Surely every owner of an apartment or a private house dreams of unusual interior, because you really want to surprise guests with your impeccable taste and original design solutions.One of these "chips" will be single-level ceiling from drywall. Such a simple option is a classic and at the same time available to everyone the possibility of decorating a living room, nursery, office or bedroom.

Peculiarities

In fact, there are a lot of reasons for installing a plasterboard ceiling covering: someone does not want to see a “curved” surface above their heads, someone needs to reduce the dimensions of the room by lowering the ceiling, and someone dreams of beautiful, modern built-in lamps. When choosing a single-level or multi-level plasterboard ceiling, keep in mind that at a low height or in a small room, it is worth stopping at the first option, since complex structures will be out of place in such a room and can visually reduce its size.

When installing a single-level plasterboard ceiling, you can use both built-in spotlights and classic chandeliers. You can also beat the option of creating stars on the ceiling using luminescent paint. They will be invisible during the day, but in the evening and at night they will effectively decorate the interior, adding originality and mystery to it.

Advantages

More and more people are choosing plasterboard ceiling options lately, and there are many explanations for this. The advantages of such a design are many:

  • environmental friendliness and material safety;
  • lack of synthetic and other smell;

  • surface leveling;
  • ease of processing with an improvised tool (knife);
  • ease of installation;
  • high heat and sound insulation characteristics;
  • resistance to fire;
  • variety of designs;
  • the possibility of mounting lamps;
  • harmonious combination of practicality, beauty and functionality.

This ceiling:

  • hides flaws;
  • masks communications;
  • not afraid of mechanical influences;
  • non-toxic when heated.

There are several types of GKL sheets that can be used for a single-level ceiling, in most cases, masters choose standard or moisture-resistant options. Plasterboard ceilings can be single-level, multi-level with complex shapes and all kinds of lamps, or combined with stretch fabrics. Backlit designs are especially popular.

Using the backlight

Illumination mounted in a plasterboard ceiling can be open or hidden. For open lighting, it is necessary to provide holes in the ceiling or a suspension for a chandelier. Hidden lighting is located in special niches. Thanks to this, the lighting is very soft, diffused, mysterious.

Popular types of lighting for the ceiling of the plasterboard:

  • ordinary incandescent lamps;
  • duralight;
  • neon lights;
  • LED lights;
  • classic chandelier;
  • fluorescent lighting.

The most appropriate in a single-level design would be spotlights or a standard chandelier.

  • For mounting spotlight marking is made, and then holes are cut. The advantages of this type of lighting include original design and ease of installation without additional involvement of specialists. Disadvantages: the need for rewiring, not very intense light, but at the same time quite high energy costs.

  • Advantages chandeliers: Easy and fast installation process without rewiring. Designers choose this lighting option, as a rule, for interior design in the classic or baroque style. At the same time, if you use energy-saving lamps, electricity bills will not be so ruinous.

The disadvantages of this type of lighting can only be attributed to the fact that a weighty chandelier sometimes “steals” space and visually reduces the height of the ceiling, so it is not recommended to use it in small rooms.

Installation

Start the installation of the ceiling with measurements with a tape measure, visually transferring the sketch of the room to a sheet of paper according to the calculations obtained. When carrying out repair and construction work, make sure that the room is warm enough, at least 15 degrees. And if you started repairing the entire room, proceed with the installation of the ceiling after leveling and processing the walls, but leave the painting work for last.

To make your ceiling durable and of high quality, you should pay special attention to drywall storage. The purchased GKL is kept at room temperature for at least a day. At the same time, pay attention to the fact that there are no temperature fluctuations and changes in the level of humidity in the room, the quality of drywall may suffer from this. Store sheets of gypsum plasterboard exclusively in a horizontal position, while avoiding deflections.

Before installing the backlight, the installation of the drywall structure itself is carried out. First, a frame made of a metal profile is fixed, while the necessary holes or niches for illumination are thought out. If you have building skills, you can fix drywall boards on the ceiling yourself. Or invite a team of professionals who will not only install the ceiling, but also help with choosing the type of lighting.

Working with the ceiling surface is not so easy, because you have to constantly be between the floor and the ceiling with your hands up, so you should not rely only on yourself, but rather get an assistant who will give you tools and materials.

Consider the main stages of work:

  • Clean the ceiling from the remnants of wallpaper, old whitewash and putty, remove the chandelier and other lighting fixtures. Draw a line along the perimeter of the room a few centimeters from the ceiling, along which you will mount the profiles. First, suspensions for the main frame are mounted; for this, a grid with markings can be applied to the ceiling and fixed with a perforator at an equal distance from each other.
  • Then a guide profile is attached around the perimeter. As a result, you will get a "metal belt" where the main profile will be inserted. It is fastened with self-tapping screws to suspensions that carry the load of GKL sheets. We insert the ends of the profiles into the grooves of the guides. At the same time, pay attention that the main profiles do not sag, check this with a level.

Some craftsmen use adapters - "crabs" made of metal or profile extensions, which allows you to make a plasterboard ceiling on a large scale and without the involvement of additional help.

  • It is the turn to sheathe the frame with GKL sheets. Mark the sheets and cut the drywall with a knife so that the pieces fit together without gaps.

