Down-lights/spot lights - how are they done?

Jarviscocker

I’m considering getting the artex ceiling plastered and I thought I might try for spotlights as well. I’m guessing I have to get an electrician to come (before the plasterer). Would it just be better to get a fancy light/spotlight? I’m kinda not too fussed about the artex either, quite like it, but it could/should be done now whilst I don’t have furniture.

Browntoa

Unless it's asbestos based artex it will be easier to rip the old ceiling down , get the electrician to pre wire the electrics , get the plasterer to board the ceiling and skim the joints and then the electrician comes back to final fit

Doozergirl

Browntoa wrote: »

Unless it's asbestos based artex it will be easier to rip the old ceiling down , get the electrician to pre wire the electrics , get the plasterer to board the ceiling and skim the joints and then the electrician comes back to final fit

Or, depending on the age of the house, let the electrician cut into the existing plaster for the wiring and then overboard.

Ripping down Victorian ceilings, for example, is not a job for the faint hearted or a great idea if your belongings are all in the house. The stuff up there is as black as soot.

I'm not a fan if spotlights as a 'feature' unless there's proper lighting design behind it. Spots should be about the quality and texture of light created, not just for the sake of it. I'd not go to the lengths of ripping down ceilings for circles of light when there is such a range of beautiful and quirky light fittings available that create genuine interest in a room.

FreeBear

Spot lights in a plaster & lath ceiling are a real pain to fit neatly. Cut in to the plaster, and chunks are likely to fall out. You also cut through two or more laths which creates a weak spot in the ceiling - This could lead to failure of the ceiling in that area. Then the nibs of plaster inside the ceiling cause issues for the spring clips used to retain the light fittings.

Fitting spot lights just because they are fashionable is a bad idea - Just look at the number of people complaining about fashions of the past (artex, woodchip wallpaper, etc).