Tin ceiling

Durable and lightweight, tin ceilings were appealing to home and business owners alike as a functionally attractive design element that was readily available.

Important critics such as John Ruskin, George Gilbert Scott, Charles Eastlake and William Morris debated the implications of faux materials.

These critics believed it was morally wrong and deceptive to imitate another material and blamed the degradation of society towards the "art of shamming" rather than honesty in architecture.

The top tool, or "ram," was lifted up by a rope or chain, then dropped down onto the bottom die, smashing into the metal that was underneath and permanently embedding intricate patterns into the tin.

They were incorporated into residential living rooms and parlors as well as schools, hospitals and commercial businesses where painted tin was often used as wainscoting.

In the 1930s, tin ceilings began to lose their popularity and steel materials became scarce because of the effort to collect scrap metal during WWII.

Magazines such as The Old-House Journal were created to offer articles about restoration, repair and installation practices for historic preservation of tin ceilings.

Environmental hazards from the lead paint used on turn of the century tin ceilings mean that this is a job for experts in the field.

Often restoration is achieved by simply stripping old paint, treating the metal with a protective base coat, patching minor damaged areas, and repainting.

There is also a patented interlocking tin panel that will screw directly into existing drywall/popcorn/plaster ceilings, without the need for extensive plywood installation.

Today, most tin ceiling manufacturers actually use recycled blackplate steel in a thickness of only 0.010 inches (0.25 mm).