray ceiling, popcorn ceiling, beam ceiling, acoustic ceiling and cathedral ceiling.

Tony Ahumuza, a design-build contractor, working with Tekton Works and Services Ltd, a construction services company explains that ceilings are non-structural elements on the underside of a roof or suspended slab, which can be constructed at a standard height or varying heights as per usage of space.

Importance of a ceiling
He explains that ceilings are as important on a house as the foundation. “In most cases, its used to conceal the underside of the roof structure; timber members, steel trusses, or subsequent upper slabs, which are made of solid reinforced concrete and composite slab.

Ceilings also conceal building services like electrical, plumbing and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).
“Ceilings also provide insulation against sound and heat from natural elements such as rain and the sun. They also can be used to make an average sized space appear spacious by altering heights as well as for decoration purposes,” he adds.

The different types of ceilings

TYPES OF CEILINGS

Gypsum board ceiling
What differentiates them are the materials used to construct them. “Of late we have had gypsum board, others prefer to call it plaster board or dry wall which is basically a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper,” Joe Nuwamanya, an architectural designer and creative director at Creation Architects, explains.

He says this type of ceiling is trending because it is affordable and will last for generations. Besides, he adds, it can be shaped into many different forms and it is good and easy to install.
Tony Ahumuza a design-build contractor, says most homes today have the cement and sand ceiling, commonly known as engalama.

Ahumuza observes that they are the conventional drywall ceiling types which are typically eight feet high, have an uncluttered, flat surface, and are easy to decorate since they’re reachable with a stepladder.

Drywall ceiling
The drywall ceiling is commonly used in commercial buildings and spaces like hotels, receptions, banking halls, restaurants, etc.
“However it has now been picked up by the middle class home owners to add a touch of class to their dwellings. Its increased usage is due to the ease of application suiting different forms and shapes,” Ahumuza adds.

Suspended and drop Ceiling
These two types of ceilings are common in commercial structures. They have a metal grid ceiling hanging below an existing flat ceiling connected by metallic hangers/wires. The grid is then filled out with acoustic panels.
The space in between them can be used to lay electrical wiring, plumbing among others.

Panel ceiling
Nuwamanya adds that there is the panel ceiling which is made of planks or panels that are cut, installed side-by-side and then stained or sealed to adorn flat or curved ceilings.

“They provide an elegant or cosy cottage feel. Although this ceiling is quite traditional, it can work in a contemporary home, depending on the wood style, paint or finish,” Nuwamanya explains.

Tin ceiling
Nuwamanya defines it as a traditional sheet of thin tin plates which are stamped with a design and snugly meshed. He explains, “Today, a faster way to achieve the tin look is to use a hand-painted finish, aluminium or plastic panels.

However, your ceiling must be at least 10 feet high to pull off the look, the riders lounge at the Village mall Bugolobi has such a ceiling.”

Tray ceiling
There is also the tray ceiling which the architect says is the most common kind of ceiling used in today’s homes.
This ceiling has a recessed midsection that’s higher than the perimeter wall, which provides a sense of spaciousness.

Popcorn ceiling
This type is a lumpy off-white ceilings which are commonly sprayed or plastered. Applying this finish to a ceiling is quick and often cheaper than painting. The thick spray could cover flaws such as uneven ceiling lines, shoddy workmanship or watermarks.

Beam ceiling
Beam ceiling is the type with exposed beams or joists, often in a dark mahogany or muvule finishing. “They’re arranged horizontally and generally intersect at various points. They provide a masculine or rustic elegance.

This ceiling can give your home historic detail and provide a sense of warmth. But this type of ceiling requires custom installation, which can be costly.

An example of this type is at the food court at the Village mall Bugolobi,” Nuwagaba further explains.

Cathedral ceilings
Ahumuza says the cathedral/church ceiling is where the underlying ceiling follows the pitch/angle of the roof. This gives the ceiling a sufficient height therefore, dwarfing human proportions.

The design architect adds that the church ceiling can be applied to spaces where emphasis is needed like at the entrances and living rooms.

CONSIDERATIONS

Before choosing a ceiling, there are certain factors you need to consider. Tony Ahumuza, a design-build contractor, says top of such factors is your budget. “The amount of money an individual is willing to spend is always a guiding factor in choosing the ceiling type.” This is followed by the availability of materials. For the case of Uganda, materials such as timber, sand and cement are readily available.

“However, gypsum and suspended ceilings are not readily available that is why they are used by a few home builders and commercial residential complexes,” Ahumuza adds.

Room Usage is another important factor. “The intended usage of the different spaces, for example, a lounge can have a different ceiling type from that of a bedroom. For commercial purposes, the ceiling at the reception area should be different from the one in the office space,” Ahumuza observes.

He also points out that room size/span can also determine the type of ceiling. Large areas such as conference rooms require extra attention as compared to small rooms

“The overall concept or theme is important. The architect or interior designer could have an overall theme for that particular building hence the ceiling type also bases on that building services like electrical, plumbing and HVAC. This applies for both commercial and residential structures even if the range of services is different,” he adds.

Joe Nuwamanya, an architectural designer and creative director at Creation Architects observes that with the right kind of design professional you can have any kind of ceiling in your home.
He adds that it is important to consider that ceiling designs vary greatly, and homeowners can be creative with that space above their heads.

“There are plenty of great ceiling styles that can transform an otherwise ordinary space into an extraordinary canvas for décor opportunity. In many ways, the ceiling sets the tone for the entire space. That said before I choose a ceiling I would think about the cost and material to be used,” Nuwamanya notes.

Advice
Quality matters. If you have money, you should go for something in between great value for money and also a bit different. Gypsum board ceiling and a cathedral ceiling would go a long way to improve your interiors or better still, the beam ceiling, which will expose some of your expensive roof timber structure and give the room character.

Use professionals. With the right kind of design professional, you can have any kind of ceiling in your home.