When cutting drywall, pay attention to some of the nuances:

  1. GKL sheets process exclusively on a flat surface.
  2. When you mark the lines for cutting, attach a ruler to the line, and already cut through the top layer of drywall with a knife. Next, bending the sheet along the cut line, gently break it.
  3. To achieve the perfect smoothness of the edges, sand them with sandpaper.

  • The resulting fragments are screwed with screws to the main profiles. Self-tapping screws must be screwed in at an angle of 90 degrees and at least 1 cm deep into the profile so that the fastening of the sheets is of high quality. Hats should be “drowned” 1-2 mm inside the GKL sheet and then puttied. At the end, level the surface to an ideal state by gluing the seams with reinforced tape and filling it with putty.
  • If you accidentally left a dent during installation, it can be puttied before painting, so that the defect will not be visible. After drying, the ceiling is cleaned with emery and covered water-based paint any shade. You can also wallpaper the surface or even mount stained glass windows in it, which will make the room unique in design.

The times when standard apartments had a standard ceiling are long gone. Modern technologies and innovative finishing materials allow you to create incredible designs with unique lighting to decorate the ceiling space. Each owner is free to choose the option of decorating the living space to their liking and in accordance with their financial capabilities. The most affordable and at the same time effective option is a single-level drywall coating with a slight lowering of the ceiling level by 10-15 cm.

Frankly, not all customers set themselves the goal of turning their apartment into an ultra-modern living space with a lot of ornate ideas and intricate design solutions. Some unnecessary complications of the interior are considered not only expensive, but also literally tedious pleasure.

Either people are brought up like that, or their state of health is such that it does not allow assessing modern ideas, or maybe everything is much simpler - there is not much money, but what you have you just want to save. Be that as it may, the fact remains that most customers planning to finish the GKL surface prefer simple single-level plasterboard ceilings.

These ceilings, if they can surprise with something, only with their perfectly flat and smooth surface. By and large, this is quite enough to make the room look decent, and it was not a shame to receive guests in it.

General information about a simple plasterboard ceiling

The classic version of the simplest is characterized by the presence of the following main components:

  • durable metal frame, constructed from a galvanized profile, fixed to the ceiling on suspensions;
  • a facing layer consisting of plasterboard, which is securely screwed to the frame using self-tapping screws;
  • built-in system spot lighting, the supply communications of which are completely hidden from sight under the skin.

Material selection

Whatever the ceiling being built, simple or complex, the material for it needs the same quality. This is especially true for gypsum boards, which can have various purposes:

  • standard;
  • moisture resistant;
  • fire resistant;
  • moisture and fire resistant.

Most often, the ceilings in houses and apartments are sheathed using ordinary or moisture-resistant plasterboard sheets.

Advice: If, after delivering the material to your home, it seems to you that it is a little damp, there is nothing to worry about. The main thing is to carefully bring it into the room and let it lie down for a while. In a dry room, literally the next day, the sheets are completely suitable for further use.

Preparing the base for the frame

The beginning of the main work is preceded by the preparation of walls and the base ceiling:

  • we remove the wallpaper completely from the walls, and the surface can not be touched. However, if the room is damp, it is still better to remove the paper;
  • we dismantle the old lighting;
  • remove loose plaster;
  • draw marking lines on the walls and ceiling using chocline. First, marks are placed on the walls in all corners at the level of installation of a new coating. The hydraulic level will help with this. Next, the labels are interconnected, resulting in a closed loop. Also, parallel lines are applied on the ceiling with a step of 60 cm, along which suspensions will be located in the future, and directly below them along them - bearing profiles.

Frame installation

The final appearance of any frame structure, including a single-level plasterboard ceiling, largely depends on how the frame is mounted. Mistakes made at this stage cannot be corrected by either finishers or painters, because if there is a skew of the plane, the putty will not hide this flaw in any way.

With responsibility in mind, let's get to work by doing the following:

  • above the line on the walls, located along the perimeter, we install the carrier profile CD, leaving no gaps. For its installation, driven screws are used, equipped with the same size plastic dowels with a “collar”. Their size is 6×40 mm. If the wall is loose, you need to use longer screws and dowels. The distance between the fasteners is about 50 cm. The short profile can be extended by inserting a new piece inside the already installed one or using small special extensions for the guide profile inserted into both parts;
  • when the guide contour from the UD profile is ready, we proceed to the installation of the supporting part of the structure. First, along the lines on the surface, we fasten metal brackets, which are also called suspensions. For each hanger, two holes must be drilled in the ceiling slab opposite the mounting holes on the hanger. Fixing the suspension to the ceiling should be as rigid as possible. The presence of even a minimal backlash is unacceptable. Suspensions are mounted at a distance of 60-70 cm from each other;
  • we install the CD carrier profile inside the guide, exposing its middle under the ceiling marking line. The length of the CD should be a little, 1-1.5 cm, less than the length of the distance between the walls, otherwise the profile cannot be installed without protrusion down or up, which is also not allowed;
  • we bend down the strips of all plumb lines by 90 °. You also need to take into account that the marking line, lowered too low, may lead to the fact that the length of the bracket for fixing the CD carrier profile in the bent down state may be insufficient. If you realized this late, the length of the suspensions will have to be increased. If you plan to lower the ceiling low, it is better to buy not standard suspensions, but longer samples;
  • we fasten the carrier profile to the hangers with self-tapping screws or short press washers with a drill at the end, having previously placed it along the lower edge of the guide profile. It is most convenient to determine the installation plane using a strong thread stretched across the room and a long rule. Each suspension is screwed with four self-tapping screws: two on each side.

