Ceiling
– Types:
– Cathedral ceiling resembles those in a church.
– Dropped ceiling is constructed below the structure for various purposes.
– Concave or barrel-shaped ceiling curves upward for visual or acoustical value.
– Coffered ceiling is divided into recessed square or octagonal panels.
– Cove ceiling uses a curved plaster transition between wall and ceiling.
– Elements:
– Ceilings are decorated with fresco painting, mosaic tiles, and other treatments.
– Decorated ceilings are protected from damage and historic buildings often have celebrated ceilings.
– Famous examples include the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo.
– Ceiling height can have psychological impacts, especially low ceilings.
– Fire-resistance rated ceilings:
– Dropped ceilings are common in commercial and residential construction for fire-resistance ratings.
– The entire system of a dropped ceiling contributes to the fire-resistance rating.
– Independent ceilings can have stand-alone fire-resistance ratings.
– Ceilings are tested for fire resistance to protect items above.
– Different materials and systems are used to achieve fire-resistance ratings.
– Gallery:
– Gothic ceiling in the Sainte-Chapelle, Paris by Pierre de Montreuil.
– Renaissance ceilings in the Louvre Palace by various artists.
– Baroque ceiling in the Louvre Palace by Giovanni Francesco Romanelli, MichelAnguier, and Pietro Sasso.
– Neoclassical ceilings in the Louvre Palace by different artists.
– Moorish Revival ceiling in the Nicolae T. Filitti/Nae Filitis House, Bucharest.
– External links:
– Ceilings entry in Wiktionary.
– Wikimedia Commons for media related to ceilings.
– Ceiling entry in Encyclopædia Britannica.
– Ceiling entry in New International Encyclopedia.
A ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limits of a room. It is not generally considered a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the roof structure or the floor of a story above. Ceilings can be decorated to taste, and there are many examples of frescoes and artwork on ceilings, especially within religious buildings. A ceiling can also be the upper limit of a tunnel.
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The most common type of ceiling is the dropped ceiling,[citation needed] which is suspended from structural elements above. Panels of drywall are fastened either directly to the ceiling joists or to a few layers of moisture-proof plywood which are then attached to the joists. Pipework or ducts can be run in the gap above the ceiling, and insulation and fireproofing material can be placed here. Alternatively, ceilings may be spray painted instead, leaving the pipework and ducts exposed but painted, and using spray foam.
A subset of the dropped ceiling is the suspended ceiling, wherein a network of aluminum struts, as opposed to drywall, are attached to the joists, forming a series of rectangular spaces. Individual pieces of cardboard are then placed inside the bottom of those spaces so that the outer side of the cardboard, interspersed with aluminum rails, is seen as the ceiling from below. This makes it relatively easy to repair the pipes and insulation behind the ceiling, since all that is necessary is to lift off the cardboard, rather than digging through the drywall and then replacing it.
Other types of ceiling include the cathedral ceiling, the concave or barrel-shaped ceiling, the stretched ceiling and the coffered ceiling. Coving often links the ceiling to the surrounding walls. Ceilings can play a part in reducing fire hazard, and a system is available for rating the fire resistance of dropped ceilings.