Installation of spotlights in the ceiling: installation instructions + expert advice

Do you agree that lighting in a home is one of the most important issues during renovation? Probably most people will answer this question in the affirmative. Especially those who for many years are content with the light of a single chandelier in a large hallway or are forced to cook in the kitchen with the lighting of a gloomy lamp.

The problem of insufficient lighting can be solved by installing spotlights that guarantee uniform light. It is with their help that you can finally illuminate the most secluded corners in the house, which will give the room unprecedented comfort.

The advantages of spotlights over any other lighting devices are undeniable. But, after preference is given to this particular type of lighting, another question arises - how to install spotlights and whether it can be done with your own hands. We will answer these questions in this article.

The main difficulty that arises when carrying out such work is the different types of materials from which the ceiling is made. Because of this, the installation procedure varies and different tools will be needed.

Installation of lamps on a plastic ceiling

Ceilings assembled from plastic panels have long been in fashion for repairs and construction.

Firstly, they are incredibly cheap - this is perhaps the most economical repair option. Secondly, a ceiling made of plastic panels will last a very long time, because it is easy to care for. And thirdly, the abundance of various designs of plastic panels allows you to create an original interior in any room.

Considering that plastic panels are very easy to care for, they do not allow moisture to pass through and are easy to clean - this is an ideal solution for a bathroom or kitchen

Despite the fact that plastic panels on the ceiling have a lot of advantages, they have a significant drawback - they are not resistant to high temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to choose lamps with a power of no more than 40 W for installation on this type of ceiling.

Experts recommend not using incandescent lamps, but purchasing special light bulbsequipped with a protective metal ring.

Despite the fact that the installation of spotlights in a plastic ceiling should be carried out after the installation of the panels is completed, you should prepare for their connection in advance.

As with other types of ceiling coverings, you should take care of the wiring for the fixtures before starting installation. It should be located under the ceiling covering and pass in those places where it is planned to place spotlights.

If you have no personal experience in electrical wiring, it is better to seek help from professionals. This is the only stage of work where the help of a specialist may be needed; everything else can be done independently.

When laying wires, it is important to place them in a special plastic corrugation, which will prevent the spread of fire in the event of a short circuit

In this case, one end will be connected to the lamp, and the other will lead to the junction box and switch. In order to ensure that in the future, if one of the bulbs burns out, all the others do not turn off, you should choose the option of parallel wiring.

Read more about what kind of corrugation for electrical wiring can be Further.

For wiring, it is recommended to use a cable measuring 3x1.5. The distance between the lamps is determined at the discretion of the builder. In this case, the light bulb must be at least 60 cm from the wall.

Another factor that should be taken into account when installing a ceiling made of plastic panels is that the distance between them and the base must be sufficient to accommodate the lamp head.

After all the requirements have been met and the plastic panels have been laid, you can begin installing the lamps on the ceiling

In order to install spotlights on a plastic ceiling, you do not need any special tools; most of them can be found in every apartment:

• a knife sharp enough to cut plastic;
• electric drill;
• roulette;
• crowns that can be used to drill round holes.

Once the necessary tools are prepared, you can begin installing the lamps.

To do this, you need to mark points on the ceiling where the light bulbs will be placed. Next, using crowns and a knife, you need to make holes that will be slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the base.

Before you begin laying the plastic panels, you need to do the wiring and prepare the places where the spotlights will be connected

To ensure that the connection between the lamp and the wire is as reliable as possible, it is recommended to use terminal blocks. With their help, reliable fixation of connections is ensured, but in the future, at least once a year, they should be checked.

After fixing the wires, it is necessary to ensure their reliable insulation.The lamps themselves are installed in a pre-made hole very simply - using metal “claws” located on the back of the device.

Installation on a suspended ceiling

Stretch ceilings are one of the most popular solutions during renovations. It is thanks to this type of coating that you can create an original design. For example, you can make a multi-level ceiling or create an imitation of a starry sky. Complementing the ceiling spotlights You can achieve extraordinary comfort in any room.

