Everything you need to know about ceiling clips, coffered ceilings and acoustic mounts: courtesy of Kerrie and Spence

One of the biggest dramas on this season of The Block has been about a tiny, invisible component that few contractors, let alone renovators, might have seen or know exists. More specifically, 170 of them.

We’re talking about acoustic ceiling mounts, also known as ceiling clips, which Kerrie and Spence used when installing a dramatic coffered ceiling in their open-plan living and dining area.

Using the wrong type of clip, however, meant Kerrie and Spence had to replace all 170 clips already installed, costing them a whole day and almost leading to the couple walking off The Block.

But what exactly is a ceiling clip, and why does the type of mount matter? And what is a coffered ceiling anyway?

What is a suspended ceiling?

A typical ceiling is composed of plasterboard sheets secured directly to the ceiling joists, using screws and adhesive.

A suspended, or dropped, ceiling is hung just below the ceiling joists. This is usually done to allow space for services such as wiring, lighting, ventilation, or plumbing, or to create further architectural features.

To install a suspended ceiling, plasterboard or ceiling sheets are secured to a framework attached to the building structure itself, using a series of clips or mounts.

Related: View the five Gatwick apartments for sale

• Kerrie and Spence: 1/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Hans and Courtney: 2/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Sara and Hayden: 3/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Norm and Jess: 4/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Bianca and Carla: 5/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

What is an acoustic ceiling mount?

Anyone who has lived in an apartment knows that noise from neighbouring properties is one of the biggest downs of apartment living.

For this reason, acoustic ceiling mounts are used to prevent sound from the floors above being transmitted into the apartment below.

Prior to The Block apartments being fitted out, engineers were engaged to provide advice on specifications for every component that could be used in the apartments.

Sound engineers recommended a certain type of ceiling mount be used to prevent sound transmission. However, Kerrie and Spence’s plasterer installed a different kind of mount, and although it may have been effective, it wasn’t the type insisted on by The Block engineer.

When challenged on their use of the clip by site foreman Dan Reilly, the game was up, and all 170 mounts had to be removed to make the living and dining room compliant, an arduous process that caused an incredible amount of stress for everyone involved.

What is a coffered ceiling?

A coffered ceiling is composed of an intricate series of sunken recesses, instead of the single seamless surface typical in most homes. It’s a classical architectural component, with one of the most notable examples to be found in the Pantheon in Rome.

Coffered ceilings cast shadows that catch the eye, creating a sense of old-world opulence usually found in high-end homes – they were a status symbol in the homes of wealthy people during the 19th century.

The coffered ceiling has become one of Kerrie and Spence’s signatures, with the technique used by the couple in the children’s bedroom in week one.

“It’s a main feature of the property when you walk in,” said real estate agent Emily Adams of Hocking Stuart Albert Park, who is selling the couple’s apartment. “It’s something that draws your attention, it builds a really warm and homely type feeling.”

Coffered ceilings can also be used to conceal imperfections, and can make the ceilings appear higher.

“It can also help with acoustics,” Ms Adams said. “That living and dining room is really large, so that’s another benefit people might not realise.”

Is a coffered ceiling worth the investment?

Time is money when renovating, and any labour-intensive feature is going to cost more. A coffered ceiling is not only time-consuming to install, but also requires specialised carpentry and materials.

Coffered ceilings can enhance period homes, adding detail that may have been lost over the years, and the technique is uncommon, so could be more desirable to a buyer because of that. “They’re a rarity,” Ms Adams said. “They were once quite popular but they’re not that common nowadays because of the cost and the time.”

“The coffered ceilings really help to add character,” Ms Adams said. “It really enhances the room and the value of the property.”

Take a look inside The Block apartments.