Dropping Ceilings for spot lights

[Tallest DIYer]

Hi Guys,

I hope you are well.

My current ceiling is concrete and I would like to drop my ceiling to so that I can add spot lights. I will be adding 2x4 around the perimeter and then add 2x4 joists 40cm a part. My only concern is that I my room size is 380.8cm x 392cm. I live on the top floor so I do not think I can get a 4.5m 2x4 pieces of wood up here.

Could i get a 3m 2x4 pieces and then cut a smaller piece to make the difference?

If so, how will I join the 2 piece of 2x4 to make the distance of the room?

Will this create sag?

Also what is the best and safest direction to run the studs.

I will only be putting plasterboards that weigh 28kg per board and 9 spot lights.

I have attached the room layout for reference.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Notch7]

yes you could do that, you would need to screw another piece alongside the joists, say a piece 1.2 long so you have 0.6 either side of the join

I would use timber lok screws to pull them together

Spectre Timber Fixing Screw

If you’ve got a garden decking to assemble or a fence to fix, these Spectre timber fixing screws are just what you need. They’re strong, durable and incredibly easy to drive – a dependable choice for any timber, fencing or landscaping applications.With a Type 17 slash point, working with harder...

www.toolstation.com

you need a driver bit for them as well


join them before putting them up so you can screw at 90 degrees, put a pair of screws at each fixing point, but not directly one above the other -stagger them by say 75mm. maybe total of 8 screws per joining piece

oh an I would do the joins alternate ends as well

you could use joists hangers, if so Id suggest fitting them before putting up your wall plates

 

[Tallest DIYer]

yes you could do that, you would need to screw another piece alongside the joists, say a piece 1.2 long so you have 0.6 either side of the join

I would use timber lok screws to pull them together

Spectre Timber Fixing Screw

If you’ve got a garden decking to assemble or a fence to fix, these Spectre timber fixing screws are just what you need. They’re strong, durable and incredibly easy to drive – a dependable choice for any timber, fencing or landscaping applications.With a Type 17 slash point, working with harder...

www.toolstation.com

you need a driver bit for them as well


join them before putting them up so you can screw at 90 degrees, put a pair of screws at each fixing point, but not directly one above the other -stagger them by say 75mm. maybe total of 8 screws per joining piece

oh an I would do the joins alternate ends as well

you could use joists hangers, if so Id suggest fitting them before putting up your wall plates

Thank you so much for your help.

This is what I got from your message:

The green lines are 2x4 pieces of wood
The red lines are the 3m 2x4
the blue lines are the 1.2m pieces.

Yellow arrows: showing 8 screws staggered on each side

 

[Deluks]

Does anyone live above you?
You could just fix the timber straight to the concrete using angle brackets and this type of screw.

You could also use 2*1 timber battens for ease of handling, counter batten with the same, and you could use low profile downlights to save on lost headroom.

 

[Tallest DIYer]

Does anyone live above you?
You could just fix the timber straight to the concrete using angle brackets and this type of screw.

View attachment 334435

You could also use 2*1 timber battens for ease of handling, counter batten with the same, and you could use low profile downlights to save on lost headroom.

Thank you for the message.

No one lives on top of me. We were thinking to drop the ceiling down by13cm. So I don't think this would be a viable solution for us.

But I will give this option some thought , if I am unable to make things work.

Thank you once again.

 

[mrrusty]

Personally, rather than fit a substantial structure with self-supporting full width joists, I'd just build a lightweight suspended ceiling suspended on wires or brackets. You could still plasterboard and skim it, or use one of the lightweight plank systems if you like that idea.

Either DIY a lightweight frame or even use one of the commercial systems https://materialsmarket.com/plasterboard-drylining/metal-studs-ceilings/mf-ceiling-system

 

[Tallest DIYer]

Personally, rather than fit a substantial structure with self-supporting full width joists, I'd just build a lightweight suspended ceiling suspended on wires or brackets. You could still plasterboard and skim it, or use one of the lightweight plank systems if you like that idea.

Either DIY a lightweight frame or even use one of the commercial systems https://materialsmarket.com/plasterboard-drylining/metal-studs-ceilings/mf-ceiling-system

Thank you for the response. Do you have an example of what this looks like?

 

[mrrusty]

It looks like a plasterboard ceiling! - just go online and look for MF ceiling installation guides. It's a kit of metal sections you fit up, suspend from brackets or wires and then screw the plasterboard panels to. Loads of different manufacturers and systems out there. e.g. https://mf-ceilings.co.uk/how-to-install-mf-ceilings/

 

[Notch7]

Thank you so much for your help.

This is what I got from your message:

The green lines are 2x4 pieces of wood
The red lines are the 3m 2x4
the blue lines are the 1.2m pieces.

Yellow arrows: showing 8 screws staggered on each side


View attachment 334434

Yup, pretty much like that


A metal suspended ceiling is a good option too, if you can screw into the ceiling

 

[Tallest DIYer]

It looks like a plasterboard ceiling! - just go online and look for MF ceiling installation guides. It's a kit of metal sections you fit up, suspend from brackets or wires and then screw the plasterboard panels to. Loads of different manufacturers and systems out there. e.g. https://mf-ceilings.co.uk/how-to-install-mf-ceilings/

Thank you very much! This is really helpful!

 

[Tallest DIYer]

Yup, pretty much like that


A metal suspended ceiling is a good option too, if you can screw into the ceiling

Nice! Thank you so much for your help!
Have a lovely day