The successful installation of lamps on soft ceiling cladding directly depends on how correctly the mounting for the chandelier in the suspended ceiling is assembled. A simple, at first glance, method of installing wooden pads in the ceiling space requires care and precision in work, otherwise the entire embedded fastening system may come through the canvas.
Platform made of a block and wire remains
Do you need mortgages for a suspended ceiling?
If everything is so complicated, is it possible to do without installing additional fasteners? For example, instead of hanging one or two bars of the embedded part, hammer in an anchor hook on which to hang the lamp. In fact, installing a mortgage under a suspended ceiling is a good way to solve several problems at once:
- Install the pendant lamp using a standard mounting frame or suspension. Attaching the chandelier to a mortgage in a suspended ceiling will allow you to remove, install and even change the light source to a new one an unlimited number of times without any problems;
- A decorative overlay covering the hanging area can be rigidly fixed to a mounting beam or a piece of plywood. The appearance of the lamp changes, and at the same time the surface of the stretch ceiling is not scratched;
- Installing a mounting bracket under a chandelier in a suspended ceiling, photo, is a good way to secure electrical wiring with a contact chip.
The wire is fixed on the platform.
You cannot leave the wire hanging on the metal parts of the chandelier or laid on the tension fabric. According to TB requirements, the cable must be fixed to the dielectric, and the wire cannot be left lying on the tension fabric; this will be immediately visible from the deflection of the fabric.
For your information! In addition, a properly installed embedded panel under the tension cladding significantly reduces the effect of the ceiling flapping in a draft. It is impossible to directly press the material against a plastic or wooden surface, as there is a danger of the harpoon falling off the supporting frame, but the embedded plate copes quite well with the functions of a brake and a film stabilizer.
If the canvas is located inside the wardrobe
Using this method, you will be able to make not only the suspended ceiling unusual, because the polyvinyl chloride coating will also be located inside the furniture, and lamps can be attached to it, just like on the ceiling.
In order to implement this idea, you will need to do the following:
- fix the beam on the ceiling (it can be replaced with strips of chipboard), make sure that the wooden parts below are properly polished so that the canvas does not tear;
- install racks or platforms so that lighting can be installed and wires placed there;
- fix the ceiling to the frame, and a plastic plate must be pre-glued to those areas where it is in contact with the mortgage;
- screw the guide to the mortgage (the screw also passes through the above-mentioned plate), which should then be connected to the ceiling plinth using glue;
- install lighting equipment and sliding doors;
- hide the joint under decorative elements, for example, stick an LED strip on the baseboard.
But you need to be more careful, because due to carelessness of the installer, the ceiling may tear. In addition, for work you will have to partially disassemble the wardrobe. But if you do everything right, you can admire the harmonious combination of ceiling and furniture for many years to come.
Types of embedded parts for suspended ceiling lamps
There are quite a lot of options and designs for bookmarks for a chandelier or overhead ceiling light source. Moreover, any master veneerer has his own version of the embedded device, which, in his opinion, best meets the requirements for safe installation on the tension fabric.
Platform made of timber and plywood
Among the classic schemes of embedded parts, three universal designs can be distinguished, used for fastening a wide variety of devices, from a lamp to a pipe or curtain rod:
- Wooden planks and plywood inserts, 20x20 cm in size, 15-75 mm thick;
- Frames made of wooden slats or beams, usually the size of the edge of square mortgages for a stretch ceiling is 15-30 cm, thickness 10-25 cm, in some cases up to 50 mm;
- Plastic rings and frames, necessarily solid, uncut, are used as a universal fastening on a suspended ceiling for lamps with a round or square body of a standard size.
Board on ribbon hangers
Standard product for mounting a chandelier
For built-in lamp models, specially designed for installation on a suspended ceiling, a whole series of plastic rings and frames of various models have been developed and produced, the internal mounting dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the body of the lamps and point light sources. In other cases, mortgages have to be made on our own, focusing on the size and weight of the chandelier.
Types of chandelier mounts
If universal mounting elements are used when fixing spotlights, then special platforms are made to install a bulky chandelier. The first ones outwardly resemble a monolithic pyramid made up of several rings, the internal opening of which can be adjusted depending on the parameters of the lamp.
In the second case, monolithic structures made of durable plastic are used, which ensures reliable fastening even for a large chandelier. Round, square and cross-shaped elements are produced, when choosing which it is important to rely on the dimensions of the base of the chandelier.
You should not choose platforms that are too soft and fragile, otherwise they may bend under the weight of the chandelier and subsequently become deformed when heated.
For convenience, the front side of the structure has perforations for self-tapping screws, which makes it easy to screw on a bar or cross of any size.
On the reverse side there are markings of blind holes, which are intended for fastening metal hangers.
Materials and tools for installing mortgages under suspended ceilings
In order to assemble and mount the supporting part of the lamp suspension, you will need a minimum of tools:
- A hammer drill or impact drill with a set of carbide punches or drills;
- Marking tool or template for marking drilling points;
- Hand saw or jigsaw.
In addition, you will need a set of plugs and dowels, ribbon hangers, and metal scissors. If you plan to install plastic embedded parts for a suspended ceiling, then you can install the elements using a screwdriver and scissors or a sharp knife.
The ceiling must be clean and in good condition
Preparing to create an embed for a lamp in a suspended ceiling
The amount of preparatory work depends on the height of the ceiling space, the size of the lamp and the selected material. Before planning the installation of embedded chandeliers, you will need to check how much the surface of the draft ceiling differs from the horizontal level.
