Characteristics of a hidden cornice in a stretch ceiling

The installation of an externally invisible cornice, which is carried out simultaneously with the installation of stretch ceilings, has undeniable advantages and is recommended for all interior designs, types of tulle and curtains, wall heights and room sizes.

This trick allows you to create an airy effect of floating curtains and get rid of the kind of cornices for attaching them.

What is a hidden cornice

A modern hidden cornice is a structure for attaching curtains and tulle over a window or any openings, niches, which is hidden from view. In this case, we are talking about cornices hidden in stretch ceilings.

This is done using the created niche, in which the usual curtain rod for curtains and tulle will be hidden.

Today, there are several types of cornices by material that are suitable for such an installation:

• Wooden.
• Steel, for very heavy curtains.
• Plastic.
• Aluminum.
• Combined, usually plastic + aluminum.

Each of the materials has its pros and cons, and the choice must be made together with the master, based on the characteristics of the curtains and the design of the ceilings.

In modern interiors, niches can also be wall-mounted. Such design decisions are made not for installing curtain rods and curtains, but for decorating a secret light source around the perimeter of the room, including along the curtain rods.

Advantages and disadvantages of a curtain niche in a stretch ceiling

Hidden cornices have many advantages:

1. The design is applicable to different types of curtains, ceiling heights, room sizes, layout and interior style.
2. Visually increase the height of the wall, which is especially good for low ceilings.
3. There are no unnecessary details, curtains and tulle fall from the ceiling itself, which allows you to achieve an airy effect.
4. Do not limit the number of curtain design options.
5. The cornices themselves are cheaper than decorative visible counterparts.
6. It is possible to install eaves of different shapes - round, S- or U-shaped, solving problems of different levels of complexity.
7. Electric cables, wiring, lighting, various sensors can also be hidden in a niche.
8. A hidden cornice can be an excellent solution for zoning a room - for example, vertical curtains made of threads or Japanese sliding screen curtains can be fixed in it.

There are few disadvantages of invisible cornices:

1. Installation is more difficult than installing curtain rods on the wall under the ceiling.
2. Installing a stretch ceiling with a niche will, in general, be more expensive.
3. This minus refers, rather, to the stretch ceiling itself - it "takes" a little from the height of the room, up to 10 cm.

Preparing the ceiling for a hidden cornice

It is not so difficult to install a suspended ceiling with a cornice, but it must be remembered that preparing the ceiling is an important part of the work that cannot be ignored or performed formally.

The surface for fastening structures must be perfectly flat and strong, and therefore it is first well cleaned of layers of old whitewash, paint, glue, and plaster. If cracks are found, they must be repaired in accordance with all building rules.

Irregularities on the ceiling, where the cornices or stretch ceiling structures will be installed, are eliminated by puttingtying or applying a special bandage from a reinforced construction mesh. Before installing ceilings, it is necessary to dry well all treated surfaces.

If an open niche is planned without being covered with a ceiling film, moreover, it is not very deep, the surface of its walls must be putty and painted / whitewashed so that untreated concrete does not remain.

Dimensions and depth of the niche for curtains

For a good visual concealment of devices for attaching curtains and tulle, with an abundance of folds and the presence of molds, swags, lambrequins, etc., you will need at least 10 cm of niche depth. Ideally - 15-20 cm, but this cannot be achieved in all rooms.

To calculate the width of the niche, take into account the width of the window sill and its protrusion towards the room, the presence of batteries, pipes, additional structures that can prevent the curtains from falling freely to the floor. Usually the width of the niche is 20-25 cm.

In its shape, a niche can be for the entire length of the wall, or only above a window or opening, where curtains or tulle are supposed to be fixed. If a short niche is planned for the size of the window, then the length of the niche should be 15-20 cm longer on both sides of the window.

Methods for making a niche in a stretch ceiling

Concealed ceiling curtain rods are installed on the stretch ceiling in three ways:

1. Plasterboard box installation. It also allows you to install a strip of spotlights along the curtains.
2. Fastening a mortgage from a wooden bar.
3. Installation of a special profile for ceilings. The most optimal and popular option.

