Removing a stretch ceiling and reinstalling it: types of canvases. How to remove a suspended ceiling with your own hands Is it possible to remove and install a suspended ceiling

If you are confident in your abilities and want to try removing part of the ceiling to gain access behind ceiling space, then this part of the article is for you.

First, let's decide on the tool that you may need. We will try to select a non-professional list of tools that can be bought in every construction hypermarket. So, let's begin:

Putty knife. An ordinary construction spatula with a non-sharp edge will do, and it is better if its edges are not sharp. This way you are less likely to damage something. Stock up on two of these spatulas; they may come in handy at the same time.
A hook that you can use to hook the harpoon and pull it down from the guide.
Hairdryer An ordinary household hair dryer. It is needed for mounting the blade and for heating the harpoon in the guide. Do not use construction hair dryer. Due to inexperience, you are almost guaranteed to burn a hole in the canvas.
A small screwdriver to remove the wall edging from the corner.
Glue. “Supermoment” in two gram tubes will do. Professionals use Cosmofen cyanoacrylate glue.
Needle nose pliers or needle nose pliers. You may need to grab the stretch ceiling harpoon and pull it out.
Clean gloves. You won't have to wash the ceiling later. But if you still stain your ceiling, then we have a solution.
Comfortable and sturdy ladder. Most often it’s impossible without it. Moreover, it is convenient and safe.

All the tools are at hand, you can start removing the canvas.

We pry up the edging from the corner and remove it to desired length. When you pull it out, try to pull it down and not to the side.
We look from bottom to top into the groove of the guide and look for the harpoon lock of the stretch ceiling. It looks like a thickening. At this point the two parts of the harpoon are glued together. Such a place must be dismantled with special care so as not to tear it. If in the area where you want to rent suspended ceiling, there is no lock, then you are in luck. Feel free to move on to the next point.
If there is a place where the ceiling is not completely snapped into the baguette, then this should be used. We insert a spatula between the harpoon and the guide from the side of the wall and gradually bend the harpoon so that it comes out of the hook in the guide. It must be released at a length of at least 30 cm.
Without pulling out the spatula, take the hook and insert it approximately in the middle of the area that we freed with the spatula. Now you should warm up this place with a hairdryer so that all parts of the ceiling become softer and more pliable.
Then it's a matter of technique. We hook the hook onto the harpoon and pull it gently down. If the ceiling begins to come out, we grab it with pliers, and when possible, with our hands. The hardest part is now over. All that remains now is to pull out the ceiling to the required length, not forgetting to heat it with a hairdryer along the wall.

Stretch ceilings (also called French) are distinguished not only by their strength, but also by their durability - with proper care, the service life of the canvas can be 15-20 years. Due to the installation features, such ceilings are practically immune to displacement of the load-bearing slab or shrinkage of the house. However, life is an unpredictable thing, so sometimes it becomes necessary to dismantle the tension fabric. There can be a lot of reasons - from faulty electrical wiring to banal flooding by neighbors above.

Stretch ceiling is a popular option for finishing the ceiling surface

If the ceiling is made of PVC and its condition is still quite tolerable, then the owners can remove it, for example, to dry it, and then install it back. But in order to dismantle correctly, without damaging the film or frame, you need to know about the main nuances of the process.

Where to begin?

The dismantling technology largely depends on the exact method in which the canvas is attached to the baguette. To find out, you need to study the warranty card (it is issued for all PVC structures), where not only the service life must be indicated, but also the method of fastening. This is what we will build on. In the absence of such documentation, you can study the design features of the ceiling yourself.

A special fastening profile is one of the main elements of a stretch ceiling

There are 4 ways to fix the tension film in a baguette, let’s get acquainted with them.

Harpoon mount. The easiest to use, and therefore the most popular option. In this case, a hard edge is welded along the edges of the canvas (in the form of a harpoon, hence the name), which, after entering the baguette, unbends and thus holds the canvas.
Cam(another name is clip-on). The film is fixed here by means of elastic plastic profiles that exert pressure on it. No decorative tapes or plugs are used with this installation method, and preheating is not required.
Beading. This method fastening involves pressing the canvas to the inner walls of the baguette using a longitudinal bead.

Note! In the last two methods, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the film is in direct contact with the surface of the profile, which means it can be damaged if handled carelessly.

Prices for suspended ceilings

suspended ceiling

Features of working with PVC film

Most modern suspended ceilings are made of polyvinyl chloride film (there are also fabric options, but more on them later). This material is distinguished not only by its elasticity and strength, but also by its environmental friendliness. Another feature of it is its reaction to changes in air temperature. So, if the temperature rises to +60°C, then the polyvinyl chloride becomes more elastic and pliable, and when cooled it hardens and shrinks. For this reason, for installation and dismantling it is used special device– heat gun. It can be purchased or rented.

Note! PVC film has a very high tensile strength, but it can easily be damaged by any sharp object, which, accordingly, will require complete replacement canvases.

