Lowered false ceiling

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Shirmardi, Mar 11, 2017.

  1. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    I'm looking to make a lowered ceiling island to house some recessed spotlights, as well as LED light strip tucked away behind the lip around the perimeter.
    I'd want to use wood rather than metal stud. Maybe i'm ignorant on the subject but wood seems a lot easier to work with, whereas with metal stud, I'd need to buy a load of different pieces; clips, ceiling channel, metal angle etc. Perhaps someone can chime in and set me straight on this.
    So a couple of questions really:
    What length of screw would I need to initially screw in the wood stud on to the existing ceiling through to the original stud?
    Is there a specific plasterboard I'd need to go with for this type of work? something lightweight?

    I'm hoping to achieve something like this:
    ceiling island.jpg
    Many thanks
     
  2. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    If it was me I would make an MDF tray to hold the lights. Across the tray you will need timbers which support the surface.

    On the ceiling I would fix some battens and plywood like this to the ceiling

    upload_2017-3-11_17-37-37.png

    Then get some help while you screw the MDF tray to the ceiling battens,
     
  3. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    Thank you for the suggestion, sounds like a good idea.
    Would MDF be OK to mount a recessed light in to? I have no idea how hot it would get, but last time I saw through a piece of MDF, I could smell it burning just from the friction.
    Am I able to apply plaster to MDF just as I would with plasterboard? I'm just concerned about the corners of the lip as it would be about a 50mm lip to the cove.
     
  4. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    MDF would be ok, If you use LED GU10 fittings, as these will be cool running compared to a halogem lamp.

    MDF is too smooth for plaster, you would need to prime board wih a coat of Febond Blue Grit first to give plaster a key.
     
  5. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    Not sure If I interpreted what you said correctly. I drew something up quickly based on the image you gave earlier. Is this what you meant?
    ceiling island 1.jpg
    If this is accurate, did you mean for me to just screw an MDF board over that? Because I was hoping for it to be 150mm from the ceiling. Also, why this particular setup? why not just 4 battens making a square [] ?
     
  6. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    I would put something simpler in place, just some timber running at 90 degrees to the rafters/joists.

    The screw the MDF tray to these timbers. The MDF tray only needs to be fixed at the 1/3 and 2/3 parts along its length

    This way you will get some airflow above the structure and get the floating look you want
     
  7. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    If I understood sospan correctly, his diagram was a cross section of his suggestion not a plan. It shows a batten (fixed to the original ceiling) with a gap in between another batten fixed to the suspended ceiling. The two side pieces are 150mm wide strips of plywood which support the whole structure. The parts missing from his sketch are the two ceilings which would run across the top and bottom of it. It's really very simple and really very clever - wish I had thought of it. If I have misinterpreted the sketch then I have just thought of it of course. Clever me.
     
  8. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    Ah OK that makes a lot more sense to me, and also incorporates Sospan's suggestion.

    Just so there's no confusion, am I going in the right direction with this...
    ceiling island 2.jpg
     
  9. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Using MDF should mean you can just paint over the MDF. No plastering required. I'd go for 12mm MDF with stiffening battens every 500mm across the width. Cut MDF strips at 40mm to be glued around the perimeter to make it look like a thick slab.
     
  10. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Just to add. You could just use 100mm x 50mm timber for the two ceiling supports using the method I described.

    Remember to keep them back enough so they are hidden from view.
     
  11. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    I Was interested in the plastering because of the "seam" caused when gluing the two pieces of mdf together. I don't know if paint would be enough to cover it up, or would it? I mean, there would be light bouncing around the ceiling, I'm just guessing it would highlight the seam and make it more obvious, eliminating the thick slab effect.
     
  12. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Will be no seam if you are even mildly capable of carpentry and decorating.
     
  13. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    As long as you glue the seams...bit of filler and sanding, then all good.
     
  14. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    Your sketch up is exactly how I envisaged sospan's intention. I've not incorporated anything, just described his idea differently! All credit to sospan on this.

    PS. What are you using to create your sketches and is it difficult to learn? They really convey what you're trying to achieve and whether you've understood something (or not in your case ). I could see this helping me explain my intentions more easily in some scenarios.
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2017
  15. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    Thank you all very much for the guidance, it is very much appreciated, time to crack on!
     
  16. BMC2000

    BMC2000 Screwfix Select

    Shirmardi, did you do your Mick up sketch in Google Sketch Up ?
     
  17. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Yes that was what I was thinking - sorry but have been too busy to reply sooner
     
  18. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    Yes I did... I think it is anyway. It's SketchUp Pro 2017. Still trying to get the hang of it. Great tool to have, allows me to plan exactly what I need, and to scale.
     
    BMC2000 likes this.
  19. BMC2000

    BMC2000 Screwfix Select

    Must give it a go. I can use Autocad so it's a start!
     
  20. Shirmardi

    Shirmardi New Member

    While we're on the subject, I've decided to go the same direction with another room, but I'd be doing the inverse, so rather than an island, I will have a cove around the walls like so:
    ceiling 1.jpg

    Would I go the same route as I did with the ceiling island in the middle, but instead, putting some MDF over the plywood facing the room so that it can be painted on since it will most likely be visible?

    In case my explanation is terrible, this is what I meant:
    ceiling 2.jpg

    I'm after something like this:
    ceiling.jpg
     

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