5.       Would repainting an mineral fibre or metal tile change its acoustic performance?

In terms of sound absorption there may be a small loss, depending upon the tile face pattern (fissures, perforations, scrim etc), the paint type used, and the thickness of the applied coat(s). It is unlikely that the ceiling’s sound reduction or attenuation performance will be adversly affected but if the spaces where the ceiling has to be repainted are acoustically critical, then laboratory testing to assess any possible differences in acoustic performance should be conducted on repainted samples.
It should be noted that the repainting of ceiling tiles could also adversly affect their other technical performance factors such as fire reaction, sag, light reflectance etc and the implication of such possible changes needs to be considered. Finally it should be appreciated that the repainting of any tiles supplied by any of the major manufacturers  will invalidate any warranty that was provided when the tiles were new.

Simplifying The Job

But you can get around the worst part of putting in a soundproof ceiling if you can manage to do your work not directly beneath it, but from the floor of the room just above it.

  By soundproofing this floor you will stop any noise before it ever gets to your ceiling, and this technique is ideal for use in multi-story buildings like offices and apartments, in which the noise made by the people on one story can disturb those working or living directly below them. If you’ve ever lived in an apartment with someone living just above you, you probably know how much a soundproof ceiling would have increased your comfort in that situation. If you are living in an apartment now, you might approach your apartment meager about having access to the upstairs unit so that you can soundproof its floor and avoid the hassle of putting a soundproof ceiling in your own unit.

Acoustical Ceiling Tiles And Resilient Bars But if soundproofing an upstairs floor is not an option you’ll be faced with the job of installing a soundproof ceiling. In doing so, however, you’ll not only be faced with the physically challenging job of putting up the soundproofing materials; you’ll be reducing the height of the room. You can simplify your job by deciding to install acoustical ceiling tiles, which will do a moderately good job of preventing noise from bleeding down from above, but for a really soundproof ceiling, you really need to add a new layer to your existing one. You would do this by putting in resilient bars, which are designed to keep your original ceiling separated from the new one. You would first install the resilient bars, and then place your soundproofing materials like rock or mineral wool, and American mass loaded vinyl into them, before adding the drywall which will be the surface of your new ceiling. While this will be a lengthy and difficult job, it really is the best way you have of creating a soundproof ceiling which can give you the peace and quiet you deserve. Before deciding on the best method of installing a Soundproof ceiling for your home or office, be realistic about your level of expertise, and don’t attempt an installation which is beyond your capabilities. While you’ll have to pay more to have your soundproof ceiling professionally installed, doing so is the best guarantee you have that the job will be done quickly and effectively! Author: Eric Henry You can also find more info on Soundproofing. Soundproofingbliss.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about sound proofing item. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Henry The Recording Project :: View topic – Help me Soundproof my basement? I am also considering soundproofing the ceiling of the basement to keep my little family happy when I play. Home Recording Center Studio Soundproofing for Dummies The positioning of your studio will determine how much soundproofing is necessary for the ceiling Home Addition: How to Soundproof a Room | Home Improvement | Home … Installing Roxul in ceiling joist cavities is also a great way to get both the thermal and soundproofing benefits you need for your soundproof room.

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6.       Will the inclusion of recessed lighting fittings  affect its fire resistance?

Have the lighting fittings have been successfully tested, or assessed (by a recognised expert), in conjunction with the proposed ceiling?
If they have not, you should speak to the relevant building control and/or fire authority and obtain approval before commencing the ceiling installation. You cannot rely on unauthorised methods, such as overlaying or surrounding the lighting fittings with ‘fire blankets’, mineral wool pads or offcuts from the ceiling tiles, to assume that the ceiling’s fire resistance will not be compromised.

How to Install Drop Ceilings

A few grids, some ceiling panels, a few wires and some elbow grease is all it takes to install drop ceilings.

  If you still have questions, then read on… I feel every person has dormant creativity residing in him/her and sometimes it only takes a simple incident to bring out that spark! I begin this article with the above line because I feel that home improvements and decorations that are done by the people who inhabit the house reveal their identity. So go ahead and learn the process of installing drop ceilings. A drop ceiling – What is it? This ceiling is composed of a metal grid and ceiling panels that are placed in that grid. They are often composed of translucent materials that cause an overall glow from the ceiling. The sizes of the drop ceiling panels vary.

The most common size that is available is 2 feet by 4 feet. Light fixtures can also be covered using drop ceilings. Today there are drop-ceiling tiles available too. These tiles come in many textures and colors, ensuring that you have a ceiling treatment that matches your dcor. Benefits of Drop Ceilings Drop ceilings are a good choice of ceiling treatment for many reasons; some of them have been listed below.

• Efficient and Cost-Effective Drop ceilings can be used in a basement or laundry room because they are more practical. The reason for this is that drop ceilings do not consist of much construction and the materials that are used are economical.
• Provide Sound Control These ceilings score above concrete ceilings because of the property of being able to soak up residual noise. Drop ceilings have this feature because they are made up of fibers, which are terrific acoustical absorbers.
• Provide Cover-up For Faults Despite the fact that drop ceilings are used to conceal unsightly pipes and electrical wiring, they do allow easy access to the equipment too. To reach the equipment all you need to do is lift the panel provided.
• Provide Leveling A drop ceiling can be used to correct any leveling problems. This is possible as the metal grids can easily be adjusted to different heights as they are installed.

