Coffered Ceiling

A coffer or coffering is a sunken part into a wall, ceiling or pillar. The appearance is sunken that is the ceiling appears to have elevated or drawn back, this however is not the case. A ceiling with coffers which as per ancient Roman and Greek architecture is known as a lacunar ceiling, is not drawn back as the part that appears drawn back is the actual ceiling and the crisscross network is different from the parts that are drawn back. Imagine a dome of sticks and a sheet thrown on them, this is exactly what a coffered roof looks like.

Etruscan chamber tomb in the necropolis of San Giuliano, consists of an enormous dome that is coffered. Several old houses, churches, mosques, temples and estate houses contain a ceiling of coffers because such a pattern provides enforcement to the ceiling. When concepts such as concrete, pillars and enforcing of mortars were not in practice, the pillars supported the beam network over which the actual ceiling was laid out. This prevented the ceiling from fragmenting when pressure fell upon it from the other (non-coffered) side in small places. Modern coffered designs, are however used for home decoration purposes.

How to Build a Coffered Ceiling

To make a ceiling with coffers we need to do three things, find out how much weight can the ceiling bear, what should be the height of the coffers and what should be the design. This would be of course followed by the actual installation.

• Your first step should be consulting an engineer or architect, who based upon the construction will tell you the approximate weight that the ceiling would be able to bear.
• Next off, measure the height from the floor to ceiling. This will help you to get the exact height of the coffers. Hint: let the coffers be as short as possible, you don't want them to hang down like stalactites in a cave.
• Next, take measurements of the lengths of the room and try to fit in coffers that are rectangles or squares into the eagle's eye view of the room. Remember a ceiling looks really good only if all the rectangles are congruent.
• The actual installation is really simple once you have the blueprint in hand. Drywall, wood and coffered tiles are generally used to build a coffered roof or ceiling. You can get them at any hardware store, in different strips and panels. Some stores will also offer coffered pattern kits.
• To install the ceiling, you will need some measuring instruments and a power tool such as a drill. Plus, you will also need some concrete, powerful adhesives and very long screws.
• Start drilling and installing the strips or panels from one corner of the room to the opposite and proceed in the same order.
• After you are done, you can slather on some plaster of Paris on the strips, and then repaint your new coffered pattern.

Please be cautious while installing the actual coffered ceiling strips because if they are installed improperly, there is chance that it might come off. You can take the advice of a workman or an interior decorator to know the precise technique to install a certain ceiling design properly.