Tin, Copper, Styrofoam, and More: Leave your old notions of ceiling tiles at the door

Written by Milan Jara on 12th Sep 2014

Ceiling Design's

Tin, Copper, Styrofoam, and More: Leave your old notions of ceiling tiles at the door

One of the reasons I love working in the United States is the variety of design influences I have been able to find here. America is truly a melting pot of ideas, and I enjoy walking around American cities and checking out the ceiling designs. My other passion is to constantly use traditional ceiling tile ideas in contemporary ways. I like to think that this design process is one of the reasons why we have so many repeat customers.

Some ceiling tiles are versatile, while others are not quite as flexible. But I have found that the new design ideas being used these days for a variety of ceiling tile materials can create looks that we never would have dreamed of just 10 years ago. That is one of the reasons that I consider my job, and the entire design industry, to be so exciting.

Why Ceiling Tiles?

Why would you choose ceiling tiles over a drywall ceiling or the retro “popcorn” ceiling? For one thing, ceiling tiles offer a unique look that drywall simply cannot achieve. You can paint drywall ceilings and try to make a tiled look, but the end result will never look like a ceiling tile arrangement.

The other reason to use ceiling tiles is their convenience. Have you ever tried to install a drywall ceiling? They are extremely difficult to install, and the result is pretty generic. With ceiling tiles, you can drop your ceiling down past all of the beams and woodwork you want to avoid, and it can be done by a professional contractor with relative ease. Ceiling tiles can also be adjusted, and it is a lot easier to replace a broken tile than it is to fix an entire drywall ceiling.

Wooden Ceiling Tiles

One of the latest trends I have noticed that I really enjoy is using laminate ceiling tiles that look like hardwood floors. With the proper framing and finishing work, you can create something that looks truly beautiful in any room. If the idea of having a floor for a ceiling sounds odd, I recommend that you don’t knock it until you have tried it.

Tin Ceiling Tiles

Tin ceiling tiles are versatile and extremely fun to use. The image that accompanies this post looks like a copper ceiling, right? It is actually a stamped tin ceiling that has been treated to look like copper. Why not just install real copper? To be honest, copper can get pricey, and if your budget does not allow for copper, then tin is a more than adequate replacement.

Copper Ceiling Tiles

Speaking of copper, I still consider copper ceiling tiles to be the pinnacle of great-looking design materials. There is nothing like having stamped copper tiles in a room that gets plenty of natural light. Real copper has a consistency to it that grabs light of any kind and just makes magic with it.

Styrofoam Tiles

My, how Styrofoam ceiling tiles have changed over the years. It used to be really easy to tell a Styrofoam tile from any other kind because Styrofoam tiles used to come in three or four tell-tale designs. But these days, decorative Styrofoam tiles can create breathtaking results in even the most expensively designed room.

One of the reasons I like Styrofoam tiles is that they are always energy-efficient. The fact that they are extremely light, from an installer’s perspective, helps as well. I would strongly recommend taking a close look at what can be done with Styrofoam ceiling tiles these days. You will be more than pleasantly surprised, especially when you see what I can do with Styrofoam tiles to make them the ceiling tiles of your dreams.

My wife and I started our business because we wanted to give our customers the design results they wanted at prices they could afford. But after getting involved with the different kinds of ceiling tiles that are available, we both realize that getting the right look is a lot easier than we could have ever expected.

Tin, Copper, Styrofoam, and More: Leave your old notions of ceiling tiles at the door