Stamped Metal Ceilings

[alice]

Any thoughts on stamped metal ceilings in an 1895 middle-class terrace house? Here in the States, they were very common and I wouldn't hesitate putting one in a late-Victorian house here, but I'm not sure of whether I should consider one in the UK. I've done some research and I see passing references to them in the UK so they did exist, but no pictures.

A stamped tin ceiling would solve some problems with my UK kitchen remodel and I like the look, but they don't seem to have been popular in the UK. I don't mind being a bit individual in my choices (like I said, I like them), but I don't want to be anachronistic (if that's the word to use...I'm not so much out of time as out of place...)

alice

 

[Nemesis]

I do recall, we had a discussion about these at some time in the past.

I know they are far more common in the US, but they were used here too, mainly I feel in larger houses and for fireproofing purposes.

I seem to have it stuck in my mind that Erdigg in Wales (NT) had one installed for fire prevention, but I'd need to do some checking about that.

Andy Thornton has them available in the UK.

http://www.andythornton.com/highlights.asp/CatID/2/id/24/tinceilings.htm

http://www.tin-ceilings.com/

 

[Penners]

Interesting. I'd never heard of these before.

 

[Nemesis]

Take the case of Erddig, near Wrexham,
where a number of rooms including the Chapel, Saloon and Dining Room all have ceilings that on first impressions look as though they have a plastered and/or decorative paper finish. In reality they were all constructed of pressed zinc or tin alloy panels. This early twentieth-century installation was possibly a measure to resist the spread of fire, and probably conceals an earlier ceiling design.

http://www.civictrustwales.org/tradmat/pdf/22_29.pdf


My anorakism comes in useful at times.


More interesting technology stuff about Erdigg:

http://www.hevac-heritage.org/items_of_interest/heating/national_trust_properties/erddig_hall/erddig_hall.htm



[Open Image] [Hosted by PhotoGalaxy.com]

 

[alice]

Thanks for the reply. If the stamped tin was used in grander houses, that's OK with me. I'll just be a bit above my station in my remodel. It will solve problems with holes and pipes in my ceiling that are now hidden with a horrible acoustic drop ceiling. The present false ceiling takes off more than two feet. I can put in a tin ceiling about 6 inches from the original ceiling and it will look much better and allow me to not reroute the pipes (they go willy-nilly to a 1st floor bath).

Penners, here's a link to a tin ceiling fabricator, if you were wondering what they looked like. Like I had said, they were very common here in the states between the mid 19th and early 20th century. While they fell out of favor in the 20th century, they've come back in vogue in the last few years and so there are quite a few fabricators now to choose from.

alice

 

[Penners]

Appropriately painted, I imagine the finished effect is not unlike a moulded plaster ceiling.

Perhaps a little palatial for my humble abode!

 

[Nemesis]

Yes, they do look like a plastered moulded ceiling when painted - only ever seen them painted.

Certainly they would not in the past have been fitted in kitchens, where simple and undecorative (for the servants) would have been more in order, and I suspect there might have been worries about steam and rust.

If you look at the Andy Thornton link it says:

All tiles are usually supplied unfinished for painting on site but we are happy to quote for paint finish in any BS or RAL colour. NOTE - water based paint must NOT be used

 

[Aidan]

Yes, they do look like a plastered moulded ceiling when painted - only ever seen them painted.

Also seen in Australia, Newcastle ISTR. I was admiring the platserwork on the ceiling of a pub there when someone told me it was stamped metal. :lol:

 

[Nemesis]

Were you horizontal at the time?