For a conventional ceiling, the frame can also be made of wooden beams. You just need to be sure that it will not be exposed to moisture and other deformations. The beam used for mounting the frame must be dry, otherwise it is possible that the finished structure after drying wooden frame will start to deform. For reliability, the tree is pre-treated with a moisture-proof compound and dried.

Perhaps this is the main thing you need to know about the installation of the frame of a single-level drywall coating shown below in the photo.

Drywall processing

At the edges of the plasterboard, where there is no technological recess for applying putty, it is necessary to chamfer at an angle of 45 ° using a special planer for drywall. This can be done after installing the ceiling, but processing the installed sheet is more difficult, and debris flying down can get into your eyes.

On a note: Cutting drywall is easiest on a flat surface. To cut a whole sheet first along a rule, ruler or other flat object used in cutting, draw a knife, cutting through the outer layer of paper. Then, lifting the sheet, you just need to break it along the cut line.

Usually this is done without difficulty, and the fracture is straight. Now it remains only to cut the second side of the paper with a knife, keeping the sheet from falling or shifting.

Fixing drywall sheets

To reduce the load on frame structure for sheathing the frame, it is better to use gypsum boards with a thickness of 9.5 mm. The fewer fragments will be used, the fewer seams will have to be sealed. A construction made with a minimum number of seams is more durable, and the likelihood of cracks on it is minimized.

Let's take into account some tips to help you fix drywall:

  • fastening work is best done with a partner, since it is very problematic to independently perform high-quality fastening of a heavy plate. When lifting up, the plate must be held on both sides in order to avoid its fracture in the middle;
  • to fasten one whole sheet of GKL, about 60 self-tapping screws 25-30 mm long are needed;
  • so that the self-tapping screws do not break through the plate when screwing in, a bit with a special screw-in depth limiter is used, which does not allow the screw to be drowned deeper than necessary;
  • it is better to start fixing the plates from the corner of the room;
  • above the short edges of the GKL, which will be joined to other plates, jumpers from the CD profile are installed between the main bearing profiles. I mount them on "crabs" or by cutting out a mounting shelf in the profile, through which the jumper is fixed to the carrier profile with "bug" screws;
  • the plates of the next row are stacked apart. This is necessary to avoid the formation of continuous transverse cracks in the event of slight surface vibrations under the influence of external factors, for example, vibrations created by street transport;
  • it is better not to join the plates too tightly, since the subsequent, high-quality filling of the joints with putty will only strengthen the seams.

The ceiling is now ready for grouting and finishing.

As can be seen from many photos, a well-finished simple plasterboard ceiling looks just exceptional. It remains to complete the design of the room, picking up nice wallpaper and durable flooring.

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Gypsum board is one of the most popular materials used for ceiling decoration. And the attractive appearance and durability of this material largely depend on how correctly the frame was designed and mounted under the main wooden or concrete ceiling. Mistakes and shortcomings in this matter, made through ignorance or inattention, will require redoing the entire work. Therefore, it is very important to study how the frame is arranged and how it is done.

Let's start with the basics. A frame is a load-bearing structure created from a set of linear elements such as wooden beam or steel profile. Its main task is to hold drywall sheets under the ceiling, since it is almost impossible to fix them in any other way. The second task that the frame performs is the alignment of the ceiling finish. It is unlikely that anyone will be news that the ceilings in most apartments are far from perfectly even. A suspended structure from the profile and drywall sheets corrects this defect and gives a smooth and attractive surface. And the last task performed by the frame is to provide space for the wires that lead to the fixtures built into the drywall sheets.

Important! In addition to the above functions, the frame is used to create a multi-level ceiling finish. But more on this will be discussed below.

Frame types

There are several criteria by which plasterboard suspended ceiling frames are classified. The first and main - according to the material used.


In turn, the frame of the metal profile is divided into two main subspecies.


Another criterion by which the frame is classified is the number of levels.

Drywall prices

drywall


Now consider the components, when connected in a certain system, a ready-made and durable frame is obtained.

Accessories - profiles

The frame design includes profiles, connectors and fasteners. This part of the article talks about metal profiles, their sizes and how exactly the elements are used to create a false ceiling.

Important! For rooms with high humidity, such as a bathroom, toilet or kitchen, a galvanized profile should be used, as it is more resistant to corrosion. A ceiling with such a frame will last much longer, a small overpayment for its elements is quite justified and reasonable.

IN general view the profile is a long product made of a metal sheet coated with zinc. The cross section and size of the profiles depend on what tasks it performs in the frame structure.


Important! PNP should not be confused with the usual guide profile, abbreviated as PN. The latter is mainly used when creating frames for plasterboard partitions and finishing walls with this material.

Table. The main characteristics of the profiles used in the creation of suspended ceilings.

