Decorative ceiling tiles start at about $1.00 for cheap but attractive tiles and $7.00 per square foot for higher quality products. Hand-painted tiles and those made from copper cost as much as $20 per square foot. You’ve got a bunch of really nice decorative tiles for the ceiling regardless of your budget.
Ceilings are often an afterthought when decorating your home, but the right ceiling can greatly improve the room, creating beauty and atmosphere. Using decorative ceiling tiles gives you unlimited options – just do some online browsing to discover the possibilities – and they make it easy to cover that popcorn, stained, or damaged ceiling.
How to Use Decorative Ceiling Tiles
Consider using decorative ceiling tiles to finish and beautify your interior. They are available in many materials and design styles, are relatively inexpensive, and can be easily installed as a DIY project. You can choose from lightweight Styrofoam or PVC made to look like wood or metal. If you want real metal, choose from tin plated steel, aluminum, or copper.
There are also tiles that provide acoustic properties that reduce echo and noise and tiles that help insulate the room. You can find tiles for drop or suspended ceilings or tiles that can be glued or nailed directly to the ceiling.
Decorative Ceiling Tiles - Options, Styles and Costs
Below we review many of the types of decorative ceiling tiles, where to find them, costs, and installation methods.
Material | Sizes | Installation | Cost (sq.ft.) |
|---|---|---|---|
Styrofoam | 20" x 20" | Glue Down | $1.10 - $2.25 |
PVC | 2' x 2' / 2" x 4' | Glue Down / Drop Ceiling | $2 - $5 |
Metal | 2' x 2' / 2" x 4' | Staple/Nail to Ceiling Substrate / Drop Ceiling | - |
Tin Plated Steel | $2.50 - $12 | ||
Aluminum | $4 - $15 | ||
Copper | $14 - $22 | ||
Wood | 2' x 2' / 2" x 4' | Drop Ceiling | $5 - $7 |
Styrofoam (or Styrene) Ceiling Tiles
Styrofoam ceiling tiles are made from foam that is pressed or molded to create endless patterns and styles. You can find tiles that are very ornate and mimic the patterns found on antique tin ceilings, tiles with a deeply coffered or paneled appearance, or tiles that look like beadboard. The tiles are available in white, which you can leave as-is or paint yourself with any water based paint, and in solid colors, or even finished to mimic the varied hues of wood, metal, or stone. There are also Styrofoam crown moldings available to complete the design – a compelling finishing touch.
Styrofoam tiles are sized at 20” x 20” or 19.5” x 19.5”. These tiles are very lightweight and installed directly to the ceiling with an adhesive. You can install them right over a popcorn ceiling unless you would prefer to have the popcorn ceiling removed first at a cost of $1.75 to $3.00 per square foot for most projects. If it is in poor condition and coming loose, it should be removed. Styrofoam tiles are moisture proof so they can be used anywhere in the home, including the bathroom. These tiles provide some thermal and acoustic insulation to the room and are all Class A fire rated.
Costs
Styrofoam ceiling tiles are sold by the tile and cost between $3 and $6.50 each. The tiles are 20” x 20” so they each cover 2.77 square feet, making the cost between$1.10 and $2.25 per square foot.
PCV, Plastic, or Vinyl Ceiling Tiles
PVC ceiling tiles are made by melting the plastic material and forming it into tiles. PVC tiles are lightweight, durable, and waterproof. The tiles are sold in 2’ x 2’ and 2’ x 4’ sizes and can be installed into drop ceiling grids or mounted directly to the ceiling with an adhesive. The tiles are also recyclable and Class A fire rated.
PVC decorative ceiling tiles are available in an almost endless variety of designs, colors, and finishes. You can find styles that look like tin ceilings, tiles that are deeply coffered, tiles that look like ornate plaster, or tiles in modern styles. There are tiles that mimic metals including tin, copper, and bronze, or tiles that look like wood, leather, and stone. There are single color, multi-color, and hand painted tiles in ornate and distressed finishes.
Some manufacturers like Ceilume, make highly acoustic PVC tiles with a coffered profile in solid colors and faux metal and faux wood finishes. Decorative Ceiling Tiles is a brand that offers PVC tiles in over 300 profiles and finishes, including tiles that are hand painted. Some suppliers produce tiles that have been printed on to create a mural affect. They’re fun to install and watch the full picture come to life, as each tile adds another part to the whole.
PVC ceiling tiles are easy to install, and trimming is done with shears or tin snips. PVC plastic ceiling tiles are easy to maintain and clean. Here is a video featuring installation of PCV tiles directly onto the ceiling.
Costs
Most PVC Ceiling tiles cost somewhere between $2 and $5 per square foot depending on the style and finish. Custom color, hand painted, and specialty tiles have a higher price of up to $20 per square foot.
Metal Ceiling Tiles
Decorative metal ceiling tiles are available in aluminum, tin plated steel, steel, and copper. Metal ceiling tiles are made by stamping or embossing the metal with patterns and designs. The tiles are made in 2’ x 2’ and 2’ x 4’ sizes. Metal ceiling tiles are made to be used in standard drop ceilings or to be nailed to a plywood furring or substrate that has been attached to the ceiling. Because aluminum is lightweight, these tiles can sometimes be glued directly to the ceiling with specialty adhesive.
Metal - Tin Ceiling Tiles
Metal ceiling tiles are available in patterns that r