Foam ceiling tiles are an inexpensive and quick way to make your ceiling surface aesthetically pleasing and appealing. Ceiling tiles can be glued to several types of adhesive mixtures, but there are also adhesives that are completely unsuitable for this, because they destroy the foam. We will show you how to choose the right adhesive for gluing ceiling tiles. Before finishing work, the ceiling must be prepared so that significant defects do not interfere with the even fixing of the tiles and are not visible through the coating.

If you know how to properly glue ceiling tiles, you can make a beautiful and durable ceiling covering yourself.

Choosing an adhesive for Styrofoam ceiling tiles

Before gluing the foam ceiling tile, you need to choose the right adhesive.

When choosing an adhesive mixture, it should be borne in mind that it must meet the following characteristics:

• the adhesive composition must give a strong and reliable adhesion of the coating to the base;
• he must set quickly;
• adhere well to the base ceiling;
• high viscosity of the glue will provide quick fixation of the product;
• be safe for humans, that is, do not emit toxic fumes;
• it is good if the glue can be applied in a thin and thick layer (this will smooth out small irregularities in the base).

Foam products are usually glued to a concrete surface, a plasterboard base, a rough plywood or chipboard ceiling. It is worth remembering that the adhesive mixture should not dissolve the foam, so give preference to mixtures without solvents such as white spirit, acetone and toluene.

The level of adhesion to the surface and the speed of drying of the adhesive mixture are equally important. If the adhesion time is more than 30 seconds, then the glue is not suitable, because it is not very convenient to stand for a long time with raised hands and press the tile. But too fast a grip can be impractical, because then it will not work to correct the position of the element.

Important! Choose base ceiling adhesive and primer based on the same ingredients. They give better grip with each other.

Foam ceiling tiles can be glued using the following adhesive mixtures:

• PVA glue;
• universal mixtures without aggressive solvents;
• acrylic putty;
• melt;
• liquid Nails;
• mixtures based on gentle chemical solvents;
• compound.

Preparation of the ceiling surface for gluing

Before gluing the tiles to the ceiling, the base surface must be properly prepared. The beauty of the coating, its evenness and adhesion to the base depend on this. You need to fix the finish to a flat and solid base without old finishes, therefore, wallpaper, painting and other finishing materials will have to be removed from the ceiling. It is forbidden to glue the tiles to the whitewash, so it is washed off.

Depending on the type of the previous finishing material, different technologies for cleaning the base surface are used. Old chalk or lime whitewash is washed off with soapy water or water. Water-based paint or other interior paints are cleaned with a spatula. If the paint adheres very tightly to the ceiling, then special washes are used. To remove old wallpaper, the ceiling is moistened with water, and then the wallpaper is cleaned with a spatula.

After removing the finish, the surface must be primed. For this, deep penetration soil is used. If the ceiling is flat enough, then this is where the preparatory work ends. Otherwise, additional leveling is carried out using a putty solution. After that, the surface is sanded and once again opened with a primer.

Separately, it should be said about mold. If there are areas affected by the fungus on the ceiling, then they must be additionally treated with copper sulfate (solution) or a special antiseptic composition. This treatment is repeated several times in order to protect against the formation of mold in the future, which can spoil the health of all inhabitants of an apartment or house.

Tools and materials for work

To get started, purchase the following materials and stock up on some tools.

You will need:

• a stepladder or small platform;
• tape measure, pencil, ruler;
• painting cord;
• base ceiling primer (antiseptic composition, if mold is present);
• A spatula is needed if acrylic putty or GKL glue is used for gluing (stock up on a wide and narrow notched spatula);
• utility knife for cutting tiles;
• an assembly gun, if you will use liquid nails for gluing;
• ceiling tiles and skirting boards for it;
• suitable tile adhesive;
• white sealant.

Tile laying schemes

If you are wondering how to glue ceiling tiles, there are different ways to install them on the ceiling.

