This thin bracket is shown in the picture outlined in red. Some of the less expensive remodel type can lights have a thin metal arm that is 1/8″ thick strap steel and which makes them much easier to insert in the ceiling opening. The Halo H750RICAT recessed remodel light can is most easily installed through a 6-1/2 inch opening so that the junction box and can cylinder and the thick arm bracket (outlined in red in the picture) all fit through the opening in the ceiling. The H750RICAT is supposed to fit through a 6-1/4″ cutout hole cut but actually the can light needs a hole at least 6-3/8 inches in diameter for the can portion of the fixture. A foam sealant would do a much better job. All the air tight fixtures I have examined from the major suppliers are cheaply modified with a thin strip of insulating tape that probably adds 2 cents to the manufacturing cost and does a poor job of providing an air seal. The “air tight” ceiling fixtures when installed properly can significantly reduce loss of heated air from living spaces up into the attic. In an actual installation the tape that is wrapped around the light can to help make a good air seal increases the outer diameter of the light can so it requires a 5-5/8″ cutout at a bare minimum and 5-11/16 inches is a safer size to minimize damage to the sheetrock. The Halo H5RICAT (“5″ indicates 5″ fixture, “R” indicates remodel/retrofit type and the “I” indicates that it is OK for direct contact with insulation) comes with a template for a 5-1/2 inch size cutout hole. Some designs, like the Halo in particular, make it much more difficult to insert the can light assembly. With the remodel or retrofit type of recessed ceiling can light the entire fixture has to slip through the opening and often the size of the opening is dictated by the arm that attaches the fixture to the electrical junction box. Often the template is the same for all models from the manufacturer and may be too small for some of the variations, especially with the remodel light cans. Most of the manufactures have stopped publishing the cutout dimensions so one does not the exact hole size needed until the light cans have been purchased and one can measure the template in the box. With soft sheetrock a close fit may be needed with smaller LED can lights like the 3 inch and 4 inch models from Utilitech sold by Lowe’s and the Con-Tech fixtures sold by Home Depot. For thick plaster a slightly larger cutout hole may be needed to provide room for pushing up a remodel style can light into the ceiling space. First is the ability to make the exact size hole needed in whatever ceiling material is to be cut. There are a number of important advantages to using a Hole Pro adjustable hole cutter to make the cutout holes for recessed can lights (or downlights). Or for $129 a Hole Pro model X-230 hole cutter can cut any size cutout hole needed from 1-7/8 to 9 inches in diameter. So one can spend hundreds of dollars on continuous rim grit hole saws and still not have the right hole saw sizes for the most common can lights. Commercial can lights can require cutout holes larger than 8 inches in diameter. And this is just for the residential high hats or recessed ceiling lights. Another common recessed can light manufacturer is Juno and for their can lights one needs cutout holes of 3-1/4″, 4-3/8″, 5-1/2″ 6-3/4″, 6-7/8″. Instead of three common hole cutout sizes for the majority of recessed can lights (6-3/8, 6-5/8, 6-7/8 inches, there are now more than 27 common sizes and very few in these traditional diameters.įor example the Halo brand of recessed light cans sold by Amazon, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and others, have manufacturer recommended cutout hole sizes of 3-3/4″, 4-1/4″, 5-1/2″, 6-1/4″, 6-7/16″ for the different size can lights. Installing recessed can lights or high hats in ceilings has gotten more complicated with all the new sizes of LED, PAR, and CFL light fixtures. Although we don't have any holes to cut right now, we're trying to think of excuses to buy one of these (Hole Pro)! Thank you to Hole Pro for letting us reprint their article. Be sure to visit their web site for more of their product information. We think you will find their article very helpful. Often, mistakes are made-some of which are very difficult to correct for. We get a lot of customers with questions in regards to cutting the holes for recessed lighting. Note: this article is reprinted in its entirety with permission from the blog of the nice folks at Hole Pro.
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