The main types of ceilings seen in retail spaces are plaster, sheet rock and acoustical tile. Today, plaster ceilings are seldom used due to the inherent expense and labor involved in installing them. Sheet rock ceilings lend themselves nicely to paint and other decorative finishes, as well as lighting sources. Acoustical tile ceilings are by far the most popular. Most ceilings are composed of simple, lightweight acoustical tiles suspended from the building's structural ceiling by means of wires, and rods.
Acoustical tiles are available in an almost endless variety of colors and finishes.
They are prefinished, easily maintained and quickly installed. More recently, we have seen a variety of metal ceiling systems. They may include mirror and reflective finish surfaces. Open grids, metal fins, panels and louver systems are also becoming quite popular. Most metal ceiling systems are installed in a similar manner as acoustical tile systems.