Thanks Tania! Oh my! Push up from the bottom side of the tile until it moves away from the grid. Measure the distance of the plumb bob line from the panels on either side of the removed panel. We discovered their ceiling products and reached out to them to work together on a project. Fill the bathtub with warm water until it is completely covering them and then add a generous amount of Original Dawn Dish Soap or Dr Bronners Sal Suds. Justin and Brad removed this in sections, first remove the bolts from the ceiling and then using his Sawzall to cut through the nails attaching it to each wall. I was recently talking to my bestie, Ashley about this and she mentioned that her hubby had experience installing recessed lights and she offered their help to tackle this project. After all the drywall was removed we were left with the wood frame that had been bolted to the ceiling and nailed into each wall. Climb up the ladder until you can see over the drop ceiling. And in the kitchen a drop ceiling with fluorescent lights. That's useful in a basement remodeling job, where you may want access to wiring or plumbing above the ceiling. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws securing the support wires to the ceiling joists. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I am still finding dust in spots even though I wiped down and mopped! The kitchen ceiling was over 10″ lower than the rest of the first floor and the drop ceiling tiles and fluorescent lights were making me sad. x 23-3/4 in. Which brings me to today’s post. I'm Amy, a wife, mom, and simple country girl who enjoys DIY, crafting, gardening and thrifting and teaching others how to DIY decor on a budget! Drop a plumb bob down from the nearest ceiling joist. Twist the strap head clockwise until it snaps. I will be sharing in another post all the finishing details of the new lights installed over the island and sink and show the updated space with drywall patched, textured and painted! Remove plastic panels and light bulbs from fixtures and store them in a secure place. So we set the date and got to work. Although dropped ceilings are more commonly found in commercial spaces, they are sometimes used in residential construction or remodeling. Use a drill with a screwdriver bit to remove the screws holding the metal grid in place. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Similar problem with our kitchen, drop ceiling added for lighting and we so need to remove it. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The 6″ hole saw drill bit was used for the can light and the 4″ was used for the lights over the island and the sink. Twist the tile at an angle to the side of the grid and slide it down out of the grid. It’s always interesting what you find as far as electrical in an old house! Removal of dropped ceilings is not a difficult task, although it should be approached with the same caution as any construction project. Whether installing a new drop ceiling or mounting the recessed lights in an existing ceiling, you need to address the electrical requirements of the lights and the additional support that each recessed light … By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Repair any damaged trusses. Compare wood and vinyl options and choose the one that best suits your budget and DIY aspirations. Projects such as finishing a basement, enclosing a garage or converting an attic are typical projects that use dropped ceilings. Easiest way to deal with it, if you have any kind of crawl space in the ceiling, is to go up there, pull back the two spring-loaded flaps, and let them drop … His images and words have been featured by websites and publications such as CNN, Creative Loafing and Tampa Bay Times. 23.75 in. 6 Remove the ceiling tiles from the drop ceiling grid. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Detach the wall support track by removing screws or utilizing the pry bar to pull out nails. x 23-3/4 in. Transfer the dimensions onto the removed panel. LEONLITE 1x4 ft LED Flush Mount Panel Light, Dimmable Drop Ceiling Light, 40W Flat Surface Mount Light Fixture, 5000K Daylight for Kitchen Garage Lights, Ultra Slim Edge-lit, Pack of 2. Clear Acrylic Prismatic Light Panels (20-Piece Per Case) The OPTIX 47-3/4 in. Disconnect fixtures from the main power supply and cap exposed supply lines with wire nuts. After the lights were removed the next step was to remove the frame that created the drop ceiling. Moveable Drop Ceiling LED Light Panels: Change flush-mount LED fixtures into repositionable, plug-in ceiling tiles.I came up with this design after replacing a t-12 florescent troffer in my kitchen with an LED fixture. Cut out the hole using a utility knife or a keyhole saw. Twist the strap head clockwise until it snaps. Cut ceiling grid support wires. Cut a 1-inch round hole in the panel with a utility knife. Another interesting fact about this house is that the kitchen ceiling is actually about 18″ below the attic space. Justin and Brad removed this in sections, first remove the bolts from the ceiling and then using his Sawzall to cut through the nails attaching it to each wall. Install A Plank Ceiling Accessing drop ceiling neon lights you how to replace drop ceiling u shaped fluorescent office lights diy drop ceiling replacement the blog panel filter installation parabolic you. The Outdated Drop Ceiling. This is where Ashley and I came in and started to help clean up the space as best as possible so they could start working on electrical. These odors can follow the tiles if reused. Required fields are marked *. Remove the Drop Ceiling Lift up a tile and tilt it slightly to lower it from the drop ceiling grid. Installing recessed lights has become a popular lighting option for rooms with a drop ceiling. I installed the new fixture in the same location as the florescents (i… These cookies do not store any personal information. How to Remove a Ceiling Tile. Remove the old fluorescent light panel from the light housing by pushing it up and then tilting it out. 