Which is better – suspended ceiling or plasterboard??

Homeowners frequently have to decide between suspended ceilings and plasterboard when it comes to ceiling finishes. The choice comes down to personal taste and particular requirements, as each approach has pros and cons of its own. We will examine the main distinctions between plasterboard and suspended ceilings in this post to assist you in making an informed decision for your upcoming remodeling project.

Drop ceilings, sometimes referred to as suspended ceilings, are made up of a grid structure that holds up thin panels or tiles. Although it has made its way into homes, this kind of ceiling is most common in commercial settings. Suspended ceilings are renowned for their capacity to conceal unsightly ducts, pipes, and wires while facilitating simple maintenance access. They can be installed rather quickly and provide excellent sound insulation.

Conversely, huge sheets of gypsum plaster are layered between two layers of paper to create plasterboard ceilings. A seamless, flawless finish is produced by fixing these sheets directly to the ceiling joists. Plasterboard ceilings are preferred because of their visual appeal and the design flexibility they provide. They can be used to create complex architectural features like coffers and curves, or they can be painted or textured.

Plasterboard or suspended ceilings are frequently chosen based on the particular needs of the room. Important considerations in the decision-making process include the budget, desired aesthetics, and practical aspects like ease of installation and maintenance. Knowing the advantages and drawbacks of each choice will help you choose the ceiling solution that best suits your requirements.

Aspect	Suspended Ceiling	Plasterboard
Installation	Quick and clean	Longer and messier
Cost	Generally higher	Usually lower
Durability	Very durable	Moderately durable
Maintenance	Easy to maintain	More difficult to repair
Appearance	Smooth, modern look	Traditional, can be painted
Soundproofing	Good sound absorption	Moderate sound absorption
Insulation	Can include insulation	Needs separate insulation

Advantages and disadvantages

When two objects are compared, the initial impression is always one of their benefits and drawbacks. Let’s stick to tradition and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of plasterboard and stretch ceilings.

Stretch ceilings

Experts and customers identify various advantages of suspended ceilings, including:.

• Quick installation – after the crew arrives, work is completed in just a couple of hours. The speed is explained by the simple fastening technology and the lack of preparatory work: plastering the floor slabs followed by putty.
• The work is not accompanied by dust and dirt – drilling of walls is carried out, as a rule, using a construction vacuum cleaner.
• No finishing touches to the stretched film are required.
• Durability – well-known manufacturers provide a guarantee of at least 10 years. The actual service life is much longer and is up to 30 years or more.
• Resistance to moisture, which allows you to avoid problems when flooding an apartment from above. The canvas is capable of accepting and withstanding up to 100 liters of water per 1 m2. Specialists quickly and easily remove the accumulated water with subsequent re-stretching of the film. As a result, there are no traces of flooding.
• Complete safety for the inhabitants of the apartment (house): does not emit harmful substances when heated, does not contain allergens. Ecological cleanliness is confirmed by European standards.
• A huge selection of textures and colors, which allows you to implement the most unusual design solutions in the design of the top of the room.
• Practicality. The film does not attract dust, and, therefore, there is no need for frequent maintenance.
• The ability to influence the psychophysiological state of apartment residents through color design.
• Availability of soundproofing properties. The film itself dampens airborne noise well. A new product that has appeared on sale is an acoustic ceiling that converts the power of sound into thermal energy.

Sound picture. 1. A suspended ceiling featuring an acoustic aperture. 2- the sound source’s sound wave. 3. The process by which sound energy in acoustic holes is converted to thermal energy. 4. A sound wave that penetrates the canvas.

• Ability to mask communications running along the ceiling.

Among the drawbacks, the following must be mentioned:

• lack of strength under mechanical stress – a light touch of a sharp or piercing object is enough for the fabric to come apart;

• installation work cannot be done on your own – experience is required;
• cannot tolerate high and negative temperatures. When exposed to frost, they lose elasticity, become brittle, and then crack. Elevated temperature causes film stretching. As a result – replacing the ceiling;
• repairs are possible for minor damage. However, the restored area will have to be masked somehow – it is clearly visible on glossy and matte surfaces;
• risk of fire from electrical wiring if flooded from above – the contacts will end up in water in any case. The only thing that saves the situation is turning off the lights.

