Repair Of Stretch Ceilings After A Cut (34 Photos): What To Do First And How To Glue It With Your Own Hands

Often, the happy owners of stretch ceilings decorate them with all kinds of decorative elements. But sometimes they forget that the ceiling material has a certain margin of safety. You need to know how to fix it if it breaks.

Causes of damage

The tensioning web is constructed as follows - a metal frame on which the web is stretched. With this design, an empty layer remains between the ceiling and the fabric, due to which the canvas becomes vulnerable both from the outside and from the inside.

The material of the panel can withstand a large tensile load, but under point impacts it has low strength.

Common causes of mechanical damage to the web include:

Damage from toys or other objects during the games of little pranksters. Flying remote controlled toys are especially dangerous.
Hitting when installing tall furniture with sharp corners.
Large drops in air temperature in the room (relevant for the film ceiling).
Damage from a sharp object, such as a tool, resulting in a cut or puncture.
Errors in the process of cutting the canvas or when installing the ceiling.

Particular care must be taken when handling the ceiling immediately after installation. This is due to the fact that during this period the canvas has a great tension.

You can also damage the surface by making a mistake when installing built-in lamps and, if you move inaccurately, by sparks from sparklers or another source of fire. In this case, the ceiling covering will be the easiest to glue.

In what cases is repair prohibited?

There are two cases in which the repair of the stretch ceiling is prohibited.

First, do not try to repair the cloth, if it crawled at the seams … In this case, the situation will be saved only by repeated tension of the ceiling fabric by a specialist.

Also, do not undertake repairs, when the canvas has moved away from the wall … In this, as in the previous case, it is required to reinstall the ceiling by a team of specialists: strengthening or replacing the profile and tensioning the fabric. Additionally, it is worth determining the cause of the incident: the panel was poorly fixed, or, conversely, the canvas was too tightly stretched. Determining the cause will help the technician to make necessary repairs faster.

Both cases are covered by the warranty, and the repair of such damage must be carried out by the installer.

How to fix the ceiling?

If the damage is related to the warranty case (the warranty period has not yet expired and the gap has occurred without your participation), you should call specialists from the company that installed the ceiling, and they will repair it free of charge, and they will also give you a warranty period for the work performed! Self-repair options in case of a non-warranty case will be described below, depending on the types of ceiling.

First of all, upon detection of mechanical damage to any of the types of ceilings urgent action should be taken to prevent the cut from enlarging. This requires double-sided / masking tape.… In the absence of such materials, ordinary scotch tape is also suitable.

If the damage is very small (puncture), then it is repaired with glue. Spreading with glue will not allow the canvas to disperse, and the damage itself will be almost imperceptible.

Next, we will tell you how to fix the ceiling yourself if it is damaged.

Fabric

Recall that the fabric ceiling is made of "breathing" natural or synthetic fibers. Mechanical damage to the fabric can be eliminated quite easily in one of two ways.

Using nylon threads… Nylon threads are sold in most sewing shops, you just need to choose the right color. This method is used if the cut is thin and has straight edges. The cut is carefully sewn up with threads, and the task is done

To prevent the seam from being visible, you can paint over the cut with water-based paint.

With a patch… It is advisable to use this method in case of large damage, but if the length of the gap is more than 30 cm, the ceiling will have to be changed completely. The material for the patch can be a piece of material from the ceiling itself (if any), fiberglass or, in extreme cases, a piece of dense fabric matched by color

Any glue for the patch will work, provided it is colorless. However, experts advise using cyanoacrylate-based glue.

The repair sequence is quite simple: a patch is cut out with a margin of about 2 cm along the edges, glue is applied to the patch, and then this patch is pressed against the damaged panel from the inside. You can't press too hard, this can have consequences in the form of a sagging ceiling at the place of repair.

Excess glue is removed, and after drying, the place is treated with water-based paint from a spray gun.

Film

The canvas for such a ceiling is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), due to which it has a smooth glossy or matte surface.

In case of mechanical damage to PVC fabrics larger than 2 cm in size, it is necessary to contact specialists who, most likely, will advise it to completely replace it.

If the cut is small, you can try repairing it yourself.

