Many for the arrangement of their own housing choose the rack and pinion ceiling design. Such a system is sheathed with environmentally friendly material and has a number of advantages over other analogues. The decoration element has a beautiful appearance, is resistant to temperature changes, is not afraid of high humidity and fire. In the article we will consider how the installation of lamps in the rack ceiling is made. This task is not simple, however, if you follow the instructions and recommendations, you can do the job yourself.
Recommendations
Installation of devices should be carried out in accordance with the instructions, such structures must not be overloaded with heavy and bulky devices.
Typically, the installation of luminaires in the rack ceiling is built-in way, the color is selected separately.
For the bathroom or kitchen, the lighting elements are provided with special caps that protect them from high humidity.
In some cases, a situation arises when the light element has a height of the order of a meter, and stringers - about four centimeters. Such compliance will not allow the luminaire to be built into the ceiling. To correct the situation, you will need to use a wooden block, which will add to the device the missing height. You should remember to create a special socket for the location of the wiring. The size of the bar is selected individually.
As a rule, the height of the stringers and their shape differs depending on the characteristics of the production. Lamps for rack ceilings in the modern market are presented in a wide assortment. Therefore, choose the appropriate option is not difficult. When choosing parts, you should pay attention not only to the configuration and design of the product, but also to the reputation of the manufacturer and consumer reviews.
LEDs
The choice of fixtures for ceilings is quite wide. The main thing is to decide on the option that is suitable specifically in your case. To do this, consider the features of the proposed light elements. We begin the review with LEDs.
A built-in lamp in a rack ceiling of this type is advantageous in that it has a long service life at a minimum cost. The design of such a device does not contain spirals, glass bulbs and other elements characteristic of traditional lamps. In addition, with excellent lighting quality, a minimum consumption of electric energy is noted. LEDs fit perfectly into any interior, are not afraid of power surges. Such lamps are made of high quality materials, do not harm health.
Fluorescent and dot version
The installation of luminaires in a rack ceiling with fluorescent lamps is most often used in the design of trading floors, office premises, and production halls. This type of lighting is bright and uniform. Another plus of this type of luminaires is significant energy savings. Additionally, users respond positively to such light elements due to the possibility of their installation in rooms with high humidity.
Point analogs for a rack ceiling are ideally suited for registration of halls and an interior in an original decorative style. Installation of such devices allows you to get both additional and main lighting. The main advantage is the ability to change the direction of illumination. In the market in a wide assortment are presented point models of a classic, decorative or original direction (for example, imitation of the starry sky or a standard incandescent lamp).
Installation of luminaires in the rack ceiling
Installation of the structure in question is performed during the assembly of the rack-and-ceiling type. Most often, a special niche is used for strengthening, which is planned even when designing the ceiling. It is worth noting that LED lamps have one feature - a bluish color scheme. This must be considered when arranging. Many users indicate that such light begins to annoy over time. The optimal use of LEDs is additional lighting or operation in low-visited rooms.
Installation of luminaires in the rack ceiling is carried out at a height of about 70 millimeters for LEDs and at least 120 mm for standard incandescent lamps. Built-in halogen elements have the potential for strong heating. This feature sometimes provokes deformation and damage to the suspended ceiling. When choosing this kind of lighting, you need to consider in detail all the pros and cons of the design.
Where to begin?
Installing large ceiling lights in a rack ceiling will require the following tools:
- Vernier caliper.
- Electric jigsaw.
- Stationery knife.
- Pencil
- Directly one of the types of lighting fixtures.
Before starting work, you need to consider the wiring diagram. The fact is that after installing the ceiling, it becomes almost impossible to stretch a hidden version of the wires. In addition, it will be very difficult to bring the end of the wires to the right place with the correct conclusion. We will consider the installation features of this assembly in the next section.
How to install the lamp in a rack ceiling?
No installation required. Instead, special plastic channels are used for cable utilities. Wiring is placed in their nests until the cladding is arranged. In addition, the installation location of the lamps should be considered in advance. Following from this, the design should begin long before the start of the finish decoration of the ceiling, simultaneously in conjunction with the choice of its configuration.
The use of metal sleeves greatly facilitates the subsequent operation of the structure. Such a solution will allow you to repair or replace part of the fixtures without resorting to disassembling the entire ceiling. The wire section is selected after calculating the loads. For the same performance, the cross section of the aluminum element should be larger than that of the copper analog. The second option, although more expensive, is distinguished by better quality and durability.
A standard option is a copper wire with a cross section of two square millimeters. Such wiring will cope with any lighting, given the fact that modern lamps consume a moderate amount of energy.
Installation Nuances
When resorting to the installation of built-in ceiling lights, the main thing is to follow clearly the installation and operation instructions. Depending on the type of device selected, its installation may be required directly during the assembly of the ceiling or installed at the end of the work.
In any case, choosing which luminaires for a rack ceiling to choose, remember that a prerequisite for work is the preparation of holes for lamps or LEDs. Therefore, in advance it is necessary to think over the exact installation locations of the light elements, as well as the arrangement of placement. This process is easy to do, armed with a vernier caliper and a simple pencil. Marking is carried out by applying circles of a suitable size in the places of installation of the fixtures.
This procedure can be performed using the prepared templates. The most accurate holes for the lamps are obtained by cutting them with an electric jigsaw. Alternatively, you can use a clerical or sharp can opener for these purposes .
It is important
When installing fixtures in a rack ceiling in a bathroom or other room, the main thing is to prevent violations in the processing of hole diameters. Any mistake will lead to unplanned and unnecessary costs. To make the nests invisible, their size must be made smaller than the dimensions of the mounted light elements. As additional lighting, it is possible to provide for the installation of side lighting elements on the walls.
There are analogues that work exclusively with the use of step-down transformers. This feature should be clarified directly in the store before buying products, and even better to do it at the design stage.
Additionally
The wires must be cut off with a margin. This will lengthen them if necessary. Absolutely accurate calculations are quite problematic, so you should not save on this process.
If the quality of the lighting from spotlights is poor, use the side lights on the walls as a complement. When making the design in question, corner lamps look beautiful, capturing not only part of the ceiling, but also a fragment of the wall. For decoration, they are finished with special panels.
Finally
Before proceeding with the installation of luminaires in the rack ceiling, you should disconnect the house or apartment. This is one of the most important safety tips. It is immediately necessary to determine the places where the point variations or their analogues will be located. Correct and timely design will avoid most of the problems associated with possible repair or adjustment of the structure.