In the XXI century, a unique way of decorating the ceiling appeared, which saves energy on its alignment and painting - these are stretch ceilings. But on it, as on a regular ceiling, there is a need to install lighting fixtures. Placing evening lighting lamps on a stretch ceiling is not an easy task, but a doable task.
Features of the
At first glance, it may seem that absolutely any lamps can be attached to stretch ceilings, but everything is not so simple here. The coating itself is designed for a specific temperature effect, therefore, built-in lamps have a number of features. They can be roughly divided into 3 categories. They are point, LED and energy saving. Spot lamps are specialized and are produced specifically for the above ceilings. The supporting body is made of a safe thermal material that does not spread the heat from the filament to the ceiling surface. Such lamps look good in all rooms, the main thing is to think over their future location in advance, since the cut hole cannot be returned back.
LED bulbs give an even light that can be changed in color (on some models). Like point ones, they practically do not heat up and give a rather powerful stream of light. The only thing is that such lamps are much more expensive. As for the energy-saving ones, their name speaks for itself. At their core, these are ordinary lamps that have special lamps inside. They will help you save on electricity without sacrificing lighting.
A distinctive feature of specialized lamps for stretch ceilings is low thermal conductivity, so that the polyvinyl chloride canvas does not heat up and does not emit unpleasant odors when the light is on in the room.
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As a rule, when installing a stretch ceiling, craftsmen can immediately offer various types of lamps that are most suitable for the room. These lighting fixtures are divided into several categories, namely by shape, color, type of attachment and the type of the bulb itself.
The following groups are distinguished by the type of attachment:
- Suspended From the name itself, it is clear that lamps or chandeliers are suspended on a special hook, which was mounted on a specific place in the ceiling. Usually such a mount is intended for large crystal or glass chandeliers. Before installing the lamp, a ring is installed on the slot in the cover so that the material does not creep and has a beautiful and neat edge. Track lights are referred to as pendant structures. They are also called bus bars, since the lighting fixtures themselves are attached to the busbar trunking. Such a system is convenient in that you can move the lamp to the place where there is not enough light. Most often, such lighting is done in cafes, galleries, museums, etc.
- Overhead Installation of these devices is carried out in several stages. Before installing the ceiling, wiring is laid, which will provide electricity to the future lamp. Then the ceiling is stretched and the body rings are glued in the places marked in advance, inside which the canvas is cut out. It turns out that the lamps themselves are installed on the tensioning material itself. It is very important to choose the correct power of the lighting fixtures, as the coating can melt from high temperatures.
The price of such devices is quite low and equally lower than that of pendant lamps.
Embedded. Luminaires of this type have a similar installation principle, with the exception of an additional mounting with springs. After preparatory work, the luminaire is installed in a specially designated hole. The spring located there straightens and tightly fixes the lamp so that it is tightly held in the apiary. This type of fastening allows you to create the feeling of a monolithic coating on the ceiling. This solution is suitable for absolutely all rooms and premises, and the pleasant price fully corresponds to the result obtained
Ceiling lighting is also divided according to the number of light sources. There are spot lamps and cascading lamps. From the name it is clear that spotlights are designed to accommodate one base and one bulb. One such lamp does not give much light. Therefore, it is necessary to install at least 3-5 of them so that it is light. As a rule, they are installed in corridors or around the perimeter of the room. As for cascade lamps, there are several of them on one body. This is convenient because a small lighting fixture can produce a large flux of directed light. The price for such devices is considerable, but there are very beautiful and sophisticated models.
Lighting devices can also be classified by the type of light bulb itself. Allocate:
- LED, or LED lamps. Today, such a light bulb is one of the most environmentally friendly. The stream of light produced can be white and cold, or yellow and warm. Moreover, such lamps can be energy-saving. They are most often used for stretch ceilings due to the fact that they practically do not heat up during operation.
- Halogen. Such a lamp has a quartz bulb, which is filled with a special gas with a substance called halogen. They have excellent color rendering and can be used for colored decorative lighting. This type of lamp will last much longer than a regular light bulb.