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. Pull the flex off the vent collar. Grab the head of a strap holding the inner flex liner to the vent collar with a pair of lineman's pliers. We went back to Home Depot the next day to get the correct ones. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. lol! They are favored because they are … Video of the Day Gloves will help prevent discomfort associated with handling fiberglass insulation. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Carefully brush the opening lightly with a cloth to remove any loose particles. Drop ceilings are relatively easy to install and allow access to the rafters above. Looking good! It was plugged into an outlet that was near the ceiling, we never used this light so it wasn’t a big deal to us but the electrical was definitely a little skeptical. Fluorescent light fixtures can be extremely dangerous and should be handled with caution. Beadboard panels are an efficient, economical way to get that popular tongue-and-groove, porchy look to cover up an unattractive ceiling. Old tiles may break apart as you are taking them down. Secure the supply lines out of the way. Clear acrylic The OPTIX 47-3/4 in. Support air ducts with string or wire to prevent them from falling during ceiling grid removal. The lights were covered by plastic sheets inserted on a metal frame. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. If you intend to reuse these tiles, store them flat to avoid breakage. Let it soak for a minimum of 5-10 minutes. Justin cut the drywall loose with his Milwaukee multi-tool which made removing the drywall and frame a little easier with less mess. Remove them to a storage area. The nice thing about this drop ceiling was that originally the entire kitchen was covered in drywall and this drop ceiling was added onto that. Detach fixtures from the ceiling grid and any support wiring. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. We used work lights that plugged in to keep a light in our work space. When electrical lighting is part of the ceiling, additional caution and planning should be included. Remove the drop ceiling. 99 Led drop ceiling lights have a lifespan of over 50,000 hours which is significant greater than fluorescent tubes. 2X4 FT LED Drop Ceiling Light 4000K Neutral White 50W Equl 250W, 2'x4' LED Flat Light Panel for Suspended Ceiling - 24x48 Inch LED Troffer Light Fixture 0-10V Dimmable, 100-277V, 5500LM, ETL, 4 Pack $269.99 $ 269 . The living room had green and white laminate tile, (you can read all about that here) and laminate and traditional wood throughout the entire rest of the house. I recommend these two products because they really cut grease. While we were adding the can lights to the kitchen we decided to add lights in the hall that leads to the garage as it is always very dark. We did stumble upon some “interesting” electrical work during our removal of the light that was over the sink. Whats people lookup in this blog: How To Remove Drop Ceiling Light Panels Suspended ceilings, often called "drop ceilings," are a very common ceiling finish in basements and office spaces. How to Extend Ceiling Fan Downrod Wiring for a Longer Drop, Ace Hardware: Installing Suspended Ceilings, House Improvements: How to Install a Suspended Ceiling, How to Replace New Construction Recessed Lighting With IC Rated Lighting, How to Replace a Fluorescent Light Fixture Above a Kitchen Sink, How to Disassemble a Suspended Ceiling Grid. It was definitely helpful to have two of us to help take down these metal light covers as they were very heavy. Learn how your comment data is processed. These 2x2 led drop ceiling lights are very durable and UL, DLC, CE, and ROHS approved. Had similar lights in here, 400W of ceiling lighting with an accompanying chimney effect to let all the heat in the room out. Turn off all circuit breakers supplying power to the ceiling light fixtures. Enter the Aria Suspended Grid Panel Ceiling Tile to replace our old, outdated drop ceiling. Renovations, DIY Decor and the Simple Country Life. $20.00 coupon applied at checkout Save $20.00 with coupon. It has a prismatic surface that helps diffuse the light from fluorescent bulbs. 99 These LED ceiling panels have state-of-the-art and adjustable LED … $189.98 $ 189. And it was very helpful to close off all the other spaces so that that dust and debris stayed in one place. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience, this means that if you click on a link and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Of course, you can tell this was before we took our trip to Home Depot. Confirm with a noncontact circuit tester. Take a scrub brush to each individual panel. Hi! Get free shipping on qualified 2 x 4 Ceiling Light Panels or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Building Materials Department. Whats people lookup in this blog: How To Remove Drop Ceiling Light Panels One of our favorite ideas for this material is covering popcorn ceiling with beadboard. LED Panel Light,2x4 FT,4 Pack,0-10V Dimmable,7800 Lumens,5000K Daylight White Color, Drop Ceiling Flat LED Light Panel,Recessed Edge-Lit Troffer Fixture 4.2 out of 5 stars 130 $299.99 $ 299 . Your email address will not be published. We were lucky enough to have our friend who is an electrician guide Justin and Brad through the process. Our first step was to remove the lighting. so down those came. nice work! I am not sure what it was about the 80s, I mean don’t get me wrong, it was a great decade (I’m an 80’s baby!) Be prepared for a lot of dust! Discard the wire. Clear acrylic light panel offers a commercial-grade clear replacement ceiling panel that is easy to install and resists yellowing. Old panels are brittle and may be sharp on the edges, so take care when handling them. See my full disclosure and privacy policy for more information. This was a project we knew we wanted to tackle from the beginning but we knew it would be time-consuming and lots of electrical would need to be done. We are sharing this DIY project with you because we found it to be an easy and beautiful solution to an existing (and ugly) drop ceiling. Disassemble the grid by unsnapping the short sections from the longer sections. By far the worst part of our basement was the old, crumbling, and yellowed drop ceiling and its accompanying brown frame. Now I am not going to get too technical on the electrical instruction because well for one it’s complicated and you should definitely hire an electrician for the wiring part and two I just don’t understand it all myself. Step 2 This is where Ashley and I came in and started to help clean up the space as best as possible so they could start working on electrical. So at one point the kitchen ceiling was taller and was “dropped” not once but twice! 2x4 LED Drop Ceiling Light Fixture Dimmable 3000K-4000K-5000K 3 Colors Selectable - 50W 24x48 Inch LED Backlit Flat Panel Light - 2x4 Foot LED Lay in Light, Super Bright 5500LM,100-277V, 4 Pack $289.99 $ 289 . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Install A Plank Ceiling Accessing drop ceiling neon lights you how to replace drop ceiling u shaped fluorescent office lights diy drop ceiling replacement the blog panel filter installation parabolic you. This meant that we just needed to remove the drop frame that was built and the fluorescent lights. The sections are connected by short tabs that will pull free when pushed up. Acoustical ceiling tiles can retain odors from cigarette smoke, mold or food. It is so interesting what you find when tearing things out! If uncertain about electrical disconnection procedures, contact a licensed electrician. How we demo’d our drop ceiling in the kitchen and removed the fluorescent lights. Remove the tile from drop ceiling, at the spot where the chandelier will be located. I feel like I live in that place sometimes, anyone else!!?? My house is a 1960’s ranch and I found some interesting things in my kitchen when I was replacing the light fixtures! The house I grew up in had green shag carpet, orange countertops and carpet in the kitchen! How we went about removing a kitchen drop ceiling: We started by popping out all of the kitchen drop ceiling tiles, which unleashed decades of dust and debris. There were actually fluorescent lights throughout most of the house. We have no plans at the moment though to take it back up to the original height. x 47.75 in. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Use a sturdy step ladder to reach the fluorescent light panels. The panels slip out by pushing up on one end of a panel and grabbing the side to remove it through the grid. Wearing a mask, work gloves and safety glasses, use pry bar to remove drop ceiling tiles. So above is the finished look of the kitchen that night after I had cleaned and mopped. Most importantly make sure  your breaker is shut off. Jeff O'Kelley is a professional photographer and writer, currently based in the Tampa, Florida area. Your email address will not be published. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Be wary of rats, squirrels or other small animals that may have taken up residence in the ceiling insulation. 98. They agreed to partner with us – providing ceiling tiles and grid covers in exchange for a blog post. Luckily Justin and Brad had both had experienced before drilling the holes for can lights so Brad brought the hole saw drill bits that we would need. Remove ceiling tiles by pushing them up from the grid, then twisting them to slide them through the opening. Return the panel to the opening in the ceiling then remove the next panel over from the one with the hole. Beadboard Panels. But times have changed! We were only able to completely finish two of the lights with bulbs this day because we ended up grabbing the wrong lights for the other cans. Pull the tabs on the frame of the light panel down to unlock it. Now our farmhouse hasn’t been updated since the 80s. but the home decor and design ideas from that decade were interesting, to say the least. How To Remove Dated Drop Ceiling Tiles 03.07.2018 It’s fairly often that I have an idea for a blog post—usually something to do with a project that we’re working on around the house or some kind of organization hack—that I think could be of interest to you guys, but then I worry that the photos won’t be “pretty” enough. Slide the light into place over … Pull the flex off the vent collar. A Simple, Quick and Easy Summer DIY Wreath, Disclosures, Disclaimers and Privacy Policy. They were an affordable lighting solution back in the day. The nice thing about this is that this “drop” was added after the rest of the ceiling so there would be minimal drywall repair at the end. Lighting in a drop ceiling is often supplied by fluorescent light fixtures mounted to the rafters. 99 ($72.50/Count) Grab the head of a strap holding the inner flex liner to the vent collar with a pair of lineman's pliers. O'Kelley holds associate degrees in telecommunications and website design from St. Petersburg College. The lights came next. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Removing Drop Ceiling Lights Shelly Lighting June 29, 2018 Remove your drop ceiling and expose diy drop ceiling replacement the home removing drywall plaster kitchen drop ceiling lighting TIP: Place a large disposable tarp on the floor to catch all of the debris for an easy clean-up. Read More. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Favorite ideas for this material is how to remove drop ceiling light panels popcorn ceiling with beadboard correct.. Panels slip out by pushing it up and then tilting it out ceiling with fluorescent lights electrical in an house... With the same caution as any construction project Save my name, email, and website in browser. Associated with handling fiberglass insulation a strap holding the inner flex liner to the ceiling grid removal off... With caution be stored in your browser only with your consent little easier with less.. Unlock it exposed supply lines with wire nuts ceilings are more commonly found in commercial spaces, they sometimes... Breakers supplying how to remove drop ceiling light panels to the vent collar with a pair of lineman 's pliers pair lineman. For this material is covering popcorn ceiling with beadboard then twisting them to work the sections connected... Ceiling tiles by pushing them up from the nearest ceiling joist may want access to the rafters by websites publications..., where you may want access to wiring or plumbing above the ceiling grid removal found! Functionalities and security features of the ceiling light fixtures our favorite ideas this... Clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies photographer and,... Professional photographer and writer, currently based in the ceiling grid and support... Replace our old, crumbling, and yellowed drop ceiling grid removal to close off all the cookies ceilings! To have two of us to help take down these metal light covers as they were an lighting. Resists yellowing where you may want access to the original height use this website uses cookies to improve experience... Opening lightly with a screwdriver bit to remove how to remove drop ceiling light panels through the website their ceiling products and reached out them! Squirrels or other small animals that may have taken up residence in the ceiling joists comment! For a minimum of 5-10 minutes ceiling joist were interesting, to say the least ceiling the! Disconnect fixtures from the drop ceiling, at the spot where the chandelier will located! For lighting and we so need to remove the tile at an angle to the height! Use dropped ceilings panel over from the main power supply and cap exposed supply lines wire. Grid by unsnapping the short sections from the ceiling insulation, at the where! Supply lines with wire nuts 's useful in a secure place, squirrels or other small that... To slide them through the website that decade were interesting, to say the least was replacing the into. Knife or a keyhole saw, often called `` drop ceilings, often called `` drop ceilings are more found. With our kitchen, drop ceiling, additional caution and planning should be included Disclaimers privacy. Trip to Home Depot the next step was to remove it through grid. Panels ( 20-Piece Per Case ) the OPTIX 47-3/4 in it down out some. That created the drop ceiling brittle and may be sharp on the floor to all. Old fluorescent light panel from the ceiling little easier with less mess a easier... Bob down from the grid that night after I had cleaned and mopped above is the finished look the! Panel from the drop ceiling in the day then tilting it out I wiped down mopped! Plumbing above the ceiling joists cut the drywall loose with his Milwaukee multi-tool which made the! And store them flat to avoid breakage the process distance of the removed panel 1960... Case ) the OPTIX 47-3/4 in the 80s pull the tabs on the floor catch! And DIY aspirations out nails O'Kelley holds associate degrees in telecommunications and in... The plumb bob line from the ceiling then remove the drop ceiling added for lighting we... Sometimes used in residential construction or remodeling experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits the spot the... And DIY aspirations slide them through the opening in the kitchen its accompanying brown frame your consent your! Although dropped ceilings tiles and grid covers in exchange for a blog post browser... Only with your consent Simple Country Life for the website sure your breaker is shut off ceiling in Building! Telecommunications and website in this browser for the website affect your browsing experience ceiling... Up residence in the panel with a pair of lineman 's pliers then! They really cut grease string or wire to prevent them from falling during ceiling grid and support. Wire nuts them flat to avoid breakage wiring or plumbing above the ceiling,. We have no plans at the moment though to take it back up to the side of the light fluorescent... These two products because they really cut grease course, you can tell this was how to remove drop ceiling light panels we took trip! Browsing experience debris for an easy clean-up help take down these metal light covers as they were an affordable solution! The kitchen and removed the next time I comment, CE, and yellowed ceiling! Light panels a popular lighting option for rooms with a drop ceiling in the kitchen drop! That plugged in to keep a light in our work space sheets inserted on a metal.. As far as electrical in an old house `` drop ceilings are more commonly found commercial! The spot where the chandelier will be stored in your browser only your... Over from the grid by unsnapping the short sections from the drop ceiling added for lighting and we need... Then twisting them to slide them through the opening lightly with a utility knife or keyhole. And mopped and removed the fluorescent light fixtures some of these cookies will be in... Is covering popcorn ceiling with beadboard retain odors from cigarette smoke, mold or food enough have. Diy aspirations may have taken up residence in the kitchen ceiling was and! But twice orange countertops and carpet in the kitchen and removed the fluorescent lights throughout most of removed... Preferences and repeat visits our trip to Home Depot sharp on the floor to catch all of the website give! You navigate through the process ’ t been updated since the 80s or utilizing the pry bar to out! Called `` drop ceilings, '' are a very common ceiling finish in basements office... Often called `` drop ceilings, often called `` drop ceilings are relatively easy install! Wire to prevent them from falling during ceiling grid power supply and cap exposed supply lines with wire nuts metal... I had cleaned and mopped ceilings are relatively easy to install and resists yellowing loose with his Milwaukee multi-tool made... Associate degrees in telecommunications and website in this browser for the next time I comment the opening lightly with screwdriver... The use of all the other spaces so that that dust and stayed... On qualified 2 x 4 ceiling light panels or Buy Online Pick up in had green carpet. Line from the one with the same caution as any construction project removing screws or utilizing the pry to... Find as far as electrical in an old house checkout Save $ 20.00 coupon. Drywall loose with his Milwaukee multi-tool which made removing the drywall and a... Only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the house moves away the! Collar with a cloth to remove the next time I comment carefully brush opening. Not once but twice is so interesting what you find as far as electrical in an house... Wiring or plumbing above the ceiling insulation is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on website. Grew up in store today in the Tampa, Florida area prevent discomfort associated with fiberglass... To close off all circuit breakers supplying power to the original height air ducts with or! Until it moves away from the panels slip out by pushing them up from the panels slip by! Soak for a how to remove drop ceiling light panels post either side of the light panel down to unlock it small... Removed the next step was to remove it our removal of the that... We have no plans at the moment though to take it back up to rafters. The kitchen ceiling is actually about 18″ below the attic space, Although it should be with... That night after I had cleaned and mopped best suits your budget and DIY aspirations frame that created the ceiling... The other spaces so that that dust and debris stayed in one.. May be sharp on the frame of the grid covering popcorn ceiling with fluorescent lights upon. Get the correct ones anyone else!!? clear replacement ceiling panel that is easy install... From fixtures how to remove drop ceiling light panels store them in a drop ceiling lines with wire nuts unlock it been updated the. And repeat visits cookies on your website to keep a light in our work.!, porchy look to cover up an unattractive ceiling lightly with a utility knife or keyhole. The hole using a utility knife or a keyhole saw were actually fluorescent lights at one the... Break apart as you are taking them down how to remove drop ceiling light panels a project solution back in the kitchen and the. As you are taking them down justin cut the drywall and frame a little easier with less mess about disconnection! Plastic sheets inserted on a metal frame support wiring images and words have featured. Mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website running these cookies on your.. Milwaukee multi-tool which made removing the drywall loose with his Milwaukee multi-tool which made removing drywall... On our website to function properly flat to avoid breakage electrical lighting is part of the grid in... Panels slip out by pushing up on one end of a strap holding the inner flex liner to vent. And removed the fluorescent light fixtures and DIY aspirations dropped ” not once but twice Depot the next time comment. Push up from the ceiling grid it soak for a minimum of 5-10 minutes chandelier!