Lighting in the room is a part of the entire interior. Incorrectly selected light can change the color scheme and spoil the style of the room. But, in addition, it is worth paying attention to the placement of lamps, the installation of lamps – the method depends on the design of the ceiling in the room. Today we will talk about which lamps are better to choose for suspended ceilings and how to install them.
Sometimes it is difficult to decide what is better to choose: one chandelier in the middle or spotlights in several places of the room.
Features of lighting on the suspended ceiling
A suspended ceiling assumes the presence of space between the main ceiling and those structures that will be located below, which is why it is called a suspended ceiling, as if hanging in the air. This is how suspended-type modules are attached to the main ceiling, and it is worth leaving. Fastening can be:
- panel;
- cassette;
- railed;
- tiled
When organizing lighting on a suspended ceiling, you need to take into account several rules.
- The marking of the lighting should take place during the installation of the ceiling structure. Suspended structures are attached to the frame, and the lamps must be attached to the same frame in the future. That’s why, in order not to make extra holes later and not to remove the ceiling altogether, you should know where you will hang the lamps in the future and how many there will be. And if you are planning a stretch ceiling, then the marking is done there when the fabric is covered, so everything is done in advance.
- The wiring is done before laying the suspended ceiling, since then it will simply be impossible if you want the wiring to be hidden and not blind the eyes.
What lamps to use
There are many types of lamps today. When choosing one or another model, you should consider:
- type of room (bathroom, pantry, living room, bedroom, etc.), each of them requires different power of the lamp;
- the nature of the ceiling structure (an incorrectly selected lamp can “sink” in your ceiling or, on the contrary, protrude and have an unaesthetic appearance);
- the style of the room (some styles, such as art decor, simply require chandeliers even in the bathroom, but the fusion style allows you to combine chandeliers and spotlights of different geometric shapes in one room).
From everything that the market offers, you can use the following on suspended ceilings:
- fluorescent lamps;
- raster;
- point;
- overheads with a double grid;
- sweat;
- grillato (similar to raster ones, but with a different design);
- downlight lamps, which are characterized by the direction of light to a specific point in the room;
- Armstrong lamps;
- LED strips.
It is also possible to use chandeliers on suspended ceilings, you just need to choose the right mount and make its correct installation. If you’re sure you can do it yourself, no problem. And if there is no such confidence, then it is better to contact specialists, since the installation of any type of lamp in a suspended ceiling is responsible, it is very important to follow the technology.
Choosing a light bulb
When we talk about a lamp, we must take into account the type of lamp that will be used there. For a suspended ceiling, you should choose only those bulbs that emit a minimum of heat and are durable. This will be a guarantee that the ceiling structure will not overheat and will not create a fire hazard in the room. These bulbs are:
- halogen lamps of directional or diffuse lighting;
- LED lamps.
These are the two types that are gaining more and more popularity and have the longest service life. Usual economy light bulbs are suitable for use in chandeliers on the suspended ceiling, but not for spot or raster lamps.
Location of lamps and their fastening
How, where and how many lamps you will have, you have the right to decide yourself or entrust this matter to the designer of the room, if he works for you. High-quality lighting can play a fundamental role in the division of space, accents, etc. But how they will be attached, to what and with what is another issue that requires special attention.
Fixtures on the suspended ceiling are attached only to the ceiling frame or to the main ceiling. This is why the frame beams are first marked or holes are made in the elements of the suspended ceiling in order to know where to attach the lamps.
Fixtures can be:
- recessed, built-in;
- invoice
The built-in type allows you to place a large number of light points in a small area. This will make the lighting elements invisible when not working and saturate the room with light when the lamps are turned on. This type looks great when point lights have the shape of stars of different sizes. Fasteners for this type are a plate or spring, which, after installation, will rest on the inner surface of the suspended structure.
Surface mounting is the installation of lamps on top of the ceiling. This may be due to low ceilings and the impossibility of hiding parts of the lamps between the suspended and real ones. For example, spotlights are fixed just like that, giving the room originality and filling it with light. Such mounting allows you to avoid shadows in the room, as the light is reflected from the walls and ceiling. Therefore, it is better to use it where there is no natural light (in stairwells, storerooms, bathrooms).
Tips
The most optimal option today for a suspended ceiling is spot lamps. Different variations allow you to create the appropriate atmosphere in the room and fill the room with sufficient lighting. However, if we talk about lamps in enterprises, offices, hospitals, schools, then the raster type should be preferred there. That is, when choosing a lamp, it is important to consider where it will be used. When choosing light bulbs, consider that some of them can distort the color of wallpaper and furniture.