Popcorn ceilings are no longer the style statement every home love. With age, these ceilings tend to become dirty, they attract cobwebs and patches of dirt, and they tend to crack in places. Installing a new ceiling fan or ceiling light can be quite messy with the false stucco ceilings in place. Furthermore, ceilings from the 60s, 70s, and 80s might contain asbestos. Messing with old popcorn ceilings can be dangerous for your health. Asbestos can cause serious lung diseases including cancer, even in the minutest amounts.
Why is a popcorn ceiling a cause for concern?
If you have a popcorn ceiling, you should first contact an asbestos removal and containment company for testing. Once it tests negative for asbestos, you can think about proceeding with the renovation and remodel on your own.
Installing new fixtures on any old concrete popcorn ceiling is a challenge. You may decide to work on only a small section where you want to install the light fixture, but scraping and smoothening the one spot will affect the surrounding. Controlling the scraping and smoothening can be difficult unless you have some experience working with stucco ceilings. Many homeowners find it easier to scrape off the popcorns from their ceiling first and then begin to lay the wiring and recessed LED lights.
Why should you think about removing your popcorn ceiling?
The popcorn ceilings bring the quintessential 90s vibe that does not go away even with the latest LED installations. Thankfully, removing popcorn ceilings isn't as big of a mess as it used to be back in the day. The professional remodelers typically use a large plastic sheet that they tape along the edges of the ceiling spanning the entire length and width of the room. As a result, any popcorn they scrape off the ceiling lands inside the plastic sheet only. It eliminates the necessity to move heavy pieces of furniture from the sides of the room or removing the electronic appliances fixed to the walls.
What comes first: LED light or stretch ceiling?
Some homeowners often ask if they should install the Led Lighting for Concrete Popcorn Ceiling first or remove the popcorn first. If you are interested in preserving the popcorn texture, only then it makes sense to install the LED lights first. Otherwise, removing the stucco texture with scrapers or sponges can damage the LED lights. No one wants to destroy their brand new LED lights and the wiring while removing the unsightly popcorns. Therefore, always complete the scraping job before you install the lighting fixtures or contact an experienced contractor for the job. The LED lighting fixtures need to go in before the installation of the stretch ceiling, irrespective of the fabric or PVC material you choose. The designer or contractor will lay the ceiling tracks after making space for the wiring and fixtures.
Why are stretch ceilings favorites of electricians and interior designers?
A Stretch ceiling can safely and entirely cover up the popcorn ceiling. There is usually a one-inch gap between the popcorn ceiling and the new fabric or PVC stretch ceiling. Concealing old water pipes and wires is easy. Most homeowners hide new electrical wiring under the stretch ceilings perfectly. They usually run wirings for the new LED lights, larger appliances including the fridge and LED TV from under the ceiling. It is the perfect way to conceal the wires.
An inexpensive way to accentuate your art collection
One way of lighting up an entire room without adding excessive wiring and circuitry is by using LED track lights. Track lights are perfect for living rooms with art installations and accent furniture pieces. You can run multiple heads from a single circuit, and that cuts down the additional work. However, track lights are not ideal for bedrooms and kid's rooms. These rooms demand recessed LED lighting on the ceiling. The typical recessed lights are around 1/4th to ½ inch thick, and it is quite easy to install them seamlessly with the new stretch ceilings. You can choose from a plethora of designs and colors of the bases while renovating your home.
New lighting solutions for your bathrooms and kitchen
The stretch ceiling solutions for homes with popcorn ceilings and concrete ceilings allow homeowners to install designer low-profile LED lights or pendant lights across their house. Such new-age ceiling solutions even make it possible for homeowners to fit LED lights in their kitchen and bathroom spaces. Any room with high moisture content calls for stretch ceiling systems with recessed LED lights. The stretch ceiling can protect the wiring from the moisture. The new ceiling requires only 1-inch of space to accommodate new wiring and pipelines.
Intense light can whiten the PVC ceiling
You can go with chandeliers, or simple recessed can light depending on the aesthetics of the room. Most importantly, you need to choose the brightness and power of the lights carefully. While stretch ceilings can support considerable weight and they do not react with the wiring components, excessive brightness can cause whitening of the ceiling around them. So, if you are about to choose an intricate pattern or intense colors for your fabric or PVC ceiling, you should speak to the manufacturer about the ideal lighting conditions in the room. High-intensity light on stretch ceilings has caused bleaching in low-quality PVC material in the past years. So, before you invest your hard-earned money on a new stretch ceiling and new lighting fixtures, take an extra step and speak to your ceiling manufacturer about sustainability and durability.
Wrapping things up
Concrete ceilings might be evergreen, but they take away the option of installing recessed LED lighting and pendant lights to beautify the interiors. Any home that needs a revamp should consider stretch ceilings for the flexibility and opportunities it offers. Installing LED lights on concrete ceilings is not only tricky, but it is also challenging. Moreover, multiple building management committees in the urban areas prohibit the channeling of new electrical wires into the concrete slabs on the ceiling. In case, you are bored with your old lighting fixtures, or you find the existing pendant lights insufficient for your home, stretch ceilings are going to be your new best friend for adding new lighting to your concrete ceilings.
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