A suspended ceiling, or dropped ceiling, typically takes the shape of a grid of metal supports with square or rectangular tiles placed between them, which is suspended beneath the roof structure or next floor to provide a space for HVAC, cables and pipes, and to produce an appealing look with no obvious mess.
The suspended ceiling was conceived in 1958 by an American named Donald Brown and it has evolved little since that time. Suspended ceilings are generally hardly ever found in the home, but are frequently found in office and commercial environments where property construction techniques differ and more utilities including air-con, public address systems and fire detection are made use of.
Suspended ceilings are not with no downsides, however, and can easily become unsightly after a number of years of installation. Regularly, the panels may become discoloured because of tobacco smoke or rain water loss. Panels can bulge down, or repeated taking out and reinstallation for maintenance can result in the sides and corners of the panels getting harmed. Once the layout of the space requires modification, suspended ceilings can be changed to match the new design but this really is often done amateurishly by general companies and can result in a lousy look and feel. In damp conditions including pools, mold may become a concern if eventually left without treatment.
Stretch ceilings are really a new advancement which is often a superior alternative to suspended ceilings on many occasions.
A stretch ceiling is a PVC sheet which is secured at all perimeters to the wall surfaces and placed under stress such that it will become flat. A stretch ceiling has many of the advantages of a suspended ceiling, in terms of masking unsightly roof beams or aged plasterwork, but provides a more appealing finish and tidier installation all around columns and other unusual features. The ceiling could also be arched or curved to take advantage of the space available, and can be supplied in a variety of shades and even illuminated from behind by coloured lights. They are also immune to mildew and mold because water simply runs off them, which makes them appropriate for use in moist conditions.
Stretch ceilings are an attractive contemporary substitute to old fashioned suspended ceilings and therefore are increasing in popularity.