Downlight hole too big

[checkmate]

Hi guys

I recently just bought house and replacing the light bulb and its holder to gu10 as currently it was too dim at just 2 watts.

I noticed most of the downlights have some issue with size, some too tight, some too big, i can see all were filled nearly with filler then painted around.

I saw the plaster board is different type, not techincal but it has strips of wood along the plaster board everywhere so can assume it must be pain to cut circle.

My question is do i attempt to fill all holes and create new ones? (30 downlights in total) or do i do the previous method of fill the holes again after adding light with filler?

Please advice

thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I recently just bought house and replacing the light bulb and its holder to gu10 as currently it was too dim at just 2 watts.

No brighter bulbs available for those fittings?

I saw the plaster board is different type, not techincal but it has strips of wood along the plaster board everywhere

Sounds like lath & plaster, not plasterboard.

so can assume it must be pain to cut circle.

Oh yes.

My question is do i attempt to fill all holes and create new ones? (30 downlights in total) or do i do the previous method of fill the holes again after adding light with filler?

I advise Plan C - fill all the holes and fit a much smaller number of proper lights which are actually designed to light rooms.

 

[Iggifer]

Sounds like lath and plaster to me, how much too big are the holes?

You could just get some bigger light fittings and then only deal with the holes that are too small?

 

[Crystalclear]

can assume it must be pain to cut circle.

How dare you assume!!! Don't choose to assume, until you have mastered the art of...
going down ta' Screwfix!

Joking aside, it's a pain indeed if you would use a jigsaw, which is not recommended; when all you have to do is buy a hole cutter attachment for a standard drill, that'll cut through your plasterboard AND the wood strips.

 

[checkmate]

the current light is not LED so wanted LED hence got new bulbs.

PLan c looks good just bit extra work lol but may have to in order to get good finish

some holes are perfect and some hols have up to 10mm but not necessary all round just on one side it can be big.

Lol crystalclear, i think have to leave that for my dad being a carpenter, but he on holiday for 3 months!!

ohhh to add, the cables are sooo damn short as well so not sure if i can actually fill holes and re-locate. The previous owner has done major shabby job, like theres no connector strips cables are bare and not even used electric tapes. I am not a DIY person dont have clue but can see how dodgy the work is!!! ill post some pictures tomorrow lol!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Nobody can Go Back and Start a New Beginning

And so far nobody but you thinks it's plasterboard, with or without wood strips.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

some holes are perfect and some hols have up to 10mm but not necessary all round just on one side it can be big.

Possibly indicative of problems cutting holes in L&P.

 

[Newboy]

when all you have to do is buy a hole cutter attachment for a standard drill, that'll cut through your plasterboard AND the wood strips.

There speaks somebody who has never tried to cut lath & plaster! LOL

 

[rules&rulers]

Hope this helps

Not really,similar products (cheaper) have been around for donkey years.

thanks anyway.

 

[securespark]

I used to use a rotary cutter to cut the plaster off the lath, then a fine-toothed padsaw.

Finally, I used to "seal" the edge with bonding mixed with PVA to stop it "fraying".

 

[ban-all-sheds]

... browning mixed with PVA ...

Bisto?

 

[Adam_151]

There speaks somebody who has never tried to cut lath & plaster! LOL

You really need two holesaws... an old or cheap one to get through the plaster (it'll blunt it quickly) and a half decent one to do the laths (it'll burn the wood and cut salowly if you use the blunt one... and then snap them in a rough manner when you get ****ed off and force the rill as its getting nearly through...)

I've always put PVA in the edges, but secure's idea of bonding coat with PVA sounds a good plan, make sure PVA is kept away from the finished surface though... or you'll regret it when its time to paint!

If you do the same with one of teh fein multimaster tool clones you can get, then you can cut drylining boxes into lath and plaster walls (or ceilings if you were so inclined)

 

[securespark]

Bisto?

Very similar, but not half as tasty...