We’ve all heard of the words “false ceiling”. These days, it’s a common sight in commercial spaces — offices, shopping malls, metro stations, restaurants, and so on. However, have you ever pondered over the idea of installing a false ceiling in your home? You must consider installing it because it enhances the overall interior of a space, besides shielding you from the extreme heat in summer. But, as usual, there are varieties available in the market.
So, are you not sure which false ceiling is best for homes? This blog will introduce you to a false ceiling, its types, and reveal the benefits of each of them to help you choose what works best.
The false ceiling is the secondary ceiling that hangs below and conceals the main ceiling. These types of ceilings — mainly made of metal or wood — are installed to make rooms look gorgeous. Besides, the secondary ceiling tiles help in maintaining the room temperature by shielding against direct heat from the sun.
The false ceiling was originally invented to hide the ugly electric wires, light fixtures, air-conditioning ducts, and other fixtures. These days, this type of ceiling has become an integral part of home construction. This adds aesthetic value to space, and also keeps excessive heat, noise at bay.
Types of False Ceilings:
A false ceiling can be broadly classified into two types based on the material used to make it. They are as follows:
- Gypsum
- Plaster of Paris
Though both of these types use gypsum as the base material, they are totally different from each other.
Gypsum:
Gypsum — made of hydrated calcium sulfate — has the quality to last for a long duration of time. The gypsum slabs come in prefabricated form, manufactured in factories, and are assembled using metal frames on the site. These types of ceilings are usually light-weight, and the slabs come in thickness between 9mm and 15 mm.
The gypsum slabs are usually employed in spaces where centralized air conditioning is required.
Listed below are the pros and cons of using gypsum false ceiling:
Pros:
- The gypsum slabs are easy to install
- They provide a seamless finish with minimal joints
- The consistency of the product’s finish and quality is maintained as these are manufactured in factories
Cons:
- The gypsum slabs come in standard sizes, hence customization is not possible
- It can be a cumbersome process to uninstall these slabs
- The complete ceiling needs to be brought down if there is a need for repair
- The moisture in the atmosphere, leakage from the roof or air-conditioning pipes may seep into these slabs and lead to the fungal growth or its de-shaping
- The gypsum slabs are expensive
Plaster of Paris:
Popularly known as POPs, these are made of gypsum. Available in the powdered form, the paste can be used to create any design on the ceilings based on owners’ wishes. This paste is made by mixing the POP powder with water and is applied to the chicken mesh to keep it afloat. This type of false ceiling further enhances the beauty of a home.
However, there are a few pros and cons of POPs as listed below:
Pros:
- The POPs are highly durable, hence can last a lifetime without any damages
- The POPs, unlike gypsum, are flexible, hence can be molded into different designs, and can be applied to the corners also
- The POPs are budget-friendly, i.e., they are 20%–40% percent cheaper than gypsum
Cons:
- Skilled labor is mandatory to install the POPs. The quality cannot be achieved by a layman, which is possible with gypsum boards
- There is a lot of wastage of paste during its application, thereby dirtying the site entirely
- The POPs have to be properly dried and maintained to it be installed
Which is the best false ceiling POP or gypsum?
| Gypsum | POPs |
| It’s expensive compared to POP | It’s cheaper than gypsum by almost 20%–40% |
| With minimum joints, it provides a seamless finish | It cannot offer the finesse and precision of gypsum boards |
| It’s available in sheets of 4×6, 4×8 and 4×10 feet | It’s mostly sold in a small, standard size of 2×2 feet |
| It’s easier to work with and delivers a good finish effortlessly | One must ensure that the labor at hand is highly skilled |
By employing the above-discussed factors, one can determine the type of false ceiling that works best and transform your rooms into masterpieces straight out of your dreams.