The ceiling foam covering is laid in the following ways:

1. The easiest way is to glue foam products in parallel rows along the walls. This method is used with flat walls and the correct geometry of the room. The gluing of the elements begins from the center of the room, and the products in the outer rows are cut in length and width.
2. Sticking with rhombuses suitable for rooms with irregular geometry. The diagonal gluing hides this flaw in the room. Before starting work, the layout of the room is mandatory. Find the center of the room by drawing diagonals from the corners on the ceiling. In some cases, it is better to find the central parts of the walls and get the center of the ceiling at the intersection of the lines.
3. Foam products without a pattern can be glued with an offset seam. In this case, the end seam is shifted by half the width of the element of the previous row. Patterned tiles are not glued in this way, because there will be a mismatch of the pattern on the surface.

Ceiling markings

Before gluing the ceiling tiles, we mark the base surface. The breakdown is done taking into account that the dimensions of one element are 500x500 mm. The tiles can be started from the center of the room or from one of the walls. The first method is suitable if there is a chandelier in the center of the room. If the markings start from one of the walls, then they usually choose the wall opposite the window.

To find the center of the room, a paint cord is pulled from the corners of the room and two diagonals are beaten off on the ceiling. The center will be at the point of their intersection. Another way is to find the centerline of the walls. Then these marks are connected by lines on the ceiling and a center point is obtained at the point of their intersection.

Advice! Finding the center along the diagonal axes is more suitable for rooms with a regular square or rectangular shape. In rooms with an irregular or complex configuration, it is better to find the center points of the walls, and then connect them.

If the corners of the tiles converge in the center of the ceiling, then this marking is sufficient. Sometimes it is planned to glue a whole element in the center of the ceiling, that is, the central part of the ceiling surface will fall on the center of one tile. In this case, from the point obtained on the ceiling, 25 cm are laid in two directions (half of one element) and lines are drawn. Within these lines, the first tile is glued.

Gluing tiles

Now let's talk about how to glue the tiles to the ceiling. The method of applying the tile adhesive depends on the choice of the adhesive mixture. When using putty or cement mortar, the glue is applied pointwise, so as not to additionally make the coating heavier. When using liquid nails or Titanium glue, the mixture is applied around the perimeter of the product and in the central part. Then the glue mixture is leveled with a spatula over the entire surface.

The sequence of gluing the foam board:

1. To begin with, close all windows and doors in the room to eliminate drafts, which may not affect the adhesion strength in the best way.
2. Then we apply the selected tile glue to one element and wait a couple of minutes for the glue mixture to thicken. This will speed up the bonding time so you don't have to stand for a long time with your hands up.
3. After that, we apply the element greased with glue to the ceiling and press it well over the entire surface.
4. Before gluing the next product, it is applied to the ceiling on a dry basis in order to see how well and correctly it will lie, and how its edges will join with the adjacent slab.
5. The elements in the outer rows are cut to the required length and width and are also glued.
6. After that, fill the seams between the individual plates with white sealant. Then you can glue the ceiling skirting boards. If you planned to paint the ceiling, then after all these works, you can start applying interior paint.

When you know how to stick tiles on the ceiling, all you have to do is purchase all the necessary materials, stock up on tools and make a beautiful ceiling covering with your own hands. Pasting the ceiling does not take much time and does not require large expenses for the purchase of materials.

Currently, there are many options that allow you to equip a ceiling. Everyone chooses the best option for himself. But the most common way is considered to be the use of foam products. In this regard, a natural question arises: how to glue such a tile on the ceiling. It may seem that the technology is quite simple, but the features of this material create many working nuances.

Pasting the ceiling with foam tiles remains one of the most popular types of finishing work. Indeed, such a coating can be found in almost any house or apartment. In addition, a wide selection of materials allows you to find an option that will be in harmony with the overall interior design.

According to the manufacturing method, the following types are distinguished:

In shape, it can be square, rectangular, hexagonal, diamond-shaped. There are also different types of front surface, which can be smooth, embossed, imitating various natural materials.

Pros and cons of foam products

Foam tiles have a lot of advantages. Among them are:

We must not forget that there are some disadvantages:

• Cheap options are not durable. They fade quickly in sunlight.
• Lack of vapor permeability. The microclimate may be disturbed in the room.
• Fear of mechanical damage. The foam material is easy to spoil, even during the installation phase.

