Been looking up suspended ceilings? Wondering if they’d work well in your commercial building? Well, you’re in the right place to find out. In this blog, we’ll see what makes suspended ceilings ideally suited for workspaces and what other options are available.
What Is A Suspended Ceiling?
First things first, what is a suspended ceiling? Even if you don’t know, you will have walked under hundreds of them throughout your life – they’re in most retail, education, healthcare and office environments.
Suspended ceilings, also known as dropped ceilings and false ceilings, are most commonly made from a metal frame that forms a grid. Tiles are placed into each square to create a secondary ceiling that sits below the surface above.
The Benefits Of Suspended Ceilings
There’s good reason as to why most commercial buildings opt for a suspended ceiling… Because there are so many benefits. If you’re looking to refurb your commercial property and are thinking about ceilings, you’ll want to look at this list.
Quick Installation
If you’ve been updating your office, warehouse or retail unit, then time is of the essence when getting things finished. And that’s where a suspended ceiling can help keep your project to task. A whole ceiling can be finished quickly, making it one of the most convenient options when refitting or renovating a property.
Good At Concealing
That gap between the concrete ceiling and the suspended tiles isn’t dead space. It’s ideal for hiding the plethora of ducts, cables and pipes that a commercial building usually has. With a suspended ceiling, those ducts, cables and pipes are not only tucked away out of sight, with some suspended ceilings, they’re also freely accessible should you need to replace or repair them.
Flexibility With Design & Lighting
That same cavity above your ceiling tiles means you can design your lighting to suit the use of the space below. Need extra lighting above your checkouts? No problem. Want specific areas zoned? Then use different coloured tiles to give a clear indication. And the best bit is that is really simple to change at a later date!
Sound Proofing
Sound can really travel in big, open spaces, so if you have a space with an upstairs neighbour or your building has multiple floors, you’ll benefit from a ceiling that can help reduce noise. The gap between the top of the room and the ceiling tiles will help to lessen noise, but if you want maximum peace, then acoustic pads or panels can be added.
Acoustic pads and panels have been designed to block noise travelling through ceiling tiles. They’re ideal for open offices, units in shared spaces and workspaces that need a greater level of quiet and calm.
Affordable
Suspended ceilings are the most affordable option on the market. The materials aren’t expensive, and installation is quick, so it is a surprisingly cost-effective ceiling solution.
Fire Resistant
Ceiling tiles must adhere to British legislation and provide fire protection. Most tiles offer passive fire protection (they help delay the spread of fire) for between 30 – 60 minutes. You can opt for tiles and ceiling treatments that have a longer burn time if you want additional peace of mind.
A Lighter Space
A white suspended ceiling is excellent at bouncing light around a space, so if your room is a bit on the dark side, then a suspended ceiling can help brighten it up.
A suspended ceiling can have up to 0.86 light reflectance, which means the tiles can reflect 86% of all light back into a room. This can help reduce your lighting costs, as well as create a more tranquil environment with a better distribution of natural light.
Improve Energy Efficiency
Speaking of reducing bills, did you know that a suspended ceiling can also help bring down your heating costs too? There are two ways it can help; firstly, the lower ceiling means that you’re heating less space overall, so you reduce the heat needed to keep your property warm.
The second is by adding ceiling insulation. Available as pads that are placed above the ceiling tile, these encapsulated wads of fibre stop your heat from escaping upwards. If you want to get better control of your energy bills (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), adding an insulating layer is a good idea.
What Are The Different Types Of Suspended Ceiling Available?
Concealed Grid
This is when the metal framework sits behind tiles that meet edge-to-edge. The finished look is more high-end, with a continuous expanse of uninterrupted ceiling.
Gypsum Board
Gypsum board – also known as plasterboard – is used in suspended ceilings when a smooth finish is preferred. It can be plastered to give a seamless finish.
Exposed Grid
This is the most inexpensive type of false ceiling. We install a metal grid and place ceiling tiles on the cross-hatched metal. When you look at the ceiling, you’ll see a tile framed by metal.
So, Could Suspended Ceilings Work For Your Commercial Building?
Based on the above, it’s hard to see how any other option can deliver as many benefits whilst also being so cost-effective. If your business premises needs a neat, tidy ceiling that helps to create a safe place for your ducts and cables, provides flexible lighting configuration, a great range of colour options, adds thermal efficiency AND improves your fire protection, then suspended ceilings should be your first choice.
At GI Sykes, we have decades of experience installing suspended ceilings for all manner of commercial properties. Our specialist team can get your new ceiling up and ready with minimal disruption to your day. Just get in touch to arrange a no-obligation quote, and we’ll be happy to help you decide if a suspended ceiling is right for you.
