A dropped ceiling is a secondary ceiling, hung below the main (structural) ceiling.
They may also be referred to as a drop ceiling, false ceiling, or suspended ceiling, and are a staple of modern construction and architecture
Advantages of false ceiling
- A ceiling helps cool the room.
- When the height of the room is too much, providing a ceiling helps to reduce the height.
- Reducing the height also helps in reducing the capacity of the air-conditioner ,covering the upper area also has the multiple advantages such concealing the wiring, lighting fixtures, air-conditioning ducts, security cameras, and other fixtures.
- The ceiling also acts as an attractive base for all kinds of decorative electric lights and fans. These apart, a ceiling helps eliminate echo in the room. In bathroom, ceilings can be provided to hide the pipes or any other fittings above.
Disadvantages of false ceiling:
- One disadvantage with this ceiling system is reduced headroom. Clearance is required between the grid and any pipes or ductwork above to install the ceiling tiles and light fixtures. In general, a minimum clearance of 100 to 200 millimetres (4 to 8 in) is often needed between the lowest obstruction and the level of the ceiling grid.
- A direct-mount grid may work for those who want the convenience of a dropped ceiling, but have limited headroom. Stretch ceiling supports require less than one inch of vertical space, and no space is required for tiles to be lifted out with a stretch ceiling, but a greater clearance space may be chosen to allow room for MEC or for aesthetic reasons.
- Dropped ceilings generally conceal many of the functional and structural elements of a building, creating an aesthetic paradigm that discourages the use of functional building systems as aesthetic design elements.
- Concealing these elements makes the complexity of today’s advanced building technologies more difficult to appreciate. It is also more difficult to perform maintenance on or diagnose problems with the concealed systems.
- As a renovation tool, dropped ceilings are a quick and inexpensive way to repair a ceiling or reduce HVAC costs. Some materials may show their age quickly— for example, mineral fiber sags, is damaged easily when handled, and stains easily, but stretch ceiling, tin and vinyl do not have these characteristics