Anyone got any drawings they’ve made for finding downlights in a new ceiling?

[ManchesterKirchoff]

So I’m an apprentice and only get to do downlighter jobs as foreigners at the weekend, but they’re typically added when the customer no longer wants a pendant so the ceiling is already finished and I’ve never seen downlights being wired while the ceiling is exposed and then finding them after.

Was just wondering if people had any drawings spare to share which shows what they include and where they measure off to find the downlights? Wouldn’t want to be in a scenario where I’ve wired them, ceiling goes up and then I do the measurements all wrong and can’t find them or are unevenly spaced.

Thanks in advance!

 

[littlespark]

The distances are completely down to the size of room, and what the room is/ how it’s designed.
Kitchens, bathrooms, and maybe long hallways. Not in bedrooms…. Unless it’s a development show home.

The one on our street when new had about 80 downlights… all halogen, all on 24/7. The ceilings were so dry and brittle, they started falling in.


On a finished ceiling, you would be very lucky not to hit a joist first time through measure alone.
Sometimes you can pick out the screws with a magnet or where the plaster is chipping off and work from there.

In a kitchen, I start off 700mm from the wall, so any worktop is illuminated and wall units don’t cast shadows… and anything from 800-1100 between fittings. However it looks best.

watch out for tall larder cupboards, where there are no wall units.


Scale drawings are good to work off. Draw in where the joists are, and distances between centres.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I always measure all downlights from whichever wall I feel is going to change the least after the builders have finished.
I.e. if they are battening out one of the walls and the other wall is just being skimmed, then I will take the measurements from the wall being skimmed.

I also make a note saying something like (for example) 'measurements have assumed finished wall 25mm dot and dab. When the builders have finished I can ask them if they did 25mm dot and dab, or if they completely changed it for something else, in which case I need to change my measurements accordingly.

I also take measurements of any of the joists that are going to be fairly close to the downlights, just so I know I have to be pretty spot on with that downlight.

I take a picture of my drawings, as if I lose them It would be an absolute nightmare!

 

[Dustydazzler]

I used to carry a note pad and scribble all my measurements down for where the DL are in each room. Once it came to cutting the holes I would measure everything out on the ceiling often using a chalk line and then pop up a small screwdriver and wiggle it around to just check it was all clear.
from my experience teh worst enemy of any sparks was the celotex builders would put in teh voids which would often needs hacking back to get the blooming light to fit in the hole

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I used to carry a note pad and scribble all my measurements down for where the DL are in each room. Once it came to cutting the holes I would measure everything out on the ceiling often using a chalk line and then pop up a small screwdriver and wiggle it around to just check it was all clear.
from my experience teh worst enemy of any sparks was the celotex builders would put in teh voids which would often needs hacking back to get the blooming light to fit in the hole

Yes, completely agree! I have had to drill it into the builders that they HAVE to cut a nice big hole in the celotex where the position of the downlight will be. I remember the first few times they didn't do this and it was a bloody nightmare trying to get the cable. They always cut a hole now, and leave the cable in the hole

 

[DefyG]

teh worst enemy of any sparks was the celotex builders

And plumbers who just happened to put a waste or soil pipe directly inline with a recessed light and you only discover it when you've marked out the grid and started cutting into the new finished ceiling!!

 

[Dustydazzler]

And plumbers who just happened to put a waste or soil pipe directly inline with a recessed light and you only discover it when you've marked out the grid and started cutting into the new finished ceiling!!

Many moons ago I worked with a sparks who just carried on pushing the hole saw straight into the waste pipe and continued to fit the light.
Never saw him again...

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Just found one of my old drawings.

Please take into account... It's not drawn with being put on a forum in mind!

Notice how joists (in this case the noggins) can be different measurements away from the same wall, which can be a problem. Noggins get in the way. Sky lights have stacks of wood/joists around them, plus they generally get in the way and force you to change your design. Do you make the downlights symmetrical to the skylight or room (generally the room)?? Downlight number 4 has to be brought further into the room because of a very tall fridge/freezer which would have meant the light is directly above and doing nothing. Lots of decisions.

One last point, I nearly always put my downlights 500 - 550mm away from the finished wall surface (in a kitchen). Any further away from the wall than this and you will start casting shadow when standing at the worktop (which is likely to be 600mm width). It would be interesting to know if others do this.

 

[littlespark]

Just an additional note on this.

I’m currently rewiring a double garage into a man cave. Roughly 6.5m square building.

there’s going to be 3 rows of 3 downlights in a square, and also a square within this square with 4 Bluetooth speakers in the ceiling.

Careful measurements.
The joists aren’t regularly spaced

 

[Mike Johnson]

Can someone explain to me what this means:

"So I’m an apprentice and only get to do downlighter jobs as foreigners at the weekend"

Get hold of the builders plans of the joist layout and work around that for any positioning of downlighter's, if the joists are out of position it's the builders problem and they have to get the plasterers back to make good.

 

[Mikegh]

Can someone explain to me what this means:

"So I’m an apprentice and only get to do downlighter jobs as foreigners at the weekend"

Get hold of the builders plans of the joist layout and work around that for any positioning of downlighter's, if the joists are out of position it's the builders problem and they have to get the plasterers back to make good.

Foreigners means nixers

 

[Mike Johnson]

? still none the wiser.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Foreigners means nixers

Can somebody explain to me what 'nixers' means please?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

? still none the wiser.

I guessed that foreigners meant 'jobs on the side', 'off the books', 'cobbles' etc etc. Never heard of the term nixers though

 

[Dustydazzler]

were always called homers or PJs ( private jobs ) when I was emplyed

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think half the time we enjoy writing the responses more than the OP's do reading them! I'm sure they don't even see them half the time. Then again, us regulars are a bit sad and perhaps live on the forum a little too often

 

[Dustydazzler]

I think half the time we enjoy writing the responses more than the OP's do reading them! I'm sure they don't even see them half the time. Then again, us regulars are a bit sad and perhaps live on the forum a little too often

when I am bored at work I often visit this forum or like when I am just sitting watching telly

 

[nicebutdim]

I've heard downlights described as finger traps, but feel truly sorry for the OP

Urban Dictionary: nixxer

One whom had a failed circumsicion.

www.urbandictionary.com

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I've heard downlights described as finger traps, but feel truly sorry for the OP

Urban Dictionary: nixxer

One whom had a failed circumsicion.

www.urbandictionary.com

I wouldn't worry. I think he's long gone

 

[RetiredNY]

So I’m an apprentice and only get to do downlighter jobs as foreigners at the weekend, but they’re typically added when the customer no longer wants a pendant so the ceiling is already finished and I’ve never seen downlights being wired while the ceiling is exposed and then finding them after.

Was just wondering if people had any drawings spare to share which shows what they include and where they measure off to find the downlights? Wouldn’t want to be in a scenario where I’ve wired them, ceiling goes up and then I do the measurements all wrong and can’t find them or are unevenly spaced.

Thanks in advance!

You make a treasure map. X marks the spot.