Today, a very popular option for finishing the ceiling is the installation of a stretch coating. Many people who are engaged in renovation prefer this design move. However, despite the fact that the ceiling looks very beautiful, many are confused by the moment that the canvas can sag.
If, after completing repairs in the apartment, you notice the ceiling sagging, then first of all you need to determine why this happened. It is not worth eliminating only defects. Together with them, it is necessary to eliminate the causes.
Few people know why this happens and how to fix the problem. It is this ignorance that often pushes people away from using such a finishing option and in vain. This article will discuss the main causes of sagging and methods that can be used to eliminate this situation.
Is it a defect or a norm?
Once the ceiling is installed, you will surely be dazzled by its beauty and will not notice any imperfections, as it will appear flawless. Over time, when the first impression will no longer be so bright, upon closer inspection of the canvas, you will probably notice a slight slack. If it does not exceed 1% of the length of the diagonal of the ceiling in size, there is no cause for concern, since this is the norm and no action is needed. Physically, the ceiling is not able to have a perfectly flat surface, because the canvas sags a little under the influence of its mass. A large canvas area causes a greater difference between the level at the edges and the center.
Visually, such a sag is almost invisible. It can be determined only if we consider the canvas along the surface. If the sinking area is more than 1%, then this is a cause for concern.
Causes
A huge advantage of stretch ceilings is that they allow you to get a perfectly smooth surface. Even a slight sagging in this situation negatively affects the appearance of the coating. It should be considered for what reasons the ceiling may sag, since there can be many of them.
- Natural. In this case, the norm referred to earlier is meant. A sagging of 1% can be caused by a difference in temperature in the room with that concentrated in the interceiling space. If ventilation grilles are provided in the ceiling, then sagging will not occur for this reason, since the temperature will equalize.
- The second reason for normal sagging is the blade's own weight.… As noted earlier, this problem is most often encountered in rooms with a large area. It is for this reason that in spacious rooms the canvas is created from several parts.
- Flooding from above … If the height of the sag is significant, then most likely the reason for this is flooding by neighbors. In this situation, sagging is not a disadvantage, but becomes its advantage, since the canvas did not allow water to enter the room, ruin furniture and flooring. If light-transmitting film-type ceilings were used, then after draining the water, they will very quickly return to their original form.
In such a situation, the level of deflection can be different. In some cases, the ceiling sags almost to the floor, while the canvas does not break and can withstand a similar load. The level depends on the amount of water that has entered the space between the ceiling surface and the canvas.
If the reason for the ceiling sagging is flooding from above, it is not recommended to correct the situation on your own. It is necessary to turn off the electricity in the room and invite a specialist, especially if your ceiling is still under warranty service.
By acting on your own, you can not only ruin the canvas, but also flood your apartment.
To solve this problem, special equipment is required, with which you can quickly drain the water from the ceiling without damaging the canvas itself. Often the volume of water that is concentrated in the ceiling is very large, so it will not be possible to fit it in a bucket or basin. In addition, the ceiling must be properly dried. If this is not done, stains and streaks will remain on its surface.
In some cases, in order to dry the canvas, it is necessary to perform partial dismantling, which should be entrusted to professionals in this field.
There are other reasons for sagging:
- Poor quality material. It is not uncommon for the ceiling to go down, and this is caused by the use of low-quality materials. This is typical for Chinese products, which are distinguished by their low cost. If we are talking about stretch ceilings, then in this matter it is best not to save money and stop the choice on well-known manufacturers who have already managed to prove themselves from the best side. It should be noted that often the difference in price between high-quality and low-quality stretch ceilings is insignificant, while you will know for sure that the ceiling can withstand various loads and will be completely safe for your health.
- The profile has departed from the wall … There are situations when, for some reason, the fasteners into which the tensioning web is filled moves away from the wall. Free air flow appears. If you are faced with a similar situation, then you definitely need to contact the company that installed the ceiling for you, since the cause of this problem is probably associated with poor-quality fastening of the profile to the wall itself. To correct this error, you will need to dismantle the sagging part, reinforce the profile and tighten the cover again.