NameHeight, mmWidth, mmLength, mmWeight per 1 m of length, kg
PP 60/2760 27 2750, 3000, 4000 and 45000,6
PNP 28/2728 27 2750, 3000, 4000 and 45000,4
PA 60/2760 27 2750, 3000, 4000 and 45000,6

Accessories - hangers and connectors

By themselves, profiles that act as beams are useless - they need to be attached to the ceiling and connected to each other. This task is taken over by the corresponding components - suspensions and connectors. Let's consider them in a little more detail.

The second most important frame element after the profiles is the U-shaped suspension. Roughly speaking, this is a rolled steel bracket 27 mm wide and 60 mm high. The width corresponds to the width of the PP profile. The “paws” of the suspension along their length have many paired holes with an equal spacing. The base of the element has holes for fasteners - anchor bolts for concrete floors and self-tapping screws for wood. The greatest load falls on the suspensions, so it is impossible to save on their number in any case.

Ceiling profile prices

ceiling profile

The task performed by connectors is clear from their name - to connect profiles to each other in a certain position. There are many varieties of this element.


Important! When calculating the amount necessary materials keep in mind that profiles, connectors, suspensions and fasteners need a reserve - an additional 10-20% of the required amount. If any of the elements is damaged or turns out to be defective, the reserve will come in handy.

Accessories - fasteners

So, the profiles are considered, the connectors too. Now it's time to figure out how all the elements of the frame are fastened together. The main type of fastener used to create a false ceiling is self-tapping screws, better known as self-tapping screws.

To connect profiles to each other, use:

  • piercing self-tapping screws - LN9, LN9.5, LN12, etc.;
  • drilling screws - LB9, LB11, LB16, etc.

Digit after letter designation is the length of the screw in millimeters. The diameter of the self-tapping fastener for the profile in most cases is 3.5 mm.

Important! There is a type of fastener for profiles with a thin cap. This type should be used if you want to screw in a screw in a place to which a sheet of drywall will then adjoin.

Suspensions and the frame itself are attached to the ceiling with dowels or screws (for concrete floors). If the creation of a false ceiling takes place in wooden house, then self-tapping screws are used, but much more than the "bugs" connecting the frame elements.

Planning and calculation

The first step in creating a frame for finishing the ceiling with plasterboard is planning and calculation. To do this, you will need several sheets of paper, a ruler, square, pens and pencils. And for directly measuring the room, you need a ruler and a level (preferably a laser one, but a hydraulic one is also suitable). To subsequently divide the ceiling into zones and plan it, you will need a marker and a chop thread.

Step 1. The length of all walls is measured. Keep in mind that even in a rectangular room, opposite walls can have different lengths. This is not so noticeable to the eye, but it is of great importance when drawing up a frame plan.

Step 2 The height is measured from floor to ceiling in each corner of the room, in the middle of each wall and in the center of the room.

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screwdriver

Step 3 Based on the data obtained in the previous steps, the corner with the smallest height is found. At this point, the distance is measured from ceiling to the horizontal plane in which the plasterboard ceiling will be located. The height of the false ceiling is calculated depending on two factors - the total height of the room and those communications and objects that need to be placed between the drywall and the concrete floor. Optimal value- from 50 to 65 mm, this is enough for laying wiring and mounting spotlights.

Step 4 With the help of a level, a pencil and a thread, a false ceiling line is applied around the perimeter of the room, along which the installation will be carried out metal profiles or wooden beam.

Step 5 A room diagram is created on paper on a certain scale and with the exact values ​​\u200b\u200bof the length of each wall obtained by measuring.

Step 6 The attachment points of the guide profile and fasteners are applied. The latter should be located at intervals of 25-40 cm.

Step 7 Lines of ceiling profiles are applied to the diagram. For a honeycomb scheme, the distance between them should be 60 cm - half the length of a standard drywall sheet. For a transverse scheme, the distance is from 30 to 40 cm. It is important to remember that the edges of two adjacent sheets are attached to the same profile, and in the drawing all lines pass through the middle of the PCB. Pay special attention to this point in the next steps.

Step 8 The scheme is supplemented by the points of location of the suspensions (every 40-60 cm) and the points where the lamps and wiring elements were mounted.

Step 9 From a paper sheet, the scheme is transferred to a pre-prepared ceiling using a tape measure and thread. The horizontal plane is controlled by a level.

Step 10 Calculated based on the plan required amount profiles, connectors and fasteners.

Important! Drywall sheets and, accordingly, the frame for it are located along the direction indicated by the windows in the room, that is, the long side is perpendicular to the plane of the glass and the frame.

More precise measurements for various types ceilings are presented in the instructions below.

Ceiling surface preparation

Let us briefly describe the measures for preparing the ceiling for the installation of the frame and false ceiling.


Cellular frame - installation

To create a frame, from tools, in addition to the level, thread and marker, you will need a stepladder, a screwdriver, a hammer and a puncher.

We assume that the ceiling has already been planned and divided using a grid into cells measuring 60 by 60 cm, and we will describe in stages the process of installing suspensions and profiles directly.

