Decorating ceilings with LED backlighting today is a popular technique in creating the interior. With this lighting device you can make beautiful compositions. They will decorate the interior, will become its highlight. If desired, the owners of the house or apartment can make the ceiling with LED backlight on their own. The intricacies of this process will be described later.
Features of creating ceiling lighting
The ceiling with LED backlight (photo of successful work is presented below) looks spectacular. You can create such a finish yourself. But for this you need to find out several features of such work. Ceiling design today is done using LEDs often. When creating it, the general style of the interior, its features, and the color scheme in the room are taken into account. First, a project is created, according to which repair work is performed. Be sure to pay attention to both the practical and decorative side of the issue.
With the help of LED strip, you can create both the main and additional lighting source. In the first case, the brightness of the lighting device should be sufficient so that the room is light. When creating additional lighting, a chandelier or several spotlights will be installed in the room. The tape will serve as a decor. It can also be used for zoning.
There are many receptions for decorating the premises. Two-level stretch ceilings with LED lighting look especially impressive (a photo of a successful finish was presented above). This is achieved thanks to the high flexibility of the product. The tape takes a different configuration. Therefore, you can lay it both smoothly and curls.
To install the LED strip on the ceiling, special skirting boards are used. They allow you to make the light scattered. The tape itself will not be visible. But the reflection from her will become the decoration of the ceiling.
Varieties of designs
The ceiling with LED backlight (a photo of one of the possible mounting options is presented below) can be made of different materials. In this case, the design can be single-level or multi-level. In the first case, the ceiling looks the most familiar. This is a flat surface, along the perimeter of which an LED strip is laid. The advantage of single-level structures is the fact that the ceiling height does not change. This option is suitable for small rooms. The height of the ceilings in this case can be 2.5-2.7 m.
Layered constructions can be simple and complex. The surface of the base in this case is covered with different materials. It can be a suspended or suspended ceiling. There is a minimum distance of 10-15 cm between the decorative finish and the surface of the base. It is by so many centimeters that the ceiling height in the room decreases.
The most common multi-level design is a stretch ceiling with LED backlight (photo of successful work is presented above). If gypsum plasterboard is used to create the ceiling, the ceiling can be two-level. In this case, an original composition is created, which will become a real decoration of the room. Multilevel ceilings are suitable for decorating a spacious room. When installed, the distance from the floor to the ceiling is reduced.
LED Strip Features
To mount single-level or two-level ceilings with LED backlight (photo is presented below), you will need to pay attention to the features of this lighting device. LED strip is a printed circuit board. This is a flexible material on which diodes are applied with a certain frequency. Also, the tape has resistors, other necessary circuit elements.
The manufacturers of the presented lighting devices provide the opportunity for users to cut the tape into certain pieces during installation. Minimum length can be 5 cm (3 diodes remain on the surface). The maximum length of one tape is 3-5 m. If you need to make the line longer, the segments are switched using special amplifiers. Otherwise, the tape will not work correctly.
Connecting the tape to the network is required through the power supply unit of the appropriate capacity. It supplies the converted voltage from the household network to the tape. Depending on the type of tape, this can be a current of 12 V or 24 V. The power supply must be designed for the power of the entire tape. If it consists of several segments, the total indicator for the entire length of the system is summarized.
To control the glow modes of the tape, a controller is installed in front of the control unit. It can make the light brighter or dimmer. Also, when using multi-color ribbons, it can change the appearance of a stretch ceiling with LED backlight. In this case, the controller will also set the shade of the tape. In this case, you can create a certain mood in the room.
Varieties of tape
When planning to create a suspended or suspended ceiling with LED backlight (see the photo below), you can use different types of LED strips. Many options are on sale.
It is worth noting that the tapes can be single-color (with SMD diodes) or multi-color (with RGB diodes). In the first case, the lighting device will emit a luminous flux of one shade. Most often, white varieties of systems are chosen for interior decoration. They can emit a cold, warm or neutral type of glow. The choice depends on the features of the interior. Neutral shades of white are considered universal. They are suitable for almost any interior. Also on sale are tapes of blue, red, green or any other color.
RGB diodes consist immediately of three crystals. A combination of their glow creates any shade. Such tapes can change color depending on user settings. The cost of multi-color ribbons will be several times more expensive than single-color systems. However, when installing them, you can not be afraid that the color will get boring.
The ribbons are distinguished by the brightness of the glow. There are varieties designed to create additional (decorative) lighting. Other options are very bright. With their help, you can make the main lighting in the room. This indicator is affected by the number of diodes per one running meter of the system, as well as their size. For additional lighting, tapes with a concentration of diodes of 30-120 pcs are used. per meter running. For proper lighting, you need to purchase tapes with a density of lighting elements per linear meter from 120 to 240 pcs.
The diode size is indicated on the marking. For example, it can be the numbers 3528, 5050, 5630, etc. The larger the diode, the brighter the light it emits. For example, with the designation 3528, we can say that the height of the diode will be 3.5 mm, and the width - 2.8 mm.
The ceiling with LED lighting can be created using various techniques. The choice depends on the characteristics of the interior indoors.
Features mounting tape
The selected tape must be mounted correctly on the ceiling. To do this, a sketch is necessarily created. It indicates how long the system will have, as well as what its configuration is. The plan should definitely indicate where the power supply and controller (if any) will be located. It also indicates where the tape will be fed into the electrical household network.
Most often, a suspended or suspended ceiling is created with LED illumination around the perimeter. The light flux is gently scattered. For this, the tape is mounted in a special ceiling profile. He hides the tape, leaving only a reflection from the diodes on the ceiling. It looks very impressive. You can make the light more or less diffused. To do this, the position of the tape in the baseboard varies. To create a contour lighting, it is better to purchase tapes that have an adhesive base on the back.
