All our electrics start off at the main distribution board and then spread out to smaller distribution boards in other areas of the house. This allows us to isolate any electrical fault and fix it, should the need arise. We didn’t want to do too much living around the main DB, so have built a tiny laundry room around the main distribution board. We will, in time, be using this little room to experiment with several ideas we have on finishes. But in the meantime, it’s a good opportunity to show you how to fit PVC Ceilings.
For this project, we used some offcuts we had from a previous project. We installed the ceiling before the walls are complete, in order to keep the dust out of this room for some experiments we will be running. It won’t be long before this room is in use!
What We Love About PVC Ceilings
We think that the PVC ceiling system is ingenious. We think it is absolutely wonderful for several reasons:
- It is extremely quick to install
- PVC ceilings are lightweight and therefore easy to install with minimum labour
- It does not have to be painted
- It is available in several different finishes including patterns
- PVC ceiling boards are available in different lengths to suit your application
Standard rhinoboard ceilings are heavy and fragile. They require lots of labour and still have to be painted after installation.
Is There a Downside?
We could think of two bad points:
- They are not well insulated
- They can get damaged easily while in storage (as can any type of ceiling board)
Doing the Work
Our favourite type of PVC ceiling is the matt white, “tongue-and-groove” look, and that is what we have used in our photos. However, the instructions apply to the other designs too.
Measure the width of the room and cut the ceiling board to the correct length. You can use almost anything to cut the plastic from a blade to some type of saw. Here Kevin is using a jigsaw.
Screw the front edge of the board to the brandering after clipping the back edge into the previous board. You’ll note that all your attachment screws are hidden once the next board is clipped into place.
As the shipping container does not have brandering as a standard house would, we attached some lengths of wood in place beforehand.
Cornice
Once all the PVC ceiling boards are in place (that didn’t take long, did it?), it’s time for cornice. you can get PVC cornice to match your ceiling, but we prefer to use the standard polystyrene cornice.
Measure the length you need and cut to size. Getting those corners right is a task that will challenge anyone’s spatial reasoning skills!
Cornice is usually sold in lengths of 2m. You will need to join several pieces along walls. We find that joins are neater when cut at a 45 degree angle as per the photo on the left.
Glue in place with paintable acrylic sealant. If you wish to paint the cornice and/or ceiling boards, you can do so as soon as the paintable sealant has cured.
We’ll be experimenting with other types of ceiling later on in the project, And of course, we fitted the fibre cement board ceiling over our deck. Keep an eye out for more ceiling articles.
In the meantime, let us know if you have ever had the opportunity to fit PVC ceilings or think you might do so in the future.
Love pvc ceilings! They’re definitely the best option out there.
Its amazing how you don’t notice ceilings until you see a beautiful one!
Looking very smart!
Thank you very much
Why is there a strange noise after installing pvc ceiling like plastic stretching
If it’s a windy day there might be pressure differences between the space above your ceiling and your room below. This will make the plastic flex and you’ll hear the boards moving against each other. Also, as your house warms/cools, expands/contracts, you might hear the odd creak or two.
Xpeding and contractions cause of temperature