Stretched Ceilings in St Albans (40)

Stretch ceilings are a great alternative to traditional ceilings. They have two main components, a track that goes around the outside of the space and a flexible, fabric membrane that’s stretched and clipped into the track. This creates a smooth ceiling.

Stretch ceilings are available in a variety of colours and finishes allowing complete customisation of your living space. You can even add patterns to make your home unique.

Are stretch ceilings good?

This depends on your requirements. Stretch ceilings come with a range of benefits both functional and aesthetic. Below we’ve summarised some of the main advantages of choosing a stretch ceiling:

• Affordability: As stretch ceilings are made from only two components, they’re usually quite affordable.

• Design choice: As we mentioned above, you can choose from many different colours, styles and designs.

• Maintenance: Stretch ceilings are low maintenance and can last for years without being affected by damp or cracking.

• Flexibility: These ceilings are designed to work with lights and ventilation systems. They can also be made into curves and arches to perfectly fit your living space.

• Installation: Stretch ceilings are easy and quick to install compared to traditional ceilings. They’re also easy to replace when necessary.

• Energy efficiency: This type of ceiling is great for making your home more energy efficient due to the air gap created.

• Soundproofing: Stretch ceilings can help absorb noise, keeping your home peaceful and calm.

• Safety: Most stretch ceilings are waterproof, preventing leaks from ruining your flooring and furniture. They’re also designed to be fire safe.

While stretch ceilings are lightweight, they are actually surprisingly durable. If properly cared for, your stretch ceiling could last at least 15 years. Plus, if there’s a small puncture in your stretch ceiling, this can usually be repaired with silicone sealant rather than replacing the whole ceiling.

Stretch ceiling installation is best left to professional installers. They only need two components; a metal track and a flexible membrane.

The process of installation is as follows:

1. Preparation: This is the most important step for stretch ceiling installation. Furniture will need to be moved and the space will need to be cleaned.

2. Fitting the metal track: This will be installed along all four walls of your room.

3. Adding fixtures: This includes installing lighting, ventilation and smoke alarms on platforms.

4. Heating: Making the room warm in preparation for installation.

5. Stretching the ceiling: Attaching the flexible membrane to the tracks.

6. Fixture fitting: Making space for the fixtures by cutting the membrane and attaching around the fixtures.

How long does stretch ceiling installation take?

The time needed to fit your stretch ceiling will vary between different jobs. However, a good way to estimate the duration of installation is the bigger your room, the longer fitting will take. As an example, installing a stretch ceiling in a 60m2 room will take around a day.

For more details view our stretch ceiling cost guide.

Stretch ceilings are just one of the many different types of ceilings available. If a stretch ceiling is not right for your home, you could choose any of the following alternatives:

• Standard flat ceiling
• Coffered ceiling
• Vaulted ceiling
• Drop ceiling
• Sloped ceiling - Perfect for loft conversions
• Coved ceiling
• Exposed ceiling

One of the many benefits of stretch ceilings is the price. Usually, installing a stretch ceiling is not expensive, with many affordable options available.

However, the amount you pay for your stretch ceiling will vary depending on the following factors:

• Size of room: The larger the room, the higher the cost

• Type of material used

• Any patterns or finishes on the membrane

• Location: Labour costs vary throughout the UK

• Access: If your room is difficult to access, this can increase installation costs

• Shape of membrane: More complex shapes will require extra work and materials, increasing the price of your stretch ceiling

Stretch ceiling cost

Factoring in the above variables should help you to better budget for your stretch ceiling. One of the main things that affects the average stretch ceiling cost is the material used. To help make things a little clearer, below are some average stretch ceiling costs for different membrane materials:

• Gloss stretch ceilings: £55 per m2

• Image printed stretch ceilings: £75 per m2

• Embossed stretch ceilings: £57 per m2

For more prices and guidance on average costs, check out our stretch ceiling price guide.

Stretch ceiling cost per square foot

You’ll find that most stretch ceilings are priced in m2 rather than square feet. However, you can easily convert the price to help you find the average stretch ceiling cost per square foot by multiplying the amount by 10.764.

Want to speak to stretch ceiling installers in St Albans?

Finding the right professional to install your stretch ceiling is important so make sure to hire someone experienced, qualified and friendly. Our members all pass 12 checks to make sure you get the best service time and time again.

If you’re hoping to find a stretch ceiling installer near you, let us help speed up the process. Using our online search feature is a fantastic way to find a variety of stretch ceiling installation specialists in St Albans. You just need to type in your postcode and let us do the hard work.

Or, our request a quote feature is a great choice for busy homeowners. Tell us what you need doing and we’ll find three trustworthy stretch ceiling experts in St Albans. They’ll then get in touch with you directly with a quote.