Two-level ceilings with LED lighting are often trimmed with directional lighting. In this case, the lighting device is mounted directly on the slope, which is located between two levels of the ceiling. This technique allows you to highlight the structure of the structure. It will look more voluminous.
From LED strip, you can create a figured backlight. In this case, several segments of the tape are used, from which abstract images or artistic images are laid out. A translucent film may be used. Behind her is laid out a picture of an LED strip. Such a ceiling will look really original.
Varieties of ceiling designs
The simplest option is the perimeter LED ceiling. In this case, the decorative finish of the base is carried out first. The ceiling is painted, covered with whitewash or a layer of wallpaper. There are many options for this finish. Next, a special baguette is installed around the perimeter, in which a recess is provided for installing the lighting device.
Another popular option is to use a stretch ceiling. It can be made of fabric or PVC. The second option is preferable. Reflections from the diodes will play beautifully on the shiny surface of the material. The canvas is pulled by special baguettes. You can also make lights around the perimeter.
Drywall ceiling with LED backlight - a classic option. This material is often used if you want to create a decorative multi-level structure. Drywall can be cut to create rounded shapes. In this case, the composition will consist of several levels. To further emphasize them, a diode tape is used.
The combination of a stretch ceiling made of glossy PVC film and drywall looks much more impressive in the interior. Here the author’s imagination is practically not limited to anything. Volumetric structural elements are made of drywall. Glossy sections of the stretch ceiling will be visible through it. Diode tape is also used to highlight curly elements of the ceiling.
Hue tape
The suspended ceiling with LED lighting will look harmonious if the color of the tape is selected in accordance with the characteristics of the interior. Of course, it’s easier to buy multi-color products with RGB diodes. However, such a solution will not always be appropriate. Multicolor ribbon is much more expensive. At the same time, it is more suitable for the interior of a bedroom or children's room.
In a drawing room, an office, the hall or other rooms monochromatic tapes are more often used. You need to choose their right shade. The classic option is white. It may be cold. This option is suitable for office or public buildings. If natural wood is used for decoration in a room in the interior, you can use a white tape of a warm shade to decorate the ceiling.
However, the most universal option is to use neutral white light in the interior. It is combined with most finishing materials.
Do not buy LED strip red or orange. Such illumination does not allow the psyche to relax, constantly keeps it in suspense. Only in rare cases, if the glow is dim, can you use similar shades.
Yellow tape helps increase concentration. Therefore, it can be used for finishing the ceiling in the office. Blue color relaxes, calms, but at the same time, it is alarming. When decorating with such shades, it is worth considering that such a light quickly bothers. Turquoise and purple shades look more impressive in the interior. They are often used to decorate the ceiling in the bedroom.
Green color soothes. Warm shades can be used in the decoration of the kitchen, children's room. Cold shades of green are suitable for creating an interior in the bedroom.
Perimeter Lighting
Mounting the ceiling with LED backlight, which is created around the perimeter, you need to choose all the structural elements correctly. It is important to pay attention to some features of the installation. The profile into which the tape fits can be rigid and flexible. The second option is more suitable for two-level or other structures that are created directly in the center of the ceiling.
For illumination around the perimeter, it is better to purchase hard baguettes. They do not reach their edge to the surface of the ceiling. Their fixation is done with glue or hardware. The distance of such a profile to the ceiling can be different. It depends on whether the light flux is scattered or directed. This indicator varies from 5 to 20 cm.
In the deepening of the baseboard, the tape can be installed in different ways. It can be installed on the side wall at the very bottom. In this case, the width of the light strip will be 10-15 cm. This is the brightest type of backlight. The stream of rays is directional.
If you want to create a soft, diffused lighting, you need to mount the tape also on the side wall of the recess in the baseboard. But in this case, it should be as high as possible, almost at the very edge of the side. The width of the light flux will be greater. It will be about 30 cm.
It is also important to pay attention to the shape of the recess itself. It can be in the form of the letter "P" or "G". In the first case, directional, bright illumination will be more successful, and in the second - diffuse.
Installing the skirting around the perimeter
To mount the lighting device around the perimeter, you must first prepare the base. When all finishing work is completed, the profile for the stretch ceiling with LED lighting is mounted. It is important to consider how far from the canvas the baseboard will be. If it is minimal, the tape is glued into the recess before installing the baguette.
Installation begins from the corner of the wall. In this case, you need to apply the construction level. You can make preliminary markings on the wall, according to which the profile will be fixed. If the baseboard needs to be installed in the recess in advance, the system is assembled in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. If you need to connect several segments of the tape, they are connected using amplifiers. Next, the wires lead to the controller. After it, the power supply is turned on in the circuit. Their power is chosen with the total indicator of the system.
After that, the profile is mounted on the wall with glue (or self-tapping screws). The LED strip is checked again for operability.
Curly decorative elements
To create suspended or suspended two-level ceilings with LED lighting, flexible profiles are used. With their help, you can create the highlight of any configuration. It is worth noting that the adhesive layer of the tape will not be able to hold the light on drywall or other material. Therefore, be sure to mount the profile.
First, an LED strip is placed inside such a case. After checking its operability, using a special glue, the baguette is glued to the edge of the curly contour. The result is a spectacular ensemble in the center of the room.
A translucent film may be used. Behind its reverse side is an LED strip. It is also installed in the suspension type profile. It is necessary to correctly calculate the distance to the film. Otherwise, the picture will be blurred.
You can also use mortise profiles. They allow you to install between two different materials LED strip. The backlight will look spectacular.
Having considered the options for arranging the ceiling with LED lighting, you can develop your own original design project. In this case, the interior will look spectacular and unusual.