I'm installing recessed lighting fixtures in the ceiling of my second
floor (below the third floor--hence no insulation) in an old
Philadelphia house. The problem I've run into is that the hanger bars
for the fixtures collapse to 14 inches, but the beams are only 12
inches apart. This is essentially "new construction" because I've
removed all of the old plaster ceiling and will be replacing it with
sheet rock. I can see a few possible solutions. One is that I create
new beams by installing 2x4s between the beams at 14-16 inches apart
and then hanging the fixtures as I would if I were working with modern
beams on 16 inch centers. Another option would be to modify the
hanger bars with a hacksaw to make them collapse to 12 inches. Or, I
could look out for some specialty fixtures that would fit. Finally, I
could take the Home Depot attendant's advice and "just let 'em sit on
top of the sheetrock" (which I'm extremely disinclined to do for a
number of reasons). I would appreciate any guidance. Thanks,

Andrew

Usually those telescoping bars have notches to snap them off shorter. Look at
them closely.

Subject: Recessed lighting hanger bars
From: (Andrew)
Date: 2/3/2004 3:21 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

I'm installing recessed lighting fixtures in the ceiling of my second
floor (below the third floor--hence no insulation) in an old
Philadelphia house. The problem I've run into is that the hanger bars
for the fixtures collapse to 14 inches, but the beams are only 12
inches apart. This is essentially "new construction" because I've
removed all of the old plaster ceiling and will be replacing it with
sheet rock. I can see a few possible solutions. One is that I create
new beams by installing 2x4s between the beams at 14-16 inches apart
and then hanging the fixtures as I would if I were working with modern
beams on 16 inch centers. Another option would be to modify the
hanger bars with a hacksaw to make them collapse to 12 inches. Or, I
could look out for some specialty fixtures that would fit. Finally, I
could take the Home Depot attendant's advice and "just let 'em sit on
top of the sheetrock" (which I'm extremely disinclined to do for a
number of reasons). I would appreciate any guidance. Thanks,

Andrew







Another solution that would make cutting the drywall opening easier is to just
run the wires to the locations you want the lights. Then hang the sheetrock.
Then cut the opening for the lights and use the recessed lights that are for
old work.

In article ,
(HA HA Budys Here) wrote:

Usually those telescoping bars have notches to snap them off shorter. Look at
them closely.



Mine do. But if they don't, a hacksaw isn't even necessary. Those bars
are so thin and bendy that a decent pair of tin snips will do.

AJS

Andrew wrote:
I'm installing recessed lighting fixtures in the ceiling of my second
floor (below the third floor--hence no insulation) in an old
Philadelphia house. The problem I've run into is that the hanger bars
for the fixtures collapse to 14 inches, but the beams are only 12
inches apart. This is essentially "new construction" because I've
removed all of the old plaster ceiling and will be replacing it with
sheet rock. I can see a few possible solutions. One is that I create
new beams by installing 2x4s between the beams at 14-16 inches apart
and then hanging the fixtures as I would if I were working with modern
beams on 16 inch centers. Another option would be to modify the
hanger bars with a hacksaw to make them collapse to 12 inches. Or, I
could look out for some specialty fixtures that would fit. Finally, I
could take the Home Depot attendant's advice and "just let 'em sit on
top of the sheetrock" (which I'm extremely disinclined to do for a
number of reasons). I would appreciate any guidance. Thanks,

Andrew

The best option would be to place the 2x4's between the joists and mount
the fixtures to them. I wouldn't let the fixtures just sit on top of
the sheetrock like the HD guy said...

In article ,
"Daniel L. Belton" wrote:

The best option would be to place the 2x4's between the joists and mount
the fixtures to them. I wouldn't let the fixtures just sit on top of
the sheetrock like the HD guy said...

Uh, but it seems to me that putting 2x4 between the joists doesn't
remedy the fact that this guy is trying to shoehorn 16" wide hangars
into a 12" wide space.

Unless maybe you're talking about screwing 2x4s along the length of the
joists and attaching the hangars length-wise. But that would be kinda
silly, seeing as how the cans fit pretty nicely that way without 2x4s.
But if someone was intent on hanging something inside those joists and
mounting the cans sideways, you'd get by far less expensively by hanging
1-bys -- but then, the cans wouldn't fit.

AJS