Shadow Gaps, Ghost Profiles and LED Lines: Detailing a Stretch Ceiling Perimeter
Most people notice a stretch ceiling for what it does not have: no joins, no grid, no visible fixings. But the detail that decides whether a ceiling looks considered or merely tidy is the edge, where the membrane meets the wall. That edge is set by the profile, the aluminium track fixed around the room that holds the membrane in tension.
Every NeviTec profile is T6-grade aluminium, made in our Wellingborough facility, supplied in 2 m lengths and 100% recyclable. The profiles are fire rated B-s1, d0.
Flush and minimal-drop profiles
L Shape profile. Fixes to the wall rather than the ceiling, so it works even where the existing soffit cannot take a fixing. Gives a clean, flush edge.
F Ghost profile. Fixes directly to the ceiling and drops the new surface just 15 mm below the existing structure. The tightest fit we offer, ideal for refurbishments where every millimetre of headroom matters.
Separator profile. Joins two membranes where a single piece cannot span the whole ceiling, again with a 15 mm drop. The join stays clean, straight and structurally secure.
Shadow gaps and steps
Perimeter Shadow profile. Fixes to the wall and drops the ceiling 55 mm, with a crisp 25 mm shadow gap around the full perimeter. It reads as a deliberate architectural reveal rather than a hairline join, and it hides small irregularities in old walls.
H Ghost profile. Fixes to the wall and steps the membrane down 30 mm to form a sump, commonly used to house an integrated light box within the ceiling plane.
Lines of light
LED profile. A centre-line lighting profile, 35 mm wide and 20 mm below the ceiling plane, with an opal diffuser for an even, shadow-free strip of light.
Perimeter LED profiles 3.0 and 3.5. Run around the full edge of the room, 30 mm or 35 mm wide and 35 mm deep, washing the walls with soft light.
Perimeter LED profile 4.3. Combines an 18 mm light channel with a 7 mm harpoon groove, set back 27 mm from the wall to leave a defined shadow gap.
Choosing the right profile
Start with headroom. If the ceiling is already low, an F Ghost or L Shape profile keeps the drop to a minimum.
Look at the walls. Out-of-true walls in older buildings are much less noticeable behind a shadow gap.
Decide on lighting early. Perimeter LED profiles and light-box details need to be planned at specification stage, with drivers placed where they can be reached.
Think about joins. On wide spans, decide where a separator line will sit so it aligns with the architecture, or specify a membrane width that avoids one.
Allow for services. Downlights, sprinklers, detectors and vents are all cut in with bonded reinforcement rings, so plot them before the membrane is made.
Why it matters
The profile is the part of the ceiling a client never consciously sees, but it shapes everything they do see. Specify it with the same care as the finish, and the ceiling will read as part of the architecture rather than something added afterwards.
See every option on our PVC stretch profiles page, read about our installation process, or send us your drawings and we will recommend the right profile for each edge.
Comments