pimp my ceiling (something other than drywall)

September 2, 2009 9:07 PM

Pimp my ceiling! The prior owner had 4 parrots and I want to ditch the fowl acoustical tile in my living room. Is there any source for pressed tin (or a reasonable fake) or wainscot that won't leave me squalking?

I've tested the acoustical tile for asbestos, though I don't know yet if they're attached by adhesive or fir-strip. Due to aforementioned parrot funk, I think I should rip the acoustical tile out, and start fresh.

Below (above?) that is cement plaster- but after several years of water leaks, I think painting it will reveal a lot of cracking and flaws.

I love LOVE the look of pressed tin- but am unsure about installation, and the cost compared to drywall (2100$ for the drywall/mud/tape). The room is 16x32, rectangle with just the 4 corners. I pretty much eliminated the idea of wainscot due to this post. Also, I'm in a rural area where I pay through the nose for shipping.

Do cheaper/faux tin tiles exist, say that might go up with adhesive, or did I make that up?

This is a 1920's home, with a sightseeing pedestrian route on the street below- I'd like to look up to something more ...ethereal. Ideas?

posted by iiniisfree to home & garden (9 comments total)

There is a kind of wallpaper called Anaglypta which has raised textures that can mimic pressed tin. It can be painted. You install it with wallpaper paste. I haven't done this myself so don't have tips or specifics, but it might be what you're after; try googling around a little with "anaglypta + ceiling" and see what you find.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:32 PM on September 2 [1 favorite has favorites]

Should have mentioned, they make anaglypta in various patterns including beadboard. We have that in the kitchen of our house (on a wall, not a ceiling), and I wouldn't have noticed that it was wallpaper if the seller hadn't told me. So from ceiling distance, I think casual observers wouldn't have a clue.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:36 PM on September 2

The alternative to Anaglypta is Lincrusta.
posted by brina at 10:13 PM on September 2

I've seen some reasonable-looking fake panels (either plastic or non-tin metal) at Menards and Home Depot. Depending on the brand, you either glue, lay-in, or nail them up. The ones on the Home Depot site run $20-40/panel.
posted by belladonna at 5:51 AM on September 3

Tin can be pretty expensive, around $20 per 2'x2' tile, or about $5/sf. American Tin also carries a DIY version that screws directly to your ceiling, which would save a lot of trouble in installtion.
posted by electroboy at 6:39 AM on September 3

Look for an architectural salvage place in your area. If there isn't a local one -- or if you're in NY or Scranton PA -- you could try these guys. They definitely sell old tin ceiling tiles. They also use them as borders for cool mirrors -- and they also use newly pressed but old-looking tin for their borders, so maybe they sell those as tiles, too.
posted by kestrel251 at 8:40 AM on September 3

Van Dykes' has some faux panels that can go up with adhesive.
posted by sageleaf at 10:16 AM on September 3

Also, I've heard anecdotally that tin ceilings can make your space seem a lot louder because it reflects sound better than acoustical or drywall. Not sure how true it is though.
posted by electroboy at 2:15 PM on September 3

I wound up painting the ceiling with killz (odor sealer) primer, then paint. Am shocked at how much better it looks... its not an eye catcher for better or for worse. Its a temporary fix, while I save up for that amazing anaglypta and figure out the art of wallpapering a ceiling! Electroboy's comment on noise reduction was also a strong factor in the decision to keep the tiles.
posted by iiniisfree at 6:57 AM on October 22