Can you state what the problem is in different words?

Sure. I’m planning on installing a surround sound system with in ceiling speakers. At the end of cutting out the hole for the speakers, I hit a stud. The speakers need about an inch clearance around the perimeter of the hole for the speaker clamps to rotate out on the drywall. However, the stud is right at the edge of the hole about a half inch in which would not allow the speaker to go up and mount. I “think” I need to cover up the hole and find another place for the speaker, but don’t know how to do that. Or can I widen the hole away from the stud and see if the speaker fits. I would then need to find a way to fill in the gap. I’m not sure if that makes more sense. Thanks!

A little.

It looks like there is a "truss" encroaching in the hole in your ceiling for a speaker. Enlarge the hole to accommodate the speaker and patch and paint any part of the hole that is exposed. You could do it yourself but I would recommend hiring professionals.

Thirty-five bucks fills the hole.

I had this exact fix 2 weeks ago. Cut a circle out of a 5/8" thick drywall remnant, tight fit. Use Durabond 90 to essentially "glue" the piece in around the perimeter. Minor fill/sand/paint.

There are 2 layers of gypsum board there, for some reason. Can your speakers attachment clips accommodate that thickness? Where is this in the house that would warrant two layers? Could be for soundproofing, a patch, fire rating?

Good point. We have resilient channels throughout the basement for sound treatment. I hope the speakers can accommodate.

kudzu,

Thanks for this idea. Would it be secure enough with glue? How do I make the joint secure enough to support some weight of the speaker? Thanks!

To do the repair that I suggested requires a little experience in sheet rock patching. You wouldn’t use glue. You would screw a 1 inch wide wooden strip in place on the attic side of the sheetrock as backing, screw the two arc-shaped pieces to it, and then tape and mud it. The procedure is essentially the same as if you wanted to patch the entire hole. If this sounds like it’s beyond your current skill set, best to ask the contractor to have it fixed. It’s not a hard repair, but it might be a challenge if you have no experience.

You haven't disclosed the size of the hole, the size of the hole needed, or the speaker you plan to use. I'm not personally recommending either of these speakers (the 6.5" and 8" models just have high ratings on Amazon, and they're inexpensive) but I notice from the rear photos that the "ears" that hold them in place in the ceiling can be swung out even if the speakers are placed very close to obstructions (i.e., a beam) because they are just outside the woofer's edge. Also, the screws attached to the ears appear to be pretty long to accommodate thick ceilings and the speaker covers are quite a but larger than the woofers so any deficiencies in the ceiling holes will be covered up.

kudzu, thank you for that clear explanation. My only question/concern is that, with the backing in place, there wouldn't be any room for the speaker to latch. Does that make sense? There are four screws on that rotate out and clamp down onto the drywall when put in.

How thick a panel will those clamps accommodate?

mtvhike, It looks like the max is about an inch for the clamps.

You could put in a piece of backing with a notch, or make the backing narrower, or use two backing pieces with a gap big enough for a clip to fit in.

wdccruise,

This is the model that I have Yamaha NS-IW280CWH 6.5" 3-Way In-Ceiling Speaker. Your idea might work. There might be enough room to get around the truss and clamp the speaker on the lower layer of drywall. So far, all home-audio installation people aren't responsive and will cost around $400 to fix and install. Thanks for the suggestions all!

Maybe. The Yamaha speaker does have a plastic surround that must fit precisely into the cutout and there is only 0.42" outside that surround to cover any imperfections in the cutout.

To do all of this, what tools would I need? I have a drill and a drywall saw, and other basics. I was thinking a reciprocating saw to cut the wooden strip and to cut out a notch on the wood (I figure that if I cut a thin piece of drywall to fill the gap, the backing should match the curvature of the hole.) I'm thinking of buying tools instead of paying someone to do this for me. Thoughts? You have been a wealth of information!

I know it is too late. But you can use a round access panel to cover that hole for 10$ and no tools. Google Easy-Exs they sell those on Amazon

You really want to have an Access Cover in your ceiling? lol

Installing resilient channel and double drywall to reduce sound transfer and then completely short-circuiting it with speaker holes makes no sense either.

In three years, I hope the OP has figured it out, if only to duct-tape a piece of cardboard over the hole and go with a boom box instead.