The repair method depends on the location:

Hiding a cut in a baguette groove… Can be used if the distance from the cut to the edge of the baguette does not exceed 15 cm. You will need a piece of antenna cable and glue. The cable is glued next to the cut parallel to the baguette. While the glue hardens, a hair dryer is being prepared for use. Then the place of the cut is heated with a hairdryer, and gently pulled to the edge of the baguette using a cable. The cable is tucked into the groove of the baguette using a flat and blunt tool

Working in pairs is likely to help prevent wrinkles and unevenness. Otherwise, the canvases formed during the folding process are removed in a similar way using a cable.

Patch… This is fine if the cut is far from the edges of the baguette. It is better to make the patch from the remnants of the film from the repair kit, which is usually attached to the stretch ceiling, and spread it with sealant or glue. The tape applied to the cut area is removed and a patch is placed in its place. While it dries, it is better to additionally fix it with your hands

There are some nuances in choosing an adhesive for a patch. It should be transparent and harden quickly, without having a destructive effect on the PVC canvas. Masters recommend using Cosmofen glue.

You can also use any other adhesive designed for repairing stretch ceilings.

For a piece of film for a patch, you can contact the manufacturer: usually they have a large amount of scraps left, and it will not be a problem to get the size you need.

In addition to the usual patch, there is an option to make an unusual decorative one on the damaged ceiling. A patch made in the style of wallpaper will look especially interesting.

Installation of functional elements in the damaged place… In place of the cut, you can install an additional lamp, a deceptive ventilation duct grill or a fire alarm sensor. But first, you must protect the cut from creeping with a special plastic ring. Once the area is protected, the installation of the luminaire or grille can begin

This method is usually used in offices and public spaces, but it can also be used in a bathroom or toilet.

Disguise with a patch or applique … Damage near the chandelier, in the presence of imagination, is masked by a decorative element that will not only save you from the hassle of replacing the ceiling, but also update the room. Playing with shape and color can be a great design move.
It is possible to hide traces of melting or burning with a special ring made of heat-resistant plastic, which is installed around the luminaire. However, if the length of the damage is more than 20 cm, the blade must be replaced.

Helpful hints

If the defect is large, you will have to call the masters to reinstall the ceiling. But in this case, you can still save on the cost of a baguette. Do not try to repair a large defect yourself - this can lead to sad consequences.

And in any case, if you have doubts about your skills, you need to turn to professionals. The manufacturer will give advice on how best to eliminate the damage, or carry out repairs on their own in a short time and with a guarantee, and will also help if necessary, provide material for the patch (especially if the ceiling is colored).

Also, the choice of actions is narrowed when cutting a ceiling that has uneven edges. Wherein after gluing the cut on the sides, you need to make its edges even … Then there are a couple of options - masking with a lamp / grill or any item of your choice, or a colored decorative insert.

The fabric ceiling is resistant to mechanical damage, but will not save in case of flooding. Small cuts in the fabric can be easily removed on their own. Due to the indicated properties fabric ceiling is not recommended for bathroom installations … If the family has small children and / or pets (cat, birds) in the living quarters, it is better to install a ceiling on a fabric basis.

PVC ceiling will perfectly withstand flooding, but in case of mechanical damage, it will be problematic to repair it. Therefore, it is advised to install it in a bathroom or kitchen, where the likelihood of flooding is higher than in other parts of the apartment.

To reduce the possibility of its damage, you should not put a film ceiling in children's rooms and living rooms. Note that according to statistics, PVC ceilings are installed more often.

On a glossy PVC canvas, all damages that were eliminated without replacing the canvas will be noticeable much more in the future than on a matte one.

And remember - compliance with the rules of operation of a stretch ceiling will minimize the likelihood of violation of its integrity, and it will please the eye for a long time! With careful handling, the stretch ceiling will last at least 30 years.

Below are the basic rules, observing which, you can avoid repairing the stretch ceiling in the future:

install a stretch ceiling at the final stage of the repair;
do not install a stretch ceiling in the country, in the sauna and other rooms that may not be heated;
built-in lamps should be up to 40 watts;
carefully clean the ceiling panel, for example, with a damp sponge or suede cloth, use non-abrasive products without acetone;
when cleaning or working with a stretch ceiling, remove jewelry and watches from your hand;
do not put pressure on the ceiling panel.