Painting - Masking Recessed Light Cans

i'm going to spray ceilings and have about 25 cans that i want to keep
clean on the inside. any tips on a fast and easy way to accomplish this.
something like inflating a balloon in each one!

is there a lip/rim that needs to be masked, also?

can you just pull each one down & wrap with a plastic bag & let them dangle there while you paint?

If the cans have trim you should be able to easily remove or [depending on brand] pull them down an inch or so. If you are masking the trim just tape it with paper in the middle.

If the trim is removed or not installed, I would cut some cardboard slightly larger than the can and push it into the can and tape in place.

these are brand new fixtures, so i have not installed the trim yet. i've got
about 25 fixtures in the building.

cutting cardboard circles seems tedious. but it may still be the fastest way
to do a neat job.

I usually shoot the electrician if he installs any devices before I get done spraying :D

i am the electrician/painter/plumber/framer.....

Ouch! :p BANG which one of us got shot in the foot :D

I usually shoot the electrician if he installs any devices before I get done spraying :D
Ha ha ha ha...me too

i am the electrician/painter/plumber/framer.....
Ut oh...this isn't going to turn out well is it?

Ouch! :p BANG which one of us got shot in the foot :D
...ROFLMAO...
...sorry...I know it's not advice but...still...lol...

...still laughing...
mb66, can you do Annette's idea?
I mean, you hooked them up, do you think you have enough slack?

Stuff them with newspaper.

...still laughing...
mb66, can you do Annette's idea?
I mean, you hooked them up, do you think you have enough slack?

Annette assummed the trim was installed. i have not done that yet, i just
have the bare fixture in the ceiling.

maybe i should tape a piece of paper around the inside of the can so that
the paper extends down into the room. then i could bunch up the lower
end of the paper and tape it shut.

i was hoping someone who does a lot of painting would have figured out
the best way long ago.

I used to do a lot of new residential painting. Occasionally I would pull up on a job to find cans installed. 90% of the time either the electrician or builder had someone mask them off. My contracts always specified no electical installed on ceilings before finish coat of paint. I also specified no cabinets untill all drywall was primed. That way if I had to do extra work I got extra pay.

That's pretty much how it goes
They almost always are installed after the paint dries

I've run across an occasional installed fixture, but they were odd things like a thermostat or fire sensor
And they'd be covered up pretty good

i was hoping someone who does a lot of painting would have figured out the best way long ago.

Yep, hang 'em and bag 'em. If you are the electrician too, shouldn't be hard to put them back up when done.

Stuff them with newspaper.

Exactly. Don't make more work for yourself, especially if the trim isn't installed. Just remove the lamps, stuff newspaper in each one, and spray. It doesn't matter if you get paint on the rim of the can, because that will be covered up with the trim anyway.

I thought about that too
it sounds like a good idea, but I can't see how the spray won't bounce-back off the crumpled paper onto (into) the sides of the can
Not w/o taping them well, which kinda leaves out the fast and easy part
But that's just a thought, I haven't seen/tried it to know for sure

I thought about that too
it sounds like a good idea, but I can't see how the spray won't bounce-back off the crumpled paper onto (into) the sides of the can
Not w/o taping them well, which kinda leaves out the fast and easy part
But that's just a thought, I haven't seen/tried it to know for sure

If you stuff the paper up there really tight it shouldn't be a problem. I've done it myself. I also cut in around the cans about 6 inches so I wouldn't have to spray directly over the cans.

Pulling them and bagging them is a huge waste of time, IMHO. 25 cans would take you half the day, then you'd have to put them back in. Also, you can damage the drywall by taking them out and putting them back in; you may blow out an edge and now you have to back fill the gap.

If you stuff the paper up there really tight it shouldn't be a problem. I've done it myself. I also cut in around the cans about 6 inches so I wouldn't have to spray directly over the cans.

Well, there ya go then
Thanks for the tip!
:)

i think i will use one piece of masking paper off the dispenser and tape it
around the can up inside (with the tape going around the bottom inside of
the can) and then stuff the inside with newspaper. that should take a
minute or so per light.

thanks for the various thoughts on the subject.

mb66

I bet next time you paint the ceiling first ;) wish you luck with your project