Metal ceiling tiles add an authentic look to a kitchen ceiling in an old home. They also create a unique sense of style in a modern home as well. You can buy antique tin ceiling tiles or have a metal fabricator customise tiles for you. Whether you decide to buy custom tiles or pre-made ones, there are several elements you should keep in mind:

1. Heat-Resistance

In the kitchen, your metal ceiling tiles are likely to be exposed to a lot of heat. So that they don't get very hot and potentially create a fire risk, you need to choose a metal that is heat resistant. For example, alloys with mixtures of stainless steel, chrome, nickel, copper, titanium and several other types of metals tend to work best in situations with high temps. This is also great to keep in mind if you plan to make a splashback behind your stovetop with the same tiles you use on your ceiling.

2. Corrosion-Resistance

In addition to heat resistance, you need metal ceiling tiles that can resist corrosion. This ensures that your tiles will stand the test of time without degrading. Luckily, most of the metals that are heat resistant also resist corrosion. However, you may also want to talk with the metal fabricator about adding a corrosion-resistant coating.

3. Non-Stick Coating

Just as it's easier to clean greasy splatters and cooked on food off a pan with a non-stick coating, it's also easier to clean metal ceiling tiles that have a non-stick coating. This is especially important if you like to use a lot of oil or butter in cooking and tend to get a lot of splatters. For example, commercial kitchens, in particular, or home kitchens that are used a lot can benefit from this type of coating.

4. Acoustical Considerations

Don't want noise bouncing around your kitchen? Have an open floor plan home and want to prevent the noise from the kitchen from migrating into the nearby lounge or dining spaces? Then, you also want to consider acoustics when choosing your metal tiles. To that end, look for microperforated performance panels that promise to absorb noise when combined with acoustical tiles.

5. Compatibility With Dropped Ceiling Grids

In some cases, people use metal ceiling tiles to create dropped ceilings. For example, if you need to add ductwork above your kitchen, this idea can be useful. In that case, you need to ensure that the panels are the right size to fit into the dropped grid you are using. You may also want customised lips that extend over the grid to hide it.