I've just realised the 76mm holes I've drilled for my bathroom GU10 downlighters should have been 72mm so the inner bit of the light pulls itself (due to the springed arms) into the loft and the glass + chrome bit falls down into the bathroom. Which isn't the plan.

So how can I add 2mm to the inside of a hole I've already cut-out? I could try just plastering it but it'll be a PITA to try and get a constant depth all the way round and I suspect it'd crack off as soon as I put the lights in place! I wondered about no-more-nailing some 2mm thick material (yet to be decided) to the inside of the hole in the ceiling (annoyingly it's lath + plaster so I can't just wack in a new big bit of plasterboard.... If I could find some 72mm ID/ 76mm OD pipe I could glue a section of that in place but I suspect the chance is small!!

Any genius ideas? I did try asking the wife if she had any ideas but after 30 minutes of talking she still hadn't grasped why the lamp was disappearing through the hole that was too big so I gave up hope......

Of course what I could do (seeing as I have access from the top of the lights from the loft) is to glue the two parts of the light together and well and truly glue it to the ceiling and just change the bulbs (if I ever need to) by going up into the loft

make spacer the size you want,cut a slot in the roof, slide the spacer through the slot and pull it down. job done

2mm thick ally strip cut 232.5 long.

Bend round a tin/pipe/bottle/etc to form a ring.

Two cuts 10mm apart in three places (6 cuts) and bend down to form tabs.

Insert from above so it sits on the tabs.

Blob of mastic. Job done.

Paul G

find some slightly bigger lights?!

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Originally posted by JoelP
find some slightly bigger lights?!

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yes, finding some 76mm lights would be the best option but yes, I do wonder whether something like the ali sleeve is an option.... Otherwise I think the 2mm ali tube and a bit of epoxy to snot it in place might be the best option But yes- if I put the springs on top of the tabs it would hold the whole shooting match in place

What about drilling a fresh bit of wood the correct size, fixing it to the top of the ceiling (from the loft side), thus stopping the lights from disappearing and then if necessary, find some kind of filler if there is a gap between the light and the original plaster board.

It's a good idea but it wouldn't work The flange designed to clamp up against the underside of the ceiling would still be able to pull through the hole until it got to the bit of wood...

What about sticking some more plasterboard or wood over the top of the hole from the loft side, plastering over the top of it from the bathroom side so you have a nice flat ceiling again, and then drilling a new hole?

The wood should support the new plaster, which will stop it from cracking when the light is put back in.

[Edited on 15/5/10 by Tatey]

Yup, it's a tempting option. Only issue is the lath + plaster is about 30mm thick so with some plasterboard as well it'll be getting quite thick for the short arms. Then again that will reduce the "pull" of the light up into the loft..... A good idea!

Shame its lath & plaster.. you could cut some squares of plasterboard, drill the required size in them, then cut the squares into the ceiling and plaster them in..

sorted

A note of caution... I had to put in dropped ceilngs made of plasterboard as I was told downlighters can get hot enough to burn the lathes...

Not sure about the blue colour but it is a tempting issue. I'm certainly got to keep a very close eye on the laths when the lights are on!!! Maybe cutting back and in-filling with plasterboard isn't such a bad option though

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Originally posted by keithice
A note of caution... I had to put in dropped ceilngs made of plasterboard as I was told downlighters can get hot enough to burn the lathes...

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Originally posted by skinned knuckles

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Originally posted by keithice
A note of caution... I had to put in dropped ceilngs made of plasterboard as I was told downlighters can get hot enough to burn the lathes...

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correct. i hope the lights you are fitting are the sealed units with a fire rating? have seen a couple of nasty house fires caused by these lights now. be careful.

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New holes, just to the side, and plaster over the old holes ? how many did you cut???.....I have fitted expensive chip LED GU10 4-5w equivalents and they run cold.

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Originally posted by oldtimer
New holes, just to the side, and plaster over the old holes ? how many did you cut???.....I have fitted expensive chip LED GU10 4-5w equivalents and they run cold.

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Okay. Here's the plan!

76mm O/D 1.6mm wall thickness ali tube. Cut a square piece of 12mm ply, use the 76mm hole cutter (in the bench drill) to make a nice square edged hole, put a piece of the tube in the ply, glue it in place with some 24hr araldite. Then glue it onto the top of the lath + plaster using plasterboard adhesive.

simples

And then probably chicken out and use some LED lamps cos they're pretty close to the beams!!

So the holes are the same diameter as the lights? just fit some squares of plasterboard in the loft above the existing holes, drill new 72mm holes (the correct diameter) and have flushfit lights.