Vinyl Lattice Panels?

[wpcoe]

I've been considering options to cover the rather ugly concrete ceiling over a part of my balcony. The surface is rough and uneven, with a few patches added through the years. I'm on the top floor of my condo building, and it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that future cracks may need patching, I guess. Originally a contractor had proposed a gypsum ceiling, suspended a few cm from the concrete, but because of possible future leaks/drips, I was reluctant to do that.

I'm considering painting the ceiling a dark color and then attaching a white lattice panel. (Another part of the ceiling is covered in brown-painted wood slats with screening for attic ventilation, so I thought I'd paint the ceiling a matching brown.) Does that sound reasonable? If so, does anyone know where I might find vinyl lattice in the Pattaya area? My second choice would be wood lattice, but I'm attracted to the maintenance-free aspect of vinyl.

When I had some renovation work done earlier this year, my contractor asked his wood worker how much it would cost to cover the exposed ceiling with wood strips to match what now covers the other part of the ceiling, and the price was some ridiculous figure like B16,000.

I'm thinking that as a DIY project I could handle lightweight vinyl lattice easier than anything else. Am I deluding myself?

This is what I'm looking for, and would need something around 120cm wide and about 330cm long (probably have to put two panels end-to-end?):

Edited August 29, 2007 by wpcoe

[quiksilva]

Surprised this never got an answer, but I have seen lattice work like this available in Home Pro, erecting this should be very easy, drill in the wall, [measure twice, drill once] insert wall plugs, screw it up, and your sorted!

I was thinking of using something similar for a wall outside my house to grow orchids and other climbing plants, although I prefer timber to vinyl.

[soundman]

Surprised this never got an answer, but I have seen lattice work like this available in Home Pro, erecting this should be very easy, drill in the wall, [measure twice, drill once] insert wall plugs, screw it up, and your sorted!

I was thinking of using something similar for a wall outside my house to grow orchids and other climbing plants, although I prefer timber to vinyl.

I agree with you that vinyl or polyester products are ugly, but wood seems to suffer rot & ant attack at a greatly accelerated pace in Thailand whereas vinyl, PVC & poyester products have half lives of hundreds of years.

Soundman.

[quiksilva]

Yeah I can see that but likewise, if timber is treated, there's no reason why it shouldn't last for years.

[soundman]

With timber, even treated with ????, I do believe maintenance is the issue.

I have an outdoor seating arrangement made out of old teak wagon wheels. We have to cut it back & apply a new coat of Urethane every 12 months & even then the weather & ants still get into it.

Another problem exists where anti ant stuff like creasote or shelldrite?? doesn't seem to work very well on hardwoods. Doesn't seem to penetrate the timber.

Cheers.

[Tony Clifton]

I looked for vinyl lattice and couldn't find it so I bought wood and made my own so the neighbor and us would not see each other from our living rooms and side doors and 3 more on top of the 4ft. wall for the neighbor at the back. 4 panels 8ft X 32in high and another panel 4X8 ft. Lots of lattice, 2X4s and lots of screws. Used a drill, torque screwdriver and hand grinder with saw blade. Two thick coats of paint before cutting anything and touch ups once assembled. Well anchored to concrete walls and posts, I can hang on to them and they won't move. Indestructible. Vinyl gets brittle in about two years if exposed to the sun here. Best looking home project I've done around this house. I'll take a pic tomorrow.

[quiksilva]

With timber, even treated with ????, I do believe maintenance is the issue.

I have an outdoor seating arrangement made out of old teak wagon wheels. We have to cut it back & apply a new coat of Urethane every 12 months & even then the weather & ants still get into it.

Another problem exists where anti ant stuff like creasote or shelldrite?? doesn't seem to work very well on hardwoods. Doesn't seem to penetrate the timber.

Cheers.

I was thinking of something like Ronseal, a British product responsible for the Phrase "It does exactly what it say on the tin". They have a garden furniture product that my father used to use on hardwoods, which worked great.

Now I appreciate that the UK is not as hot as Thailand, its certainly a pretty damp kind of place. Untreated fences rot fairly quickly there. I wonder how it would fare here?

[ignis]

Cheaper way…….

Use bamboo ??

At a roadside place near where I live they have all sizes and lengths well over 4m long if you want + have cut bamboo if you want ½ or ¼ strips……… Thick 4m long = 30baht each, normal all over 2m long = 60baht for 10

Simply use 4 or 6 small angle brackets screw one side to the wall, plug the other side ready, cut the 2 or 3 supporting bamboo to size, wire the lengths of bamboo to the 2 or 3 supporting ones.. push the angle brackets into the ends of the supporting bamboo.. slide the one side onto the angle brackets already fitted and then screw the other side into the drilled and plugged holes.

Total cost would be under 1,000 baht for that size. Just an idea ?? = Easy to take down for repairs..

[quiksilva]

Yes that's a great idea, it would look great too and be very low maintenance.

In fact, I'm going to start looking into that on Sunday for my wall, in fact the more I think about it, bamboo lattice work would really look good with a replica stone relief I have been thinking about.

Edited October 5, 2007 by quiksilva

[soundman]

Nice Replica! ^^^

Been in the local Home Mart store this morning & apparently the best wood preservative available is a brand called "Chaindrite". Supposed to work for ages and keep all wood parasites at bay.

[quiksilva]

hehe oops yeh well I think thats the genuine article but thats an example of the sort of think I'd like outside.

[soundman]

hehe oops yeh well I think thats the genuine article but thats an example of the sort of think I'd like outside.

Oooh! Well......

Anyway, seen those stone wall replicas for sale in CM. Look good.