Photo of a frame with crab connectors for attaching drywall sheets to the ceiling

Step 1. A guide profile is installed along the line marked on the wall. Before that, a sealing tape is glued to the side adjacent to the wall and holes for dowels are created at intervals of 30-40 cm. Guides are installed around the entire perimeter of the room and are attached to each other using corner connectors.

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crab frame connector

Step 2 Hangers are installed 30 cm from the wall along the lines of the main frame profiles. Further, the suspensions are mounted with dowels in increments of 60 cm so that each suspension is in the middle between the future jumper profiles. The "legs" of the suspensions are bent down.

Step 3 Ceiling profiles are being prepared. 5-10 mm is cut off from the value approved according to the drawing, so that when the temperature rises, the plasterboard ceiling does not deform due to the expansion of the profiles.

Step 4 Ceiling profiles are inserted into the guides and connected with self-tapping bugs with suspensions.

To align on a horizontal plane, you will need a level and helpers.

This is where a magnet comes in handy. We cling to the magnet on the profile. A strip of masking tape with a printed line is pasted on the magnet. The laser must be set taking into account the distance from the line on the magnet to the surface of the carrier profile. Combining a line and a beam, we will very simply and quickly produce a structure that is ideally even in the plane of the horizon.

Step 5 As soon as the main PPs are mounted, jumpers are installed between them from metal profiles cut to 590-595 mm. Fastening is done crosswise using a crab connector and small self-tapping screws.

Crab mount

The profile is inserted with one end into the start, and the other into the "crab"

Important! On the reverse side of the frame, facing the ceiling, a sealing tape is glued. It is advisable to apply it even before the profile is fixed on the hangers.

The sealing tape is a porous material with a self-adhesive backing, 30 mm wide. It is used to fasten the structure so that the plasterboard ceiling frame fits snugly against the concrete and transmits less sounds.

Cross frame - installation

Compared to cellular, this design requires less material- there is no need for jumpers and, accordingly, for crab connectors. But at the same time, the gap between the individual transverse profiles decreases - instead of 60 cm, 40-50 cm are needed.

Step 1. As described above in the article, the ceiling is marked out - a line for the guides is set, with the help of a thread the mounting points of the profiles are beaten off. In addition, you need to determine the angle as close as possible to 90 degrees.

Step 2 Holes are drilled in the wall for the guide profile in increments of 30-40 cm.

Step 3 The guide profile is glued sealing tape and fastened to the wall with screws and dowels.

Step 4 As for the honeycomb frame, hangers are installed 30 cm from the wall and 60 cm from each other. The ends of the elements are bent down.

Step 5 The transverse ceiling profile is cut to the desired length. In order not to damage the drywall during thermal expansion and prevent warping, the “extra” 5 mm are cut off.

Video - How to cut a UD and CD profile with your own hands

Step 6 The profile is glued with sealing tape from the bottom side, inserted into the guides and attached to the hangers with small self-tapping screws called bugs.

Multi-level frame - installation

There are many variations of a multi-level false ceiling, its shape, design and other things, and their detailed description is good topic for a separate article. The ceiling is also considered here, where both tiers and the sides between them are made of drywall.

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Step 1. The first thing is markup. Here, the creation of a drawing and its transfer to the ceiling are paid twice as much attention as for a single-level ceiling - the complexity of the task is much higher.

Step 2 Lines of guide profiles for the upper and lower levels are marked on the wall, holes for fasteners are drilled.

Step 3 The guide profiles of the upper level are attached to the wall. Details are described in previous instructions.

Step 4 Direct hangers are installed. The interval between them can be reduced (and, therefore, more suspensions can be placed), since the load on the floor and frame will be higher.

Step 5 Top-level ceiling profiles are mounted, as for a single-level ceiling. You can use both transverse and cellular construction.

Step 6 Rails of the lower level are attached to the wall.

Step 7 One of the straight profiles is cut into many vertical posts, which will be the "boards" between the ceiling levels. Use tiered or T-connectors to attach racks to load-bearing structure top level.

Step 8 An arched profile is attached to the bottom of the racks. It can be replaced with a guide profile with even cuts and folds in the right places.

Step 9 Load-bearing PCBs are inserted between the arched profile and the guides of the lower level.

Video - Installation of a multi-level plasterboard ceiling

Thus, a frame is obtained for a multi-level ceiling, where an additional load falls on the upper level. In such work, the help of an experienced master is very important.

Now, after reading this article, you know how a false ceiling frame works. It remains only to acquire materials, tools, a great desire and the help of relatives or friends.

Video - Frame for plasterboard on the ceiling. Installation

The very first thing that most people want to build when they start working with drywall is ceilings from it. The advantages of plasterboard ceilings are quite obvious, they allow you to hide wires and some communications in them, they are easy to erect, you can choose the size and shape yourself, you can create a unique design, and they have a relatively low price.

What is this article about

Peculiarities

If you are reading this, then it’s probably not just that, you intend to create plasterboard ceilings, but you don’t know how to do it right, which means quickly and efficiently. To create ceilings, some professional tool for working with drywall, for example, a lift, because it can greatly simplify the work. If you don’t have anything like that, then you don’t have to worry, using them, although desirable, is not necessary. You can get by with a standard ladder.