Ceilings from gypsum plasterboard

Those who favored plasterboard ceilings claimed that there are numerous benefits.

• Gypsum boards cover all ceiling problems:

1. poorly sealed joints;
2. unevenly laid floor slabs;
3. chips, holes and cracks on the surface of reinforced concrete.

• The strength is high enough for the ceiling – you definitely won’t damage it with a champagne cork.

• The flexibility of sheets in a wet state allows you to make two-level structures with unusual, voluminous design shapes. When done correctly, this technique gives the room its own charm and style, visually increasing the volume of the room.
• The rigid structure of the ceiling allows you to diversify the lighting: install recessed lamps instead of a chandelier, use LED lighting. Many homeowners install several different lighting fixtures at the same time, combining light from different sources.
• Easy installation. Firstly, there is no need to purchase or rent complex equipment – just a knife and a screwdriver are enough. Secondly, all technological operations from attaching hangers to screwing gypsum boards to the profile can be performed independently. The only negative, if you can call it that, is that the owner cannot cope alone – he needs an assistant.
• Behind the gypsum board you can hide various wires and cables without cutting into the ceiling.
• The environmental friendliness of the material also attracts consumers – there are no allergens or substances in plasterboard that emit harmful fumes when heated.
• Maintainability. Even if the ceiling is damaged, it can always be restored with gypsum mixtures: plaster or putty.
• Affordable price for the mass consumer is one of the most important advantages. This is especially evident when installing multi-level ceilings – there are no competitors even close.

Despite all of its benefits, gypsum board has drawbacks that need to be considered.

• Loss of space. With low ceilings, which is typical for "Khrushchev" buildings, this disadvantage is decisive. Already low ceilings (248 cm) will drop by another 8-12 cm, which has a psychologically depressing effect on the owners.
• The fragility of the material is the main problem when covering the ceiling: when lifted horizontally, the sheet breaks under its own weight. Therefore, care and caution are necessary during the work.
• It is necessary to carry out finishing operations: sealing the seams and screw heads with subsequent puttying of the entire surface.
• Weak resistance to flooding from above – even moisture-resistant boards do not withstand.

• When used in new buildings during the shrinkage of the building, the suspended ceiling may receive damage that is almost impossible to repair.

The benefits of each are not fully illustrated by the strengths and drawbacks of stretch and suspended ceilings. After all, a great number of minor benefits frequently offset a single, major disadvantage in life. As a result, we’ll compare and contrast the key operational and technical indicators.

Performance Comparison

Experts emphasize the following as key factors to consider when selecting a ceiling type:

• price – for people with average incomes, the cost of materials and work plays a paramount role;
• durability – considered in conjunction with price. For example, a long service life offsets a higher final cost;
• strength – ignored by many consumers. At the same time plays an important role;
• speed of installation;
• complexity of the work – for many homeowners it is important whether the work can be completed on their own;
• level of complexity of lighting installation work;
• loss of ceiling height – this criterion is relevant for owners of apartments in Khrushchev-era buildings;
• appearance – the characteristic allows you to determine how much the imagination of the designer or owners can run wild;
• fire resistance – this indicator is important for wooden buildings;
• features of care are not an empty phrase for any housewife;
• soundproofing properties – a valuable characteristic with noisy neighbors above;
• moisture resistance – practically unimportant in living rooms. Considered only when installing ceilings in the bathroom and kitchen;
• the possibility of repair (dismantling) is another important criterion that receives little attention.

Which is cheaper?

Without precise calculations, it will be impossible to decide which is less expensive: plasterboard or suspended ceiling. After all, a variety of factors must be considered:

• for a stretch ceiling – the cost of the panel, the work of the craftsmen, the installation of lighting, the passage of pipes and ventilation ducts;
• for plasterboard – the cost of purchasing plasterboard, metal profile, primer, putty, paint, as well as the cost of work.

For calculating purposes, let’s use a 25 m2 room. All rates and prices are averaged.

Extend ceiling:

• the average cost of canvas and work is approximately 600 rubles./m2 (if you find it on sale, you can get a discount of up to 25%);
• installation of a mortgage for the lamp and its installation – 1,000 rubles.;
• bypass of one pipe RUB 1,000.