If there is less than 5 cm from the floor slab to the suspended ceiling, then the mortgage can be attached directly to the concrete. In this case, existing damage and cracks are rubbed with a repair mixture so that when attaching the embedded board, the dowel does not fall into the void. It will also be helpful to check the slope of the concrete slab to select washers or spacers for leveling.
Some models of modern pendant lamps are attached to the ceiling rigidly on a rod, so if the level is neglected, it may turn out that the chandelier will not hang completely vertically.
Markings can be applied according to a template
What to design first
If you stretch the ceiling and then proceed with installation, the following problems may arise:
- workers will damage the ceiling surface;
- the space formed between the cabinet and the ceiling will accumulate dust. Since it is not recommended to attach anything to the film and the distance between the surfaces will be around 70 mm;
- The cost of installing a tension structure depends on the area of the ceiling. Then the question arises, why pay more?
Before installing the ceiling, warn the installers about the subsequent installation of the cabinet
How to make a mortgage for a stretch ceiling
If you plan to make an embedded panel or ring with your own hands, then it is best and easiest to use construction wood. The material is easy to process and has a fairly high rigidity. Even after installing a heavy lamp, the suspension will not bend, which often happens with plastic rings and metal strips.
How to make an embed for a chandelier under a suspended ceiling
The simplest mounting option is shown in the photo.
A wooden platform is easier to level
Structurally, it is a beam sewn with dowels onto the ceiling surface or onto the side walls. Since the device does not have adjustment points, it is best to use this technique for arranging an embed for a suspended ceiling in plasterboard. The supporting surface must be perfectly leveled.
For light lamps, the base plate is most often designed in the form of a wooden plank attached to metal strip hangers. In this scheme, the level and height of the installation can be adjusted by bending or cutting the length of the strip.
Mounting platform for square lantern
If the distance between the attachment points exceeds 15 cm, then instead of a plank you can use a box-like structure assembled on the ceiling from pieces of timber. This method ensures reliable retention of the chandelier on the tension fabric, even if the diameter of the embed exceeds 50 cm.
How to make an embed for a spotlight in a suspended ceiling
There are two ways to mount the supporting element for the built-in flashlight. The first one is the most famous. To fix the spotlight, a plastic ring with ribbon hangers sewn on the sides is used.
It is important to correctly align the device with the horizon
In fact, such a mortgage is no different from a wooden or plywood board used for mounting chandelier lamps on suspended ceilings.
LED lights with a rectangular body are most often built into a vinyl sheet using a wooden frame suspended on an embedded frame made of a thin sheet metal profile.
If you need to mount several lamps in a row, then wooden “shoes” or bars suspended on adjustable tapes are used for fastening. To avoid protrusion of the embed through the tension web, each shoe is leveled in height using a stretched cord or a laser beam.
System for a line of luminaires
You can install a number of lamps using a guide profile for assembling plasterboard ceilings, or replace the metal embedded with wooden slats.
Important! It is believed that metal profiles are better suited for making embedded parts for a line of several lamps. The metal does not deform or twist when humidity fluctuates, which means that the chance of the supporting structure protruding through the sheet remains minimal.
On the other hand, an embedded beam for a suspended ceiling is much easier to install, is cheaper, and there is no risk of making a mistake with the mounting point for the lantern body.
How to make a mortgage for a suspended ceiling for a cornice
In order to ensure the operation of the curtain rod with curtains or curtains, two schemes are used. In the first case, the mortgage is made of plywood or boards and installed up to the eaves line, as in the photo.
Dedicated niche for cornice
Essentially, the cornice guides are installed outside the suspended ceiling, and the plywood board itself is used to accommodate the baguette profile.
Knot for fastening the cornice
The second option involves fastening the cornice strip directly through the tension fabric onto several embedded supports. The main problem that needs to be solved as carefully as possible is the accurate alignment of the support system to the horizon.
Embeds from a profile
This can be done either by installing two suspension points from a supporting metal profile, or by using wooden blocks on adjustable hangers. In both cases, there should be a gap of 1.5-2 mm between the tension web and the embedded part. In this way, it is possible to compensate for the subsidence of the suspension system under the weight of the curtain rod and curtains.
How to make a mortgage for a stretch ceiling under a hood
Unlike lamps, any exhaust systems, be it a regular duct ventilation grille or an entire exhaust pipe, always have a relatively large hole in the tension fabric.
Therefore, the mortgage is made in the form of a plywood or metal plate, installed on the rough ceiling using height-adjustable wire or threaded hangers. A hole is made in the central part of the device along the diameter of the exhaust pipe. The bottom plane of the device should be 2 mm higher than the back surface of the stretch ceiling.
The most difficult thing is to adjust the height of the suspension to the ceiling level
After the embedded part and tension fabric have been installed on the ceiling, you will need to touch, using a marker, transfer the contours of the hole to the front part of the vinyl trim. Next, the ring is glued on, the hood window is cut out, after which the passage unit is attached with silicone to the pipe located in the ceiling space.
Tips and tricks
When choosing furniture, it is better to choose a built-in model - you won’t have to pay for the cabinet, and the dimensions will be exactly the height of the ceilings.
If you are assembling a wardrobe with your own hands, you can make a free fastening beam for the guides from the remnants of laminated chipboard. It is enough to twist two or three pieces into a stack with self-tapping screws.
When choosing the height of the tension membrane for a finished cabinet, it is better to assemble the cabinet in the center of the room. Then nothing will interfere with the installation of the fastening profile. At the end of the work, just move the wardrobe to the desired wall.
Expert opinion
Bashir Rabadanov
Technologist at the furniture company Woodband
If the installation of the film is hampered by the mezzanine, you can use a hacksaw to shorten the upper part of the doors by 10 centimeters, and cover the resulting gap with a chipboard panel.
