IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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possible?
I cant lift the flooring upstairs is it still possible to fit the down lights?
I know I'm going to struggle getting the wiring in but was thinking could I cut into the existing ceiling and get it patched up by a plasterer?
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Why can't you lift the flooring?
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Jon_C
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Registered: 7th Dec 05
Location: Suffolk
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Perhaps he lives in a flat
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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It's getting the wiring between the beams that's the hassle and you'll be taking fair ol' chunks out of the ceiling. Certainly doable though.
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pow
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Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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Dad and I have done it but we had the ceiling plastered straight after as we ducked under the beams where we could.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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You can push the wiring through the ceiling with some kind of flexible pole if you've got long distances to cover and you're having trouble with it. You can get things like this which will do the trick:
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-401414/sealey-vs8181.html
You're going to have issues when you hit the ceiling structure though. As you've already said, you're probably going to need to cut into the ceiling to make holes for your cables - I've found that a large hole saw can help because you can keep the board you've cut out for the repair.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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Oh, a stud/wire/pipe detector can come in handy too if you're cutting chunks out of a wall/ceiling with unknown things behind it!
[Edited on 28-07-2014 by ed]
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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think its more effort than its worth tbh
probably just leave it
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Square hole beside each stud big enough to stick a drill through. Some string and a couple of the wee pole things and that'll do.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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I had same issue so just ended up putting up another ceiling a couple of inches lower. It needed skiming anyway to get rid of the artex so for an extra £100~ and to remove the issues it was a no brainer for me.
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Nismo
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Registered: 12th Sep 02
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All depends which way the joists go and where you want your down lights to go, you may find the joists go the way the lights go and then you only have to use rods to pull/push th enables along.
Another option as Toby mentioned is use 1" batten and put a new ceiling in.
crap google image but you get the idea.
[Edited on 29-07-2014 by Nismo]
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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how low can I make the ceiling? I have coving, so could I drop the ceiling below that? 4" lower?
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Nismo
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Registered: 12th Sep 02
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Its your ceiling do as you want, no ceiling police round here 
i suppose it really go's on how much decorating you want to do and how much you want to spend?
You could remove the coving (and refit if you want to keep / fit new) and repaint the walls.
Lowering a ceiling by 1/2" is not noticeable through rooms, lowering it 4/5" will be, but its your call.
[Edited on 29-07-2014 by Nismo]
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Coving is really cheap, I don't thu k anyone would reuse, that's if you could get it off without damage.
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RichR
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Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Nismo
don't see the point of this, why not just drop the original ceiling and secure the new boards to the original joists? You're going to be skimming it anyway and what are the new battens fixed to?
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Less mess doing it that way instead of pulling the ceiling down and saves you time in clearing the mess.
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RichR
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Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Seems mickey mouse; dropping ceilings doesn't make that much mess or take that long unless its lath and plaster in which case I'd still drop it.
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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absolutely no point in dropping the ceiling. just rip the original boards down rewire , board and.skim. easy.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Actually, if thinking about dropping it, just make holes everywhere then board straight onto the other stuff.
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Nismo
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Registered: 12th Sep 02
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i was only saying to do it that way for ease and less mess, yeah if your going to do the whole lot then it makes perfect sense to just rip the old ceiling down in sections and reboard / skim.
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RichR
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Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Depends how many access holes are required and how many lights you're fitting; decent plasterer will patch a hole without it ever being noticeable so long as it's less than a trowel's width but it takes time to do so more holes = more time and eventually you'll be better off just reboarding and skimming the whole thing. I hate skimming ceilings without doing walls as well though as not being able to scrim the corners can give headaches unless you're coving.
[Edited on 29-07-2014 by RichR]
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Any Joe with a bag of easy fill and some sand paper can patch a hole so you can't see it. I'd say a plasterer has skill on a far larger area than that. Even boarding it, easy fill and patience will cover the joints, no need for plastering.
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Dave
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Registered: 26th Feb 01
Location: Lancs
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Fuck me not this shit again. I've now realised who RichR is though.
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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Im not wanting to keep the coving. I was wondering about dropping the ceiling below the existing coving so I dont have to remove it
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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lights are getting the first fix today! plasterer coming next week to patch it up/skim
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