About 18,000 rubles in total.

Ceiling suspended:

• price of material without installation is about 312 rubles./m2 (includes the gypsum board itself with a thickness of 9.5 mm – 86 rubles./m 2, ceiling profile 98 RUR./m 2, PPN guides – 25 rubles./m 2 ., suspension 5 pcs. per m 2 — 25 rub., crab 4 pcs per m 2 – 60 rub., hardware – 18 rub./m 2 );
• cost of finishing (materials):

• wallpaper – about 230 rub./m 2 ;
• paint – about 260 rubles./m 2 ;
• (serpyanka mesh + putty for seams and heads of hardware – about 50 rubles./m2, finishing putty of the entire ceiling under wallpaper – 50 rubles./m2, for painting – 120 rubles./m 2, wallpaper + glue – 130 rubles./m 2, paint in 2 layers – 90 rub./m2);
• installation of one lighting fixture (work) — 1,000 rubles.

In conclusion, even if you choose to do the work yourself, the materials for the suspended ceiling will cost between 13,550 and 14,300 rubles. As a result, a stretch ceiling has a clear benefit.

Durability

Price and durability indicator are always correlated. In our situation, we see an intriguing picture: a suspended ceiling lasts 20–30 years, while a stretch ceiling lasts 15–30 years.

In conclusion, the ceilings are exactly the same in terms of durability.

Durability

In terms of longevity, plasterboard is far more durable than stretch ceilings. The smallest unintentional contact with any sharp object rips the film. Stretched canvas can be torn by even a champagne cork if it strikes it in the wrong direction. Cuts that are small can be removed. However, they will stand out on an absolutely level surface. Long tears require a new blade because they cannot be fixed.

Damage to a ceiling made of gypsum board is far more difficult. While a mop or stepladder can create a dent, it takes more work to break through a sheet of paper and leave a hole. Gypsum putty or acrylic can be used to fix minor gypsum board damage. A portion of the sheet needs to be replaced due to holes, and then the entire ceiling surface needs to be painted and puttied. The fresh paint will be noticeable as a light spot if you paint just the patch.

Conclusion: Plasterboard ceilings are significantly stronger than their rivals in this regard.

Speed of work completion

The PVC film is attached to the wall in three to four hours if the time between measurement and stretch ceiling installation is not taken into consideration. When finishing touches like priming, seam sealing, puttying, and painting are included, installing a plasterboard ceiling will take roughly five days.

In conclusion, a stretch ceiling has advantages.

Complexity of work

A novice in this area will not benefit from instructions on how to tension the canvas correctly. To feel the tension of the movie with your fingertips, you must have work experience. As such, the work is done by teams of experts.

Without using experts, a home craftsman can install a suspended structure. Indeed, you need assistance to complete this type of work. Without a doubt, you need an assistant—better yet, two.

In conclusion, you will not be able to save money by doing the installation of a suspended ceiling yourself—you need experience. The family budget can be greatly reduced by using drywall to enable the owners of the home to handle all technological tasks.

Difficulty in installing lighting

The same kinds of lighting fixtures can be installed in either ceiling design. On a suspended ceiling, this is a little trickier to accomplish, but that is unimportant. The editors of the website claim that everything is fair.

In conclusion, the compared ceilings are equal based on the aforementioned criterion.

Ceiling height loss

If the floor slabs are level across the horizon, improved suspended ceiling fastening systems enable you to "steal" 3–4 cm of height from a room, while the suspended system lowers the ceiling space by 8–12 cm.

In conclusion, apartments with low ceilings are a good fit for suspended ceilings. Suspended puts pressure on the occupants of the house psychologically, particularly in "Khrushchev" buildings.

Appearance

Because every customer has different tastes, it is never easy to judge something solely on its outward appearance. PVC film has a distinct advantage when it comes to color scheme. In contrast to drywall, which can only be painted any color, you can decorate it with incredibly gorgeous 3D drawings that completely change the space.

The opposite is true in terms of ceiling shape; gypsum board allows for the creation of elaborate curves and levels that, when combined with strategically placed LED strip lighting, produce an incredible effect.

