issues with recessed lights when adding wood ceiling?
DoRight
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
What are the issues associated with recessed lights and adding a wood ceiling to an existing drywalled ceiling and what are the fixes?
The cans are flush with the drywall currently.
Will there be issues with the bulbs in the cans sitting to high? Are there issues with the trims? Is there an issue of a fire risk with the wood edges exposed, or are can recess cans be extended? Other concerns?
Replies
No issues at all. Technology to the rescue. The new Led cans aren't cans at all but just little thin pucks. The actual light is about the same thickness as a piece of drywall. The only thing that goes into the ceiling is the driver which is smaller than a pack of cigarettes.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=led+can+lights
Use existing cans?
If I understand correctly you are asking if the existing cans can be left in place. If so, yes. They can be (ought to be) adjustable. Set them down through the drywall. They don't have to be set even with the face of the wood paneling. For added safety, make sure your paneling does not touch the (metal) cans. Use LED bulbs if possible.
If this will not work, open up the ceiling, install new, adjustable cans, and close the ceiling. Then panel.
user-2409187
Thanks "user".. Yes existing sloped cans in drywall. They are not specifically LED, just old school cans. I was not sure ifyou neeed to add some form of extension. Technically if your outlet boxes are recessed more than and 1/8 of an inch or is that 1/4 inch you are supposed to by code add extensions. Kind of silly as drywall is not flameible. However wood is flameable and might be an issue when adding a wood ceiling over drywall. I would not think so, but again, there is code. I also was not sure if the trims can be dropped down the needed 5/8 or 3/4 inch for the added thickness of wood. I beleive you can adjust the sockets themselves lower, but by how much?
Hey DoRight, Most older cans have the housing and the "can" with the bulb socket in it, then some type of baffle and trim. After removing the baffle and trim, the can slides up and down inside the housing allowing for a few inches of adjustability. If you are adding 3/4" or so to the ceiling then you should be fine. But like Florida said, I would be inclined to ditch the old fixtures and use the new LED recessed that look like a regular can, albeit with a flat shower trim on it. Google "Lithonia LED wafer" light as an example. They would be good for your circumstance especially if this ceiling is cathedral and insulated... ditch the heat producing old cans, put insulation back where it should be, and install these simple fixtures that will use almost no electricity (I think 13 watts or so). The color temperature is really nice too for LED. Good luck.
Actually this is new construction and new cans in a DIY build.
I bought the cans, installed them, build really nice insulated boxes around them and had the catheral spray foamed. Should be nice and tight.
Should I have put in led cans? i suppose, but i did not know anything abut them and figured I could be flexible and use whatever bulb i wnatned in them. If you build an entire house for the first time there are thousands of things to research , all takes time and some things give. So I have "new" "old" cans. Hate to cut them out.
Ok, so why am I asking about adding a wood ceiling? Well ask the wife why plans change on a monthly basis. Another problem with a multi-year build, you or the wife have alot of time to rethink and redsign the house as you go along. Soooooooooooooo, drywall ceiling or cedar? now it is cedar.
ed cans are so much cooler and use so much less power. Sounds like you built yourboxes right but you can still use Led lights in your cans or install the pucks on the wood ceiling.
It is a good practice to extend the body of the can at least partially into the finish material. Avoid direct contact with the wood ceiling.
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