Stretch ceiling vs plasterboard: which to choose in Batumi
A PVC stretch ceiling helps when water leaks from the apartment above: the film holds the water so it can be drained off. Plasterboard is the right choice when the ceiling has to hide ventilation ducts, a ducted air conditioner and complex lighting, with access hatches for servicing. In an apartment by the sea the two combine well: a lowered plasterboard section around the edges and a stretch ceiling in the middle of the room.
Updated 17 October 2026
Comparison by criteria
| Criterion | Stretch ceiling | Plasterboard |
|---|---|---|
| Leak from above | PVC film holds the water, which is then drained | Gets wet and stained, and the water goes through |
| Bathroom humidity | Does the film no harm | Needs moisture-resistant boards and paint |
| Pipes, cables and ducts | Hides them, but hatches must be planned in advance | Boxes of any shape, with service hatches |
| Lighting | Mountings fixed before stretching, LED only | Recesses, concealed lighting, lights can be added |
| Cracks | Do not appear | Possible along the joints if badly fitted |
| Time and dust | Hours per room, almost no dust | Days: filling, sanding, painting |
| Damage | Vulnerable to sharp objects | Dents and chips are filled |
| Cost of the work | Lower for a flat ceiling | Higher, especially for multi-level ceilings |
A leak from the neighbours upstairs
In an apartment building, the stretch ceiling vs plasterboard choice often depends on the neighbours upstairs. A PVC stretch ceiling does not let water through: the water collects in a bulge, and a fitter drains it through the opening for a light fitting. Then the film is heated, and it usually returns to its shape. Only PVC film holds water like this. A fabric ceiling does not: the water passes straight through the fabric. So where there are neighbours above, we install PVC film.
Plasterboard (drywall) gets wet and stains come through. After a heavy leak the boards sag and have to be replaced. A small stain is dealt with in place: the area is dried, filled and repainted. Meanwhile the water carries on down, onto the floor and the furniture.
If you live abroad, this is the main argument for PVC film. A leak in an empty apartment is not noticed straight away, and the film holds the water for a while. Leave the keys with someone who can come the same day: if water sits under the film in a damp climate, mould will grow there, so after draining, the cavity above the film is dried out as well.
Ventilation and air conditioning lines
With an air conditioner in every room, refrigerant pipes, cables and condensate drains run across the ceiling. There are also extract ducts from the kitchen and bathroom. All of this is hidden in the ceiling, so the routes have to be decided before the ceiling is closed.
When a lot of equipment goes into the ceiling, plasterboard is more practical. You can build plasterboard boxes of any shape, hide a ducted air conditioner in a suspended plasterboard ceiling and leave access hatches for the filters, dampers and joints. A stretch ceiling also hides the lines, and a hatch can be made in it too, but its position and size have to be decided in advance.
In a humid climate an air conditioner drain carries a lot of water, so before the ceiling is closed we check that its joints are sealed and that the pipe has enough slope. We photograph the lines for the handover file: a couple of years later, an air conditioning technician can find the right joint without opening up the ceiling.
Lighting and light fittings
With a stretch ceiling, the lighting is planned before the film is stretched. Every downlight, track or chandelier sits on a mounting platform, set at the right height with a laser level. Moving a light later is difficult, and a new one can only be added with a new platform. Only LED fittings go under the film, because hot bulbs deform it.
Plasterboard gives you more freedom. It can take curtain recesses and concealed lighting, built-in downlights and linear lights, and an extra light can be cut in even after the renovation, with the area patched and repainted. In both cases a heavy chandelier hangs on a fixing in the concrete floor slab above.
Damp, cracks and time on site
Humidity does not harm PVC film. It can be washed and works without problems in a bathroom. It has one weak point: sharp objects. It will survive a ball hitting it, but the corner of a wardrobe being carried past can cut it.