Note that it is better to create ceilings in such rooms, the size of which allows you to slightly reduce the height of the room (by about 15–25 cm). Most of the free space for the ceiling is given under the frame, on which the drywall will hold. In addition, the design of the ceiling can be very different, everything depends on who will create them, because for someone a one-level ceiling is enough, and for someone 2-3 levels are not enough. Often created lighting on plasterboard ceilings is a spotlight that is mounted directly inside the structure, which allows for a more beautiful and neat placement of the wiring and the fixtures themselves.

Before we start, we want to immediately discuss what we will tell you about how a single-level plasterboard ceiling is created. Why exactly him?

  1. We already have an article about, we advise you to read it.
  2. These are very light ceilings, both in terms of weight and complexity of erection, so they are very popular among specialists of various qualifications, as well as among beginners.
  3. To understand how plasterboard ceilings are built, you just need to study the installation of the first level, and the rest are superimposed on the first in the same way.

Ceiling shape: a difficult choice

See how much various forms ceiling can be created, but consider if you need it. If you're willing to go a little crazy and make an intricately shaped ceiling, but only on one level, which makes things easier, you can sketch out your fantasies on paper. The more original and creative the shape and design of the ceiling, the more it will attract attention. This way you can take your eyes off the details that you would not want to see by focusing it on the ceiling.

Your experiments in finding the shape of the ceiling can be a little easier. To do this, you will simply need to draw a flat ceiling, in which you will already make the necessary holes for the fixtures and the height differences that you require. Plan the shape of the ceiling, taking into account the communications that will take place inside the frame. It can be pipes and wires, but not of a very large shape, so that they do not heavily load the frame and can fit into it.

When you choose the shape of the ceiling, which is completely suitable for you, will be possible in construction, will not hurt the eye, then you can start marking. The main thing to remember is that a single-level ceiling is very simple in design, so it’s not worth it to choose a shape and markup for a long time, it’s better to devote more time to creating a frame.

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*Attention! All results are approximate - the accuracy depends on the material of the walls, the condition and shape of the room

Ceiling markings

Be sure to indicate the location of the rails of the guide profile, which will be located along the perimeter of the walls, that is, you need to mark the boundaries of the ceiling at the distance from the base that you need. Usually suspended ceiling located from the main one at 15-25 centimeters. When marking the ceiling, it is imperative to use laser level, which will allow you to make straight lines on the walls. Set the laser level so that its beam is around the entire perimeter of the room at (20) centimeters from the main ceiling, then place it in the corners of the room along the self-tapping screw and pull a bright thread over them.

The thread will help you when installing the guide profile. In addition to the perimeter of the ceiling, it will also be necessary to mark up the profile that will be located inside the structure. It will be on suspensions in the inner part of the ceiling, connecting to the guide. The distance between the ceiling profile should be 50-60 centimeters, and the attachment points of the suspensions on one rail are 65 centimeters apart. All this should be noted when marking.
In addition, indicate the dimensions of the rails that are located in a certain area, so that later you do not measure this distance, but calmly and quickly cut off the profile rail. Also, indicate the distances between the various parts of the structure, which will allow you to know all the details of the placement, which means that the work will go much faster and more efficiently.

Frame assembly

For a plasterboard ceiling, it is necessary to assemble a frame into which wires and pipes can be hidden, and lighting can also be placed there. Creating a frame will allow you to level the ceiling, which will have a good effect on it. appearance, therefore, although the frame will take 20–30 centimeters in height, it will visually greatly increase the height of the room and significantly improve the view of the entire room.

First you need to install a guide profile, but not the one used in drywall walls or partitions, but a special ceiling guide profile. It is fixed above the threads that you pulled at the markup stage. To securely fix it, use a drill and dowels, but only on a concrete base. Make a step between the dowels in 12-20 centimeters.

When you fix the guide profile, you can remove the thread and unscrew the screws on which it was pulled. While nothing needs to be attached to the guide profile, now it will be necessary to deal with the placement of suspensions. They are installed in pre-marked areas, that is, where the ceiling profile will pass. Maintain a distance between them of 60-70 centimeters, this is a light single-level ceiling, so you do not need to place many suspensions. There should be 5-6 hangers per 3–4 meter rail of the ceiling profile.

A ceiling profile must be installed to the fixed hangers. The connection is made with a screwdriver and self-tapping screws. If you plan to continue doing repairs in your apartment on your own, then we advise you to buy a tape nozzle for a screwdriver to save time and free your hands. First, the ceiling profile rail is inserted into the guide and fastened to it (here you can use a cutter), and only then it is fixed in suspensions. If you do otherwise, then the profile cannot be placed inside the guide. Everyone understands this for sure, but we want to finally make sure that you are aware that you need to place the profile in suspensions with the front side to the floor, since it is on it that drywall will be attached.

The ends of the suspensions, which look beyond the profile, must be bent or cut off, but it will still be better to bend, since they can not be cut off very evenly, which will interfere with the sheathing. In principle, this is a single-level ceiling, so you can get by with only one direction for placing the ceiling profile. But if you want to further strengthen the structure, you can place a row of ceiling profiles that will be perpendicular to the first and will connect to the guide profiles that are located on the other 2 walls. In this case, you need to use special fasteners - crabs.