Installation of spotlights on suspended ceilings, as in the previous case, begins with laying the wiring.

After the work with the wires is completed, an aluminum profile is mounted, which serves as the basis for the stretch ceiling. After attaching the guides, the level at which the ceiling will be located becomes visible

In order not to make mistakes during installation, it is recommended to tighten the usual threads that are attached to the profile and indicate the level of the future ceiling.

Next, you should mark the places where the lamps will be installed. There are two ways to do this.

The first is to make the appropriate markings on the ceiling using a pencil and tape measure. If you have a laser level at home, marking will be much more convenient.

There are many options for placing spotlights on a suspended ceiling; with their help, you can even visually zone the space, separating the “working” area from the rest area

A special platform is installed in those places where the spotlight will be located. It looks like a plastic circle, inside of which the lamp will be placed.The platforms are installed in such a way that there is a distance of five centimeters between their edge and the stretched thread. Having set the platforms at the required level, you can remove the stretched threads.

After the preparatory stage is completed, you can proceed to tensioning the ceiling fabric. After this work is completed, you need to find the pre-installed platforms by touch. A mark is made along their outline on the ceiling canvas.

Next, protective thermal rings are placed on the made marks with glue. They perform several functions. Firstly, they protect the ceiling from the heat radiation of the light bulb in the future. Secondly, the rings hold the canvas, preventing it from tearing during installation of the lamp.

The glue for thermal rings must be used specially for plastic, which is made on the basis of cyanoacrylate. This can be Cosmofen, Contact or Kosmpolast, as well as any other suitable in composition

The glue is applied very carefully, only to the surface where the thermal ring will be attached. You shouldn’t smear it all over the ceiling, just apply a thin layer on the thermal ring and press it well with your fingers.

After the glue has set, which will take 3-4 minutes, you can move on to the next step. So, using a sharp knife, a hole is made inside the ring through which pre-prepared wires are removed.

When cleaning the film inside the ring, it is important to remove it completely, since its remnants may further interfere with the cooling of the lamp. Next, they are connected to the lamp, and the device itself is attached to the landing platform with special “ears”.

We also recommend reading our other material, where we talked in detail about the features of choice light bulbs for suspended ceilings.

Concrete ceiling installation

If a major home renovation is not expected, the question arises: is it possible to install spotlights on a monolithic concrete ceiling? And if possible, how to drill holes and hide the wiring.

Concrete ceilings are typical for most apartments. In fact, it is a monolithic structure that cannot be grooved.

It is possible to make special holes for lamps only if the renovation is planned to be done on the top floor, that is, there is no risk of the ceiling collapsing. But even in this case, it is better to invite professionals to carry out the installation of lamps.

Another option for installing spotlights in a concrete ceiling is to find technical holes on its surface, which are found on almost all ceilings. They appear during the construction of the apartment, and before the construction is commissioned, the builders cover them with concrete.

If you find this hole and clear it of the filler, you can place a lamp in it. The disadvantage of this method is that the lamps will not be placed where the owner of the apartment wishes, but where the holes were left.

Considering that it is very difficult to attach spotlights to a concrete ceiling, you can use a regular chandelier on this type of ceiling, and equip the places that are covered with plasterboard with spotlights

The simplest and most economical way to install spotlights on a concrete ceiling is to cover its surface with plasterboard. This material is relatively cheap, as in the case of installing a stretch ceiling, it is possible to create multi-level structures.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Visual instructions for installing lamps are presented in the following video:

Thus, spotlights are an opportunity to make any room bright and cozy. With their help, you can illuminate even a dark corridor, which since its construction has only been illuminated by a dim chandelier. This type of lighting can be installed on any type of ceiling, and the entire scope of work can be done with your own hands.

How did you solve the problem of insufficient lighting? Have you used spotlights at home? If yes, then tell our readers what type of ceilings the lamps were installed on and whether there were any difficulties in installation. Share your experience in the comments.