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Choosing corridor ceilings

Published: 06 March 2025

From hotels and high-rise residential buildings, to hospitals, schools and student accommodation schemes, corridors play an important role in connecting spaces. They can also help create cohesive interior design schemes that enhance the overall look and feel of a building – and the type of corridor ceilings you choose has a bigger impact than you may think. Whether you need to reduce noise, minimise maintenance disruption, improve safety or simply create a more attractive and comfortable area for the building users, here at OWA we have a range of ceiling systems that can help transform corridors and communal areas.

Flexible solutions for all

The interior design of a corridor space depends on the specific type of building – for example, a walkway in a luxury hotel chain or commercial office will have a very different style to that of the more practical communal spaces found in schools and hospitals. However, there are some constants in corridor designs and several key requirements that metal and mineral ceiling systems can reliably meet.

Safety first

In many buildings, corridors serve as primary evacuation routes and so it’s important that all products specified meet the required fire safety requirements. Reaction to fire is tested according to BS EN 13501-1, and an accredited notified body must verify the fire behaviour classification of any building products. Each product must be tested independently but many of our ceiling solutions, including the three most suitable for corridor applications, are classified as A2-s1,d0. This means that as a ceiling system, it has limited combustibility, produces very little smoke, won’t generate any flaming droplets or particles, and above all, contributes minimally to fire spread and smoke generation when exposed to flames.

Our most popular ceiling solutions meet this fire safety standard and include our OWAtecta S36 hook-on metal corridor ceiling system and OWAtecta S36 metal lay-on metal corridor ceiling system.

Acoustic performance

By their very nature, corridors can be busy and noisy spaces, so it’s important to look at ways to minimise sound transmission to the rooms above, below and adjacent. This is particularly important in educational facilities but also in hotels and residential schemes where the corridor areas may be in use both day and night. Our S36 lay-on and S36 hook-on metal ceiling systems address these issues. The systems incorporate demountable perforated panels with a black Royalin fleece that provide class C sound absorption as standard. Or, we can supply the panels with an additional acoustic pad/bag to meet class A requirements.

There is specific guidance available for the education sector, where the ceiling systems specified for corridor areas must comply with Building Bulletin 93, Acoustic Design of Schools, and Approved Document E of the Building Regulations. This means that corridor ceilings must have a minimum class C absorber equal or greater to the floor area to reduce sound transferring to the neighbouring classrooms.

Ease of installation – and maintenance

Our S36 system is also flexible in terms of installation – there is no need for a suspension grid or soffit fixings, and the wall brackets can help compensate for uneven walls. For projects that require a quick turnaround, or are part of the renovation of an older building, this can be hugely beneficial. Another key consideration for any corridor ceiling system is how well it can conceal service pipework above, and how easy it will facilitate access for future maintenance. All variations of our S36 metal system feature panels that are durable and easily demountable when access to the services overhead is needed.

If mineral tiles are preferred, we have our OWAlifetime S6a mineral lay-in corridor ceiling system. Comprising relatively few components to install, just demountable bevelled planks, C-channel ribs and a simple wall L-trim, our S6a lay-in system can provide a quick and effective solution for time-sensitive schemes.

Our Sinfonia 600 x 600 mm mineral tiles are another option for corridors, as they combine class A acoustics but also offer a low maintenance solution. As we manufacture all our mineral ceiling tiles to have virtually no VOC content, our Sinfonia ceiling tiles can also contribute to a more pleasant interior environment, making them ideal for busy communal areas. Available in both white and black, Sinfonia is also cost-effective tile and grid system, and a versatile option for different applications.

Inspirational interiors

Practical and performance criteria will dictate the most suitable type of ceiling system to use but corridors are much more than just functional spaces – they can make a real design statement in their own right. Our S36 hook-on metal corridor ceiling system will achieve a modern, shadow-gap effect between the edge of the ceiling panel and the wall which can add further depth and interest to corridor areas. The choice of both mesh and perforated finishes also gives greater flexibility, with the concealed-fixing system creating a sleek and elegant look. The choice of any RAL colour, plus the fact that the S36 system can incorporate bespoke lighting effects, can also give corridor ceilings a real design boost.

For certain schemes, such as commercial office spaces, it may be desirable to create an interior design that includes exposed soffits. Here, the use of creative ceiling solutions such as baffles, rafts and canopies can achieve this aesthetic while still providing good acoustic performance by reducing reverberation and distorting sound. Our extensive range includes the OWAtecta S16 tubular baffle, OWAtecta S19 linear baffle, OWAconsult FreeStyle baffle, and our new one-piece, metal OWAtecta S14 acoustic canopy. For general corridors, our stock 2m x 1m, white or black, S14 metal canopy kits may be suitable. They are available for quick despatch from our UK warehouse.

To find out more about how OWA can help you maximise the acoustic performance and aesthetic appeal of corridor ceilings, please contact our friendly team on 01753 552 489, or email enquiries@owa-ceilings.co.uk