Thread: Cheap ceiling options for warehouse ?

Not sure if this would be feasible for your area, but might be worthwhile considering installing opaque polycarbonate sheeting on the underside of your roof. Flat profile would be easiest, but if you could only get ribbed you might be at the start of an industrial design revolution....

You would need to put battens across the purlins to screw the poly to, but the advantage would be if you could replace some of the roofing material on top with clear stuff at various points as well this would act as a skylight - you'd be surprised how much light that would let in.

Otherwise, your budget runs to about $29/mtre or up to $84 for sheets of 1200 x 2400mm whatever - there is a fair range of wood, plastic and metal sheeting that would come in under that price. Don't know what it cost, but I have seen sheets of corrugated, powdercoated tin with small perforated holes in it used as ceiling sheeting in Industrial applications.

Just some thought. Cheers

A suspended plasterboard tile ceiling will cost you about 5-6k No painting Just need to get lights etc.

Very hard to get anything that looks good for under 5 k even a suspended plasterboard ceiling will cost more as you need to paint as well as get the sparky etc.

Cheers Rod

Thanks for the replies guys.

I think a grid type plaster board ceiling would be best, just didn't know of the cost. For 170 sqm, would $6k be achievable in Sydney, installed?

Any idea of the cost of lights which suit the grid?

I have used plenty of polycarb before, twinwall would be way over budget and any opal polycarb would attract alot of dust and look dirty, being a warehouse.


Thanks again.

i would screw 2400x1200x7mm plywood sheeting to underside of the purlins using countersunk tek screws, would be the easiest, cheapest most maintenance free (paint or stain or seal the ply)... put wiring in for a couple more flouros before you sheet it

Not a bad idea sports fan.

That sounds nice and cheap and is now on my short list.


Thanks.

I just checked the purlin spacing and it is 1400mm -1500mm.
That's not good for plywood sheets is it?

cloth or sails? (me thinking outside the box)

Hi LegacyGT,

Thanks for your input.
My original idea was a material like canvas, vinyl/tarp type material, and still might go with that.

But what about the lights? It seems like a challenge to work around the lights.


Thanks

I'd Tek screw custom orb colorbond sheeting to the purlins with the heads of the screws painted to match the sheeting. Fast, cheap(ish), easy to clean, able to span your purlins without extra framing, no need to paint and easy enough to fix lighting to.

Mick

i have previously supplied a company next door with a 5mm thich hollow pvc tongue and groove paneling for exactly the same job . $35.00 per m2 .

not sure if available on east coast sorry .

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful.

I have decided to be cheap and only do about 1/3rd of the ceiling.
On closer inspection the front 2/3rds of the underside of the roof/sarking and purlins is almost brand new, so decided not to cover it.

The back 1/3 where sarking is all flaking and filthy has purlins at 1200 centres, so 1220x2440 plywood will work well. I have to sheet around and under a box gutter too, so a thinner plywood should flex nicely.

Will then just splash some white paint on it and should look good, nobody will be looking up anyway as it is a showroom/display area.



Thanks again.