On a note! Some types lend themselves to additional processing. They can be painted with water-based paints.

Styrofoam ceiling tiles can be painted in any color

Counting the required number of tiles

Ceiling tile gluing begins with preliminary calculations. This is necessary in order to purchase the required number of products. It should be borne in mind that pruning is often necessary. To get the most beautiful surface, it is better not to make the fragments very small.

Calculations are done in several ways:

1. The room is measured. You need to get the ceiling area as well as the tile area. For example, a room with an area of ​​9 square meters (3 * 3). The standard size of sheet material is 50 * 50 cm. That is, four such elements will be equal to one square meter. We get: 9 * 4 = 36 pieces. The necessary stock is added (+ 10%), the total quantity is obtained - 40 pcs.
2. A diagram is drawn up. To do this, take a sheet of paper in the box. The plan of the room is transferred to it. Each square will be equal to one tile. By simple calculations - it is possible to find out the required amount.
   

   On a note! You can glue the ceiling tiles diagonally. For the calculation, draw a plan with diagonal lines. The number of undercuts is also taken into account.

3. You can use computer programs, but they can give erroneous calculations.

Adhesive selection

Special glue is required to stick the foam material

It is necessary to glue the material with special glue. It is designed to work with foam products. But you need to be very careful about the choice of this composition. The fact is that there are a great many fakes that make the work extremely ineffective. The original glue is in a special bottle with a metered cap.

You can also consider purchasing a special mastic. It is sold in cans and is completely ready to use. Application is carried out with a spatula.

On a note! The main indicator that must be taken into account is the time it takes for gluing. Otherwise, you will have to press the product against the ceiling for a long time.

The tiles must be pressed firmly against the ceiling

Required tools and fixtures

Ceiling tiles are glued with a tool that is available for purchase to everyone. You won't have to spend much on it.

The following is prepared:

Of course, sometimes you have to use additional devices, but this happens extremely rarely.

Preliminary preparation

Starting to finish the ceiling with tiles, a number of necessary manipulations are carried out:

On a note! Glueing ceiling tiles to uneven ceilings is an extremely reckless decision. The fact is that due to its small thickness and extreme flexibility, all defects will immediately become noticeable. Naturally, small defects can be hidden.

Detailed markup:

• The center of the ceiling is located. For this, diagonal lines are drawn from one corner to another.
• Each wall is split in half. Straight lines are drawn between parallel walls.
• If the walls are of different lengths, the markings are corrected.

Ceiling marking for gluing tiles

All work is done with a simple pencil or marker.

Gluing technology

To understand how to properly glue the ceiling tiles, you must first decide on the scheme of work. So, you can glue the tiles diagonally to the ceiling or choose a parallel option. Of course, there are other methods, but they all follow similar rules.

On a note! It often happens that there are small beads along the edges of the tiles. They must be cut off immediately.

The general gluing technology is as follows:

1. The scheme of lining the ceiling with ceiling tiles is determined.
2. Glue is being prepared. If it is in jars, then stir it well.
3. The solution must be applied to the back of the product. This can be done with lines or dots. Better to combine these options.
4. The glue must be placed at some distance from the edge of the material, otherwise it will protrude and will have to be constantly removed. Getting on the front side - it spoils the whole appearance.
5. Standard installation starts from any of the corners that are formed by intersecting lines from parallel walls, i.e. from the middle of the room (see video below). In this case, the excess tiles are cut equally at the edges, which looks more attractive.
6. Each element must be pressed tightly to the surface and kept in this form for some time. It is important to minimize effort, if you overdo it, you can easily damage the product.
7. It turns out a glued square. Next, start sequential styling.

A well-adhered fragment cannot be removed without damaging it. Therefore, the alignment of the product is carried out immediately.

When it comes to the walls, you will have to make the necessary trimming. For this, the desired area is measured, the indicators are transferred to the seamy side. Trimming is performed with a construction (clerical) knife.

