Downlight clips are destroying my plasterboard ceiling

[veedee]

I am decorating my ceiling and as a result i have pulled my downlights down to be able to paint under and not around the light

However the clips are very tight and upon removal they create a significant indentation in my plasterboard ceiling

Is there something (like plastic) that i can place on the clips in order to avoid this?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

There is a plastic repair and reinforcing sleeve you can buy, but I have never needed them so I cannot remember much about them.

I think I have seen mention of them in this forum, so worth a search..

 

[Notch7]

Downlight clips are like mousetraps -they are proper finger pinchers.

I find if the downlight is pulled down enough to get fingers up to hold the clips back they release from the hole ok, but you have to make you have hold of both clips firmly or swearing ensues.

 

[JP_]

Had them in my last house, hated them! Never again.