In a bathroom, moisture-resistant plasterboard is used and painted with moisture-resistant paint, but that does not help against water from above. If mistakes are made in the frame or the filling, the joints between boards crack over time, so we build a rigid frame and reinforce the joints with tape.
On timing, a stretch ceiling is simpler: a room is done in a few hours, with almost no dust. Plasterboard means a frame, boards, several coats of filler, sanding and painting, and in a damp climate each coat takes longer to dry. A simple flat stretch ceiling is usually cheaper in labour, while a multi-level plasterboard ceiling with built-in lighting costs more.
Combining a stretch ceiling with plasterboard
A practical solution for an apartment in Batumi is a lowered plasterboard section around the edges or above the hallway, with a stretch ceiling over the rest of the room. The lowered section carries the air conditioning lines and ventilation, with access hatches, and also holds the curtain recess and the lighting. The film covers the middle and holds the water if there is a leak.
For a bathroom and a kitchen with an extractor hood we recommend a stretch ceiling, and for a living room with complex lighting, plasterboard or a combination of the two. We agree the layout of the lines and lights with you before we close the ceiling. You will get a preliminary estimate from photos and a floor plan within 24 hours on business days.
Which to choose
When to choose: Stretch ceiling
A PVC stretch ceiling makes sense when the main risk comes from above and there is no complex equipment in the ceiling. It goes up quickly and with almost no dust.
- Apartments above yours, so a leak can happen at any time
- Living abroad, with the apartment standing empty for long periods
- Bathrooms and kitchens, where resistance to steam and moisture matters
- A flat ceiling with simple lighting planned in advance
When to choose: Plasterboard
Plasterboard is the choice when the ceiling has to work as a box for services or as part of the design. It takes longer to install and copes worse with leaks, but whatever is hidden inside it is easy to reach.
- A ducted air conditioner or supply ventilation with ductwork
- Curtain recesses, concealed lighting, a multi-level ceiling
- Lighting that may change over time: tracks, linear lights, new fittings
- Living in the apartment yourself, so you will notice a leak straight away
Questions and answers
What should you do if a stretch ceiling fills with water?
Shut off the water, or ask the neighbours upstairs to do it, and cut the power to the room. Do not pierce the film and do not try to push the water towards the edge: a fitter should drain it, usually through the opening for a light fitting, with a bucket and a hose. After draining, the film is heated and in most cases returns to its shape, and the cavity above it is dried out so that mould does not grow. Take photos of the ceiling before it is drained: they will help when you talk to the neighbours about compensation.
Can you hide an air conditioner in a stretch ceiling?
The lines of a wall-mounted air conditioner, meaning the refrigerant pipes, the cable and the drain, can be hidden under a stretch ceiling as well as in plasterboard. They are laid before the ceiling goes up, and before it is closed they are checked to make sure the drain does not leak and has enough slope. A ducted air conditioner is easier to hide in a plasterboard box or a suspended plasterboard ceiling: the unit needs a hatch for servicing the filters and the drain, and the grilles are easier to fit into a rigid surface.
Which ceiling is better for a bathroom: stretch or plasterboard?
For a bathroom we recommend a PVC stretch ceiling. Steam does not harm it, it can be washed, and if there is a leak from above it will hold the water. Plasterboard is possible in a bathroom with moisture-resistant boards, moisture-resistant paint and a powerful enough extractor fan, but steam and condensation test that kind of ceiling every day. Choose moisture-proof light fittings for under the film, and connect the extractor fan before the film is stretched, so the ceiling does not have to be cut later.
Can you change the lights in a stretch ceiling after the renovation?
Replacing a light with one of the same size is simple: the old one comes out and the new one goes onto the same mounting. Moving a light or adding a new one is harder, because it needs a new mounting, which means taking part of the film down. That is why we agree the lighting layout with you before the film is stretched, together with where the furniture and beds will go. In plasterboard a new light is easier to cut in, and the area is then filled and repainted.
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