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Dropped Ceiling Feature


Barney12

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Hi All

 

Can anyone share any advise on the construction of a ‘dropped ceiling’ feature? I’m quite liking the idea of having a dropped area above the kitchen island which would be lit in the recess/top as well as the face. 

 

My my current thoughts are:

 

1. Screw support/carrier timbers to the ceiling joists.

2. Board and plaster to an area at least 150mm inside the are of the drop (so you can’t see space above the drop).

3. Create a very simple timber frame and screw it to the carriers.

4. Board and plaster the drop. 

 

Things im still pondering:

 

1. I guess it would be easier to get the LED,s arround the perimeter in place before the boards go up?

2. How big should it be? Slightly smaller than the island area??

3. How deep should it be. My ceilings are standard 2400mm so I’m thinking no Moreno than 100mm?

4. How big should the gap between the drop and the ceiling be. Again point 3. relates. Perhaps no more than 50mm?

 

Any thoughts, advise, input hugely appreciated. 

 

 

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I made mine out of a stud frame. Was screwed to the joist from below. Mine was then boarded in  MDF so was easy to give a light sand to and then paint over it.

I made mine the same size of the island. 

I have a 25mm ledge around mine that the led lights fit.

I also put 6 downlights in mine to shine onto the island.

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17 hours ago, Barney12 said:

 

Do you mean wires etc?

 

I was thinking that a full wooden frame might be overkill, and that an ally or even plastic frame might do it.

 

Essentially you want a light fitting 50-100mm deep the same size as your island. 

 

I was thinking about the lightness of structure that is used for suspended ceilings, and this sort of thing (from a quick Google), which is a shallow enclosure for panel-LEDs. This one is about £22, and easier to put up than a wooden frame. Not an area I know, but I expect that custom versions and various sizes / colours / finishes are available:

 

Quote

Product description

This Surface Kit for LED Panels is made up of 4 aluminium profiles that allow us to install LED panels in places where the ceiling is not removable or false.

It can be used for 120x30cm panels.

 

surface-kit-for-a-120x30cm-led-panel.jpg

surface-kit-for-a-120x30cm-led-panel.jpg

Edited by Ferdinand
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I have one of these to be built. I would just check the depth if you plan to put an extractor hood in it as I was shocked to find that Siemens island hoods are 299mm tall which is taller than I planned for the dropped ceiling.

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2 hours ago, AliG said:

I have one of these to be built. I would just check the depth if you plan to put an extractor hood in it as I was shocked to find that Siemens island hoods are 299mm tall which is taller than I planned for the dropped ceiling.

 

Thankfully no extractor going in. I’d bang my head on the dropped section if it was :) 

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  • 1 month later...

Thought I'd update my thread.

Stupidly forgot to take photo's of all the construction phase but its now in and ready to be skimmed tomorrow.

The RGBW LED strip has been installed in advance as it was easier to fit that before screwing up to the frame and boarding.

Another job where the plasterboard lifter was invaluable.

 

20171213_180920990_iOS.thumb.jpg.fa409a3547c030f626a6bb5cdbdca6e0.jpg

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This should go in the boffins corner. But not for the first time I have a scrap lcd tv with a broken screen.

 

The LED backlights and all the difusers from it would make a pretty good lighting lcd flat panel.  If only I could make it not look like a scrap tv stuck to the ceiling......

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14 minutes ago, Onoff said:

Git! :)

 

Just wondering if it would work fitting my ceiling body dryer in the bathroom in a dropped ceiling feature. Might save me doing a complicated insulation feature above.

 

I think you want a device to turn your shower cubicle into one of those air-fly towers. Body drying would come for free.

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3 hours ago, Luckylad said:

Got to love a plasterboard lifter!

These drop downs are always an interesting challenge for plasterers

 

LOL. Yes my plasterer was completely lost by what I wanted. Even my sketch on the back of an envelope left him scratching his head.

I had the ceiling skimmed first, plus the drop down outer reveal.

I then put the drop frame up and boarded it (as per above picture) He’s coming in the morning to skim that and a few last bits. 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I am looking to create the reverse of this island feature in a couple of rooms with a lower border around the edge of the ceiling and a raised and illuminated centre. In the main, open plan living area the raised section will only be in the seating area with the lower ceiling running through the kitchen and dining area. I'm trying to decide what proportions would look correct (how much drop, inset etc) and what details I need to think about for the construction. Would the LED strips to illuminate the ceiling be better on the vertical part or on the horizontal lip? Does anyone have any photos of this type of feature during construction or a cross sectional drawing?

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