The term ‘suspended ceiling’ refers to a secondary ceiling which is beneath the structural floor slab immediately above. The presence of a suspended ceiling framework thus creates a space or void between the underside of the upper floor slab and the suspended ceiling slung below. This void produces a gap of 3-8 inches between the suspended ceiling itself and the upper floor slab. That’s why suspended ceilings can also be described as ‘false’ or dropped ceilings.
It’s quite common to spot suspended ceilings in commercial buildings, because the ceiling void offers a convenient space for hiding unsightly wires and technical installations which would otherwise impact upon the building’s interior appearance.
Installing a suspended ceiling also gains useful space which can be allocated to HVAC (heating, ventilation & air conditioning) services and many other facilities. The space gained can be utilised to provide distribution for everything from heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical wiring and computer network cabling. It also provides a platform for the installation of speakers, light fittings, sprinkler systems, fire and smoke detectors, motion sensors, wireless antennae, CCTV and more.
Installing a suspended ceiling
When installing a suspended ceiling, the first step is to accurately measure the room dimensions. This provides the data required to design an appropriate ceiling grid.
Using those precise measurements, the installer next determines the drop of the proposed ceiling. This metric is then marked all around the perimeter of the room space and serves to ensure things run smoothly once the grid is fixed in place.
A false ceiling is generally fastened to a bracket attached to the bottom of the floor slab above. This structure is used to support the new ceiling grid – an interlocking metal framework. Alternatively, a beam system can be installed. This consists of an array of parallel beams which support ceiling tiles laid between the beams. Either system is complemented by a broad selection of grid profiles and tile edge detailing. For example, grid and tiling elements can be combined to produce flush, recessed or concealed installations, or even designs which leave the supporting framework exposed.
Once a ceiling grid has been correctly fitted, technicians can then move in to install HVAC components, lighting, PA speakers and any other elements the ceiling has been designed to accommodate and conceal.
The last phase of the installation is to slot the chosen tiles into the grid framework. That completes the installation, though the final look of the finished ceiling will naturally depend on the aesthetic merits of the chosen tiling and how it blends with the rest of the interior design.
Tiles for suspended ceilings
Suspended ceiling tiles offer a broad selection of colours and designs and a variety of materials. One advantage of this is that ceiling tiles can be a very practical and effective way to completely transform the interior appearance of any building.
Tiles are available in materials such as plasterboard, mineral fibres, metals, and laminates. Many of these can also offer a perforated texture. We asked the Suspended Ceiling specialists at Western Industrial for advice on the potential advantage of this arrangement, they commented that “it is to provide a means of controlling interior acoustics: Specific levels of acoustic absorption can be calculated and deployed to control the reverberation (echo) times experienced in the room spaces below.”
A range of tile sizes are available. However, it may be helpful to know that the most common dimensions are square tiles (600mm x 600mm) or rectangular tiles (600mm x 1200mm).
Interior partitions
When a suspended ceiling installation is finished, the next stage is very often to add partitions to optimise the value and utility of the available floor space. As with ceiling tiles, partition panelling also comes in a range of options to create the ambience and appearance of the respective interior areas.
From a practical design perspective, partitions are usually integrated in one of two ways: either by using a construction which flows through into the upper floor slab; or installing a partition which stops short of the false ceiling, or neatly intersects with the ceiling itself.
Professional suspended ceilings and partitions can be combined to create modern designs which significantly enhance commercial property interiors. Nevertheless, designers should be aware that poorly planned installations could transmit sound from adjacent areas, or even create a path for fire to spread through a building.
A checklist of considerations for designing and installing a suspended ceiling:
- Interior aesthetics
- Building services requirements
- Acoustic considerations (damping and absorption)
- Hygiene issues
- *Fire safety concerns
- Corrosion & moisture resistance
- Cleaning operations
- Thermal insulation
- Tile sizing & thickness
* Note that fire safety legislation describes a fire-safe suspended ceiling as: ‘A ceiling suspended below a floor that adds to the fire resistance of the floor.’