Mantlepiece lights

Seanbond10 · Post by **Seanbond10** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 7:55 am

Hi there everyone just looking for some advice and bounce a few ideas around.

Im looking at fitting an oak beam above my fire place - let's be clear it will be an electric log burner type (the sort you see in b n m s for 60-100 quid) so it's not raging fire nor will it placed directly under the beam.
The beam will sit on 2 stud work/plaster board false pillers. We are looking at either a 6x6 beam or an 8x4

So I hope that sets the picture of what I'm going for now on to the lights. I want to put 2 small down lights into the beam it's self to highlight the fireplace.
I've seen this kit

fireplacefactoryoutlet/product/diy-downlight-assembly-ki

Will something like this work if I cut 4 holes into the one from the bottom to push the light into then a second to feed the cable out into a chanel then house the transformer into one of the pillers?

My main concern would be the tangs on the lights not extending out as in there suppose to slot into something 12mm thick and pop out like a plasterboard rawl plug.

Anyone have any ideas or a better solution to it

Hope you all understand and can help

Cheers sean

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:55 am

I'd recommend you cut a 'channel' under the mantle and set an LED strip light into it. Fewer issues with heat, easier to hide, easier to service/replace.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 10:00 am

I was going to suggest that too. Much easier to cut a housing with a router if you have access to one. If not you could do it with a circular saw running a few cuts parallel to each other to the desired width. You can then chip out the waste easier with a chisel to clean the trench. Oak is tough so use sharp tools.

DWD

Seanbond10 · Post by **Seanbond10** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:11 am

Any links to one most I've seen are at least a metre with my chimney breast being 4ft in total so I'm going for 1ft wide pillars so I'd need some thing like 1 ft to 2ft long

I have a router never used it yet helped my mate use one on kitchen work tops so I kind of know what I'm doing

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 2:48 pm

The trick with the router is to do a number of passes dropping the depth on each pass to gradually rout the trench. The LED light set I have linked to at Screwfix is £25 and is 8mm wide. So a 10mm trench will be best. Use a sharp cutter listen to the router as the skill is the feed rate so do not rush along. https://www.screwfix.com/p/bendable-led ... -10w/959fx

I am sure you will cope.

DWD

Seanbond10 · Post by **Seanbond10** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 3:28 pm

Cheers will pick one up when I'm next in screw fix.

And thank thanks for the advice with the router how Mms down do you reckon I should go

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 3:57 pm

Too deep and you will shade it into a slot like pattern of light I would think. I think that just deep enough to set it flush with the surface but I have no experience of doing anything like that. Play around by progression as you cut the channel.

DWD

Seanbond10 · Post by **Seanbond10** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:39 pm

Sounds like a plan I'll nibble abit at a time

Do you have any experience with the screw fix light strips? How often is the cut mark

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:08 pm

I am sorry, I do not know much about electrics. Perhaps post a new thread in the electrical section.

DWD