Pictures shown: Top: American Tin ceiling installed by Urban Revivals LLC near Washington DC. Top Left Corner: Hand finished Armstrong tiles, shown in antique gold, and aged bronze, finished by Urban Revivals LLC in Washington DC. Above: Gilded Armstrong Ceiling Tiles. Hand Gilded in Gold Leaf by Urban Revivals LLC

LEARN ABOUT CHOICES BY ROOM

LOOK AT TOTAL COST BY MATERIAL TYPE

*SnapLock(TM) is a Trademark of American Tin Ceiling Company

Picking a Tin Ceiling "Look" Based on Price or Installation Considerations

Real tin or metal tiles start at $16 for a 2'x2' panel (though some lower pricing may be found on special sales). They go up from there, up to $34 for a panel featuring intricate detail. This equates to $4 to $9 per square foot. Average pricing is between $5 to $7 per foot. This does not include installation costs, which are higher for tin ceilings than for other non-metal materials. Installation costs vary by region, and availability of experienced contractors. Lay-up grid system installations generally cost less than adding furring strips. American Tin's new SnapLock(tm) design allows direct attachment to the ceiling, further simplifying tile installation.

Unfinished steel and aluminum ceiling panels can be found for $8 to $12 per panel ($2 to $4 per foot). Unfinished tiles need to be finished in a clear coat of oil-based polyurethane after installation to keep them tarnish free. This adds to cost.

Unfinished Armstrong tiles average approximately $1.75 per linear foot (which varies considerably based on pattern and point of sale). However, these tiles must be painted or otherwise treated to create the color and reflectivity that most customers want. Prior to finishing, they are a bright white in color. More do-it-yourself-ers may be willing to undertake the installation of these tiles, given their easy installation with glue, staples, or Armstrong's Easy Trac system. These tiles may also be acquired in finished condition for approximately $4 per square foot. These tiles may also be rolled with paint once installed on the ceiling, with any standard latex or metallic paint.

Thermoplastic tiles are roughly half the price of real tin ceilings and may be installed in grid, track, or glue-up systems.

If cost is the ultimate driver, the best solution may be a heavy embossed wallpaper such as anaglypta or Norwall embossed coverings available at major hardware stores. This solution will not yield the depth of design of the above-mentioned solutions. Additionally, papering a ceiling is not for the wallpaper novice. But, these paper solutions can also be painted. Apply ceiling papers with strong clay-based adhesives. We recommend the clay adhesive from Sherwin Williams.