The diagonal ceiling tiles are glued like this:

• The first piece is glued in the center. This is done so that the corners of the material are exactly along lines that are perpendicular.
• The tiles are now glued exclusively along these lines. It turns out that the elements touch only at the corners.
• There should be four filled areas.
• Then you can start pasting the remaining free surface.
• Install the baseboards.

From all of the above, it becomes clear how to glue the ceiling tiles. The main requirements that must be met in order to get a beautiful surface are marking accuracy and utmost accuracy.

Ceiling tiles are the optimal cladding choice when you need a quick and inexpensive renovation. Correctly selected ceiling tiles can be glued to various types of mixes. The main condition is the absence in the composition of components that deform the finishing material. Consider the types of adhesives, select the best compositions and at the same time talk about how to mount the cladding on a previously prepared base.

The opinion that the best glue is the most expensive is completely wrong when it comes to styrofoam decor. Of course, the component composition will not smell, but is it as good as it seems? When choosing how to fix a ceiling tile, it is important to pay attention to the following characteristics of the composition:

1. Adhesion. The higher the level of adhesion, the more firmly the tiles will be fixed to the ceiling. Adhesion does not always depend on the viscosity of the composition, but it is better to pay attention to this quality as well.
2. Drying time. Formulations that dry too quickly are just as bad as long-drying mixtures. The former will not give the opportunity to move the element if it accidentally moved from the desired point, the latter may simply not grab and the tile will fall off the ceiling. The correct adhesive dries within 2-3 minutes. At the same time, it grasps almost immediately, which means that it is enough to hold the tile against the ceiling for a short time, pressing it a little so that it normally "adheres" to the base.
3. Smell. If the smell does not disappear for a long time, while you have not yet started working with glue, imagine what kind of aroma will be in the room you are finishing.

Important! The adhesive for foam tiles should not contain solvents (white spirit, acetone, toluene). Components deform, burn through elements. Also, you cannot take colored mixtures for thin lamellas - glue spots will definitely begin to shine through the elements.

The best types of adhesive mixtures:

1. Titanium.
2. Silicone (Compound).
3. Universal.
4. Acrylic putty.
5. Liquid Nails.

Preparation of the ceiling surface for gluing

In order for the foam ceiling slabs to lie on the base evenly and stick tightly, the process of preparing the ceiling is preliminarily carried out.

The work algorithm is as follows:

1. Remove all old decor. The whitewash is washed out by removing particularly stubborn pieces with a spatula. The wallpaper can be moistened with water, and when it swells, it can also be removed with a spatula. Remove paint with a special solvent. Beat off the tile, remove the glue lines with a spatula.
2. Dry the surface, prime with a deep impregnation mixture. It is good if the primer comes with antiseptic additives. It is necessary to prime it twice, but first let the first layer dry, and then apply the second and also dry.

If the ceiling is level, the preparatory work is complete. There are defects, back to work:

• with starting putty to close up all chips, cracks, depressions;
• sand the dried putty with a grater with a mesh;
• prime again to increase adhesion.

Advice! If there are mold spots on the ceiling, remove them. A solution of copper sulfate or an antiseptic is used. First, clean off the mold, then treat the surface, thoroughly smearing all areas.

Tools and materials for work

To complete the work, the master will need the following set:

• ladder;
• roulette;
• pencil with ruler;
• chopping paint line;
• primer (you can immediately with antiseptic components);
• primer roller;
• set of spatulas: wide serrated edge, normal;
• sharp knife;
• adhesive composition;
• ceiling tiles;
• ceiling skirting boards;
• joint sealant.

Tile laying schemes

When thinking about how to glue tiles to the ceiling, first decide on the layout.