Luminescent. The principle of operation of such a lamp is unique. The electrical impulse is transformed into an ultraviolet glow in mercury vapor, and then, thanks to the matte coating of the outer shell of the bulb, it is transformed into a normal stream of light familiar to the human eye for reading or working. Such lamps serve for a long time and provide high-quality diffused light around the room. As a rule, they are also energy efficient. Some lighting fixtures have the ability to regulate the direction of light, in this regard, static and movable lamps for a stretch ceiling are distinguished. Accordingly, the static ones cannot move and remain in one position, while the movable ones have pivoting mechanisms, thanks to which you can independently direct the lamp to the desired area
Forms
Lighting fixtures for stretch ceilings can have standard shapes and asymmetric ones, and both the body and the lamp itself can vary in types. The scattering of light and its distribution throughout the room depends on this. Usually, the body is round or oval, since it is easier to fix and it is more concise. It so happens that the oval shape has a certain rim made of colored glass or plastic, so that the light “plays” beautifully in the room.
For lovers of clear angles and correct lines, you can choose square or rectangular lamps. They can go flush with the canvas or go beyond it. Convex glass or crystal square lamps with four edges create diffuse reflections that add romance to the atmosphere of the room. There are lamps with a round body, but with an absolutely asymmetrical arrangement of reflective mirror plates or convex ball bulbs. In a word, in lighting stores you can find all sorts of shapes of lamps, the most important thing when choosing them is that they are proportionate to the ceiling area and do not look pretentious and tasteless.
The design idea does not stand still, therefore new types and forms of lamps appear. An unusual solution would be to install linear lighting fixtures. Their feature is that the design allows you to create long strips of uniform light of different shapes and widths. Lamps can be both at the level of the stretch ceiling, creating a smooth surface, or go beyond it.
Dimensions (edit)
Each type of lighting fixture has its own standard parameters and dimensions, on the basis of which the future lighting system in the room can be calculated. When choosing a size, it should be understood that large lamps are heavier, so you will have to increase the installation height of the ceiling, since it can sag from 5 to 7 centimeters from the installed lamps. Therefore, it is best to install spotlights, since they will be lighter, smaller in diameter than a single chandelier, and they also look prettier and more aesthetically pleasing on the shiny surface of the ceiling.
Spotlights have the following parameters: in length - 25-30 mm, diameter - 80-100 mm. The height depends on the location of the light bulb: internal or external. As a rule, it is not less than 30-40 mm.
Colors
A modern lighting store can offer lamps for stretch ceilings of completely different colors and shades. Moreover, it is possible to match the luminaire body to the color of the ceiling. The standard body colors of the luminaires used to be white, black, gold and silver, but now the whole range of colors is provided in a much wider assortment. It is also interesting that the color of the luminous flux can also be chosen independently. If you want to decorate your nursery, you can insert several pink, blue or purple LED lamps that will soften the evening lighting and immerse you in a state of relaxation and complete relaxation.
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Or there is an option to install an LED strip with a control panel, thanks to which you can change the shades of light every day or night. It is worth considering the fact that color actively affects a person's condition, so you should not oversaturate the room with different color streams, it is better to select tones taking into account the fact that colored lighting should be no more than 30% of the total lamps.
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For different rooms
When installing lamps in various rooms, it is also necessary to select them according to the characteristics of the room, since, for example, there is high humidity in the bathroom, and in the kitchen it is much warmer than in other rooms of a house or apartment. When installing spotlights or cascading lights on the ceiling in the bathroom, you should remember that they must be sealed, not afraid of water ingress, as well as high humidity in the room. The best option is halogen lamps with a power of not more than 35 W, since the lower the power, the less harm the lamp will bring in case of a short circuit.
For the kitchen space, the most important thing is that the lamps do not have a power of more than 45 W, since with strong heating (from 60 degrees), the coating loses its shape and exudes a plastic smell. It is also necessary to have a side that will hide the mounting ring of the luminaire. If a chandelier is installed in the kitchen, it is necessary that the glass be matte, so the streams of light will scatter and not overheat the stretch ceiling material. Sometimes, to avoid troubles with overheating, the cover is made of fabric material. It looks the same as a regular stretch ceiling, but has excellent characteristics.
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In the hall or bedroom, the power of the lamps should also not exceed 35-40 watts. It can be both LED and halogen lamps with energy saving function. Also for such rooms, ordinary chandeliers are suitable, but with frosted diffusing glass.