Dismantling film stretch ceiling

The process consists of several basic steps, but in order to do everything correctly, you need to be patient, get good tools and act in accordance with the instructions.

Stage No. 1. We prepare everything you need

To remove PVC film, you need specific devices and tools that are not found in every home.

So, first we prepare:

clothespins for fixing the fabric;
heat gun(it is better to give preference gas device, because electrical is very powerful, and therefore can cause damage to electrical wiring);
spatula intended for stretch fabrics(small, up to 10 cm wide) with pre-rounded corners and ground edges; if the tool is not treated in advance, then you can cut the PVC film;
stepladder (if you don’t have one, you can use a table);
a high-quality screwdriver with a curved end;
pliers (their lips should also be curved);
construction knife.

When all the necessary equipment is prepared, we can safely begin the second stage - preparing the premises.

Stage No. 2. Preparing the room

Before removing the tension fabric or one of its sides, we carry out the appropriate preparatory activities, including:

removal of ceiling lighting fixtures;

Prices for a stretch ceiling kit

stretch ceiling kit

removal of plants, animals and birds from the premises (if any);
protection of furniture and appliances that may be damaged by high temperature due to the operation of the heat gun ( metal-plastic windows, computer, Digital Watch etc.).

Now that both the room and the tools are properly prepared, you can begin removing the canvas.

Stage No. 3. Removing the film

The dismantling technology directly depends on which of the listed types of fastening was used during installation. Based on this, we will disassemble the entire structure.

Note! Issues of removing the entire tension fabric and only one side of the surface should be considered separately, and in relation to each of the installation methods.

Harpoon type mount

This option for attaching the film is the easiest to dismantle. The reason is extremely simple: harpoon fixation in itself implies easy assembly and the possibility of repeated disassembly of the ceiling structure. In this case, we will begin removing the canvas from a section of the wall located next to the corner.

The algorithm of actions is given below; for the convenience of visitors, the information is presented in table form.

Table. Dismantling the tensioner PVC ceiling(version with harpoon mount).

Steps, illustrations	Brief description of actions
	First, remove the masking tape (decorative insert) from one side or along the entire perimeter. This will open access to the places where the canvas is fixed.
	We determine the places of fixation of the slotted inserts fixed between the canvas and the walls of the room. Let's remove these inserts.
	We heat the room with a heat gun to a temperature of +70°C (this action must be performed without fail). As a result of heating, the dimensions of the canvas will increase, and the pressure exerted on the harpoon mount will weaken.
	We proceed directly to removing the film. To do this, we warm up the area from which we begin the process (for curved ceilings this can be any point in the structure, for flat ceilings it can be one of the corners of the room). We climb onto the stepladder, pry it with a dull spatula and lift the harpoon. We take pliers, grab the removed harpoon hook with them and remove it from the profile.
	We pull the film towards ourselves.
	Further actions special effort will not be required. Carefully remove the film from the special fastening profile (do not rush, otherwise we may damage the material), if necessary, warming up new areas using a heat gun.

Fabric stretch ceilings are dismantled using a slightly different technology, because special beads are used to fix the material. We will consider this process in more detail a little later.

Video - How to dismantle a suspended ceiling yourself

Cam mount

If the suspended ceiling is installed using a cam-type fastening, then dismantling it (the ceiling) will be the simplest and easiest to perform. The fact is that in this case, even heating the room is not required. But special care must be taken, since the spatula will come into direct contact with the polyvinyl chloride.

So, you can unfasten the film in one of two possible ways.

Method No. 1. We take two screwdrivers, insert one between the cams in the corner of the room, and the second at about 55-60 cm. Because of this, the pressure of the cams in this area will noticeably weaken, which will make it easy to remove the polyvinyl chloride from the fasteners. We carry out the procedure until we extract the required amount of canvas.

Method number 2. We take a spatula, insert it between the cams and squeeze out the one that is movable. Thanks to the tension, the material will freely leave the clamps. We remove the remaining film manually.

Note! Characteristic notches may remain on the surface of the PVC film after clamping. These notches can be used as a guide during re-installation.

Bead type fastening

To work here you will need:

spatula (as described above);
screwdriver;
heat gun.

The algorithm of actions is given below.

Dismantling the glazing bead: remove the plinth, bend the profile, remove the glazing bead, remove the blade

First, we warm up the room as in the previous options.

Remove the masking tape (plug).

Take a spatula and press out the outer wall of the baguette in one of the corners of the room. After this, pry up the bead with a screwdriver and remove it.

We intercept the glazing bead with our hands and remove it. We remove the canvas.

If a supply of material was left when installing the ceiling, then the canvas can be inserted back if necessary.

Prices for suspended ceilings "Galaxy"

stretch ceiling "Galaxy"

Video - How to properly remove a suspended ceiling

Features of dismantling seamless fabrics

When removing fabric ceiling so much heat is not required. If we're talking about about wedge or glazing bead type fasteners, the dismantling process is no different from a similar action with PVC film. The only difference is that you should start from the center of the wall, gradually moving towards the corner. The installation is the same. The success of the event largely depends on the slowness and accuracy of the actions performed.

