Adding downlights to a ceiling

adugga · Post by **adugga** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:58 pm

Hi
I would like to add downlights to my ceiling. I have no idea what is involved, but as a guess I would have to create a new ceiling from sheets of plasterboard attached to the existing ceiling and make holes for the downlights. Insert the downlights and and then connect them up before I secure the plasterboard. There are existing lights in the ceiling.
Is it something that requires a professional or could I do it myself? I am reasonably good at DIY although haven't worked with plasterboard.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:21 pm

Hi, I have moved this to the sparks forum as they will be the ones to answer this.

As long as your existing ceiling is ok then I can't see why you can't just use an holesaw and cut out the required holes for the downlights?

Can you get access to the ceiling from above, by lifting a few floorboards in the room above?

Is the ceiling in good condition?

Jaeger_S2k · Post by **Jaeger_S2k** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:56 am

Just to confuse matters, if there are rooms above and you cut into the ceiling (i.e. make holes) for the down lights you need to install Fire Capped ones or fit Fire Caps to the lights. These provide a 1 hour fire protection.

See here viewtopic.php?t=1101

Just bought some for under stairs fitting https://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pr ... 6&id=25727

Or hoods for smaller lights http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 4&ts=26266

Stoday · Post by **Stoday** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:15 pm

Jaeger_S2k wrote: Just bought some for under stairs fitting

Why bother fitting a fire hood to a little hole like that when you have a somewhat bigger hole that the staircase passes through nearby?

Jaeger_S2k · Post by **Jaeger_S2k** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 4:04 pm

Stoday wrote:
Jaeger_S2k wrote: Just bought some for under stairs fitting
Why bother fitting a fire hood to a little hole like that when you have a somewhat bigger hole that the staircase passes through nearby?

Cause them’s the rules

.
It's a staircase that comes from the hallway and I've removed the under stairs cupboard and plaster boarded between the strings.

ban-all-sheds · Post by **ban-all-sheds** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:40 pm

Jaeger_S2k wrote:Just to confuse matters, if there are rooms above and you cut into the ceiling (i.e. make holes) for the down lights you need to install Fire Capped ones or fit Fire Caps to the lights. These provide a 1 hour fire protection.

Sorry, Allan, but I'm afraid that you are confusing matters where no confusion needs to be introduced - fire hoods etc are NOT required...

Jaeger_S2k wrote: Cause them’s the rules .

No, those are not the rules.

In a single dwelling there are no fire compartment boundaries other than above an integral garage. The presence of a habitable room above the ceiling is immaterial.

You should read all the relevant bits of Building Regulation Part B.

Jaeger_S2k · Post by **Jaeger_S2k** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:06 am

ban-all-sheds wrote:
Jaeger_S2k wrote:Just to confuse matters, if there are rooms above and you cut into the ceiling (i.e. make holes) for the down lights you need to install Fire Capped ones or fit Fire Caps to the lights. These provide a 1 hour fire protection.
Sorry, Allan, but I'm afraid that you are confusing matters where no confusion needs to be introduced - fire hoods etc are NOT required...

Jaeger_S2k wrote: Cause them’s the rules .
No, those are not the rules.

In a single dwelling there are no fire compartment boundaries other than above an integral garage. The presence of a habitable room above the ceiling is immaterial.

You should read all the relevant bits of Building Regulation Part B.

Hi B A S,
Thanks for that and for the informative stuff on my Part P enquiry, I’ll have a good read.

Far from being an expert and I’ve proved that a couple of times recently

, I'm learning all the time and I'm grateful for all the experience you and others are willing to share.

I’ve read Part B AGAIN! And you’re right I’m wrong

and I take the correction on board. I don’t mind being wrong as long as I’m wrong in a good way, if you know what I mean?

I do hate the way Part B, or for that matter many parts of Building Regs are open to interpretation depending on who you are when reading it/complying to it, as in are you the occupant of the dwelling in question or are you the person responsible to only fulfil the requirements of the said Building Regs.

Don’t get me wrong, if I was developing this house and not living in it I would probably do as you rightly say, but not before you rightly said it

What are your thoughts on Part E, E2?

As the person occupying the dwelling, I am more concerned about my means of escape than say the Secretary of State or the local Building Control Officer.
In that, yes I do have first floor windows that are of the recommended size to be fit for throwing ones person out of, to land in what ever soil, paving, motor vehicles, bins, passing dogs or for that matter passsing dog’s visiting card. But I would much rather have a less damaging and more civilised route of escape.

The fact that there are a perfectly serviceable set of stairs attached to the first floor which lead conveniently to the front door and have 30 min fire doors from each connecting room their only failing in the event of a fire is that they are constructed in wood, not the best fabric in the event.

I've cut 3 x 85mm holes in the underside of the already flammable stairs and would rather reduce the egress of fire and smoke through those holes as best I can so I've installed 30min to 1 hour fire rated light with an integrated intumescent material.

Accepted that the first floor is not greater than 4.5mtrs above ground (apparently the accepted height below which it is deemed reasonable to throw ones self from a first floor window) I note with a smile they also say "should enable the person escaping to reach a place free from fire."

As I'm not keen on the window option I have opted for the provision of point 2.4 b direct access to a protected stairway.

My point is not that I am right but that I’m reading the Regs. from the perspective of the occupant and perhaps rather than say “Cause them’s the rules” I should have said, if you want to be as safe as you can be and in my case protect the means of escape available to you, or you want to limit the spread of fire through the holes you’ve drilled in your ceiling below your child’s bedroom then install the fire capped lights?

ban-all-sheds · Post by **ban-all-sheds** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:14 pm

1) Fire hoods don't stop smoke, they only react and close up when there is fire-level heat.

2) The presence of downlighters does not adversely affect the 30-minute fire rating of a normal ceiling. So if you say " if you want to limit the spread of fire through the holes you’ve drilled in your ceiling below your child’s bedroom" as a reason for installing firehoods or fire rated downlights, what you are saying is "would you like to install firehoods or fire rated downlights in order to give a few parts of the ceiling a 1- or 2-hour rating despite the fact that the rest of it will collapse after 30 minutes?"

If you're still in an upstairs room 30 minutes after the flames downstairs have started licking at the ceiling, you are never going to be leaving under your own steam.

Jaeger_S2k · Post by **Jaeger_S2k** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:57 pm

Lights being returned to SF as we speak. I'm going for a lie down! :|