Acoustical ceilings are used by interior designers seeking an affordable way to lower the height of a modern room and also deaden ambient noise. Typically, a grid work of metal strips is hung from the room's true ceiling and individual panels of sound-absorbing material are dropped into the sections. Heating and cooling ducts can be hidden behind acoustical ceilings, along with wires for overhead lighting and pipes for plumbing fixtures.

Acoustic ceiling suspension assemblies came into use because architects, engineers, and designers needed an affordable way to lower the ceiling height of modern rooms. Lower ceilings help to control noise, increase the efficiency of heating and cooling systems, and provide a place to mount light fixtures. There are several variations of acoustic ceiling suspension assemblies; most common are concealed systems and accessible systems.

This topic includes information related to luminous ceilings installed during construction.  Luminous ceiling are suspended systems that provide light to an interior space, similar to sunlight through roof openings.  The systems incorporate translucent panels or tiles, which are held in place by a ceiling suspension system and electrical lighting fixtures; LED or fluorescent.

Linear metal ceilings are panels hung from a suspension system in wall-to-wall or floating ceiling applications. Typically used in spaces where the design has greater importance than the efficiency of the lighting, linear metal ceilings are a type of suspended ceiling. Suspended ceilings have been used by architects and designers as part of the interior design for public spaces and commercial buildings for decades. The primary purpose of a secondary ceiling, such as a suspended ceiling, is to conceal the vast collection of building support systems which lie above, including the building structure and electrical and mechanical systems. Linear metal ceilings are a low maintenance finished ceiling option, and they have a high visual impact in interior or exterior spaces.

This topic includes information related to linear wood ceilings installed during construction.  Linear wood ceilings are suspended ceiling systems.  Long linear wood boards are used in conjunction with acoustical felt and a supportive railing system.  Finished boards are either spaced apart, abutted or overlapped.

This topic includes information related to textured ceilings installed during construction.  Textured ceilings are manufactured specialty ceilings that have a distinct textured surface.  Gypsum or metal panels are available in a variety of sizes, colors and textures.  Gypsum panels use a suspended ceiling system.  Metal panels can be secured with a suspended ceiling system or nailed directly to a wood substrate.