- The presence of defects in the floor. There are situations when, when preparing the base ceiling, all the whitewash was not removed, which over time will surely begin to crumble. This is what provokes further sagging of the ceiling. Sometimes this happens due to the mistake of the installers, who did not pay due attention to the preparation of the ceiling surface. Only professional craftsmen can fix this defect, since it will not be possible to cope with the problem on their own. To do this, the stretch cover is raised and cleaned, the remains of whitewash and plaster are removed from the main ceiling, after which the canvas is stretched again.
Remedies
Experts in the field of manufacturing and installation of stretch ceilings do not advise you to independently eliminate the problem associated with ceiling sagging. This is due to the fact that a person who does not have the necessary experience is unlikely to be able to perform high-quality repairs.
Most likely, if you decide to act on your own, then just ruin the ceiling and it will become unusable, so in the future you will need to buy the canvas again for finishing.
Consider various situations and methods for solving the sagging of the tension cover.
The room was flooded by the neighbors upstairs
If you notice that the ceiling begins to sag gradually, then this probably signals that it is filling with water. In such a situation, it is necessary to immediately turn off the electricity, since water is an excellent conductor of electricity, therefore, it is possible to get an electric shock. If you do not turn off the electricity in time, you can simply ruin the wiring.
In this case, it is quite possible to correct the situation on your own, since you only need to drain the water that has concentrated in the interceiling space. This can be done through the openings for spotlights, but only after the room is de-energized. As soon as you get rid of the water, the light-transmitting film ceiling will return to its original form, but there are exceptions.
If you have a fabric version installed, removing water will not help remove dark spots that have formed on the surface. This is due to the fact that water penetrates deep into the tissue, causing it to darken. It will not be possible to eliminate these stains in the future.
It will take 2 people to remove water from the stretch ceiling. One will pull back the canvas to collect liquid in one area, turning it into a small puddle. The second at this time will have to place a small-diameter hose in this puddle, the end of which should be directed into the bucket. This must be done promptly, which will allow the humidity level in the interceiling space to be normalized as quickly as possible. At the same time, by eliminating the problem in a timely manner, you will reduce the risk of mold and mildew.
After the water has been completely drained, the ceiling must be thoroughly warmed up and dried to prevent stains and streaks.
In no case should you pierce the canvas in order to drain the water from it. So you will only spoil the material that will no longer be repairable.
Other cases
Any other reason for the ceiling sagging requires its dismantling. To eliminate the problem, the ceiling is removed, the causes of its deformation are eliminated, and it is stretched again. It is almost impossible to do this without proper experience and the necessary equipment, so it is best to turn to professionals.
This is the most reliable way to solve the problem and reduces the chance of error to a minimum. If your ceiling is still under warranty, then fixing the causes of sagging will also be free. Turning to specialists, you can be sure that the problem will definitely be corrected, and you will again enjoy a smooth and even stretch ceiling.
Tips & Tricks
In conclusion, some important points should be noted again.
- Various reasons can provoke the sagging of the stretch ceiling. This can be flooding from the neighbors on top, shedding of the old coating, the departure of the profile from the wall, or the optimal rate of sagging caused by natural causes.
- Regardless of what is the reason for the sagging, you need to contact the installers of the canvas for a solution to the problem, since most of the above reasons are insured events and must be eliminated free of charge.
- If the reason for the sagging was flooding from above, then the first step is to turn off the electricity in the apartment. Thus, you can save the performance of the wiring and eliminate the risk of electric shock.
- Most cases require dismantling, which only those who have some experience in this area can handle, so it is best to turn to professionals.
Remember that ceiling slack is not such a big problem if you spot it in time. Flooding an apartment will become a much more serious nuisance, as it is associated with damage to furniture, flooring and many others, which will lead to serious costs. A stretch ceiling is able to prevent such situations.
For information on how to drain the water from the stretch ceiling yourself, see the next video.