A dropped ceiling is a ceiling built lower than the original one, and it often uses a metal frame suspended from the original surface with wires. To fill in the ceiling surface, lightweight tiles fit down into the metal frame. Common settings for dropped ceilings are finished basements and commercial offices. Such installations offer a way to finish a space without enclosing the ceiling with a permanent finish. In a basement, this allows home owners to get access to plumbing, electrical and other house systems that often hug the basement ceiling. In a commercial space, a dropped ceiling offers the same coverage for vital systems. They are also common in older homes with extra high ceilings as it is easy to bring the ceiling line down without the need for permanent construction.
