A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that bounds the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but rather a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above.
The roof of Wells Cathedral, England
Stretched ceiling
A cathedral ceiling is any tall ceiling area similar to those in a church.
A dropped ceiling is one in which the finished surface is constructed anywhere from a few inches to several feet below the structure above it. Dropped ceilings may be installed for aesthetic purposes, such as achieving a desirable ceiling height, or for practical purposes, such as providing a space for HVAC or piping.
A concave, or barrel-shaped, ceiling is curved or rounded, usually for visual or acoustical value. A coffered ceiling, also called a lacunar ceiling, is divided into a grid of recessed square or octagonal panels.
Ceilings have frequently been decorated with fresco painting, mosaic tiles, and other surface treatments. While hard to execute, a decorated ceiling is largely protected from damage by fingers and dust. In the past, however, this advantage was offset by smoke damage from candles or a fireplace. Many historic buildings have celebrated ceilings; perhaps the most famous is the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ceiling."