Plasterboard box

A plasterboard ceiling ledge is usually made along the entire length of the wall. First, a box is made on a frame made of a metal profile, which is attached to the ceiling - it limits the space under the niche from the ceiling of the room.

Spotlights can be built into the box during installation. This complicates the installation, since when installing the luminaires, it is necessary to think over the laying of the electric cable to them. The box in this version should be wider.

The ceiling structure, decorative moldings, etc. are then attached to the box. The niche itself and the ledge need final finishing - putty and painting.

Mortgage from a bar

In this version, a wooden beam (preferably from a glued wooden profile) is fixed to the ceiling in a strictly horizontal position. The beam can have a section of 300 \ 300, 400 \ 400, 500 \ 500 mm.

A ceiling frame is then attached to the beam, on which the ceiling sheet is later fixed.

If it is possible to fix the timber on the "legs", forming a small gap at the ceiling, then this will solve the problem of possible mold formation in the closed ceiling space. This method is well suited for rooms in which there is a risk of ceiling moistening - the gap between the timber and the ceiling, provided that it is suspended suspended, allows ventilation of the space between the film and the concrete.

There are also disadvantages of the construction on the embedded timber - it is noticeable from the side of the balcony, or when viewed from below. To avoid this, a more complex structure is attached with a bump stop, which slides into a niche, hiding the timber and fastenings with a film.

Special profile for curtain rods

The best option is to use a special aluminum profile for stretch ceilings, which hides a niche like a lumber embedded in it.

The profile is typical, marked BP-40. Length 2.5 m, sides of a square base 4x4 cm.

This device allows you to make a niche not only of a standard shape, but also with rounded corners - for this, cuts are made on the canvas every 0.5-1 cm, which allow you to bend it, make it round.

The undoubted advantage of the method is the use of a metal material, since it is more durable and strong, not affected by moisture.

Niche profile

This installation option is convenient because the niche does not need to be decorated or painted, it will be covered by a part of the stretch ceiling hidden in the depth of the niche. The curtain rods are fixed to the profile itself, and the niche takes on an aesthetic appearance.

The "niche plus" profile is also typical, made of aluminum and has a length of 2.5 m.

Curtain profile

The design also allows you to hide the niche with a stretch ceiling canvas, and the curtain for the curtains is already on the cornice itself.

The cornice is standard, marked PK-5, made of aluminum.

Installation of a hidden cornice

1. First, measurements are taken - the length of the cornice, the ledge of the window sill, battery, pipes, other structures, the width and length of the future niche are calculated.
2. According to the calculated dimensions, a line is drawn on the ceiling parallel to the wall - this is the border between the niche and the rest of the ceiling of the room.
3. Installation of structures, profiles is carried out, based on the selected type of niche formation.
4. If the option with an open niche is chosen, then all its surfaces are putty and painted.
5. The ceiling in the room is stretched.
6. Cornices are fixed in the niche for attaching curtains. If the length of the niche is longer than the standard profile length of 250 cm, neat joints are made to allow the curtain mounts to slide freely in them. As a rule, the curtain rods are fixed in the center of the niche width, but there may be other solutions depending on the type of curtains and curtain rods.

How to hang curtains correctly

Having determined which curtains for curtain rods are best for stretch ceilings in a given room, it is necessary to choose the right way to form a niche. For heavy curtains and multi-layer installations, lambrequins, it is better to use a steel frame.

If the width and depth of the niche is calculated optimally, there will be no problems with fixing curtains and tulle to the eaves. The curtains can be hung on rollers, hinges or hooks, plugs are installed on the sidewalls to prevent slipping.

Creating a floating curtain effect

Achieving the effect of a floating curtain in a room allows a constructive solution for installing a cornice in a niche. A greater effect of "airiness" is given by the use of a special metal profile - with a pouch or as a mortgage.

If the canvas for the stretch ceiling is chosen as a glossy type, the effect will be amplified many times over, the curtains float in the air. In addition, glossy ceilings visually increase the height of the room.

Installation of a stretch ceiling with the formation of a niche for curtains and tulle, undoubtedly, complicates the work and will take more time. But such installations look more interesting than wall cornices under the ceiling and allow solving various design problems in the room, which makes the choice in their favor reasonable and correct. A room with floating curtains looks neat, stylish and beautiful.

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