Ceiling

Ceiling

A ceiling (pronounced /ˈsiːlɪŋ/) is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above.

Ceilings are classified according to their appearance or construction. A cathedral ceiling is any tall ceiling area similar to those in a church. A dropped ceiling is one in which the finished surface is constructed anywhere from a few inches to several feet below the structure above it. This may be done for aesthetic purposes, such as achieving a desirable ceiling height; or practical purposes such as providing a space for HVAC or piping. An inverse of this would be a raised floor. A concave or barrel shaped ceiling is curved or rounded, usually for visual or acoustical value, while a coffered ceiling is divided into a grid of recessed square or octagonal panels, also called a lacunar ceiling. A cove ceiling uses a curved plaster transition between wall and ceiling; it is named for cove molding, a molding with a concave curve.[1]

Ceilings have frequently been decorated with fresco painting, mosaic tiles and other surface treatments. While hard to execute (at least in place) a decorated ceiling has the advantage that it is largely protected from damage by fingers and dust. In the past, however, this was more than compensated for by the damage from smoke from candles or a fireplace. Many historic buildings have celebrated ceilings. Perhaps the most famous is the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo.

Fire-resistance rated ceilings

The most common ceiling that contributes to fire-resistance ratings in commercial and residential construction is the dropped ceiling. In the case of a dropped ceiling, the rating is achieved by the entire system, which is both the structure above, from which the ceilings is suspended, which could be a concrete floor or a timber floor, as well as the suspension mechanism and, finally the lowest membrane or dropped ceiling. Between the structure that the dropped ceiling is suspended from and the dropped membrane, such as a T-bar ceiling or a layer of drywall, there is often some room for mechanical and electrical piping, wiring and ducting to run.

An independent ceiling, however, can be constructed such that it has a stand-alone fire-resistance rating. Such systems must be tested without the benefit of being suspended from a slab above in order to prove that the resulting system is capable of holding itself up. This type of ceiling would be installed to protect items above from fire.

See also

Media related to Ceilings at Wikimedia Commons

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ceiling — 1. Ceiling has been used by government departments and administrators since the 1930s to mean ‘an upper limit’ (as in a ceiling on prices), and is sometimes contrasted with floor, which is a lower limit. As with target, care needs to be taken not …   Modern English usage

  • Ceiling — Ceil ing, n. [See {Cell}, v. t.] 1. (Arch.) (a) The inside lining of a room overhead; the under side of the floor above; the upper surface opposite to the floor. (b) The lining or finishing of any wall or other surface, with plaster, thin boards …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ceiling — bezeichnet: Hauptwolkenuntergrenze (engl. ceiling), ein meteorologischer Begriff Ceiling Effekt in der Pharmakologie oder empirischen Sozialwissenschaft Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit de …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ceiling — I noun acme, altitude, apex, apogee, climax, culmination, extreme, extremity, farthest point, height, highest degree, highest point, limit, maximum, optimum, peak, pinnacle, record, roof, summit, tectum, top, ultimate, utmost, utmost extent,… …   Law dictionary

  • ceiling — [sē′liŋ] n. [< CEIL] 1. the inside top part or covering of a room, opposite the floor 2. any overhanging expanse seen from below 3. an upper limit set on anything, as by official regulation [a ceiling on prices] 4. Aeron. a) a cover …   English World dictionary

  • ceiling — mid 14c., celynge, paneling, any interior surface of a building, noun formed (with ING (Cf. ing)) from M.E. borrowing of M.Fr. verb celer to conceal, cover with paneling (12c.), from L. celare (see CELL (Cf. cell)); probably influenced by L.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • ceiling — [n1] top of a room baldachin, beam, canopy, covert, dome, fan vaulting, groin, highest point, housetop, plafond, planchement, plaster, roof, roofing, timber, topside covering; concept 440 Ant. floor ceiling [n2] maximum legal price, record,… …   New thesaurus

  • ceiling — ► NOUN 1) the upper inside surface of a room. 2) an upper limit set on prices, wages, or expenditure. 3) the maximum altitude an aircraft can reach. ORIGIN from obsolete ceil line or plaster the roof of (a building) , perhaps from Latin celare… …   English terms dictionary

  • ceiling — An upper limit for a variable. For example, an adjustable rate mortgage may have a ceiling of 10 percent. In this case, the rate can be adjusted however the loan terms provide without exceeding 10 percent. Also called a cap. American Banker… …   Financial and business terms

  • ceiling — noun 1 top surface inside a room ADJECTIVE ▪ high, low, tall (AmE) ▪ cathedral (= a high ceiling with open space up to the roof) (AmE), domed, sloped (AmE), sloping (BrE) …   Collocations dictionary

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