In conclusion, the tension ceiling type offers the only real design advantage, and even then, it is negligible.

Fire safety

There is always something to burn in an apartment or house, so the fire safety requirement for a ceiling is meaningless. If we tackle the problem formally, we find total equality: with gypsum board, very little other material than cardboard can burn; the film melts instead of burning. However, gypsum board has a small benefit due to a feature that releases toxic substances when the film melts.

In conclusion, all of the materials belong to the same fire resistance class (G1), but gypsum plasterboard has a small advantage over the others because it doesn’t release any harmful fumes when it burns.

Features of care

The stretch ceiling’s glossy and matte surface shows even the smallest signs of dirt. It is therefore necessary to wash the stretched film at least once a year. The process is not simple, to be sure. Apart from cleaning dirt, you also need to get rid of rainbow stains in detergent.

Usually, drywall isn’t cleaned until the next painting; any cobwebs that have emerged should just be brushed away.

Conclusion: Drywall has a lower maintenance complexity than other materials.

Soundproofing properties

A suspended ceiling won’t quiet your upstairs neighbors. To reduce the noise, a thin layer of mineral insulation—basalt wool—is needed. A stretch ceiling is a comparable circumstance. However, a film with unique perforation has an advantage thanks to a recent product: an acoustic ceiling.

In summary, not every homeowner will want to stretch an acoustic-perforated PVC film because the design is compromised. As a result, the ceilings under comparison are exactly the same; therefore, to reduce noise from nearby neighbors, you will need to install an insulation layer that has soundproofing qualities in the ceiling space.

Moisture resistance

Both kinds of ceilings can tolerate variations in the room’s humidity under normal operating circumstances. Only in cases of force majeure, such as above-average flooding, is the difference noticeable. The stretch ceiling can sustain significant water leaks and can be reused after removal (re-upholstery required). Even with moisture resistance, drywall will eventually need to be replaced.

In conclusion, it is preferable to stretch a PVC film if your upstairs neighbors are untrustworthy.

Possibility of repair

Although minor cuts in the stretch ceiling can be fixed, remnants will always be present. Large ones are irreparable. If damaged, a suspended ceiling can be repaired. The fact that you will need to putty and paint the entire surface again is the only drawback. However, this is not financially comparable to replacing the film ceiling entirely.

To make things clearer, we will compile the comparison results into a table so that the customer can decide for themselves whether a stretch ceiling or drywall ceiling is preferable.

Table 1: Evaluation of the primary attributes of drywall and stretch ceilings.

Comparison criteria / Types of ceiling	Stretch	Drywall
Price	*****	****
Durability	*****	*****
Strength	**	****
Assembly speed	*****	**
Complexity of work	*****	**
Lighting options	*****	*****
Minimum loss of ceiling height	****	***
Appearance	*****	****
Fire resistance	****	****
Maintenance complexity	*****	**
Sound insulation	****	***
Moisture resistance	*****	****
Repairability	***	*****

• ***** — excellent;
• **** — good;
• *** — average;
• ** — low.

Plasterboard and suspended ceilings can be chosen based on your personal preferences and needs. Though each has unique benefits, think about what is most important for your area.

Utilities can be easily hidden and maintained with ease with suspended ceilings. Additionally, they are adaptable, enabling a variety of designs and styles. You might want to consider a suspended ceiling if you value both aesthetics and accessibility.

Conversely, plasterboard ceilings provide a seamless, smooth appearance that can be painted or embellished to match your interior design. They usually offer better insulation and are more affordable. Plasterboard is a good option if you want a sleek finish and want to keep costs low.

The ideal choice for you will ultimately rely on your project’s particular requirements, design preferences, and financial constraints. You can improve the aesthetics and usability of your space by making an informed decision by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each.

It’s critical to take your space’s unique requirements and financial constraints into account when deciding between plasterboard and suspended ceilings. Although suspended ceilings are perfect for commercial spaces because they provide easy access to pipes and electrical systems, they can also be less aesthetically pleasing. Conversely, plasterboard offers a seamless, flawless finish that is ideal for homes and is easily customizable with different paint and texture options. Whether you value utility and accessibility over aesthetics and customization will ultimately determine your choice.

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