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The hallway is usually connected to the corridor, so this is an elongated room. It is best to install spotlights here for proper light distribution. The lamps should have similar characteristics as in the hall or in the bedroom. They can be located both along the perimeter and in waves. Or you can install several cascading lamps with movable lamps and direct each to the right place in the corridor, and since the stretch ceiling has an excellent reflective surface, you will not need many lamps.
How to arrange it correctly?
Before installing the ceiling, it is best to draw a diagram of the location of the lighting fixtures, so it will be much easier to calculate the required number of bulbs, as well as the exact location of the slots in the canvas. There are a number of general rules that will help you correctly and beautifully distribute the lamps on the ceiling.
- It is very important that the distance from the wall to the luminaire is at least 15-20 centimeters.
- Large lamps or chandeliers should be hung in the center of the room or closer to the work area.
- Typically, 1 spot light will provide illumination for 1 square meter.
For each room and space, there are the most preferred lighting lamp layouts. In the bedroom in the center, you can hang a small chandelier, and place spotlights around it, or place small lamps around the entire perimeter of the room or just above the bed.
If the room has non-standard dimensions, then the wave distribution of spotlights would be an excellent solution, so it will turn out to illuminate every corner of the room.
For a living room, ceiling lighting can take many forms. For example, you can place lamps in a rectangular pattern, thus visually expanding the space. Or combine a chandelier with an angular arrangement of spotlights - this way the room will be illuminated at each site. Also, to expand the space, a plasterboard platform is made in the center or around the perimeter of the room and fixtures are attached to it, thereby stretching the room and becoming visually higher.
In a children's room, spotlights with LED lighting around the perimeter are sometimes combined. Very often ribbons come in different colors. In order not to waste time choosing a shade, you can additionally purchase a color control panel. Thus, it will turn out to create an imitation of the starry sky, if there is a bluish light around the perimeter, and small spotlights will be placed on the ceiling itself.
It is very important for the kitchen space that the light is bright and even enough. Masters advise using spotlights to divide the kitchen into work areas. You can arrange them evenly one behind the other, along parallel walls or wave-like along the entire perimeter of the ceiling. If the kitchen is large, then it is better to build lamps first around the perimeter of the room, and then create a rectangle in the center of 6 or 8 spotlights.
How to change?
In the course of long-term operation of light ceiling devices, situations arise when it is necessary to replace the light bulb or the lamp itself. You can contact the wizard who installed them, or you can change everything you need yourself.
As you know, the lamp is hidden in a special platform behind the cover itself, and it is held not by the tension cover, but by the annular platform. With progressive and smooth movements, trying not to touch the ceiling so that there are no traces left, we disconnect the lamp from one side. This mechanism has a fixing spring that must be held so that it does not pierce the ceiling sheet. After one spring has neatly left the hole, the entire lamp can be removed.
Further, it is completely disconnected from the power supply (you first need to turn off the electricity supply in the dashboard). Then the lamp is changed to a new copy. By connecting it to the wiring, you can insert it into the original hole while holding the springs again. After that, the luminaire is ready for use.
If it is necessary to change only a burned out light bulb, and not the entire lamp, then the following steps should be performed:
- The first step is to de-energize the network.to avoid accident. Next, you need to dismantle the main inner ring that fixes the lamp, then grab the base and carefully, counterclockwise, unscrew the used light bulb (if it is threaded) or remove it from the socket.
- Then a working lamp is taken and screwed clockwise into the socket or inserted into the holder, it depends on the type of luminaire.
- If you need to replace the whole chandelier on the ceiling it is also delicately detached from the mount and the power supply, and then removed from the support hook. The new chandelier is hung up in the reverse order.
How to choose?
Usually, the process of installing a stretch ceiling and lighting fixtures takes a little time compared to the preparatory stage, namely, choosing a ceiling covering and fixtures that are really suitable for a given room. First you need to consider the design of the room, the height and width of the room. If the dimensions allow, then spotlights built into the stretch ceiling can be added to the chandelier, so the room will be as illuminated as possible.
