The awareness levels of building occupants of their immediate living and workspace have been heightened after the pandemic. People are more aware of their well-being, which is influenced by the impact of acoustic, thermal and visual treatment in the space they occupy. It is therefore necessary to achieve the correct balance. Professionals are often needed when architectural ceilings in the interior fit-out phase need mix-and-match products from various manufacturers.
Achieving the correct balance with ever shrinking budgets
This approach is followed to achieve the required acoustic, aesthetic and fire-resistive characteristics within ever-shrinking budgets. The correct balance of every aspect must be achieved, often presenting interior professionals with unexpected challenges at every turn.
There is a wide variety of materials available on the market to select from and when combined, it can result in unpredictable outcomes, particularly in acoustic performance.
Performance-driven ceiling structures
Saint-Gobain, through the combination of design and manufacturing plants, both local and abroad, offers the sub-Saharan market a ceiling structure and innovative ceiling solutions that prove to deliver a greater performance than the sum of its components. They offer ceiling solutions to beautify interior spaces, but their solutions also change the interior dynamic of spaces based on the required need and performance.
Necessary ceiling requirements
Saint-Gobain Ceiling Solutions provides installers with a wide range of materials and single-source products needed for high-performance acoustic interior areas, with more conservative requirements than general-purpose solutions.
They provide architectural ceilings that span the requirements at the high-end calling for class A and B performance, mid-range class C and entry-level class D and E designs.
Suspension framework
The point of departure for a dependable and efficient ceiling must be the suspension framework into which tiles are laid, boards are fixed and composite glasswool and plaster panels are fixed. Gyproc supplies the steel Gypframe® ceiling-grid products, segmented for professional and fit-for-purpose requirements.
Where lay-in tiles are required to meet access and acoustic requirements, wet-felt Fibrotone® provides the base when acoustic absorption is called for, while Gyprex® reduces the transmission of sound energy.
Glasswool Soundlite® tiles provide coverage for the middle market. Cineplex glasswool and the newly introduced stonewool Minerval™ A tiles meet the demands of class A.
Ceilings – a visual design element
The ceiling can be considered as the “fifth wall” and an important visual design element. Meeting the demands of combining acoustic and aesthetic requirements, Gypsum boards from the extensive Gyptone® (boards and tiles) and Rigitone® (boards) perforated gypsum can be fashioned to great effect – ideal to enhance both acoustic and visual comfort.
Suspended glasswool panels, baffles and islands from Ecophon® enhance the overall performance of both new-build and existing interiors.
With defined performance and local manufacture for certain products, locally based, internationally trained teams support, guide and provide efficient architectural ceiling solutions.
For more information, please visit www.saint-gobain-africa.com, www.saint-gobain.com or www.gyproc.co.za.
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