Ceilings Perth often get short shrift in decorating schemes, but they offer an opportunity to create a unique focal point in any room. From plaster ornamentation and murals to stamped tin sheets, there are many creative ways to enhance your home’s overhead space.
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that conceals the underside of a roof or floor structure above. Decorative ceilings are not structural elements.
As one of the largest surfaces in a room, ceilings can significantly influence the acoustic quality of a space. When poorly designed, they can amplify noise, creating distracting and distressing environments. In contrast, well-designed acoustical ceilings enhance speech intelligibility and provide effective sound absorption.
These types of ceilings are commonly installed in commercial spaces like offices, schools, conference rooms and public areas. However, they are also popular in residential settings such as homes, home cinemas, music and entertainment areas and studies.
Acoustical ceilings are easy to install and remove, making them a cost-effective way to dramatically transform a room’s appearance or repurpose an existing structure. They are also available in a wide range of materials, finishes and textures to suit any design.
Many acoustic ceilings use panels made from porous materials to absorb sound waves and reduce echo and noise. These panels are usually hung from suspended grid ceiling systems. They can be custom sized to accommodate specific room dimensions and can be painted to match the rest of the space. Some acoustic ceilings also feature decorative elements, like strips and panels, to improve aesthetics while absorbing noise.
The acoustic properties of a ceiling are determined by the type of material used to make it and its thickness and density. Commonly used materials include mineral fiber, fiberglass, rock wool and acoustic foams. These materials are combined to produce a variety of finishes, thicknesses and densities for different acoustic performance levels.
A ceiling’s acoustic performance is often rated by its sound reduction coefficient (NRC) and its acoustical attenuation class, or CAC. The higher these ratings, the better the acoustic performance.
In office environments, acoustic ceilings absorb noise from conversations and photocopiers to keep background chatter to a minimum. They also enhance focus and intelligibility for in-person and video conference meetings. In classrooms, acoustic ceilings help students concentrate by muffleing reverberation and background noise from ventilation systems. They also facilitate confidential room conversations by preventing eavesdropping.
Glass Ceilings
Glass ceilings can offer a number of advantages for those who choose to have this type of cover. These include a beautiful view of the sky, which is possible when a room has this type of ceiling. The transparency of the glass also allows natural light to enter the room, which can help make it more inviting. In addition, glass ceilings can be a great option for those who want to avoid excessive heat in their home.
The glass ceiling is a metaphor that refers to the obstacles that prevent marginalized people, such as women and minorities, from getting promoted into managerial-level positions within their companies. This is a problem that can be seen in many different industries, but it is particularly prevalent in companies with a strong male-dominated culture.
There are a variety of reasons why people may suffer from the glass ceiling, including societal expectations that dictate the roles men and women should play in society, as well as the fact that it is more difficult for women to progress from entry-level positions to management positions. A lack of opportunities and a general feeling that they have hit the ceiling can make it very hard for impacted workers to stay motivated in their jobs.
In some cases, the problem can be very difficult to pinpoint, since many companies will proudly advertise the percentage of female and minority managers in their organizations. However, this can be misleading, as there are often a lot of invisible barriers that prevent women and minorities from reaching these positions.
The good news is that the glass ceiling can be broken. For example, Hillary Clinton broke the glass ceiling when she became the first woman to win a presidential election in the United States, and Kamala Harris shattered it even further by becoming the first black and South Asian person to serve as Vice President. Additionally, Janet Yellen was the first woman to become the chair of the Federal Reserve. While these achievements are impressive, there is still a long way to go before the glass ceiling is completely shattered in all sectors of the economy.
Metal Ceilings
Metal ceilings provide a wide range of design options to meet project specifications. These systems can serve as the primary or supplemental ceiling system in a building. They offer a combination of durability, aesthetic appeal, sustainability and functionality.
Historically, they were called tin ceilings because pressed steel sheets were coated with tin. The tin was not meant to be visible, but to give the ceiling an attractive and durable finish. Today’s manufacturers have expanded the palette of metal ceiling materials to include copper, brass and chrome in addition to bare steel. The ability to combine different materials and finishes allows architects and designers to create unique aesthetics for their projects.
While the primary function of metal ceilings is to enhance a space’s visual appearance, they also offer acoustic performance. They can be designed to mitigate noise pollution, creating a tranquil environment. This feature is especially useful in high-traffic areas such as airports or healthcare facilities.
The acoustic performance of metal ceilings can be customized through perforations and insulation backing. The number and size of the perforations affect the noise reduction, with some panels offering an NRC rating of up to 0.90. Perforations can also serve an aesthetic purpose, with advanced technology allowing for intricate patterns and designs that create one-of-a-kind ceilings.
Another benefit of a metal ceiling is its resistance to water. Unlike mineral fiber based ceilings, which are more susceptible to moisture and water damage, metal ceilings resist mold and mildew growth. They are also resistant to rust, so they are less likely to deform or warp after repeated exposure to moisture and water.
Specifying a metal ceiling can be a great way to conceal unsightly wiring, plumbing ductwork and mechanicals without impacting the design of a space. They are available in a variety of shapes and forms including perimeter ceilings, linear systems, curved systems and open plenum systems.
In addition to their acoustic and decorative benefits, metal ceilings can reduce energy costs by reducing the amount of light needed in a space. They can be recessed or surface mounted to accommodate lighting fixtures. They can also be easily demounted for access to building services. They can also be painted in a wide range of colors to match existing interior finishes.
Reinforced Concrete Ceilings
Concrete ceilings are increasingly becoming a feature in modern buildings. The most common form of a concrete ceiling is the exposed concrete construction. This is usually the underside of a concrete slab which forms both the floor and the ceiling in multi-story buildings, but instead of being plastered or covered with paint or timber, it remains exposed.
In these ceilings, the ribs 2 are prefabricated as shell moulds in which reinforcements 15 are inserted and grouted. The ribs have an aperture 6 at their top end region 4 which, for the compression and/or tensile forces occurring in the corresponding area of the ceiling, serves as a force-transmitting element.
The ribs also have an all-over web 11 which, for the bending moments occurring in the area of the ceiling, has a frictional connection with the supporting strip 10. This allows the ribs to be supported by the supporting strips in a force-transmitting manner.
During construction, the ribs and their apertures 6 are connected to the support strips by means of concrete. The all-over web of the ribs, their all-over web 11, and their individual fields 7 delimited by the ribs are then filled with a topping layer of concrete 22.
To achieve this, the ribs are first arranged on the supports 8 in a biaxially prestressed way as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Then the all-over web of the ribs and their individual fields 7 are filled with concrete by a concrete pour.
Before this, the ribs are prepared as semifinished parts 21 in a factory. The semifinished parts have rib bodies 26 which, when filled with concrete, form the outlines of the concrete ceiling. The rib bodies have channel-like cavities which are closed after the concrete has been poured. The semifinished plates are then arranged one after the other on the supports 8. Finally, a topping layer of concrete is applied to the all-over web of the ribs in order to achieve the reinforced concrete ceiling. The result is a ceiling which is both highly effective and visually appealing. Moreover, it also meets the requirements in terms of fire resistance and sound insulation.