Sometimes a room just needs that little extra touch to look and feel done. If you want a space that looks completely finished and meets all of your decor expectations, you may find yourself wondering how laminate flooring would look on the ceiling.
Whether you prefer that rustic look, want a little extra sound dampening, or simply like the look of a ceiling covered in wooden planks, here's how you can install laminate flooring on that ceiling all on your own.
Why Install Laminate Flooring on Your Ceiling
Although there are many reasons why you might want to install laminate flooring on your ceiling, here are a few important ones.
It Fits Your Decor
What's your home's style? Some types of decor simply scream out for a wooden ceiling to complete the space. Rustic, cottage, and coastal style decor all fit well with wood ceiling planks. One will coordinate well with vintage, classic, and even industrial-style homes as well.
It all comes down to the overall color and look of the wood planks. Some styles, such as industrial and classic, can get away with a darker shade of wood, while rustic, cottage, and coastal homes will look best with lighter wood.
You're Hiding a Damaged or Ugly Ceiling
While some types of damage should be repaired, such as structural problems that may bring the entire ceiling down once a little weight is put on them, others can simply be hidden. You can easily hide an off-colored drywall patch, some minor cracking at the corners, and other issues with the application of laminate.
Another reason? If the ceiling is particularly ugly, feel free to hang laminate planks over it.
Other Reasons for Putting Laminate on the Ceiling
Worried about sound carrying throughout your home? A laminate wood ceiling will provide a little bit of sound dampening while providing plenty of style.
Plus, the wood acts as extra insulation, ensuring that your home stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer without having to deal with extravagant utility bills.
Choosing the Best Laminate Flooring for Your Ceiling
No matter why you want to apply laminate flooring on your ceiling, you're going to need to choose the best possible type. Yes, the flooring needs to coordinate with the other wood tones in the room, from the cabinets and trim to the floor itself.
If you want to pick something a bit different from those wood tones, make sure that you choose laminate in a lighter shade. Otherwise, the ceiling will weigh down the room visually and make it seem smaller and darker than it really is.
Another thing to consider is the weight of the boards that you're choosing. This is why laminate is such a popular option. It weighs considerably less than traditional wood flooring since it's made of a lightweight core covered with a thin piece of wood veneer and a clear protective layer. Make sure that the laminate you choose is light enough to prevent adding additional weight to your ceiling joists.
In addition, the thought of putting in a snap and lock laminate ceiling in your home may sound questionable. After all, doesn't snap and lock flooring float over the subfloor? How will that work when it's on a ceiling?
To answer both of those questions, yes, it does float over a subfloor, and there are clips that you use to hold the planks in place on your ceiling joists. In fact, snap and lock laminate flooring is one of the best options for a ceiling because it's easy to install, and the clips hold it in place quite well.
Installing Laminate Flooring on Your Ceiling
Not only is laminate flooring versatile and lightweight, but it's also easy to install, making this type of ceiling something that you can DIY. You'll need some tools, as well as the time required to prep the ceiling's surface, much as you would your subfloor (although there are a few extra steps.)
Once the surface is ready, it's time for installation. Worried about the process? Follow these simple steps.
Preparing the Ceiling's Surface
The first thing you need to do is prepare the surface of your ceiling for the laminate planks. You have several choices here: remove the original ceiling surface to expose the joints or prep the surface of the existing ceiling so that it's flat and even.
If you decide to remove the existing ceiling, empty the room, or cover your furniture and floors with drop cloths so that they won't get full of dust and debris, then demolish the ceiling.
Once the joists are exposed, you can go ahead and clean up the mess, then get ready for installation.
As far as preparing your existing ceiling is concerned, you may find yourself sanding down uneven parts or even removing the textured plaster in order to come up with a flat, level surface. It all depends on what your existing ceiling looks like and how uneven it is.
Gathering Your Tools and Letting the Planks Acclimate
Even laminate flooring planks need to acclimate to the air in your home. Open the boxes and place them on the floor in the room you're going to work in. Let them sit for 24 hours before proceeding.
Depending on your existing ceiling (joists or drywall/plaster), you have several methods of installing the laminate planks. If you're using your exposed ceiling joists, you'll need metal clips to hold the planks together in place. You can also use flooring nails, which will also work for those existing plaster or drywall ceilings.
For your other tools, you'll need:
- A hammer or a nail gun
- Flooring nails (or metal clips and screws)
- A screwdriver (depending on your method of installation)
- A level
- A yardstick or tape measure
- A saw (to cut the planks down to size)
- A pencil (to mark where you're going to begin cutting)
- A stepladder (so that you can safely reach the ceiling)
Installing Your New Ceiling
Begin on one end of the room, making sure to lay the planks out so they go against your ceiling joists, not with them. If you're laying your laminate flooring over your existing ceiling, then you can choose which direction to place them in.
Start by fastening the first board into place, using a flooring nail or a metal clip, anchoring the clip into the ceiling or joist with a screw. Tighten it into place, and then continue with the next laminate flooring plank, working down the length of the wall, attaching it to the ceiling and other planks as needed.
Cut the boards as needed, measuring the area they need to fit into and trimming them accordingly. Keep working in this manner until the ceiling is filled with laminate flooring and looks the way you want it to.
Your Ceiling Is Complete
We have good news! Laminate flooring from Hardwood Bargains can be used in multiple places throughout your home, including the ceiling. The trick lies in choosing the right color and grain to tie the room together without making it look weighed down. These easy DIY planks can add to the overall look and feel of your home.
Sources:
How to Install Laminate Flooring | The Spruce
How to Install a Laminate Floor | how-tos | DIY
How to Install Laminate Wood Flooring for an Affordable Home Makeover | BHG
