Downlight Fixing

[jlperry]

Hi all,

Got to change some downlights but she thinks she new lights have a slightly smaller diameter. If the new light does not cover the existing holes what should I do?

Cheers

 

[Technician]

Is the ceiling plasterboard or the traditional lath & plaster?

I have done this sort of thing before by "letting in" a new

piece of plaster board, skimming it after fitting, but having

the hole cut to the right size before it went up.  Others may

have other ideas.

 

[steptoe]

How much slightly smaller?

Downlights usually have a good 5mm or more tolerance.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Paint, caulk, filler,  chewing gum. Your choice.  If the  new lights are significant smaller it would probably work out cheaper to  purchase a different light that has the same or bigger footprint than the existing .

 

[m4tty]

+1^^ or buy them lovely converter plates which look pukka id get lights to fit the hole

 

[Blue Duck]

Just ripped out some today where someone used caulk and stuck one of the bulbs in! Absolute freakin mess holes in joists etc.

replaced with a 2d bulkhead!  :slap

As previous answers they should fit if not get some converter plates

 

[kerching]

Sometimes you can get away with fitting adjustable downlights as the hole required is slightly larger...not going to help much in your case but.....

just saying

 

[Theorysparky]

re board the ceiling ,,,,skim it ,, mark it out ,, install new lights

or just move the lights over and fill

or tell her she is incompetent, slap her, nick her cake and leave ???

possibilities are endless !!!

 

[Evans Electric]

In a case such as this you need to buy fittings to suit the holes .

Or, I recently did a job where very large , olde fashioned recessed lights came out  ., drilled a new hole next to the old and got a plasterer in  to patch.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

In a case such as this you need to buy fittings to suit the holes .

Or, I recently did a job where very large , olde fashioned recessed lights came out  ., drilled a new hole next to the old and got a plasterer in  to patch.

Probably filled all the new holes in and  left a rough hole where the old ones were.

 

[Blue Duck]

Probably filled all the new holes in and  left a rough hole where the old ones were.

:slap

 

[jlperry]

Thanks for all you tips guys, I will be able to think about it when i have stopped laughing  :slap

 

[Robin Spark]

Ive got some kitchen downlights to swap over next week. The trouble is the holes are a right old mess, not circular cut outs but more like the previous spark used his rat to chew out rough holes in the plasterboard!

 

[NozSpark]

In that situation I'd find the largest down lighters that I could and cut a hole in a thin piece of ply to use as a template to hold the hole saw in place

 

[steptoe]

Whats wrong with a single edged padsaw?

 

[Robin Spark]

Haha,

well i was going to use a combination of your two ideas.

I am going to cut out a piece of ply with the correct size holesaw, then use this to draw around whilst held up to the ceiling (ensuring i had all of the previous hole covered) and then use a padsaw to cut out as best as possible.

BTW Noz, liking your idea of the ply template to hold the holeswaw steady, i take it youve done that before?

 

[Zeespark]

Why not put the old sized holesaw inside the new one and let the old one guide you? :innocent

Andy Guinness

 

[NozSpark]

I have Robin... and it worked a treat

 

[Andy™]

if your making the hole bigger, then use a holesaw the same size as existing hole as a pilot. no need for a hole in plywood

 

[NozSpark]

if your making the hole bigger, then use a holesaw the same size as existing hole as a pilot. no need for a hole in plywood

Unless the exisitng hole is a misshaped mess