making good old downlighter apertures

[17thman]

Hi I am removing 20 downlighters and replacing them with another lighting solution. I have access from above, so the idea is to place a piece of cut out plasterboard over the hole from above using some bonding plaster or building adhesive. Then from below to fill the whole. What would be the best method of filling the whole to a good standard.

Should i pva the area and then fill with mutifinish and blend it in with a trowel and wet brush, but this may slump. or should i part fill with bonding plaster or other material, wait for it to dry and then use mutli finish or light filler for instance.

 

[Richard C]

Absolutely no need for all that fuss or access from above. Use a suitably sized hole saw to cut some plasterboard circles, you can then fit the plasterboard circles from below using a decent grab adhesive in & around the gap; use some masking tape to hold them in place if necessary. If you’re going to replaster the whole ceiling fit them flush, tape & re-skim with Multi but if you your just blending in, fit them 2mm below the ceiling plaster finish & fill out with “Easyfill”, sand & paint. You won’t get good results with Multi, it’s not meant to be sanded.

 

[emilybronte]

20 downlighters? Good grief. Sounds like Room 101.

 

[joe-90]

He's got his own substation in the garden.

 

[17thman]

Yes, its the "wuthering lights" that need to be removed

 

[xr4x4]

I do as Richard does with the plasterboard circles.

But I put a small piece of wood/batten through the hole and screw ethier side to fix, then screw plasterboard circle to wood...use a bit of grip fill if you wish for good measure.

Fill, sand and paint.

 

[emilybronte]

I do as Richard does with the plasterboard circles.

But I put a small piece of wood/batten through the hole and screw ethier side to fix, then screw plasterboard circle to wood...use a bit of grip fill if you wish for good measure.

Fill, sand and paint.

I would lose the will to live if I had to do that 20 times. In fact, it would probably not be much more expensive to have the whole ceiling boarded and skimmed.

 

[joe-90]

I'm with him^.

 

[Richard C]

In fact, it would probably not be much more expensive to have the whole ceiling boarded and skimmed.

Depends on the size of the celing really; filling 20 down lighter holes wouldn’t exactly fill me with joy but I don’t see how you can possibly figure that. With that many plugs, I would re-skim the whole ceiling rather than mess around with filler & sandpaper; but filling is probably an easier option for a DIY OP.

 

[joe-90]

I think you've got to at least skim the lot. I don't like easyfill anyway - too powdery and likely to cause peeling if not mist coated.

 

[paulandfrodo]

I'm voting for skim the whole lot. You'll go crazy as your going to see (in certain light conditions) all of those little dimples in your ceiling for years to come... Personally, I hate downlighters... Give me wall/wash lights any day.

 

[xr4x4]

I'm voting for skim the whole lot. You'll go crazy as your going to see (in certain light conditions) all of those little dimples in your ceiling for years to come... Personally, I hate downlighters... Give me wall/wash lights any day.

Good point, never had to do 20! Only one or two!

 

[deanibusmaximus]

I also have never done 20. but when do them, I use red devil lightweight filler. I'm just careful not to get too carried away with sanding, letting it set as much as possible. That stuff defies gravity too.

 

[emilybronte]

I'm with him^.

Who is 'him'?

 

[joe-90]

The post above. arrow^