Stretch ceiling or drywall: what is better, pros and cons

PVC stretch ceilings and plasterboard are a convenient alternative to putty and painting ceilings with water emulsion paint. Installation is faster. Consider the features of these methods of finishing the ceiling. This will help to determine which method is better.

Features of the installation of stretch and gypsum board ceiling

To install a stretch ceiling, you need experience. Do not do without special equipment and materials:

• Heat gun.
• Profile.
• PVC or fabric.

Drywall ceilings can be installed independently. No special equipment is required. However, in order for the installation to be correct, you need knowledge and experience. In the course of repair, dust is formed, there will be quite a lot of construction debris.

The plus side of stretch ceilings is that no special preparation of the room is required. Plants are brought in, because the air will be heated to a high temperature. It will be necessary to install the frame, heat the room and fix the canvas. All work takes approximately 4-6 hours, depending on the area of the room. For the installation of multilevel stretch ceilings, more time is needed.

The installation of plasterboard ceiling is much longer - this is a minus. To mount the frame and fix the sheets on it, it will take a day or two. Then the surface is treated with putty and painted. All the work will take three or four days.

Factors that are important to consider

Stretch and drywall ceilings have some features that affect the aesthetic appearance and operation of the surface:

• When installing a stretch ceiling, the height of the room is reduced by a maximum of 5 cm, if the design does not suggest more. Plasterboard construction takes 10-15 cm.
• With stretch ceilings you can use different types of lighting: pendant chandeliers, LED-lights. It is more difficult to install lighting fixtures in plasterboard construction. However, it is also possible to use different lighting fixtures.
• PVC stretch ceilings are water resistant. In case of flooding, they are able to retain water. Cleaning of such a surface is not difficult. Stretch ceilings are wiped with a damp soft cloth. Plasterboard deteriorates from the effects of dampness. The minus is that it is more difficult to remove dirt and dust from the suspended ceiling. Often it will be necessary to repaint the surface.
• PVC film can easily be damaged by a sharp object. Plasterboard is more durable.
• PVC stretch ceiling can deteriorate at zero degrees or at temperatures over +50°. Therefore, it is not suitable for installation on open loggias and verandas. Plasterboard ceiling does not deteriorate from temperature fluctuations. Therefore, it can be used on balconies or verandas, if it does not get rain. In this case, the surface is covered with waterproof paint.

PVC stretch ceilings on average last 15 years. The surface does not burn out, it does not need to be updated. However, if you want, the stretch ceiling can be painted or put a print on it. The canvas can be removed and reinstalled. The ceiling made of drywall is painted every two or three years, because the surface can get dirty.

It is unequivocally difficult to say what is better: stretch or drywall ceilings. It depends on the conditions in the room, the height of the ceilings, design preferences. The main advantage of stretch ceilings is that there is no construction debris and no need to prepare the room.