Cutting ceiling tiles only requires a sharp utility knife.
Cutting out a hole in ceiling tiles for a recessed light is a bit simpler than in a standard ceiling. The tile is cut on the floor or a flat surface instead of while it is up. Installing a recessed light in ceiling tiles requires support bars so that the weight of the fixture is not on the ceiling tile. For aesthetic purposes, it is a good idea to cut out a recessed light hole in the center of ceiling tiles.
Instructions
1. Take down the ceiling tiles where you want to mount recessed lights. Push up on the center of the tile and angle it out of the suspended ceiling grid. Watch for any insulation that might be on top of the ceiling tile.
2. Place the ceiling tile face up on a flat wood surface. Always cut ceiling tile face up as this prevents the face side from having shreds. The wood surface helps prolong the life of your knife blade.
3. Place the recessed light fixture, without the trim pieces, over the center of the ceiling tile. Trace the outline of the fixture onto the ceiling tile with a pencil. The trim pieces of the light fixture will cover the edge of the hole when you install the fixture.
4. Extend and lock the blade on a utility knife. Press the blade into the ceiling tile along the trace mark. Pull the blade out of the tile, and push it in again. Continue pushing the blade through the tile along the circumference of the tracing.
5. Lift the ceiling tile up and carefully pull the cut-out piece from the tile. Insert the light fixture into the ceiling tile to ensure it fits correctly. Trim the hole in the ceiling tile as necessary with the utility knife.
Tags: ceiling tile, ceiling tiles, light fixture, recessed light, utility knife