Seismic performance
The seismic performance of wood ceilings is primarily determined by the installation of the suspension system. The purpose of installation requirements for suspended wood ceilings where seismic performance is a factor is to provide a system strong enough to resist lateral forces imposed upon it without failing and to prevent border panels from falling from the ceiling plane.
Any panel weighing 1 kg (2.5 lb) per square foot or more (which is most wood) must also be installed per the additional installation requirements of Seismic Design Category D, E, and F. Some jurisdictions, including the California Building Code (CBC), require wood or other hard or heavy panels to be positively attached to the suspension system.
Sustainable spaces
Environmentally, many of today’s wood ceilings are certified as products representing responsible production and consumption practices from the forest to the consumer. The major environmental certifications for wood ceilings are as follows.
Forest Stewardship Council
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies that wood products come from responsibly managed forests through a verified chain of custody.
Rainforest Alliance
Rainforest Alliance certifies wood products are sourced from forests managed to protect endangered species, areas with high conservation value, workers, and communities.
US Department of Agriculture BioPreferred
This certifies bio-based products from plants and other renewable sources.
Additionally, environmental product declarations (EPDs) are standardized, internationally recognized, independently verified, comprehensive descriptions of a product’s full environmental impact. Natural substrate and veneer materials can also make significant contributions to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits.
Assistance available
The increasing popularity of wood ceiling systems for sound control has resulted in the need for much more collaboration between specifier and ceiling manufacturer, especially in the case of custom installations. To meet this need, a number of ceiling manufacturers now offer a consultative design service that provides project management for the ceiling system, from concept to completion. It consists of specialists with expertise in both architecture and engineering whose sole mission is to partner with architects and designers in the implementation of signature ceilings.
Warm acoustical element
Wood is often one of the most elegant and warm architectural element in a space. As a result, its use in acoustical ceilings is perceived as upscale and stylish, even when used with a standard suspension system and ordinary light fixtures. Since ceilings can also reduce noise levels and help create a calmer interior environment makes the specification of wood ceilings a viable choice, whether it is a new construction project or the renovation of an aging space.
Sean D. Browne is senior principal scientist for Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he leads the Armstrong acoustics program. A member of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and ASTM International, Browne has engineering degrees from Florida State University and the University of Miami, and has been published in the journals of the International Symposium on Room Acoustics (ISRA) and Acoustical Society of America (ASA). He can be reached at sdbrowne@armstrongceilings.com.
