There are both pros and cons to installing glue on ceiling tiles to any room, including ease of installation, installation time, and durability. The elimination of edge material makes it more difficult to hide alignment mistakes with these tiles. The extreme tackiness of the ceiling tile glue makes it nearly impossible to correct a misplaced tile once it has begun to set-up. The ability to attach tiles to a ceiling that has no exposed nailing runners is an advantage when choosing tile types. Removing and repairing a damaged glue on tile, however, can be difficult at best.
When choosing glue on ceiling tiles to finish a room, it is important to examine all aspects of the tiles and compare the findings against those of similarly-sized and designed traditional tiles. Unlike traditional tile designs, the glue on tiles do not need evenly-spaced runners to be stapled or nailed to. They need only a flat, clean surface on which the installer can spread the adhesive before placing the tiles on the ceiling of a room. After troweling a thin layer of tile cement on an area of ceiling, the tiles are placed against the ceiling and remain in place while the glue sets, making them nearly permanent.
A positive benefit of the tiles is that an installer is able to arrange the tiles in practically any design conceivable without needing to have support to nail them in place. Other advantages include the ability to cut the border tiles to fit tightly against a wall, and the tendency of the tiles to withstand rough floor traffic on overhead ceilings that also double as upstairs floors. The tiles also aid in sound deadening, helping to quiet the amount of noise transmitted through an upstairs room to the room below it.
Disadvantages of glue on ceiling tiles include the difficulty in removing them if a change in decor is warranted. The tiles often break when attempting to pull them off of the ceiling, and the person removing them may need to use a putty knife to scrape the remnants off. It can also be messy to install these tiles. Drop cloths must be placed under the work area to guard against glue dripping off of tools and the ceiling as it is being applied.