In the event that the ceilings are low, then a compact chandelier with ordinary bulbs is quite suitable, but the most important thing is that their power is not higher than 45 W and they are 30 cm from the coating. The light should go down and not to the surface of the ceiling. Sometimes, to visually increase the height in the room, a tiered ceiling or a hinged one is made. For this option, you can pick up an LED strip that hides at the joints and illuminates the room as if from the ceiling. By the way, if you make an order for decorating the ceiling and installing lamps in several rooms, then there is an opportunity to receive the installation of lighting devices as at from the company.
Today, masters recommend choosing spot or track lamps for small rooms, since with the help of such lighting it is possible to achieve an increase in space due to light. When choosing luminaires, you need to make sure of the quality and integrity of the structure, otherwise there is a risk of catching the stretch ceiling on the chipped or broken sharp corner of the lamp body. You also need to try to select lamps for the overall geometry of the fittings in the room. If all household items are rounded, then angular or triangular lamps will violate the overall concept of the room. It is also worth choosing lamps for reasons of the practicality of the stretch fabric. If it is fabric, then the range of searches will expand significantly, since the fabric tolerates heat from light bulbs well. As for polyvinyl chloride, then you should choose luminaires with a lower power, as mentioned earlier. The best option is halogen or LED fixtures.
Which is better?
It is difficult to say with confidence which lamps are better or worse for a stretch ceiling, but some types have several worthy advantages that can play a decisive role in choosing. Most of the masters advise giving preference to spotlights instead of a massive and voluminous chandelier. First of all, this is due to the fact that each lighting device has its own size of the inner part, which is hidden in the ceiling niche. As a result, it is necessary for recessed luminaires to reduce the overall ceiling height. The size of the niche will depend on the type of luminaire, that is, the more you need to hide the body of the lighting fixture, the lower the coating goes down.
As for the paws themselves, it is better to buy LED ones. Halogen ones have an aesthetic disadvantage: the reflector on the back is also illuminated during operation. Thus, part of the light is passed into the inside of the stretch ceiling, as a result of which all internal fixtures and wires are visible. It is also not very convenient to change such a burnt out light bulb. The LED lamp, on the other hand, does not let light into the interior and is easier to replace. Attention should also be paid to the fact that in recessed luminaires the light falls at an acute angle and is not scattered. Therefore, it is best if the light bulb protrudes slightly from the base of the plane, thereby smoothly scattering the light around it.
The best option would be recessed luminaires. with base / plinth size GX53. There are both LED and energy saving bulbs for them. At first glance, it may seem that it is better to take an economical one, but the LED will last an order of magnitude longer and it lights up almost instantly, unlike its counterpart (an energy-saving paw must first warm up in order to give a full flow of light).
Rating
Modern stores provide a wide selection of specialized stretch ceiling fixtures. Most often, people purchase recessed spotlights, since they have a reasonable price, a wide variety of materials for the manufacture of cases. They can be made of flame retardant plastic, glass, plaster or aluminum. Spotlights can be both auxiliary and main light in the room.
Installers recommend purchasing a luminaire for size GX53, since any of its varieties is very easy and quick to install. Also, the case will delight you with a variety of colors (chrome, gold, silver, etc.). Thanks to the reliable design of the luminaire, a light bulb can be easily inserted, which, when correctly docked, emits a characteristic click. Another big plus of such a model is that you can choose the depth of planting of the bulb itself, thereby adjusting the angle of the light flux.
Design options
The options for placing lamps can be completely different, it all depends on the availability of the required amount. This example shows a very successful design of a bedroom. With the help of spotlights, the sleeping place is succinctly illuminated, and the light is quite soft and well diffused around the room. In this case, the main source of lighting is a small chandelier, plus a two-level ceiling here, which helps to increase the height of the space. This is also facilitated by point lighting devices, located equidistantly along the side of the superstructured ceiling.
In the same kitchen, the lamps provide equivalent illumination, here the work surface for cooking, as well as the dining table, are evenly illuminated. The cascade lamp perfectly complements the interior of the room, as well as the color of the plafonds themselves. For lovers of stylish and unusual room design, the artistic layout of LED strips is suitable. These can be concentric circles, waves, or imitation of the night sky.
How to choose a luminaire for stretch ceilings, see the video.