How to Install Drop Ceilings Here are the steps that will help you install a drop ceiling:

• First of all it is important to decide on the style of the drop ceiling that you would like to use. Once you have done that decide on how many drop ceiling panels you will require.

Now center the panels within the room ensuring that the perimeter panels are of equal size as possible.

• After the above process, it is important that you figure out how to install the drop ceiling. Remember that the minimum ceiling height that is required is 7 feet 6 inches. Also note that the drop ceiling needs to be installed at least 5 inches below any lights and three inches below any plumbing.
• Once the above process is over, install your drop ceiling perpendicular to the joints; to do this you can follow the manufactures instructions. The common process that is followed for installation usually requires eyehooks to the joists and a wire that is used to hang if from the ceiling. While installing the ceiling, ensure that you are using the recommended type of hardware and wire.
• Use tin snips to cut long pieces of wire and then make sure that all intersections in the grid are carefully secured. You can use a level to ensure that the drop ceiling is not being installed at an angle.
• Place the panels into place after the installation of the grid. To fit the space, cut the perimeter panels into place (note that the actual panels are a little larger then the hole in the grid).

Tips

• All you need to do to ensure that the panels are equal in size and the number of panels you have calculated are right, draw a diagram of your ceiling on graph paper. While doing do remember to use a box to equal one square foot. When that is complete, draw the panel system onto your diagram.
• You would be required to keep a saw handy to cut other panels apart from soft, absorbent and drywall panels.
• If you are unable to procure the proper equipment or cannot cut it yourself, you could take the panels to the nearest home improvement store. Most of them will cut it for free.

I would like to end by informing you that there are times when installing a drop ceiling becomes difficult because of awkward angels and the use of ladders. It is advisable to call a professional if you are uncomfortable with the task. Noise Insulate Home Rooms And Avoid Irritating The Neighbours Grab important ideas in the topic of how to install suspended ceiling – welcome to your individual knowledge pack. Related How-To Articles: Fundamentals: Home Addition: How To Efficiently Install Ceiling Medallions … Adding a ceiling medallion is the easiest thing you can do to change the look and feel of any room in your home.

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Suspended Ceilings – What Systems Are There Suspended ceilings are being installed everywhere at the moment and there are many different types of suspended ceilings systems that can be installed into your premises. One of the biggest suspended ceilings companies are called AMF Ceilings, this company have got their own created suspended ceilings systems which they are constantly building on.

In the last few years suspended ceilings have become a lot more popular and it seems that a lot of people are using them to install ventilation shafts or so that they can easily carry out maintenance on the ceiling. Below are a few of the suspended ceilings systems that they create. Concealed Demountable Concealed Non-Demountable

Exposed Free Span Before we go over what some of these systems do, let’s make sure that you know what is meant by suspended ceilings. Suspended ceilings are made up of a metal grid that is suspended from the existing ceiling so that it stays in place and then tiles are put into the grid to make up the ceiling. This means that there is a space above the metal grid so that you can carry out maintenance or add additions to help your building.

Right now onto what types of suspended ceilings there are, firstly we shall talk about the concealed and demountable. This system is put into place and allows for panels to be demounted allowing full access to the ceiling void above, this is a good choice if you are looking to put a ventilation system in or anything like that, and this system also gives your suspended ceilings a smooth monolithic appearance.

This is created because all of the metal suspension components will be concealed therefore giving a smooth, nice looking ceiling. This system can also be created in a non demountable way, these types of suspended ceiling do not allow you room so that you can carry out easy maintenance. The next system is the exposed suspended ceilings system, this system uses a popular exposed suspension grid which adds to the design, and square edged panels are then slotted into the grid. These suspended ceilings are popular because they allow for a lot of creativity to be used with the designs as you can put different tiles or additions to tiles into the grid easily and as the grid is exposed you can add onto the design with this as well. Suspended ceilings with this type of system added also allow for easy maintenance and also another really good reason why these are installed quite a lot is because they are quick and easy to install. Another of the suspended ceilings systems are used a lot is the Free Span corridor system. This is a system that is mainly installed into corridors as it is this easiest and best design to be placed in places such as a corridor. Suspended ceilings of this type have ceiling planks supported on their short edges by the perimeter trim. These basically go across the ceilings giving a smooth, monolithic look. These types of ceiling can be made mountable or demountable and can offer very easy maintenance access if you wish to have access. These suspended ceilings are easy to install hence why a lot of people use them. Above you have seen a few of the systems that AMF offer I would definitely recommend using their systems as they are so professional and their systems are great. By: James Baxer Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Find more about Suspended Ceilings Suspended ceiling tile question – Digital Forum suspended ceiling tile question Home Automation, Energy and Security. Stretch Ceilings UK Suspended ceilings installation Suspended … Building design news Stretch Ceilings UK Suspended ceilings installation Suspended ceiling contractor Stretch ceiling systems Stretched ceilings 290109. Suspended Ceiling Question – DoItYourself.com Community Forums I am getting my suspended ceiling installed but I have a question…. I measured from the joist to the bottom of the track on the wall and it is a. Suspended Ceiling; not that hard | hinsonwithani.com Suspended Ceiling; not that hard. Friday, February 6th, 2009 | jhinson | Family. Last night my dad and I worked on hanging the ceiling grid, and I m happy to say, it wasn t that hard.

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