Want to add downlights to fire surround

[homefromhell]

hi everyone,

I've bought a second-hand fireplace. The surround/mantlepiece is made out of resin and i don't want to break it.

1. I want to add downlights to make it standout.
2. I also want to hide the downlights, so its not easy to see their round metal shell...is this possible?
3. Lastly can you give me any ideas to somehow hide an on/off switch for these lights?

Here is the fire surround i'm referring to.

Thanks very much!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It is going to be very difficult to totally hide the casing of the downlights.
The only way I see possible is be either by fitting a flange in front of them that matches your fire surround or by cutting a recess for the casing to sit in.
But cutting the recess will not be straight forward, could need a special router bit to do this. And you would also have to consider the thickness of the material you are working on, as it may not be possible to do this and allow the springs of the downlights to hold securely.
Might be worth doing a search and try sourcing downlights that are a close colour match to the mantelpiece.

 

[cantaloup63]

Where exactly do you intend to place these downlights - I'm struggling to picture the effect

As for concealing the switch, you could quite easily put the switch anywhere - possible even where the main light switch to the room is if you have sufficient access Or you could operate it via remote control.

 

[homefromhell]

@ prentice - surely i can use a drill with a large round hollow bit and make a hole? The resin material is approx 1.5cm thick.

@ cantal - below is a photo attached showing roughly where the lights will go.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

@ prentice - surely i can use a drill with a large round hollow bit and make a hole? The resin material is approx 1.5cm thick.

You can, but if you want the fitting to be recessed, so not visible, you will need to create some kind of countersink for the fitting to sit in. So depending on the depth of the casing on the fitting, this could prove to be a problem and a hole saw would not be best used to make the recess that's why I suggested a router.
Another alternative would be to cut a hole the size of the whole fitting so it can slot in/out, then fix something solid in the top of the hole, and then cut the hole to the recommended cut out size for housing the fitting..

 

[homefromhell]

You can, but if you want the fitting to be recessed, so not visible, you will need to create some kind of countersink for the fitting to sit in. So depending on the depth of the casing on the fitting, this could prove to be a problem and a hole saw would not be best used to make the recess that's why I suggested a router.
Another alternative would be to cut a hole the size of the whole fitting so it can slot in/out, then fix something solid in the top of the hole, and then cut the hole to the recommended cut out size for housing the fitting..

My plan was the following:-

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

But the gauge of the larger hole saw must be slightly larger than the flange\Rim of the fitting for that to work.
The outer rims are normally well over 10mm.
I do not know of a hole saw with that size gauge!

 

[homefromhell]

i think your right mate. It now sounding like more headache than worth it. Someone mentioned that i could have "rope lights", but i'm just a bit confused as to how i can add them to this fire surround.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

you could use rope lights, but you ain't going to hide them.
The fixing of them you will need mounting clips, it would be possible to stick these to the mantelpiece, using double sided pads.
http://www.sparksdirect.co.uk/rope-light-mounting-clips-p-2081.html
http://www.tapes-direct.co.uk/index...ducts_id=804&zenid=1u1h0q8b3ivv3fthcft30aldp0

 

[cantaloup63]

Do you intend to use this fireplace purely as a decorative feature, or will there actually be some kinf of heater involved? I'm playing with the idea of you pushing the black surround further back and creating a recess skirting into which you could insert your downlighting. In which case you wouldn't need to do any drilling out of the resin surround since all of the lights could be placed behind it and above the lower edge of it.

 

[homefromhell]

@ prentice - if i can't hide the ropes, surely that would look daft and cheap?

@ cantal - i intend to use a proper gas heater. I can add possibly add a recess skirting, but again this would not match the fire mantlepiece and also wouldn't it have to go on top and left/right sides?

 

[cantaloup63]

@ cantal - i intend to use a proper gas heater. I can add possibly add a recess skirting, but again this would not match the fire mantlepiece and also wouldn't it have to go on top and left/right sides?

Yes - I thought that you'd be able to get a replacement insert or match it somehow. Anyway, since you're going to have heat in there the subject's academic now

 

[homefromhell]

i think its not worth it

i've given up

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

i've given up

A Yorkshireman and you have given up

 

[Alarm]

By ekkythump!