Harpoon mounting system of stretch ceilings: the pros and cons

Stretch ceilings are often used in the interior design of the room. One of the ways to install this design is a harpoon system.

This method consists in the fact that special profiles are installed along the entire perimeter of the ceiling. They are thin enough elastic plates of aluminum with a rubber liner. In the section, the device of the liner looks like a curved fishing hook - a harpoon, hence the name of this fastening system.

The harpoon method has a number of advantages that make this system quite popular:

• The main advantage here is the absence of a gap between the wall and the canvas. The material fits tightly to the wall, and there is no need to use masking tape.
• This method will be ideal for multi-level ceilings. To install them you will not need to use additional inserts.
• Installation of the ceiling is quite fast, in time it takes only a couple of hours.
• The ceiling surface does not stretch and does not deform. The cloth fastens securely, after installation there are no folds.
• The system can handle heavy loads. When flooding the apartment below the floor will not have to replace the canvas.
• The ceiling can be removed if necessary, and then installed several times.
• Such a system hardly “hides” the height of the room, so it can be used in rooms with low ceilings.

But this design has several drawbacks:

• In this system, only PVC film is used. The fabric cloth is not applied because practically does not give an extension.
• We need an exact calculation of the stretched canvas. It should be less than the ceiling area of ​​only 5%.
• Harpoon profile is quite expensive.This is one of the most expensive methods of fixing stretch ceilings.

1. Installation of the ceiling begins with measurements. Accuracy is important here, so this procedure should be done by a professional. This is due to the fact that the canvas itself is welded to the harpoon before installation, and it will no longer be cut.
2. After all measurements have been made, it is necessary to cut off the canvas and weld the harpoon to it along the perimeter.
3. In the next step, an aluminum profile is mounted on the wall. Since the slats of most manufacturers already have holes for screws, it is necessary to attach them to the wall, mark the places where it is necessary to drill the wall, and install the profile.
4. Further, with the help of a mounting trowel, the harpoon is tucked into a profile and fixed on it. At this stage, and is straightening the canvas under the ceiling.
5. Then the canvas is heated with a heat gun, thus it is leveled and takes the desired position.
6. After all the work is done, technological holes are made in the ceiling and reinforcements and fixtures are installed.

In addition to the harpoon method, often used staple and wedge mounting system.

In the first method, the canvas is fastened to the profile using a wooden plank., which is called the bead, and then the edges are hidden under the decorative baguette. The advantage of such a system is that the measurement accuracy is not important here, because the canvas is cut after it is attached to the profile. That is why the error in a big way is permissible.

According to the technology, the wedge system is similar to staple, but the canvas is attached using special wedges. This system is indispensable when installing the ceiling in conditions of highly uneven walls, as the profile used in this method is quite flexible, and all the drawbacks of the structure are hidden under the decorative side.

About the harpoon mounting system of suspended ceilings reviews are positive. Buyers who have installed such ceilings in their homes say that this installation method has increased reliability. Even after flooding and draining the water from the structure, it takes on its original appearance without any consequences.Such a ceiling is not inflated with temperature drops in the house, as is often the case in simple systems. But many regret the impossibility of installation by this method of fabric cloths, and also consider that the cost of such a design is unreasonably high.

You can find out more about the harpoon fastening system in the video below.