As for the re-installation of the fabric sheet, everything depends mainly on the conscientiousness of the previous installers. If they cut the material “butt-to-shoulder”, then we are unlikely to get the perfect tension when re-installing. After all, polyester fabric is not as elastic as polyvinyl chloride. But if the installation was done by professionals, then in any case they left a few “extra” centimeters of the canvas. If so, then no special problems should arise.

Note! Special attention It is worth paying attention to fabric panels installed using clip-on baguettes. Partial removal of such ceilings is impossible - if anything happens, you need to remove everything at once, otherwise the canvas may well jump out of the clamps due to the unreliability of this type of fastening.

During removal and further installation, the ceiling must be regularly heated, albeit not as much as PVC. If after installation there are minor unevenness remaining, do not worry - heat them with a heat gun and they will quickly level out. Try not to lift the heat gun too close to the canvas, because it is also, in fact, plastic, so it can become deformed.

In order for the dismantling work to be carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible, we recommend adhering to the following important requirements.

For work, it is advisable to find one or two assistants. In this case, the removal of the canvas will be done carefully and, more importantly, safely.
When installing a stretch ceiling, give preference only to high-quality materials.
Do not use tools with sharp edges. Such tools can easily damage the ceiling or finishing materials.

As you can see, the process of dismantling a stretch ceiling is not complicated. It’s quite possible to do the job yourself if you know all the nuances of the process and follow a certain technology.

Video - Repair of stretch ceiling (wedge fastening)

7582 0 1

How to dismantle a stretch ceiling - 4 options for attaching the ceiling covering

A stretch ceiling is a pure decorative covering made of tightly stretched reinforced vinyl film or thin fabric. During installation, it is attached to a special profile, which is installed under the main ceiling along the entire perimeter of the room, and then leveled and stretched due to the heat-shrinkable properties of the material.

Despite the fact that such coating has a long design life, for one reason or another, every home owner may have a situation where it needs to be removed. From personal experience I can say that dismantling a suspended ceiling with your own hands is quite within the capabilities of any home craftsman. To make it easier for the reader to cope with this task, below I will talk about how best to do this.

In what cases is it necessary to dismantle a suspended ceiling?

After the apartment is done major renovation, I think that it is unlikely that anyone will want to remove suspended ceilings because they have nothing better to do. At the same time, no one is immune from troubles, so at any moment a situation may arise where it cannot be avoided.

To understand in what cases and why it may be necessary to dismantle suspended ceilings, below I will give several typical everyday examples from everyday life;

One of the most unpleasant moments that residents often encounter apartment buildings, is a water or sewer leak from neighbors on the top floor. In this case, the accumulated water must be carefully drained through the hole for the chandelier, and the suspended ceiling covering must be removed for a while so that the main ceiling and walls can dry normally;

IN free space between the main ceiling and the suspended decorative covering, usually hidden installation is performed engineering communications (electrical cables, ventilation ducts, water pipes, etc.). To provide access to them during scheduled maintenance or repairs, the tension covering will also have to be removed;
In order not to damage or stain the tension fabric during execution cosmetic repairs, painting walls or gluing new wallpaper, it is also recommended to temporarily dismantle it;

If you somehow damage the stretch ceiling, then in order to seal it or repair it, the canvas will still need to be removed;
Over time, dirty stains or difficult to remove grease stains may form on the ceiling covering (this problem is especially relevant for), or it appearance, behind long years You might just get bored. In this case, it will be easier to remove and throw away the old coating, and install a new sheet in its place., cut to the same dimensions;

If, after a water leak, the main ceiling is not properly dried, then in a closed interceiling space, without normal inflow fresh air, mold can quickly form on the walls and ceiling. In the event of a leak in the home sewer system, the foul smell from sewage will be added to the unpleasant odor from mold.

Tools and equipment for dismantling

In most cases, dismantling a suspended ceiling in any room of a typical residential apartment is easy to do without outside help, by one person, although if there is such an opportunity, it is better to get a partner to help you.

To do this job you will need the following set of tools:

An electric or gas heat gun will be needed to heat the canvas to a temperature of 45°-50°C. The fact is that over time, reinforced vinyl film loses its elasticity, and when cold it stretches very poorly, so to make your work easier, I advise you to preheat it;

It is most convenient to carry out such work from a small stepladder, but if you do not have one in your household, then you can use a high one to work under the ceiling strong table or homemade goats assembled from scraps of lumber;
A long flat-head screwdriver with a blade width of 10-12 mm. For ease of work, I advise bending its end at an angle of 30°-45°, at a distance of 40-50 mm from the edge;
Large flat screwdrivers with a straight, wide blade – 2 pcs.;
A set of metalworking pliers and pliers: medium pliers – 1 pc., pliers with extended flat jaws – 1 pc., pliers or round nose pliers with extended curved jaws – 1 pc.;