Plasterboard sheathing

The installation of the frame is completed, now you can proceed to the sheathing. Sheathing a ceiling is much easier than partitions or arches, and sheathing a single-level ceiling is generally not difficult. This is a flat surface, which very rarely has bends, since it is very difficult to make them at the same level. Start placing with those sheets that will fit in their entirety, and only then proceed to place the cut sheets of drywall. To make it easier to lift the sheets and fix them - use a drywall lift, but this is not necessary, with dexterity, you can quickly cope without it.

If you are doing lighting in the ceiling, then lay the wires before you start sheathing the ceiling. In the drywall sheets, you will need to make holes for the lamp, and after sheathing, connect them to the wires and fix them in the structure. Self-tapping screws that fasten drywall to the frame, deepen into drywall, but no more than 2 mm. Before puttying, run a spatula along the surface of the ceiling, if it does not meet obstacles - self-tapping screws, then you can putty, otherwise - screw the screws.

It is necessary to putty the ceiling in the same way as the walls and all other drywall structures: putty is applied to the seams, sickle is glued, then the second layer of putty, the same for self-tapping screws, only without sickle. Putty must be applied in two layers, but with different compositions. The first is the starting, and the second is the finishing putty.

The composition must be deepened into the seams of the product, since you are doing this above your head, then press the spatula harder so that the putty does not fall on you and the floor. When the composition dries, you can grind the surface. To do this, use a sandpaper holder or grinder, carefully process the seams, aligning their height with the height of the ceiling. Don't forget your respirator.

The installation of the plasterboard ceiling is completed, now you can place a chandelier on it, make decorative trim, and apply paint.

Repair interior spaces in a residential building, in an office or in a city apartment today is carried out on the basis of new technologies, where the main focus is on modern materials. Among finishing materials one of the main places in interior design occupies gypsum boards. This material is unique in its technological properties and universal in its application. Due to its high technological characteristics, GKL is actively used in the decoration of ceilings. The most common type of ceiling design is considered to be single-level plasterboard ceilings. This technology is simple and clear enough to do everything by hand.

How a beautiful plasterboard suspended ceiling is made, and what materials are used for this, are the main aspects of this article. Having become acquainted in detail with all the subtleties and nuances of installation work, you can proceed directly to the implementation of the project.

What tasks does drywall used for finishing ceilings solve?

The use of drywall in finishing ceiling work is due to a number of reasons, each of which occurs when interior decoration. We often have to deal with the fact that there is an urgent need to level the existing ceiling surfaces. Ceilings are often not in perfect condition. We have to deal with technological and structural defects of the floors. Sometimes the old coating on the ceilings has already lost its attractiveness and relevance. There is an urgent need to quickly and least labor to eliminate the existing shortcomings.

In addition, in the process of repairing the apartment, technological innovations appear that carry a certain burden. Under the ceilings are the main intra-house communications. This includes the ventilation system, electrical wiring and communication lines. There is a natural desire to hide and disguise the main technological nodes and communications.

Finally, finishing work in more today they are aimed at creating an interesting interior, so the desire to make the ceiling structure non-standard and original is quite justified. To create a visual zoning of the internal space, to move away from the traditional central arrangement of lamps, the installation of lamps for decorative lighting will allow.

All of these problems can be solved in stages, using old and proven technologies. However, today you can deal with technical tasks of this kind is simple and easy, having built a single-level beautiful and original plasterboard ceiling. To get the desired result, it is enough to have an idea about the technology of laying drywall on ceilings, consumables in the right amount and the necessary working tools.

On a note: in preparation for installation work, you will have to deal with GKL standard sizes. Sheets can be 2.5 - 4.8 m long and 1.2 m wide. The thickness of the sheets varies between 8-24 mm.

Before starting installation work, you should make simple mathematical calculations, saving yourself from unnecessary expenses. According to experts, for interior finishing work with ceilings, it is recommended to use a gypsum board with a thickness of 8-9 mm. For the kitchen and rooms with high humidity, a moisture-resistant material is taken, which has the corresponding GKLV marking.

Important! Try to purchase drywall boards from reputable manufacturers and specialized retail outlets. Poor-quality drywall will not last long, causing a lot of trouble even during installation work.

Having figured out what material and how much it will be needed to decorate the ceiling surfaces, you can proceed directly to work.

Preparation for installation of single-level ceilings. Technical subtleties and nuances

If you know how to handle a screwdriver and a tape measure, you have an idea of ​​​​how to work with a grinder, you can make single-level plasterboard ceilings yourself. And quite acceptable quality.

When planning such a reconstruction, you immediately solve the questions you are facing:

  • level the ceiling to a perfectly flat state;
  • hide cords, cables and pipes;
  • prepare the technological base for the installation of new fixtures.

When working with drywall, you should adhere to certain requirements, technical subtleties and nuances. Despite this, working with drywall is a pleasure. A small dent on the front surface of the sheet is easily removed during the subsequent puttying of the finished ceiling. The material is easy to cut and fits perfectly on the prepared frame. However, there are some limitations in this case. Single-level ceilings built on the basis metal frame, significantly reduce the height of the premises.

