Claims for products described editorially on this and other pages are taken from statements of product manufacturers.
Multipurpose panels
Panels can be used for both interior and exterior walls as well as ceilings. Rollformed from prefinished colored .032 or .040 aluminum or 24-gauge galvanized steel, the 3/4-in.-high Opaline panels are cut to customer-specified length. Panels are installed on a basic tongue-and-groove system with hidden mechanical fasteners.
Atas International. Reader Service No. 251
Big cover-up
Drop-out vinyl ceiling tiles that are approved for use beneath automatic sprinkler systems are UV-resistant and will not crumble or flake. Tiles are offered in 2-sq.-ft. and 2-by-4-ft. sizes.
Piolite Plastics Co. Reader Service No. 252
Difficulty solved
Designing the interior space for the Savannah College of Art & Design's Jen Library required a ceiling solution that would create a clean, modern and continuous visual of one open area, even though the building was actually three structures. Ceiling heights varied, and HVAC systems crawled through the space at different elevations, crossing both electrical and network modernizations. The solution was an open cell ceiling system that masks the plenum while providing access for service personnel.
Hunter Douglas.Reader Service No. 263
Noticing overhead
A water-based acrylic coating for interior overheads, the Series 115 Uni-Bond D.F. (dry-fall) is a one-coat, flash-rust and corrosion-resistant primer and finish. Ideal for any commercial building or warehouse, Series 115 can be applied on carbon and galvanized steel, aluminum, wood and concrete decks, beams, joists and HVAC equipment. It also functions as an exterior maintenance coat.
Tnemec Co. Inc. Reader Service No. 257
Mineral fiber
Featuring a smooth, fine-textured surface, excellent sound absorption, high light reflectance and edge detail, the Ultima Vector ceiling is part of a family of suspended ceilings. The 2-sq.-ft. panels install in a 15/16-in. exposed tee suspension system.
Armstrong World Industries. Reader Service No. 250
Muffler time
Sonex sound-absorbing panels improve acoustics in preschools, classrooms and other large interior spaces where background noise levels can disrupt learning. Panels, which resist fungus and microbial growth, are available in several colors and finishes.
illbruck.Reader Service No. 260
Stony look
Formed from volcanic perlite, fireproof Eurostone acoustical ceiling system is unaffected by water, high humidity and infectious bacterial agents. Offered in 19 patterns, it is suitable for education, health-care, hospitality, corporate and retail environments.
Chicago Metallic. Reader Service No. 264
Insulation allows sounding off
OEM Acoustical Board Insulation is composed of glass fibers bonded together with a thermosetting binder. Available from 2.5 to 6 pounds per cubic foot, it is produced with a smooth surface on one side. Typically used for acoustical panels, baffles and ceiling panels, it provides excellent acoustical and thermal performance.
CertainTeed.Reader Service No. 267
Texture, nostalgia combine
Decorative embossed metal panels, combined with cornice and perimeter treatments, the Landmark series is offered for ceilings and walls in bare, painted or bright reflective finishes, patterns and cornices. Manufactured with an acoustical backer, the panels are available with lay-in, nail-up and concealed snap-in profiles.
BPB Celotex. Reader Service No. 255
Ceilings, HVAC combine
Formations Linear Air Diffusers join the practical and the aesthetic. Available in 24-in. increments, pattern controllers allow the air flow to be directed horizontally, to the left, to the right or vertically. Available for straight or curved applications, the diffusers have mitered corners in 90- and 135-degree angles with a variety of custom options. Standard slot widths from 1 to 3 inches are available. Pre-engineered mounting hardware reduces installation costs.
MetalAire.Reader Service No. 258
Capital idea
Installing the 215,000 square feet of ceiling grid and the 198 miles of steel wall studs in the $90 million Regent Auditorium in Pensacola, Fla., required the creation of 19 separate domed ceilings. Originally, the architect specified curved drywall ceilings and vaulted corridors, hoping the contractor could fabricate them using hat channel steel, black iron suspension and GRG ceiling shapes. But the design was reworked when the manufacturer developed a pre-engineered and prefabricated system for creating domed ceilings.
This drywall suspension system offers contractors a way to install drop drywall ceilings while reducing the time spent measuring, bending, cutting and connecting radius components. The system suspends with 12-gauge hanger wire rather than 9-gauge wire. An Internet-based design tool allows the creation of construction and material information on domes, vaults and other curved surface designs, providing a complete bill of materials and installation instructions. The project also required 2,100 lineal feet of pre-engineered and fabricated barrel-vaulted ceilings.
USG Corp.Reader Service No. 254
Pressing solution
Tin-plated steel ceilings in 2-by-4-ft. sheets with 6-in., 12-in. or 24-in. repeat patterns are available in 20 designs and 11 cornices.
Chelsea Decorative Metal Co. Reader Service No. 261
Sculpted ceilings
Fire-retardant Sculptured Series ceiling panels are designed for use with standard 15/16-in. suspended ceiling channel grid systems. Panels in nine finishes can be dropped into ceiling grids using clips or installed over old panels.
Architectural Products by Outwater. Reader Service No. 259
The word from God
Acoustical panels make the West Congregational Church worship center in Haverhill, Mass., sound as good as it looks, so that no one can miss any part of the sermon.
illbruck.Reader Service No. 268
Clean room applications
Gridstone gypsum panels for areas requiring high levels of air cleanliness are sealed on the face and back with a 2-mil rigid vinyl. The edges are factory sealed with an encapsulating coating. Applications include food service, food processing and clean rooms.
National Gypsum Co. Reader Service No. 266
Bottomless color
Treatment of acrylic or polycarbonate plastic creates an appearance of bottomless, extradimensional color that appears to be lit from within. Designers can specify color, translucence, size and shape to achieve a range of effects.
M.B. Wellington Studio Inc. Reader Service No. 253
Acoustically speaking
Focus D acoustic ceiling tiles have no visible grid sections, while beveled edges create a distinctive groove between each tile. The Focus D has a glass wool core, and the back of the tile is covered with glass tissue. The reinforced-edge tiles are up to 4 feet square.
Ecophon CertainTeed. Reader Service No. 256
Time to score
A wood veneer acoustical panel with vertical and horizontal face scoring, Aluratone is suitable for board rooms, auditoriums, performing arts facilities, schools and public waiting areas.
Rulon Co. Reader Service No. 262
Log on to track HVAC performance
Web-based HVAC monitoring system continuously tracks performance. Sensors work with a thermostat to track discharge air temperature, return-air temperature and return-air humidity. The HVAC Equipment Monitoring System also calculates the temperature difference between sensors, comparing the readings to benchmarked and calibrated values. A modem sends the readings to the Web-based central monitoring station that instantly records the data and notifies the operator by fax or e-mail.
Honeywell.Reader Service No. 378
Through the glass lightly
Acrylic block can be used as a backdrop for activity rooms in assisted-living facilities, as sidelights flanking entry doors and as full exterior walls to allow natural light into long-term living centers.
Hy-Lite Products.Reader Service No. 318
Fabric ventilation ducts
Fabric ventilation ducts are offered in white, ultramarine blue and light grey, traffic red, melon yellow, light blue and black, as well as custom colors. Ducts retain their UL fire classification no matter the color. Fabric swatches are available for free.
KE Fibertec North America. Reader Service No. 300
Extra storage helps
Lockers are offered in various sizes and configurations for applications including firearms, hazardous materials, chemicals and miscellaneous forensic materials storage. Evidence lockers are available with metal separation walls, pre-engineered dry chemical fire suppression systems and exhaust ventilation.
Safety Storage Inc. Reader Service No. 316