Two flat metal spatulas with rounded corners: one with a blade width of 40-60 mm, and the second with a blade width of 80-100 mm;
For temporary fixation of unfastened sections of the panel, it is convenient to use special clamps type of clothespins that are used when installing suspended ceilings;
From my experience, I can say that working with a stretch ceiling with bare hands is not very comfortable, and fingerprints may remain on the heated film. Therefore, I recommend preparing thin household knitted gloves in advance;

During dismantling, the stretched thin vinyl sheet can very easily be damaged with one careless movement. To prevent this from happening, all tools must have corners rounded and sharp edges ground off, and after processing sharpening machine, remove remaining burrs and burrs using fine sandpaper.

Preparatory work

Before dismantling the suspended ceiling with your own hands, you will need to free up space along the walls around the entire perimeter of the room. At the same time, it is not necessary to remove all the furniture from the room; it is enough to move the high shelves and shelves to such a distance that a free passage 700-800 mm wide is formed along each wall.

Over the years, it can accumulate on the ceiling covering. a large number of dust, which will certainly begin to fall down during dismantling. To protect the remaining pieces of furniture in the room from contamination, I recommend covering them with wide plastic film;

If there is a chandelier on the ceiling, spotlights, backlighting or other ceiling lamps, they will need to be removed after first turning off the power supply to the distribution panel;
Wall lamps, sconces, window cornices, shelves, paintings or other interior items that are attached to the wall at a height of less than 300 mm from the suspended ceiling will also need to be temporarily dismantled. Wherein I recommend insulating and numbering all wires from each electrical device;
While the heat gun is operating, the air temperature in the room can rise to 50°C, so all indoor flowers, as well as fish, birds, hamsters and other pets, will need to be temporarily moved to another room;

To reduce electricity or gas consumption, and save time on heating the stretch fabric, work on dismantling the stretch ceiling is best done in the warm season. If you do this in winter, then while the heat gun is operating, front door and a window indoors, I advise you to curtain it with an old cotton blanket or a thick thick blanket.

Option 1: harpoon type mount

As I already said, the finished ceiling covering, in a tightly stretched state, is attached along the entire perimeter of the room to a special wall profile. Today there are four different types fastenings for fixing the tension fabric, which differ in the shape of the supporting profile and the design of the locking mechanism.

So that any home owner can easily rent suspended ceiling, and without damaging the fabric or vinyl covering, this article will present step-by-step instruction, which covers all types of fastenings and locking mechanisms.

The harpoon-type fastening system is designed for installation of suspended ceilings made of reinforced vinyl film. The main difference between this system is that the tension fabric is cut out strictly according to the shape and size of the main ceiling before installation, without any reserve. Then, along the entire perimeter of the canvas, a flexible plastic profile, the cross-section of which has the shape of a harpoon.

During installation, this harpoon is inserted into the grooves of the supporting profile, and its hook is fixed to the longitudinal rib. After this, the canvas is heated with hot air, and it stretches on its own, thanks to the shrink properties of the vinyl film. To hide the locking mechanism from prying eyes, decorative overlay inserts are attached along the perimeter of the profile.

If the tension panel on your ceiling is harpooned, then to dismantle it you will need to perform the following steps:

Regardless of the type of fastening, any ceiling made of vinyl film is more convenient to remove in a warm state, therefore, before dismantling the ceiling covering, the air in the room must be heated to a temperature of 45-55°C;
During the heating process, the heat gun must be periodically moved around the room so that the ceiling covering is heated evenly over its entire area;
While the air in the room is heating up, you can dismantle the overhead decorative inserts, which are attached to the supporting profile with latches;

It is more convenient to start this work from the corners of the room. At the beginning, each strip needs to be pryed off with a wide flat screwdriver, and then smoothly pulled down with one hand, and then intercepted with the other hand so that it does not fold or break over a long length;
It is more convenient to start dismantling the tension fabric from the middle of each wall of the room. To do this, you need to insert a wide flat spatula into the groove of the supporting profile, then slightly lift the plastic harpoon hook and try to disengage it from the metal longitudinal rib;
Free bottom part the harpoon hook must be grabbed with pliers with thin long jaws, and with moderate force, pull it down so that it comes out of the groove of the supporting profile;
Thus, you need to release only 200-300 mm of the harpoon hook along each wall of the room, after which it can be easily pulled out by hand.

Not every home has its own heat gun, and in my opinion, it would be unreasonable to specifically buy one just to remove suspended ceilings. To solve this issue, I advise you to rent it, because in this case, the cost of renting for one or two days will not be so high.
When choosing a heat gun, you should check its power consumption, because very powerful models may require a three-phase connection to the electrical network, which may not be available in your apartment.