There are several options:

1. Parallel. The easiest way to glue ceiling tiles. The variant is suitable for walls that are even along the length in a room of standard geometry. Start work from the wall panel located opposite the window, door. The layout starts from the center, then goes into the corners - it’s easier to mount solid elements first, and cut the outer ones. But you can start laying out from the corner, trimming in this case requires only one (extreme) element.
2. Diamonds. A good way to glue foam ceiling tiles in rooms with irregular geometric shapes. The option is difficult, but the result is beautiful. First, find the center of the room from it, set aside the required number of squares (4-8), then diagonal pasting of the ceiling begins. As a result, you should get a pattern in which the corner of the element looks exactly in the center of the room, and one side of the lamella coincides with the diagonal line on the ceiling. In this case, 4 elements create a rhombus. The option allows you to use different colors, highlight tiles with a pattern, an interesting texture.
3. Diagonal. Here you have to figure out how to fix it - the technology is simple, in which first the center of the room is located, from where the decor will be installed. A thread or cord will come in handy, which must be pulled diagonally from the corners of the room where they intersected - there is the center. Set aside 4 elements from the center, joining the corners, and from them to carry out the calculation. If the room is of normal geometry, then the center of the room is where the hook from the chandelier is.

Advice! If you have a simple ceiling tile, you know how to glue in different ways, but you don’t want to - laying out with an offset seam will come in handy. This is a simple option: each next pattern is shifted by the end seam by half of the tiles of the previous row. The patterned decor is not laid out so that it does not ripple from the mismatch of the pattern.

Ceiling markings

In order for the rows to lie flat, regardless of the choice of gluing method, you first need to mark the ceiling. In addition to the ease of installation, the markup makes it possible to prepare trimmed fragments of the decor in advance so that during the work they are not distracted by them.

Usually, the installation of decor starts from the center of the ceiling or the location of the chandelier (sometimes it is the same point). For marking, twine, thread, chopping paint cord are useful. Fasten one end of the rope in the corner, and pull the other end diagonally to the opposite corner. Do the same with a couple of other angles. Where the threads intersect, there is the center and a right angle is formed. Installation zones are marked along the cords (with a pencil), and the first elements are laid out at the intersection. This is the easiest way to start installation according to the rhombus scheme.

If the chandelier is not located in the center of the room, the markup must be done differently.

The work algorithm is as follows:

• draw 2 lines perpendicular to each other parallel to the walls through the chandelier hook;
• right angles are obtained;
• divide the corners in half, bring the line through the dividing point to the point of abutment to the walls;
• you get one point to start the installation of tiles.

It remains only to choose how to glue the tiles on the ceiling and you can start finishing.

Gluing tiles

Having decided on the layout scheme, you should prepare all the tools and materials. And now to assess the degree of viscosity and the type of adhesive composition, the method of applying the adhesive depends on it. If it is a putty or cement mortar, the mixture is applied in a thin layer or pointwise, so as not to make the elements heavier. When using other mixtures, liquid nails, glue is laid out along the perimeter of the lamella, in the center or crosswise. After application, you can spread the glue with a spatula all over the inside of the element.

How to glue the tiles to the ceiling correctly:

1. Prepare a room for work. Cover doors, windows so that there are no drafts that interfere with the natural drying of the composition.
2. Apply glue to the lamella, wait 1-2 minutes for the composition to thicken and attach the tile to the gluing site.
3. Press the element to the ceiling, hold it a little, release it. The following piece samples are laid out in the same way. In the process of applying, pressing, you can have time to fix the tile if it is uneven.

The outer lamellas will be trimmed, it is important to lay out the cut edge to the junction with the wall - this area will be covered with a ceiling plinth, so the uneven edges will not be visible. The skirting boards are mounted with the same adhesive as the tiles. But before installing the moldings, you need to walk along the tile seams with a sealant. The filling is done quickly, the mixture is smeared with a finger so that no bumps and lumps stand out.

Knowing how to properly glue the ceiling tiles, there will be no problems with work. It is only important to prepare all the materials, tools and you can get to work. But as for determining the number of elements, then the formula comes in handy: divide the ceiling area by the area of ​​one tile. The final figure plus 10% will be the desired amount. The stock is necessary for trimming lamellas, replacement in case of defects.

1 How to glue ceiling tiles

Ceiling tiles Is a material for finishing ceilings, which is made of extruded polystyrene (foam). This is a popular finishing material that is easy to install, does not require special adhesive mixtures, and well hides irregularities and defects in the ceiling.

When choosing a ceiling tile in a store, you must:

Check the quality of the material. The density of polystyrene grains should be uniform over the entire area of ​​the tile. The edges of the tiles must not have chips or fragments.

