Ceilings are experiencing a bit of a renaissance lately. Most of us have grown tired of the popcorn ceilings that dominated the interior design scene for the past handful of decades and moved on to more interesting materials.
Metal ceiling design provides us with seemingly endless options when it comes to the look and sound of our interior spaces.
This combination makes it the perfect complement to both classical and contemporary design elements, and delivers great sound that enhances communication and makes our media more enjoyable.
The Rise of Metal Ceiling Design
Housing developers have defaulted to the most economical options when it came to building materials for a half century or longer. Drywall was easy to come by and a simple popcorn treatment would give it enough texture to satisfy the vast majority of consumers.
But now, with all the options on the market, many of us are shifting toward materials that are more aesthetically pleasing, durable, environmentally friendly, or that strike some balance among these traits. Metal ceiling design has become a frontrunner in the race to replace our outdated ceilings as a result. Let’s look at some reasons why more and more people are choosing a metal ceiling for modern homes.
Ease of Installation
One thing that makes metal ceiling design so popular is that the tiles are incredibly easy to install yourself. This means that you can save your labor dollars and spend them on an upgraded set of metal ceiling panels, trim, or anything else that will complete your design the way you want.
Most often, metal ceiling installation simply requires that we either attach tiles directly to the existing ceiling or to suspend a grid system and lay panels directly into the empty slots in the grid. If the room already has a solid metal grid ceiling system from a previous drop ceiling, you may not even have to replace it. Simply replace the panels and you’re set.
Durability
Metal is also an incredibly durable material, meaning your metal ceiling design is sure to last a long time. Metal is naturally resistant to damage caused by impacts, pests, mold, and mildew, so it works wonderfully in a range of applications.
Acoustic Performance
Even though metal is traditionally considered a less than ideal material when it comes to acoustics, modern metal ceiling tiles can be designed to improve the acoustical performance of the space they’re in. This is most often accomplished through tiny holes drilled through the tiles themselves.
Microperforated metal ceiling tiles improve acoustic performance by allowing sound waves to travel through the tiny holes, or microperforations, and trapping many of them overhead. This allows microperforated metal ceiling tiles to absorb many of the sound waves that would otherwise bounce endlessly around the room, all without the need for an acoustical backer.
Microperforated metal ceiling tiles allow our metal ceiling designs to perform just as admirably acoustically as they do aesthetically.
Range of Design Options
The sheer number of options available on the market means we have a wide range of metal ceiling design ideas to choose from. Whether we’re looking for a sleek and contemporary design or something to accent historic spaces with a style that matches the period, we can get there with metal ceiling design elements.
Incorporating Metal Elements in Ceiling Design
With all the different materials available for creating metal ceiling designs, we have some decisions to make before we get started. The specific choices we make in the initial design phase will impact the final feel of the project. Let’s look at some different types of metal ceiling styles, as well as how the finer details, like patterns and finishes can really set them off.
Metal Ceiling Tiles
One of the most popular and easy to implement metal ceiling styles involve small metal ceiling tiles that are mounted directly to the true ceiling. This is a popular type of metal ceiling for industrial styles or for historical buildings like bars and restaurants. Metal ceiling tiles are also available in a very wide range of textures, finishes, and sizes, meaning you can likely find a solution for your metal ceiling design, no matter what it is.
One downside though, is that metal ceiling tiles often do not contribute to the greatest acoustics. Metal is an incredibly hard and reflective surface, meaning that if you don’t take that into account, the room may experience more echo and reverberation than you would like. A wonderful solution to this problem are microperforated metal ceiling tiles.
Microperforated Metal Ceiling Tiles
If you’re looking for something that gives you an acoustical boost, microperforated metal ceiling tiles are a great option. Not only do the perforations help control things like echo and reverberation, but the panels come in a range of sleek and contemporary metal ceiling finishes that allow them to match any modern interior design scheme.
Microperforated metal ceiling tiles can also make an impressive statement when used with coffered ceilings. Simply replacing the old recessed panels with microperforated metal delivers a modern look with an added boost to the room’s acoustics.
Exposed Metal Beams
If you have a vaulted ceiling, or running metal ceiling tiles in your office space all the way up or cutting the room short both may negatively impact the look of the room. An effective way to add metal elements to the ceiling in this type of space is with exposed metal beams that form part of the support structure.
Coffered ceilings can create the same issues when incorporating metal ceiling design elements. A metal beam ceiling can provide your coffered ceiling with a creative and contemporary alternative to wood.
Metal Trim and Moldings
Even accenting more traditional ceiling styles with metal trim or moldings can spice them up a bit with the sleek and shiny look of metal. For example, pairing dark woods with polished metal accents can create a sense of luxury and depth that is hard to achieve with other options.
On the other hand, pairing those same polished metal accents with light and natural tones creates a fresh and modern look. The right pairing of traditional building materials with metal trim and moldings can go a very long way to creating something special.
Maintaining Metal Ceiling Elements
As durable as they may be, metal ceiling design elements require maintenance to look and perform their best in the long run. Metal ceiling maintenance is a fairly simple and straightforward procedure, and keeping on top of this routine maintenance will prevent bigger problems down the road.
First, almost all metal ceiling design elements will benefit from regular, periodic cleaning. Simply dusting them occasionally to remove loose dust and dirt will go a long way toward keeping them looking great. If you need something more substantial, you can wipe them clean with a soft cloth and a solution of water and mild soap.
Be sure to dry them with a clean, dry cloth afterward to prevent any rust of water spots. If you notice any damage or rust beginning to affect the look of the metal, you will need to roll your sleeves up to salvage it. If the rust is very minor, you can simply sand the rust out with a very fine-grit sandpaper or emery cloth until smooth. Clean it up and add a primer, and it’s ready for repainting. If the rust is more severe or may lead to structural integrity problems, you will either have to replace the elements or bring in a professional to make sure everything is safe.
In the case of metal ceiling tiles or panels, this most often involves simply replacing the affected panels with new ones. If you keep on top of your routine cleaning and maintenance, your metal ceiling design elements should last a very long time without the need to repair or replace them. Try to make this a habit.
Choose a Reputable Dealer
If you want the most impressive results out of your metal ceiling design project, it’s important that you start with the best materials. Your metal ceiling’s cost should reflect its quality, so going with your cheapest option will often deliver the cheapest looking results, and often come with undesirable acoustical qualities.
Choosing higher quality materials will increase the cost in the short run, but will save you money in unnecessary materials and replacement costs down the road. A reputable dealer can point you in the right direction on materials and help ensure your metal ceiling design project moves along smoothly.