# Installing pot lights



## HouseHelper (Mar 20, 2007)

Put up the lights BEFORE the drywall.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

HouseHelper said:


> Put up the lights BEFORE the drywall.


Uhhh yeah. :thumbsup:


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## Stubbie (Jan 7, 2007)

Yep that will help!!!:thumbsup:

If your bent on doing it the hard way

You need to run your wiring close the pot locations you want then leave about 6 feet extra. Making a mark on the floor sometimes helps. When the ceiling is finished use a circle cutter to make the appropriate size hole for an old work pot installation. Do not get too close to the ceiling joists with your locations. Reach in and grab your wire. But seriously do as househelper says it will save you a big headache.


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## billybarty (Feb 5, 2008)

I plan on putting the lights up before the drywall but then don't I have to have the holes cut in the drywall before I put the drywall up? Or can I put the lights in, put up the drywall and then cut the holes from the attic?


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

You cut the holes either before you put the rock up or AS you are putting it up.


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## Stubbie (Jan 7, 2007)

Stay out of the attic.....

A professional drywaller will put the drywall up and then cut around the cans with a cutout tool ...you can call it a rotozip if you want some use routers. He does the same thing for ceiling boxes and receptacle and switch boxes. Trying to measure and cut will work but is prone to errors. Using a cutout tool will take a little practice but your hole will be perfectly around the can no big gaps or miss measurements. You might go to the rotozip site (their drywall tool is the dr-1)and view a few videos on how these tools are used to cut out around cans and other electrical boxes.


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

I assume you mean recessaed cans, not metal halide refer lighting.


A stud finder, measuring tape and logic will get you 85% of they way there. A bit of luck will take you the rest of the way.:thumbup: 

Lay out with light pencil marks or masking tape and probe the drywall with a scratch awl or a long skinny screwdrive at four sides of the circle. Stick a stiff wire up to verify height.

Watch out for corner rooms with hip roofs. The framing changes direction down the center, diagonally.


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## billybarty (Feb 5, 2008)

This is the DIY chatroom, right? I'm not having a professional drywaller do it. What I need to know is, if I stay out of the attic and I have the lights and drywall installed, how do I determine where the lights are located so I can zip around them when the drywall is already up.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

billybarty said:


> ....if I stay out of the attic and I have the lights and drywall installed, how do I determine where the lights are located so I can zip around them when the drywall is already up.


I can't understand why this even has to be asked. 
You measure.

Am I missing something else?


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## Joba Fett (Aug 14, 2007)

This is goin' be good.
Get out the lawn chairs.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

C'mon. The dude's only 3' tall. I can take him no problem. :thumbsup:


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## CowboyAndy (Feb 19, 2008)

billybarty said:


> This is the DIY chatroom, right? I'm not having a professional drywaller do it. What I need to know is, if I stay out of the attic and I have the lights and drywall installed, how do I determine where the lights are located so I can zip around them when the drywall is already up.


Get a sheet of paper and draw a rough diagram of the room. Measure to each light. Take measurements the side of the light closest to the wall, center of the light and outer edge of the light. mark the location on the paper. Do this from 2 walls to create an x from the measurements from the 2 seperate walls.

Once the rock is up, reference your paper as to where the lights are.


For a first timer, if you dont have the oppertunity to practice cutting out aroung the fixtures and boxes, then use a good drywall saw. Take it slowly and you shoudl come out with minimal issues.




No offense to some of the regulars here, but it seems sometimes you forget that there are people out there that may not have the skills or knowledge to do something, but still want to do it themselves. That's how we learn. The guidance from people who do this everyday is helpful. Sometimes we may not express ourselves in terminology that you may not be used to hearing. I perfectly understood that he meant he didn't know how to find the lights after the drywall is up because that's probably how I would have phrased it too.

I (and many others) appriciate all the knowledge you guys bring to this place, but sometimes simple questions that would be a no brainer for you are not for other people. 

Not picking a fight, just sayin...


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

billybarty said:


> This is the DIY chatroom, right? I'm not having a professional drywaller do it. What I need to know is, if I stay out of the attic and I have the lights and drywall installed, how do I determine where the lights are located so I can zip around them when the drywall is already up.


You need to cut them out AS the drywall is being installed. Tack the edges of the sheet up, mark the approx. center of the light on the sheet, zip the lights out(counterclockwise), and then fasten the rest of the sheet.


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## HouseHelper (Mar 20, 2007)

billybarty said:


> This is the DIY chatroom, right? I'm not having a professional drywaller do it. What I need to know is, if I stay out of the attic and I have the lights and drywall installed, how do I determine where the lights are located so I can zip around them when the drywall is already up.


Put a mark on the floor directly under the center of each can. Use a plumb bob to determine the exact point on the floor. After the drywall is tacked in place, use the mark on the floor and the plumb bob to find the center of the light. Make your cutout, then finish attaching the drywall sheet.
A laser level makes this even easier.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

HouseHelper said:


> Put a mark on the floor directly under the center of each can. Use a plumb bob to determine the exact point on the floor. After the drywall is tacked in place, use the mark on the floor and the plumb bob to find the center of the light. Make your cutout, then finish attaching the drywall sheet.
> A laser level makes this even easier.


Plumb bob? I think you are all making this harder than it really is. Mark the center of the lights off of the closest wall or sheet of drywall. When the next sheet goes up, mark the sheet from that same mark.


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## Randell Tarin (Jan 19, 2008)

Stubbie hit the nail on the head recommending the *Rotozip*. I'd practice on scrap wallboard before you commit to cutting out the cans. 

1. Just take measurements to the center of the can, then transfer those measurements to the wallboard after you have "tacked" it into position on the edges. Don't completely attach it just yet. There will be a slight bulge where the can is pressing against the board. 

2. After you find the center of the can from your transfered measurements, slowly proceed with the rotozip to the outer edge of the can until you meet resistance. That's the edge of the can. Make sure you keep the bit perpendicular to the ceiling.

3. Remove the bit and reinsert it just to the other side of the edge of the can so that you're on the outside of the can.

4. Using the can as your guide, follow the edge around until you have cut a complete opening. The can should just pop right through the board at this point. Finish nailing or screwing the board to the ceiling.

As for other considerations: If this is to be an insulated ceiling, determine if your cans are IC (insulation contact) or NON-IC. If they are insulation contact, then insulation can be laid, or blown right over the fixture. However, if they are not, you will need to keep insulation away from them to prevent major heat build-up and a potential fire. To do this, I recommend that you build a simple box that will set around the fixture. Just leave it open at the top and free from insulation. OSB works well for this.


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## billybarty (Feb 5, 2008)

Sounds like Petey needs a hug. The only reason I asked if there was some quicker way was from watching HGTV shows and I see the drywallers zipping around the cans perfectly and it doesn't look like they measure anything so they must find the can while the board is not fully attached. I think the plumb bob suggestion would work well too.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

billybarty said:


> Sounds like Petey needs a hug.


Nah. I was hoping the humor would come through in my posts.


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

> how do I determine where the lights are located so I can zip around them when the drywall is already up.


Uhhhh...Measuring tape?

It makes no sense to mark them on the floor and use a plumb bob. That's extra work. Cut the holes as you hang the sheets. Don't wait and try to cut all of the after. *It is ONLY 2 measurements* and you have plenty of slack with cans.



You SHOULD be asking this in the drywall area but since it's not rocket surgery, we can help you.

Measure the center of the cans, transfer the mark to the drywall, hang the drywall and rotozip the opening. Start with the opening inside the can then go gently around the outside of the drywall lip/ridge.

In the olden days they would measure, mark and cut the holes before hanging the rock.


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