Plaster Ceiling Designs: The Goods & Bads

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Ceiling designs are great additions to any home. A ceiling design may solve a number of problems, from improved acoustics to wire concealment. One of the most common ceiling designs is plaster ceiling which will be the main focus throughout this article.

What is a Plaster Ceiling Design?

A variety of purposes can be served by plaster ceilings. These plasterboard ceilings are secured by a metal frame. They provide homes a more polished and sophisticated appearance, and intricate carvings can also be incorporated into them. Plaster ceilings are frequently used to conceal cables and tubes, particularly those associated with lighting and air conditioners. However, they can also be inserted purely for aesthetic reasons.

What are Plaster Ceilings Made Of?

Nowadays, artificial ceilings used in buildings are made of plasterboard ceiling. Plasterboard ceilings are constructed by blending casting powder, sometimes known as gypsum, with fibre threads that keep the board together.

Plasterboard ceiling pieces are typically 4ft x 6ft in size. These are raised into position, and smaller sections are cut to suit the ceiling’s sides where they meet the wall.

What are The Many Varieties of Ceilings?

First, let’s take a look at plaster ceiling design types:

Gypsum:

Gypsum plasters are durable and easy to install due to their lightweightness. They are also well-known for their fire resistance.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Great levelled finish	Not suitable for curved surfaces
Easy to install	Susceptible to moisture
Fire resistant	Low shelf life

Plaster of Paris (POP):

This long-lasting material is ideal for ceilings with delicate work or unusual forms and patterns. It is more affordable compared to sand cement plaster, but more expensive than cement or cement lime plaster.

Advantages	Disadvantages
It is light in weight	Relatively expensive
It forms a thick surface to resist common knocks after drying	Expert workmanship is required for accurate installation
It can easily be moulded into any shape	Cannot be used in humid climate

For comparison, here are other types of ceiling materials:

Wood:

Wooden ceiling pieces offer just the correct amount of warmth to a room. However, because hardwood ceilings expand and shrink in humid environments, they might be problematic. As a result, the ceiling may distort or crack.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Sustainable	Not water resistant
Aesthetic look	Fungi can appear
Texture variations	Must be careful of termites

Metal:

These ceilings are made of one of the toughest and most lasting materials available. This material, however, is prone to corrosion.

Advantages	Disadvantages
High durability	Can be pricey
Long life span	Needs professional guidance
Moisture resistant	Needs extra care

Why Choose a Plaster Ceiling Design?

The main motive for installing a plaster ceiling is to conceal something. The majority of the electrical wiring and plumbing pipes in most residential dwellings are installed into the concrete flooring and within the walls.

More ducting will need to run along your ceiling if you install air conditioning. Also, when additional lighting spots are added, more cables must be run along the ceiling.

Finally, if you wish to install a ceiling fan, it must be hung from the concrete subfloor. The ceiling becomes cluttered as a result, with electrical wire for fans and lighting, ducting for air conditioning units, and plumbing lines. plaster ceilings are installed to conceal all of this. 

A plaster ceiling, on the other hand, may accomplish much more than merely conceal items. It may be utilised to significantly improve the look of any room’s interior design. With plaster ceilings, you can ensure your home reflects modernity at a very reasonable price.

5 Things To Consider Before Installing Plaster Ceiling Design

The Interval Space

This should be one of the first topics you address with your contractor. If you intend to place cassette air conditioning units, you should leave at least 35 cm between the existing ceiling and the new plaster ceiling layer.

Even if you do not intend to install cassette air conditioners, you must provide adequate room for any tubes, pipes, or cables to be easily accessible in the event that repair or maintenance is required. If there is nothing in between, the distance can be reduced.

The Ceiling’s Height

If the ceiling is excessively low, the space may feel tiny and claustrophobic. You should also account for any chandeliers, ceiling fans, or other hanging fixtures.

Plastering Ceiling Materials

Plasterboards, which are formed of gypsum or casting powder combined with fibres that keep the material together, are used to create a plaster ceiling. Typically, these planks are attached to a wood or aluminium frame. They can take on diverse forms and even bend in certain places. It may also be stacked to create other effects.

These plasterboards are trimmed to suit the end of the ceiling and come in conventional sizes. Asbestos was once used in replacing plaster. 

Adding Lights

By installing concealed lights, you can make your plaster ceiling seem elegantly trendy and contemporary. They can be placed on the perimeter, but the current trend is to place them over core shapes. These concealed lights are frequently LEDs that come in a variety of colours. White, off-white, warm white, and cold white lights are the most prevalent. These are appropriate for establishing a comfortable, sophisticated mood.

You may always explore with other colours to create a more exciting and unique atmosphere. Small embedded spotlights can be put throughout the plaster ceiling in contrast to hidden running lights. 

