Guides / Ceiling Specification
Linear plank, baffle and open-cell ceilings look similar in photos but they answer different briefs. The right choice is the one that matches the drawing, the finish, the acoustic target and the trade coordination on site.
Linear plank = long continuous runs, concealed or exposed grid, clean lines for corridors and open-plan offices. Baffle = vertical blades for airflow, lighting integration and acoustic zones in atria, transport hubs and high-ceiling spaces. Open cell = grid or honeycomb structure for maximum airflow and services access in plant rooms, data centres and back-of-house areas.
The decision tree below matches each system to the questions a specifier should ask before the drawing goes to quotation.
| Question | If yes… | Specify |
|---|---|---|
| Does the space need continuous linear runs with a flat or slightly revealed surface? | Corridors, offices, retail, education — clean sightlines, standard tile sizes (600 × 600, 600 × 1200, 800 × 800) | Linear plank (profiles B / C / G / R / S / V / F) |
| Does the space need airflow, lighting integration and acoustic absorption in a high-ceiling volume? | Atria, airport concourses, metro stations, hotel lobbies — vertical blades create zones, hide services, absorb sound | Baffle (U-shape, round tube, A-shape, teardrop, bullet) |
| Does the space need maximum services access and airflow with a grid or honeycomb appearance? | Plant rooms, data centres, back-of-house, industrial — panels lift out, full access to MEP above | Open cell (expanded mesh, woven strip, grid cell) |
Many projects combine two or all three — e.g., linear plank in corridors, baffle in the atrium, open cell in the plant room. Each zone gets its own quotation line.
Linear plank is the most versatile ceiling system. The profile letter (B, C, G, R, S, V, F) describes the edge detail and how the panel sits on or in the grid. That edge detail drives the visual result, the installation method and the accessories you need to order.
| Profile | Edge / Joint | Visual | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | Lay-in, square edge | Visible grid, clean tile look | Standard offices, corridors |
| C | Tegular, reveal edge | Shadow line, grid partially hidden | Premium offices, retail |
| G | Clip-in, concealed grid | Monolithic, no visible grid | High-end commercial, airports |
| R | Hook-on, concealed grid | Monolithic, demountable | Areas needing frequent access |
| S | Spring-tee, concealed grid | Tight joints, minimal shadow | Clean rooms, healthcare |
| V | V-groove, linear joint | Expressed linear joint | Feature corridors, galleries |
| F | F-edge, flush joint | Near-seamless linear run | Feature walls, soffits |
Panel sizes: 300 × 300, 300 × 600, 600 × 600, 600 × 1200, 800 × 800 mm. Custom lengths to order. Aluminium thickness 0.6–3.0 mm. Finishes: PVDF, powder coat, anodized, wood-grain, stone-grain.
Baffles are vertical blades suspended from the soffit. They do three jobs at once: they let air move through the plenum, they integrate linear lighting and sprinklers, and they absorb sound. The blade shape, spacing and depth decide how well each job works.
| Blade Shape | Airflow | Lighting Integration | Acoustic (NRC) | Typical Spacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-shape | High | Linear LED in blade | 0.70–0.90 with infill | 150–300 mm |
| Round tube | Highest | Linear LED inside tube | 0.60–0.80 with infill | 200–400 mm |
| A-shape | High | Linear LED in groove | 0.75–0.95 with infill | 150–300 mm |
| Teardrop | Medium | Linear LED in profile | 0.65–0.85 with infill | 200–350 mm |
| Bullet | Medium | Linear LED in profile | 0.60–0.80 with infill | 200–400 mm |
Acoustic infill (mineral wool, polyester) sits inside the blade cavity. NRC values depend on infill density, blade depth and spacing — request the test report for your exact build-up. Blade length to order; standard depths 100–300 mm.
Open cell ceilings are chosen when the services above need frequent access and the ceiling must not restrict airflow. The free-area percentage (open area / total area) is the number that matters for HVAC and fire engineering.
| Type | Structure | Free Area | Services Access | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded mesh | Single-piece expanded aluminium | 60–80 | Full panel lift-out | Plant rooms, car parks, industrial |
| Woven strip | Interwoven aluminium strips | 50–70 | Full panel lift-out | Feature soffits, screens, atria |
| Grid cell | Assembled aluminium grid | 70–90 | Individual cell removal | Data centres, clean rooms, labs |
Cell sizes: 25 × 25 mm to 100 × 100 mm. Panel sizes 600 × 600, 600 × 1200 mm. Aluminium thickness 0.8–1.5 mm. Finishes: powder coat, anodized, PVDF. Free-area values are engineering ranges (percent), not statistical medians.
Whether you specify linear plank, baffle or open cell, the price drivers are identical. The unit rate is not fixed; it tracks the aluminium ingot price and the choices below.
Grid/keel, clips and trim accessories are quoted separately unless specified — confirm inclusion when ordering. A quotation that bundles panel + accessories is easier to compare than one that splits them.
Orders shipping to Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and projects across Africa and Southeast Asia usually need three things beyond the panel itself:
If you are pricing a ceiling package for a project in these markets, send the drawing and the destination port and we will quote panel, finish and trim as one line item — no allocated price for a panel you have not specified.
Five things are enough for us to confirm which system, profile and finish your project needs, and to return a firm price:
With those, the reply states which profiles apply, which finish tiers are available, what the accessories list looks like, and the price — all on the same document.
Confirm which ceiling system your project needs
If the specification is still open, the ceiling systems page has the full profile tables, and the certifications page covers the documents Gulf and Asian customs expect.
Match the system to the space: linear plank for continuous clean runs in corridors and offices; baffle for high-ceiling volumes that need airflow, lighting integration and acoustic control; open cell for plant rooms, data centres and back-of-house where services access and free area are the priority. Many projects use all three in different zones.
A B profile is lay-in with a square edge — the grid is visible and the tile sits on the tee. A G profile is clip-in with a concealed grid — the panel clips onto a carrier so the grid disappears. G profiles give a monolithic look; B profiles are faster to install and cheaper on accessories.
Yes, with acoustic infill inside the blade cavity. Typical NRC ranges are 0.60–0.95 depending on blade shape, depth, spacing and infill density. The test report belongs to the tested build-up — change the core, the infill or the spacing and the report no longer applies. Request the report for your exact specification.
That is an engineering decision for your mechanical consultant. Expanded mesh runs 60–80 free area; woven strip 50–70; grid cell 70–90. The higher the free area, the less restriction on airflow and the easier the sprinkler coverage. State the required free area in the RFQ and we will confirm the cell size and spacing that meets it.
Not by default. Grid/keel systems and fixing accessories are quoted as a separate line item unless requested in the initial RFQ. A quotation that bundles panel + accessories is easier to compare than one that splits them — ask for the bundle when you enquire.
Lead time depends on finish, quantity and container load; confirm at RFQ stage. Standard powder coat colours are faster; wood-grain, stone-grain and anodized finishes add production time. The drawing-matched cutting schedule also affects the programme.
Yes — standard colour cards are available; sample lead time is a few working days, freight usually buyer's account. For wood-grain and stone-grain finishes, request a physical sample before signing off the finish on a large order.
Quotes reference the current ingot price on the quote date; the price is held for the validity period stated on the quotation, after which it is re-based to the prevailing market price. The validity period is written on the quotation — typically 30 days for standard finishes, longer for firm orders with a deposit.