Make sure that there are no drawing defects and relief defects.

2 Tools

3 Materials

4 Preparatory work

Before starting work on laying tiles, you need to prepare the surface on which it will be laid. Special care is not required for this, the tile belongs to unpretentious materials, and it can stay on the remnants of the old whitewash. But the quality of adhesion to the ceiling will be much higher if the surface is pre-cleaned, leveled and primed with polyvinyl acetate glue.

Ceiling preparation

Installation from a chandelier

You can mount the ceiling tiles from the chandelier both diagonally and parallel to the walls. Here you can choose according to your taste. It is only important to apply the markings correctly.

Ceiling markings

Through the point at which the chandelier is located, draw two lines perpendicular to each other. You can do this with thread lines and scotch tape. We get four right angles.

Installation must begin along the markings from the chandelier to the edge of the ceiling.

If we have drawn two lines parallel to the walls, then the tiles will be laid parallel.

If we divide the right angles in half and draw two diagonals through the resulting points, we get a marking for the diagonal laying method (for a square room)

If the room is rectangular: Mark two lines diagonally from the four corners. We mark the place of their intersection as the center.

Draw two lines perpendicular to each other through the marked center (parallel to the walls).

Thus, we get a surface divided into four equal parts.

Then we build a square with the center marked above and already in this square we draw diagonals (marked in green in the figure).

We begin to paste over the ceiling with tiles, the first part is glued in such a way that one of its corners is exactly in the indicated center, then according to the figure.

Corner pieces will need to be cut to size.

Installation

Apply glue to the edges and center of the ceiling tile (one by one: applied to one - glued).

According to the markings, we lay out four ceiling tiles exactly in the center. (Press against the ceiling, wait three minutes, go to the next tile)

Cut the outermost ceiling tiles with a painting knife to the size you need.

If, after the installation of the ceiling tiles, cracks form in the joints, you need to mask them with acrylic sealant.

Your ceiling will now look like one piece.

Attention! Diagonal styling works best in large rooms, while parallel styling works best in small rooms.

Mounting from a base angle

Ceiling markings

The base angle and the base wall are chosen the wall and the angle that are most clearly visible from the entrance to the room. Most often, the base is defined as the long wall of a rectangular room.

Measure 51 cm perpendicular to the base wall (tile size + 1 cm per gap). Put it at risk. Go to the opposite corner along the base wall, also measure 51 cm - put it at risk.

From risks to risks, stretch the thread, fix it with tape to the ceiling.

The tape fixing the thread on the ceiling does not give us the opportunity to start gluing the ceiling tiles from the very corner, so we start gluing by gluing the 2nd and 3rd tiles.

We proceed to the installation of tiles.

Attention! It is imperative to use markings, since the wall may not be even and, having glued four or five tiles, you will find that the outer one crawls onto the wall or, even worse, does not reach it by five centimeters, and you cannot close such a gap with anything.

Installation

Attention! Experts advise starting the process from the second tile so as not to disturb the ceiling markings.

Apply glue to the tiles.

Attention! For the installation of ceiling tiles, choose universal adhesives.

Since the tile is a fairly light material, it is not necessary to apply glue to its entire surface, it is enough to process the four corners and the center.

Attach tiles to the selected area.

Move to the next tile.

Continue installing the tiles, if necessary, trim the last row in accordance with the dimensions of the ceiling.

Tiling the ceiling is a budget repair method that is easy to carry out on your own. However, in most apartments, the flatness of the ceiling surface leaves much to be desired, and too large deviations on the plane create inconvenience in work, spoil the impression of the renovation. If you know how to glue ceiling tiles to an uneven ceiling, you get a monolithic surface.

Different materials are used to make ceiling tiles. Thus, fiberglass panels will provide reliable sound insulation. Other components used in the production of decorative panels include wood, expanded polystyrene, light metals.

Expanded polystyrene (polystyrene, polystyrene) is considered a widespread and affordable option. Price, assortment of shades and surface textures are the distinctive features of such tiles.