Ceiling Painting

After the plaster ceilings have been completed, they are painted. White is often used, however various colours can be employed in particular interiors. However, try to keep your chosen colours bright as dark colours might make the space look smaller.

Plaster ceilings are precisely like walls, so you may cover them with wallpaper or fabric if you want to give the space a more royal feel.

How Are Plaster Ceilings Installed?

A ceiling frame is required before the plasterboard ceiling can be put. This frame is often built of aluminium.

The plasterboard ceiling is easily hoisted up and screwed into the ceiling frame after the ceiling frame is in position. Once all of the plasterboard ceilings are in place, the gaps between them are covered with scrim, which is a type of jute cloth or plastic tape.

Following that, a smoothing coat of plaster is placed on the whole ceiling. The artificial ceiling is finally painted.

How Do Plaster Ceilings Help Your Interior Design?

Plaster ceilings are a type of interior design in addition to covering unsightly wiring. The designer may create diverse lighting effects by combining different forms and cross-sections to provide aesthetic appeal to your home.

You might, for example, place L-boxes along each wall of the room. A recessed space for LED lighting may be added along each L-box. This is to make a light trough or cove lighting. Cove lighting sends light towards the ceiling and bounces it down, creating an equal, glare-free light.

You may also install a plaster ceiling in the centre of the room, then elevate it around the borders and add lights to make pelmets.

Is Plaster Ceiling Even Required?

Plaster ceilings may improve the aesthetics of any area. A plaster ceiling could be important if you want extra light in the space. Plaster ceilings, however, may appear to be a luxury rather than a requirement in modern interior design. If you’re still on the fence about adding a plaster ceiling, read on to compare and contrast and weigh your decision.

The Benefits of a Plaster Ceiling

Excellent Acoustics

Adding another layer to the original ceiling improves the acoustics of a room. This makes it an ideal interior design concept for living rooms, home theatres, and AV rooms where movie watching or music listening is the predominant activity.

Conceals Wires

If you have a tangle of cables on your ceiling or around the walls, a plaster ceiling is an excellent spot to conceal them. Sunken or concealed lights can also be installed in a plaster ceiling. This provides lighting without the need for extra fixtures or wiring.

Brings High Ceilings Down

This completely aesthetic improvement allows you to modify the appearance of your property without compromising its construction.

Keeps The Room Warm

This has the extra benefit of insulating rooms for residences in colder parts of the country. The extra layer forms a space between itself and the previous layer, trapping air and cooling the space. It also improves the performance of air conditioners. Due to the fact that it minimises the square footage required to keep cool and reduces energy costs.

An Enduring Quality

Plaster can develop minor stress fractures over time, but this is usually due to incorrect installation, which can be avoided by having the plaster installed by a professional in the first place. Because of its longevity, plaster is perfect for public-use structures that must endure generations, such as for decades or even centuries, for instance, libraries, government buildings, and university buildings.

Challenges of a Plaster Ceiling Installation

Installation Requires Professional Expertise.

Despite the ordinary material utilised, installing a plaster ceiling is far from a do-it-yourself activity. It necessitates precision in design, calculation, and installation and should only be installed by professionals. You may also want advice on extra support and wiring depending on the form and specifics of your ceiling.

Impossible in Low-Ceiling Spaces

It is always advised that the ceiling height be around 10 feet or higher since it must be at least 8 inches away from the initial wall. This might be a disadvantage for small houses. Because too much detail on the ceiling might make the area appear confined. However, there is a solution: owners of tiny homes might choose a part ceiling in a corner of the room. A wall or TV console can also be extended to the ceiling to add dimension.

What Is The Cost of a Plasterboard Ceiling in Malaysia?

Prices for a flat plasterboard ceiling generally start at about RM4 per square foot. If you wish to add more sophisticated forms, L-boxes, or cove lighting, the cost might rise to RM15 – 20 per square foot.

Final Thoughts

Plaster ceilings are a popular choice among many people since they significantly alter a home’s appearance. Most flats or homes have beams that run across the ceiling in different portions of the house. Certain designs feature a very deep beam, which may be quite unsightly. Ceiling plaster is an excellent technique to conceal them. This style of ceiling allows for the installation of down lights or recessed lights, which can help to eliminate harsh lighting.

Plaster was created to survive for centuries, making it significantly more robust than current drywall. Many ancient homes still have their natural plaster, and it is in excellent shape with no additional upkeep necessary. When drywall is pounded too hard by furniture or a hammer, it can quickly disintegrate and develop holes. It is also readily damaged by water and fire. Plaster, on the other hand, dries to a highly hard surface that is difficult to harm. It is fire resistant and does not have as many water damage issues. 

So, after reading this article, we hope you have your doubts cleared! Prior to installing plaster ceilings in your home, it is advisable to consult an interior designer who can determine what type best suits your home.