Important! For small apartments, it is not recommended to lower the ceilings by more than 10 cm. As a rule, suspended single-level systems are designed to lower the height of the room by only 5-7 cm.

Another important aspect is the conditions under which the ceiling surface will be installed. Ceilings should be dealt with after the walls have already been put in order and the installation of window and doorways. Why? The thing is that during the subsequent installation of doors and windows, movements and shaking are possible, which can adversely affect the integrity of the drywall surface. The finished walls are a guideline for the subsequent installation of the frame and the laying of cut pieces of plasterboard.

Finishing finishing works a certain microclimate should be established inside the room. Drywall is very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity levels. In the warm season, try to avoid drafts, but in winter period, before starting work, it is better to stock up on a heater.

Installation of a single-level ceiling. Stages of work

Any installation work start with a selection of tools. In order for everything to go smoothly and according to the knurled scheme, you will need:

  • perforator;
  • screwdriver;
  • assembly knife;
  • roulette;
  • building level;
  • sandpaper.

With this set, you can cope with the task on your own. From Supplies it is necessary to purchase a starting, longitudinal and bearing profile. Self-tapping screws, crabs and dowels are used as fastening equipment. Finishing work consist in puttying the places of fastening of sheets and in sealing joints.

The first stage is the installation of profiles

In order to build a single-level ceiling of excellent quality from plasterboard, beautiful and original, with your own hands, all subsequent actions must be done in stages. Ceiling work begins in a prepared room with the installation of profiles. These elements of the future design must be installed around the entire perimeter of the room, strictly observing the horizontal position. Starting from the lowest section of the base ceiling surface, a control line is drawn using the level. This mark, relative to which the profiles will be mounted in the future. We use galvanized CD profiles and UD starting profiles.

With the help of a grinder, fragments of profiles of certain sizes are cut and installed along the outlined line around the entire perimeter of the room. For the installation of metal profiles in concrete or in brick walls dowels are used. The step between the attachment points should not be more than 30-40 cm.


The second stage is the installation of suspensions and guides

Having coped with the installation of guide profiles, you can proceed to the installation of suspensions. The marking of the ceiling in this case is carried out taking into account the location of the guide profiles. The quality of laying pieces of drywall depends on how the guides are installed.

Important! at each stage, try to check the horizontal level of the installed part with a level. All suspensions and guides must be in the same plane, without sudden changes in height.

The guides must be laid in such a way that when installing the GKL sheets, the bearing elements fall on the central part of the sheet and reach its edges.

Having made the markup, start installing the suspensions. These structural elements should be fixed to the draft ceiling surface only with dowels. Otherwise, with insufficient fastener strength, the risk of collapse of the finished ceiling structure increases. Hangers are not fixed tightly. There should be a slight backlash, which will allow the cut pieces of drywall to be freely attached to the guides in the future.

After the hangers are fixed, mount the profiles. For this purpose, a certain distance must be observed. Longitudinal profiles are fixed at a distance of 40 cm from each other. Cross profiles are already mounted at a distance of 60 cm from each other. When the installation of the frame is completed, you can proceed to intermediate technological work.

To fill the interceiling space in order to increase sound and heat insulation, it is usually laid mineral wool.

Important! All wires and cables passing under the ceiling are recommended to be laid in special corrugated fireproof channels. Prepare the connectors in the places where the fixtures are connected.


The third stage - the installation of drywall

It should be said that a properly mounted frame is the key to the success of all work when equipping single-level plasterboard ceilings. The horizontality of the entire structure is one of the main conditions. If these requirements are not observed, a distortion may occur and, accordingly, a new ceiling surface may crack. This will be due to the fact that drywall does not tolerate dynamic stress very well.

GKL pieces cut to size are treated on both sides with a primer solution. This is done to increase the stability of the entire array to external influences. The sheets are laid across the longitudinal profiles. Do not forget that it is necessary to leave a technological gap of 3-5 mm near the wall itself. Installation always starts from the corner and the wall opposite the entrance to the room. The gap between the ceiling and walls is needed due to the fact that the new ceiling will definitely breathe, acclimatizing to new conditions.

On a note: self-tapping screws are used for fixing sheets of GKL. The fastener is screwed into the plane of the sheet in such a way that the cap is recessed and does not protrude. The subsequent quality of the surface depends on this.

Drywall sheets should be fastened in 20mm increments. The minimum step is 15cm. The maximum allowable joint width between pieces of drywall is 2.5 mm. The thinner the seam, the easier it is to putty in the future. When installing drywall, immediately make holes for lighting fixtures.

Conclusion

After completing the installation of drywall on the frame, you get an almost ready-made new ceiling. Now you can not see any irregularities and defects. All communications are successfully hidden, the ground for the installation of lighting equipment has been prepared. There are no particular difficulties in this work. The only thing that requires the installation of single-level ceilings is the sequence of each stage and compliance with the technology. Let's summarize. Single-level ceilings made of plasterboard are:

  1. Always comfortable, fashionable and stylish;
  2. Fast way eliminate defects on the ceilings, hide communications and equip a new type of lighting;
  3. Sturdy and stable frame suspension system;
  4. Convenient and clear way of laying;
  5. Practical, durable and easy to use ceiling surface.

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