Option 2: Cam clamping

The cam system can be used both for the installation of fabric stretch ceilings and for the installation of reinforced vinyl sheets. In cam fastening systems, the wall supporting profile is made not of metal, but of thick, rigid PVC plastic. The tissue fixation mechanism is a self-clamping structure, which consists of movable and fixed cams.

In a free state, the edge of the canvas is easily tucked between two cams, and when the ceiling is tensioned, the movable cam is pressed against the stationary cam, and clamps the stretched panel between them, due to the friction force.

The main difference between the cam mounting is that it does not have decorative overlays, so the dismantling work is a little easier. To release the stretch ceiling from the cam clamp, proceed as follows:

In the case of vinyl ceiling covering, before starting work it must be warmed up to desired temperature just like I wrote in the previous section;
If the stretch ceiling is made of impregnated fabric, then there is no need for preheating;
You should also begin dismantling the canvas from the middle of each wall. To do this, you can use two wide flat-head screwdrivers, or two narrow metal spatulas;

They need to be carefully inserted into the gap between the ceiling covering and the lower fixed cam at a distance of 300-400 mm from each other, at a slight angle to the horizontal, and then simultaneously lowered down;
At this time, the blade of each screwdriver or spatula will slightly lift the movable cam, after which the section of the panel between the spatulas can be freely pulled out of the clamping profile;
For further work, the spatula will need to be inserted between the cams in those places from where you have just pulled out the canvas, and thus, step by step, gradually dismantle the entire stretch ceiling.

The main advantage of the cam-type clamping system is its relatively low price compared to other types of fastening. In addition, this system allows you to install a tension covering on minimum distance from the main ceiling, therefore it is often used in typical residential apartments with low ceilings.

Option 3: wedge film fastening

A metal supporting profile for wedge fastening of vinyl film may have two or three narrow longitudinal grooves. The wider outer groove is designed to install a plastic expansion wedge, which holds the vinyl ceiling sheet in tension.

A narrower internal groove is used for fastening the outer decorative lining, which is installed after installing the tension panel. It is needed to hide the tension mechanism and decorate technological gaps around the entire perimeter of the room.

When using wedge fastening, dismantling suspended ceilings is considered to be the simplest, moreover, in this case the likelihood of damage to the vinyl sheet is minimized.

Just as in the first option, before starting work, the air in the room needs to be heated to a temperature of 45°-50°C, and while it warms up, you can remove the decorative trims from the supporting profile;
After all the linings have been removed, you need to pull out the plastic wedge clamp from the groove of the supporting profile on each wall;
It is more convenient to do this work from the corner of the room, since in each corner there are technological gaps between the wedges on two adjacent walls;
You need to insert a wide flat-head screwdriver into this gap and try to press the outer profile strip towards you. At the same time, use a second screwdriver to pick up the edge of the wedge clamp and try to push it out of the groove;

Thus, you need to remove approximately 250-300 mm of plastic wedge clamp from each corner of the room from the groove. After this, the work will go faster, because then the wedge can be pulled out simply by hand, without the use of screwdrivers;
To properly preserve the dismantled canvas, I advise you to first pull out the wedges along one short and two long walls of the room. Then, starting from short wall, gradually remove the panel, and immediately roll it up, and only after that pull out the last wedge from the profile fixed along the opposite short wall.

The wedge mounting method allows you to leave a small supply of vinyl film on each side of the panel after installing the stretch ceiling. This solution, firstly, significantly facilitates installation and dismantling work when installing and removing suspended ceilings, and secondly, it allows you to install and dismantle the same panel several times, with minimal risk film damage.

Option 4: glazing bead fastening method

The bead fastening system is most often used for installing suspended ceilings made of fabric fabric.. The fabric does not have heat-shrink properties, so this system has special kind a locking mechanism that allows you to evenly tension the canvas during its fastening.

This mechanism is one of the types of self-clamping fasteners, and as a clamp for fixing the fabric in a tense position, it uses a long metal or plastic bead, which in cross-section has the shape of a cam or eccentric.

The ceiling fabric is cut with a small margin, and during installation it is inserted into a longitudinal groove on the supporting profile, into which a clamping bead is then inserted. Under tension, the fabric is clamped between the supporting profile and the glazing bead due to friction.

As I already said, fabric ceiling coverings are not characterized by heat-shrink properties, moreover, over time they do not lose their elasticity, therefore, to dismantle a fabric stretch ceiling, it is not necessary to use a heat gun;

The bead groove in the metal supporting profile is closed along its entire length with a plastic decorative plug, so to remove the panel, it must be dismantled first;
Start pulling out the glazing bead, best from the corners of the room. To do this, you need to place a wide, thin metal spatula between the stretched fabric and the bead, and, as far as possible, lift it up until it touches the supporting profile;
The glazing bead is usually made in the form of a closed hollow profile. In order to pull it out of the groove, you need to insert a curved screwdriver into its end;

