Are stretch ceilings harmful to health?

Now there is a lot of information about useful and harmful products, objects that people need for everyday life, as well as materials, construction and finishing materials. Stretch ceilings did not go unnoticed: their effect on human health is often discussed in forums. To understand whether stretch ceilings are harmful to health, it is necessary to study the chemical composition of the material used.

Kinds

Depending on the material of manufacture, there are 2 types of stretch ceilings:

• PVC film ceiling;
• fabric - durable mesh with a fabric texture, impregnated with polyurethane.

To install the film ceiling, you need a special heat gun, while the fabric ceiling just needs to be tucked into a baguette (cold stretch ceiling).

Among the subspecies are:

• glossy;
• matte;
• satin ceiling.

About chemical composition

To determine how harmful stretch ceilings and whether it is, you need to pay attention to their chemical composition. Most often, the ceiling in the room is made with the help of stretch films, which are based on polyvinyl chloride. The reason lies not only in financial affordability, but also in high consumer criteria.

Note! The structure of the film ceiling implies a long service life, quick installation and easy maintenance. But there is a downside: harmful components are released into the surrounding space.

And yet, the view that the suspended ceiling is something insanely harmful to human health cannot be called just. By the way, a lot of industrial goods are made from PVC, everywhere around people, as this compound is not afraid of moisture, acid and other chemical compounds.

So, what are the harmful PVC stretch ceilings? During the heating of the film, volatile chemicals are released, among which toluene and phenol are found. A significant concentration of these substances is very harmful to humans.

Note! The basis of the fabric stretch ceiling is polyester mesh impregnated with polyurethane. The use of thermoplastic polyurethane is safer, since it is not afraid of aggressive chemicals and high temperature.

The original or a fake

The harm and benefits of the stretch ceiling are hidden not only in the chemical composition of the material used. Curiosity bears a slightly different moment: safe for health products that meet international standards, is made only by those firms that have passed the established registration procedure, received all necessary certificates, that is, they act in accordance with the letter of the law.

Note! The modern market is also filled with products of companies whose origin is in doubt. PVC film, for example, does not have a label, protective film or any information from which one could judge the legality of the goods. Consequently, an unscrupulous manufacturer can easily pass off their low-quality products as a well-known and reliable European brand.

If we talk about fabric stretch ceilings, then the situation is somewhat better. European manufacturers label their products with the appropriate symbols, which are located near the edge of the canvas, but this is not a 100% guarantee.

What is dangerous fake suspended ceiling:

• Manufacturers use cheaper raw materials that have not been tested for compliance with safety requirements;
• Often in the manufacture of fakes used chemicals that are unacceptable for residential premises, due to the high level of toxicity.

There is no universal recipe for defining a fake, but with the help of the following tips you can protect yourself a little:

1. Stretch ceiling should be purchased only from a proven, long-proven producer in the market.
2. Each seller must have a certificate and all necessary documents for their goods, and suspended ceiling is no exception. On the official websites of leading manufacturers, you can check which certificate you have been given - real or fake.
3. The roll or package should be carefully inspected for information about the manufacturer of the product.

Is pvc stretch ceiling harmful??

Stretch ceiling can be called harmful if it emits those substances that are considered hazardous to human health. Several such substances are part of the PVC film: chlorine, toluene and phenol. But their number is quite insignificant and falls within the limits of the permissible rate. In addition, they begin to stand out only under certain conditions, namely at high temperatures. Therefore, it is not recommended to install a film ceiling in a bath, sauna or any other room that has high temperatures.

Note! A large number of chemicals present in the film stretch ceilings are in many subjects, constantly surrounding a person: clothes, dishes, furniture, as well as finishing and building materials.

Film stretch ceiling does not allow air and that is why it does not attract some consumers. Indeed, this material "does not breathe", the only exception is equipped with micro-perforation. But this does not mean that the rest of the floor and wall coverings do not have this drawback, for example, plastic windows.

How to choose a stretch ceiling?

To purchase a quality stretch ceiling, you should follow the following recommendations:

1. The seller must have a certificate testifying to the environmental, fire and other safety of the goods.
2. The cost of certified and environmentally friendly material cannot be too low.
3. An excellent opportunity to acquire good-quality finishing materials - to listen to the recommendations of relatives and friends who have already used the services of this company.
4. The environmental safety of the stretch ceiling can be determined by smell. The presence of an unpleasant smell indicates that the material is prohibited to use indoors. However, there is a significant disadvantage - this criterion is verifiable only after the completion of installation work. So, if the installation of the stretch ceiling was completed by the complete absence of extraneous odors, it means that the finishing material was of high quality. The same can be said about the presence of a faint smell, which completely eroded after 2-3 days. Otherwise - it is better to get rid of the stretch ceiling.

If you decide to purchase a stretch ceiling, then you should not worry about the harm to health, if it was purchased from a bona fide supplier. To establish a suspended ceiling or not is a personal matter for everyone and it’s probably not worth setting any rules on this.

Maybe you will be interested to learn more information:

• How to care for a stretch ceiling
• How to fix the cornice to the ceiling
• How to repair an old ceiling
• How to install a chandelier on a suspended ceiling

Video

You can learn more about how building materials can affect human health from the following video: