Removing big ugly light box from texured ceiling

16 years ago

Hi,

Does anyone here have experience with removing the large flourescent light box from a textured ceiling? The ceiling texture is the type that looks like it was slapped up there with a small mop, if you know what I mean. Sort of a flower/star pattern. (sorry no pics, but hopefully you can picture this). The house is almost 8 years old, and the big box has been on the ceiling since it was built. I am concerned that when we remove the box (to replace it with a semi-flush fixture) the area where the light box was will look much whiter and cleaner than the rest of the ceiling. I really don't think that this type of ceiling is paintable because there is just so much texture. Even if it is paintable, it is not a project I'd like to take on!

Has anyone removed one of these before, and what can I expect to see under it? I am almost sure the ceiling is finished underneath (it better be!). I know I'll have to have some screw holes patched. Am I getting into something too difficult? I really hate the big ugly box, so please tell me this is do-able!

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Comments (4)

Fori
16 years ago
I think you're going to have to paint. It's not really THAT bad, though I must confess I hate painting ceilings. You'll need a roller with a long nap, but it's paintable alright.
janwad
16 years ago
Home improvement stores have spray on wall texturizer in the paint department. It isn't too hard to use and comes in different textures. I have a heavy 'knockdown' and know what you mean.

It isn't that hard to paint, either - especially if you don't change the color too much. Just use a thick roller.

I took the whole dropped ceiling down (lightbox included), and the dry wall guy who replaced it didn't match the texture that well. I have to admit no one has ever noticed it, and I don't even see it anymore.

This kind of wall texture hides a multitude of sins.
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nutbunch
16 years ago
We removed the florescents that were recessed in the ceiling in 48" x 19" holes in the ceiling. We had the holes sheetrocked. We choose large ceiling flush florescent fixture replacements that would come close to covering. But not quite enough. The ring where the wood frame was mounted was a yellow color. The rest of the ceiling was white. So we had to tape & mud the seams, Paint white where the yellow was.

Then when we mounted the ceiling fixtures we used white caulk around the fixture to hide the imperfections in the ceiling around them.

You won't know what you got untill you take your box down. My guess is it will be textured, but not painted.
mybrowneyedgirls
Original Author
16 years ago
Oh, I never thought about the ceiling not being painted underneath the box. Actually, I guess I didn't really think my ceilings were painted. I just thought that the plaster or whatever it is that gives it that "knockdown" texture was just white and wasn't actually painted over. After our 1 year inspection (when the builder has someone come out and fix nail pops and ceiling cracks from the house settling) the guy gave me a little baggie of plaster stuff used for the ceiling. He said that if I ever needed to fix a crack in the ceiling, it would be impossible to match the same white with paint or other plaster mix, so he gave me the same stuff as what was originally used (I have no idea what happened to it--it's long gone now). I suppose that is why I thought the ceiling wasn't painted. Could I be correct, or are these types of ceilings always painted?