Next, you need to simultaneously lift the spatula up with one hand to loosen the tension of the web, and with the other hand press down on the screwdriver to force the glazing bead to disengage in the supporting profile;
After you can pull out the first 300-400 mm of bead, further work things will go easier. It will also be necessary to lift the canvas with one hand with a spatula, and with the other hand to pull the glazing bead out of the groove;
To carefully remove the fabric from the ceiling, I recommend doing the same as in the description of the previous option: first remove the beads along one short and two long walls of the room, then roll the fabric into a roll, and only after that pull out the last bead.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the bead type locking mechanism is by far the most expensive of all. existing species stretch ceiling fastenings. The main advantage of this method of fastening is that the ceiling fabric can be removed and reinstalled an unlimited number of times. For example, if a stretch ceiling becomes dirty, this allows you to dismantle it and send it for dry cleaning.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to give readers one simple, but very helpful advice: before you start dismantling the stretch ceiling, you should think carefully about whether in the future you can, in the same way, mount it back yourself? If you are still sure of own strength, then before starting work, I recommend watching the video presented in this article, and if you have any questions, I suggest discussing them in the comments.

November 11, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

If the room has a suspended ceiling, how to remove it without damaging it? This question is asked by many property owners who are interested in preserving the material, since they are simply laying additional communications under the ceiling, repairing wiring and eliminating other problems that require dismantling the structure.

The history of the appearance of stretch ceilings

The history of suspended ceilings goes back to Ancient Rome. At that time, fabric was used for drapery, the color of which was carefully selected, as it had to match the shade of the wall. A significant disadvantage was that the service life of such material was very short.

A second hint of suspended ceilings in a later historical period is the use of calico impregnated with chalk in Armenia in the 17th century. This material was stretched over the frame, so the result was a perfectly flat ceiling.

The appearance of modern stretch ceilings occurred 30 years ago in France.

What is a stretch ceiling

A stretch ceiling is a flat surface obtained by stretching a special polyvinyl chloride film. Polyester fabric is also often used as a material. IN modern designs the first option is often used.

A thin film or fabric is stretched onto a special frame (baguette), the attachment point of which is the base ceiling. The result is a perfectly flat and uniform surface, similar to a solid ceiling.

Advantages of a stretch ceiling

It has a lot of advantages compared to other finishing materials:

PVC film is the most in a simple way obtaining a perfectly flat surface.
Fastening technology is considered the simplest and fastest. First, a special frame is installed on the wall, and then a film heated with a heat gun is stretched over it. The duration of such installation takes no more than 4 hours. In addition, before the start of the installation work there is no need to remove all the furniture. Simply move it to the center, thereby freeing access to the walls.
Stretch ceilings are characterized by high strength (up to 100 kg per 1 m2), which often saves them in case of flooding from above.
This surface is easy to clean thanks to a thin micron layer of Teflon.

Types of suspended ceilings

Before answering the question of how to remove a suspended ceiling, you should decide on its type. This information is usually contained on the letterhead of the company that installed the product.

So, the canvas can be:

Made from PVC. Installation/disassembly of such a structure requires high temperature (about 70 degrees). If such heating is not provided, then you can simply ruin the canvas. A heat gun allows you to reach this temperature.
Seamless fabric. The advantage of this type is the following point: the room does not need to be heated to install or dismantle the ceiling. It is recommended to start work from the central part of the ceiling and gradually move to the corners.

Fastening methods

So, suspended ceiling - how to remove it? Solution this issue largely depends on what type of fastening was used during installation:

Required Tools

When answering the question of how to remove a suspended ceiling, you need to keep in mind that first you should stock up on the following tools:

a standard plaster spatula with ground corners;
pliers, which are characterized by a non-standard size of working “sponges”;
a standard mechanic's knife;
any type of heat gun;
clothespins big size, with the help of which the film is usually suspended during dismantling.

Which method to choose in order to disassemble a suspended ceiling must be decided based on the type of its structure.

Dismantling PVC stretch ceiling

How to remove this type of ceiling? First you need to decide on the type of fastening. If you used the harpoon method during installation, then disassembling and reassembling the ceiling is possible, but if you used a wedge method, then you can forget about re-installing the structure.

Below are step-by-step instructions describing how to remove a suspended ceiling with your own hands:

Before starting work, you need to empty the room as much as possible, and cover the furniture that cannot be removed with a heat-resistant fabric.
Heat the room using a heat gun. If the room is not heated enough, the dismantling work will be doomed to failure - the film will break. Optimal temperature for parsing the canvas - at least 600 degrees.
First you need to prepare a stepladder and find an assistant who will hold the gun. So, to the question of how to remove a suspended ceiling yourself, you can safely answer: no way, since you cannot do without a second person.
The entire dismantling process must be accompanied by heating of the blade, as this greatly facilitates the work process and avoids rupture of the surface. However, you need to remember that placing the gun too close can lead to damage to the material.

Seamless fabric ceiling

How to remove and install a suspended ceiling made from seamless fabric? If the fastening is pinned or wedge, then it should be done in the same order as with PVC cloth. The only difference is that there is no need to use a heat gun, and dismantling begins from the middle of the wall, and then gradually moves to the corner.

