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The Handyman Blog

Replacing a Can Light with a Regular Light

6/3/2020

1 Comment

 
Not long ago I had a customer who wanted to replace a big recessed can light with a more ordinary light fixture. Of course, she had the electrician come out first to remove the existing can light and install a box for the new fixture. But that left a big hole around the new box.
A can light has been removed and left a big hole
This is one of the more tricky drywall repairs because of course, you can't just fill in this hole with skim coat and be done with it!
A closeup of the area we're going to patch
I started by adding a support made of thin wood which I screwed to the existing drywall.
A view of the wooden support we added
Then I added a custom-cut patch to fill in.

My first patch was actually a bit small, and I soon realized I needed something with a little more coverage.
My first attempt at cutting a patch
Wasn't there a spaceship in Star Wars shaped like this?
My second patch gave more coverage
With my new patch installed my next step was to add a piece of screen. This will allow me to make a nice even skim coat, and it will give something for the mud to grab.

It's serving the same purpose as the drywall tape you install on joints when you're finishing out a wall.
When you're spackling over a weird hole, use a screen
Then it was time for a couple coats of mud.

By the way, if you ever do this yourself, don't try to get everything perfect on the first coat. Only the best of the best can do that; I've only met a few people with that level of skill in my life, and even with all my experience, I'm not one of them.

The trick is to put down each layer fairly thin, and sand well between coats.
The finished patch - replacing a can light with a regular light
The last step was a little bit of touch-up by our interior painters to get it looking just perfect.

All in all, this is a fairly tricky drywall patch job to get right. This is one of those times you'll want to call in the pros. Luckily, that's what we're here for!
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    Arthur Teel, Asheville & Weaverville Handyman
    Welcome to my blog! This is a chronicle of the adventures of Arthur Teel, a handyman working in Asheville and Weaverville, NC. Need someone to fix your home?
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  • Home
  • Handyman Services
    • Closets and Storage
    • Doors, Locks and Knobs >
      • Door Repair
      • Door Replacement
      • Knobs and Locks
    • For Interior Designers >
      • Hanging Pictures & Mirrors
      • Interior Painting
      • Light Fixture Installation
      • Window Treatments
    • Furniture Assembly
    • Light Fixture Installations
    • Outdoor Spaces >
      • Decks and Deck Repair
      • Porch Repair
      • Railings and Stairs
      • Screen Doors and Porches
    • Renovations
    • Trim and Moldings
    • Wall and Ceiling Repair
    • Winterizing >
      • Storm Doors
      • Weatherstripping
  • Interior Painters
  • Picture Hanging
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  • Gallery
  • Blog
  • Contact