According to the manufacturing method, it can be:

• pressed (stamped) - produced by pressing. Segment thickness 6 - 8 mm;
• injection is made by sintering polystyrene foam components. Product thickness - 9-14 mm;
• extruded is made from strips of polystyrene obtained by pressing. Finished tiles are painted or laminated.

According to the type of surface, the panels for finishing are divided into:

• laminated, covered with a protective film on the front side;
• seamless are characterized by smooth edges, after gluing the joints remain invisible;
• mirrors are made of plastic, the front side of the segments is covered with a mirrored layer.

How to solve the problem of uneven ceiling

Often, those who decide to stick ceiling tiles are faced with the problem of uneven overlap. But, if you know the technology of stacking panels, the problem can be solved.

A simple way is to mount parts on an uneven ceiling. This is done with expanded polystyrene, which hides minor differences in height. But then you need to choose the appropriate panel size and pattern. For example, a large relief visually masks flaws more than a flat surface of tiles.

If the purpose of finishing is to obtain not only smooth, but also durable decorative ceilings, it is better to pre-align the base base, and only then proceed to decorating the ceiling with tiles.

In this case, choose the following alignment methods:

• using a putty mixture;
• installation of a frame base made of metal or foam.

How to glue ceiling tiles to an uneven ceiling: leveling with putty

Work begins with preliminary cleaning of the surface from the previous finish. To do this, use a mechanical method using water and a construction trowel. If this method does not help, they acquire special chemical compounds that corrode the old finish.

When the ceiling is cleaned, it is primed. Next, cracks are sealed on the surface, then the base is covered with a layer of putty in such a way as to remove irregularities and differences in height. The thickness of the layer should not exceed 2 cm. The putty will hold better if a reinforcing mesh is glued to the ceiling.

After puttingtying, the ceiling is left to dry completely, then the plane is sanded with fine-grained emery paper. Sanding will make the surface smooth. At the end of the troweling work, the ceiling is again covered with a layer of primer.

Construction of a foam frame for gluing tiles

This method is suitable for rooms with a flat ceiling plane, but small bulges. For example, if the floor is made of concrete slabs, the gaps between adjacent slabs are filled with putty, but the dried mixture protrudes out of the plane. Then it will not work to glue the panels to such a base.

For this, a frame is constructed from foam strips:

• the sheets are cut into strips, which are glued to the floor in increments corresponding to the width of the tiles. As a result, one panel should fit into two strips;
• if the strip hits an uneven section of the base, a notch is cut in the foam with a knife corresponding to the width of the unevenness.

When choosing the width of the stripes, take into account the dimensions of the tiles with which the ceilings are supposed to be decorated. Such a frame is mounted only under light foam tiles.

After leveling the surfaces, proceed directly to gluing the panels. But first, they mark the ceiling under the ceiling tiles, choosing the way of mounting the segments:

• parallel to the walls - a simple option, it is used if the walls in the room are flat. To do this, first the first row is glued from the wall, and then the next rows are laid one after the other;
• diagonally. Two lines are drawn on the ceiling from corner to corner, the intersection of which will be the starting point for installation. Then more lines are drawn along the diagonals;
• with a rhombus, when several squares are measured from the center of the ceiling, additional diagonals are drawn from each figure. The corner of the foam tile should be placed in the center of the ceiling, and the sides of the piece should follow the lines.

If the ceiling could not be leveled, then it is impossible to stick the panels on special adhesives. To mask minor differences in height, glue is used under sheets of drywall or putty, which is diluted to the consistency of thick sour cream. To prevent the putty from drying out, the ceiling is coated first for gluing the first four tiles, then the next four, etc.

The tiles are laid on a layer of glue. The panels adhere well and slide easily if a segment needs to be adjusted. First, the edges of neighboring elements are combined, and then they are exposed in a single plane using a rule or a building level.

If glue gets on the front of the panels, the composition is immediately removed with a damp cloth. The voids between adjacent parts are filled with a sealant or putty. A rubber spatula is used as an improvised tool to mask the joints.

Thus, the problem of gluing tiles on uneven ceilings is easy to solve. The main thing is to follow the technology when finishing.

Video how to properly glue ceiling tiles without seams