Dismantling the canvas, for the fastening of which clip baguettes were used, has the following feature: it will not be possible to partially replace the material, since the suspended ceiling will have to be removed completely. If this is not done, sooner or later the clip will pop out, which will lead to a forced replacement of the entire ceiling.

Stretch ceiling repair

How to remove and install a suspended ceiling? This question can concern anyone, because cuts and punctures are the types of damage that stretch ceilings are most often susceptible to.

In the event of such a problem, every owner begins to think about how to correct the situation and at the same time spend as little as possible. It all depends on what material was used to make the canvas, and on the size of the “wound” itself.

Fabric ceiling repair

How to remove and install a suspended ceiling? If the fabric has been damaged by a cut, then renovation work It’s quite possible to do it yourself. Detected damage simply needs to be sealed using a piece of glass wallpaper or a particle of material remaining after installation work. Clear adhesive is usually used to adhere the patch to the back side. Finally, it is recommended to cover the area to be repaired with paint of a suitable tone.

Repair of PVC sheets

If the location of the cut or puncture in a structure made of PVC film is near the wall (distance no more than 15 cm), then dismantling the film should begin from the side of the damage, cut off the affected area along the entire length, re-stretch the film and tuck it into the frame. This procedure will not change the appearance of the surface.

If the damage is somewhat distant from the wall, then you should not re-tighten the ceiling, as this will simply ruin it. In this situation, it is better to use the following tricks:

the location of a small cut may be perfect for installing an additional lamp or ventilation grille;
a large size can be disguised using colored appliqué or panels.

To repair a puncture on a PVC ceiling, the size of which does not exceed 1-2 mm, a special glue is sufficient. It will not only hide the damage, but will also prevent the canvas from spreading further. But to get rid of a large puncture, you will need to perform the same actions as with a cut.

We must not forget that if the installation of the ceiling sheet was carried out by specialists, then to carry out repairs you also need to call them, and not come up with a way to repair a cut or puncture. The thing is that an unsuccessful installation will void the warranty for the previously completed installation, which means you will have to pay to eliminate any negative consequences.

Vinyl stretch ceiling in a home interior

It is impossible to predict situations as a result of which suspended ceilings in an apartment would have to be dismantled. And they can be very different - from a break in the water supply or sewer system of the neighbors above, or accidental damage to the canvas, to the accumulation of condensation and the need to lay new electrical wiring in the above-ceiling space. In any case, you will have to remove the ceiling, and for this it would not hurt to know how it works in order to be able to reuse rather expensive structural elements.

How are suspended ceilings constructed?

The main and mandatory condition for successful and careful dismantling– correctly determine the type of frame and the type of stretch ceiling itself. If you do not have a certificate of work completed provided by the team that did the repairs in your apartment, you will have to do it by eye. However, there is nothing complicated about it.

Currently, two types of stretch fabrics are used - vinyl film and fabric impregnated with polymer. As for the installation process itself, in practice one of 3 technologies is used, the essence of which is determined by the system of tensioning and fastening the canvas. She may be:

The harpoon system is used for installing vinyl stretch ceilings. A hook-shaped edging is welded onto the PVC film gradually stretched using a heat gun along the baguette line. The latter is fixed using teeth made inside the wall leg of the U-shaped groove. The joint between the canvas and the wall is closed using a decorative plinth.

The glazing bead system is used to tension fabric ceilings and is significantly more expensive than the harpoon system. It works on the principle of self-clamping: the edge of the canvas is inserted into a baguette with reinforced (wall and ceiling) fastening with a margin of 5-7 cm, which is gradually stretched around the perimeter of the room and fixed with a bead or, as it is also called, a cam. Under the weight of the fabric, the glazing bead presses the fabric to a permanently fixed profile.

The cam system is used in seamless ceiling structures with both vinyl film and polymer-impregnated fabric. The high popularity of this technology is explained by its low cost and ease of installation, as well as the fact that it allows you to take a minimum distance from the ceiling.

The clip system is used in the construction of seamless fabric stretch ceilings and is distinguished by its low cost and ease of installation and dismantling.

Assessment of the situation

At minor damage or lack of funds to completely replace the canvas or install a new or structurally different ceiling, you should try to correct the situation at the cost of little effort and money:

Small tear or puncture of the fabric

Both fabric and vinyl film for ceilings are highly mechanical strength. But no one is immune from accidents, so it is advisable to have a small piece of glass wallpaper or fabric tape and paint on hand. After sealing the hole, all that remains is to tint the patch to match the rest of the ceiling. The gap will have to be sewn up with nylon threads before applying the patch.

Flood from neighbors above or through a leaky roof

Due to the risk of ruining the entire ceiling, you should be extremely careful when eliminating leaks. The first step is to urgently eliminate the source of flooding. Next, in the corner closest to the sag, the canvas must be removed from the baguette and the water must be drained into a previously placed container, being careful not to flood the wall. After this, using a heat gun, the stretch ceiling is dried and secured back.

