subject: How Can You Improve Your Ceilings During Office Fit Outs In Melbourne [print this page] A shabby office ceiling can bring down the look and feel of your office space and worse case scenario could actually be a fire hazard for your employees. So it is important from both a safety and aesthetics perspective to maintain your ceiling space. If you are looking for office fitouts in Melbourne or any other major city you should be sure to contact your local office fit out company to assess your current scenario.
The main function of your office ceiling is to conceal the underside of the floor above or roof structure. The space between the ceiling and the floor above or roof is called plenum space and this is where electrical wiring, insulation and the like are normally located. So ideally the plenum space should be reasonably accessible to allow for easy maintenance. Another key function of your office ceiling and one to consider when planning your office fit outs in Melbourne is that of acoustics. There are specific ceiling materials available that are designed to absorb sound and offer acoustic balance to protect your office from the floors above. Insulation within the plenum space always works to this end as well of course providing heating and cooling benefits.
The two most common types of office ceilings are concealed grid and suspended ceilings.
Suspended ceilings, also known as drop ceilings are as the name suggests, suspended from the above roof/floor structure. They feature metal grids in the shape of an upside down letter T into which the ceiling tiles are dropped. This ceiling type is found in most modern offices and is preferred as it is fast to install, cost effective and allows for easy access.
Concealed grid ceiling are an older style of ceiling and are made with interlocking panels joined by metal splines. Access is considerably more difficult with this ceiling type as it requires accessing the plenum space via a key panel, often found in the corner of the ceiling. Panels need to slide across to the key panel where they can then be removed and the plenum space accessed. This is quite a bit more involved and therefore also more costly than suspended ceiling maintenance.
So if your ceiling is in a state of disrepair or has yellow leaks on the tiles, consider the installation of a suspended ceiling by a qualified tradesman for both inexpensive installation and ease of access for ongoing maintenance.