Sagging and spontaneous ruptures

Poor quality tension or a sharp increase in temperature and humidity in the room can lead to sagging and cracks in the stretch ceiling. In this case, it must be re-tightened, and the cracked sector must be sealed with the same material, glass wallpaper or special tape.

Mold growth or staining

In this case, only complete reupholstery of the damaged fabric with mandatory antiseptic treatment will help. building structures and control over the quality of fastening of the load-bearing profile along the entire length of the wall.

Unlike the bead and clip system, the harpoon fastening is soldered to the vinyl film. In case of ruptures in the seam area, it is recommended to replace the harpoon along the entire length of the wall.

Where to start?

The first step is to remove from the premises everything that interferes with the dismantling process. Further actions will depend solely on the type of stretch ceiling.

The list of tools needed to remove the ceiling should include:

medium size mounting spatula;
pliers with long jaws (thin-nose pliers);
construction knife;
protective gloves;
stepladder;
heat gun (for working with vinyl film);
mounting clothespins for holding the canvas;
screwdriver;
screwdriver

To avoid damage to the canvas, it is better to use a special spatula. If you only have an ordinary metal tool at hand, you should grind off its sharp corners or glue it cutting edge reinforced tape or strips of rubber to reduce the risk of puncturing the fabric.

Removing a stretch ceiling: tools and equipment in the photo

Regardless of the type of stretch ceiling, work should begin by warming up the room using a heat gun. At the same time, the PVC film will become more elastic, so in case of flooding, you need to hold the sagging area with your hands so as not to aggravate the situation. When eliminating minor defects or completely re-upholstering the canvas, it should be heated progressively towards the edge, ensuring even tension and reliable fixation on the baguette.

If a small gap has formed on your stretch ceiling, but it is located far from the edge of the canvas, consider installing a lamp, chandelier or some other decorative element. In this case, it is necessary to glue a plastic ring around the slot, and fix the lamp itself on the ceiling and do not forget to connect it to electricity.

Additional lighting: options for installing lamps on a suspended ceiling, photo

In a situation where the gap is too noticeable, you can do it differently. Try re-stretching the canvas, removing the damaged area closer to the baguette. If the suspended ceiling is fabric, this trick will not work, since the material is cut along the baguette line during installation.

Removing vinyl film

PVC film on suspended ceilings is mounted and dismantled using a heat gun. You can’t work without it - you can accidentally stretch or tear the cold, and therefore not elastic, fabric. It should be completely removed only if it is impossible to eliminate or hide damage or signs of wear.

If the fastening system of your stretch ceiling is harpoon, you should start removing it from the molding groove from the corner of the room and gradually move along the length, and then along the width to the center. First you need to remove the decorative baseboard. To remove the harpoon without damaging the joint and the baguette itself, you must use a spatula and pliers. To grab the hook, insert a spatula into the gap between the wall and the edge of the canvas, with which you need to slightly bend the walls of the baguette groove, and then pull the canvas towards you .

If you act carelessly, you can tear the film , therefore, carefully ensure that the pliers are holding the harpoon. They can be put aside, freeing the first 15-20 cm - the rest of the film can be easily pulled out by hand. When removing vinyl ceiling Be sure to use gloves so as not to leave dirty marks on the heated plastic.

The bead fastening system is dismantled in almost the same way. The wedge must be pulled out of the grooves with great care - it must be correctly pryed with a spatula, and to remove it from the groove, use a screwdriver to slightly bend the outer wall of the baguette. As for the clips, they are removed by loosening the clamp with a spatula or a rule.

Re-installation of PVC film on a bead or clip fastening system is possible only if there is a supply of material hidden under the ceiling. If one was not provided, you are unlikely to re-stretch the vinyl, so get ready for a complete re-upholstery.

Removing a fabric stretch ceiling

Seamless fabric ceilings are in most cases installed using a bead or clip fastening system. This option is more convenient to install and remove, since it does not require such intense heating of the room. On the other hand, it is complicated because the fabric weighs much more than vinyl film and is fixed with a self-clamp. This means that you will have to remove it completely so as not to break the baguette or glazing bead.

While you are removing the canvas from the fastenings, do not forget to warm it up with a stream of air from a heat gun. This will avoid the formation of “accordion” and small irregularities after fixing in the baguette. And finally, when dismantling a vinyl or fabric ceiling, you must remember the procedure for removing lighting fixtures, if any, on the tension plane.

If you are going to completely change the ceiling, after removing the canvas, work on the baguette. It must be dismantled carefully: who knows, maybe a tension ceiling structure Would it look great in any other room in your apartment?

Stretch ceilings in the interior of the apartment in the photo

Removing a stretch ceiling with your own hands is quite a difficult job, but doable. If you know what kind of fastening it has, you have all necessary tool and an assistant, you can dismantle the structure in literally one working day.