It may be the case that you wish to fit a plaster ceiling rose in an interior space yourself, but do not currently know how this should be done. While we would always recommend that larger, more complex and ornate pieces are installed by professional services, smaller and lighter pieces can be installed using the right set of instructions. We have provided these instructions in our own guide on how to fit a ceiling rose, which is detailed below.
Read on if you wish to install a smaller ceiling rose to complete the aesthetic appeal of your own planned work project, or contact us if you are interested in having a larger ceiling rose fitted that matches a set of given specifications.
What You Will Need Beforehand
Before you begin fitting a ceiling rose for any interior space, you will need the correct equipment:
- The ceiling rose of your choice, moulded by and purchased from a specialist provider
- An electric drill
- Plaster screws
- A hole cutter or saw (if intending to use the ceiling rose as part of a light fixture)
- An adhesive (for example, plaster, strong decorative PVA, tile adhesive, or mastic adhesive)
- A 11/2 inch notched trowel
- A stud finder
- Sandpaper
- A hand sander
- A ventilation mask (to wear when sanding)
- A tack cloth
- A damp cloth or sponge
- Paint of your choosing
- Caulk, or a similar sealant
- A sharp pencil
- Two ladders
Other Parts of Preparation
Certain other parts of preparation will also need to be carried out if you are intent on using the installed ceiling rose as a decorative element which hides certain infrastructure related to light fittings. To begin, you must turn off the power at the mains and remove the light fitting so that you are left with a plain wire hanging down. If no light fitting currently exists, one should be installed by a trained and qualified electrician.
Any ceiling rose which will be used alongside a light fitting must have an opening made in its centre using your hole cutter, drill, or saw. The electrician hired should be able to tell you how large this opening should be.
If there was a previous ceiling rose installation in place, any part of this left should also be removed. Particularly heavy ceiling roses should be screwed into the joists, so it is important that these are found, as well as pipes and cables, using your stud finder.
Step One: Sanding the Area
If there is no existing ceiling rose and the ceiling itself is smooth, it is suggested that you first sand the space on the ceiling where the decorative element will sit. This ensures the piece will adhere more fully to the surface of the ceiling.
Once this is done, the ceiling should be wiped with a tack cloth.
Step Two: Marking the Ceiling Rose’s Position
This step should begin with you setting up two ladders. You will use one, and the other will be used by a person helping you. They should hold the rose you have chosen in the position you require, and you should use a pencil to mark and outline this position. After this, the rose should be removed so that the adhesive you are using can be applied.
Step Three: Mark the Ceiling Joists
Using a stud finder, or through the instruction of an electrician, mark where the ceiling joists are. You may consider drawing small, perpendicular lines outside where the rose will sit in order to create guidelines for yourself.
Step Four: Mixing the Adhesive
Mix the adhesive you have selected, carefully following the instructions given on the label.
Step Five: Applying the Adhesive
Set your ceiling rose face-down on a nearby surface for this step. Apply the adhesive with your 11/2 inch notched trowel, leaving a gap of around 5 cm around the perimeter so that the adhesive can spread.
Step Six: Placing the Ceiling Rose
Climbing your ladder again, lift the rose to the ceiling and thread any electrical wire or cable being used (if the ceiling rose is being used to complement a light fixture) through the hole in the centre. Whether or not the ceiling rose is being used as a decorative element for lighting, it should then be pushed against the ceiling. Pay careful attention to your marked guidelines as you carry this out.
Hold the ceiling rose in place for as long as the instructions recommended on the adhesive’s label. For example, it may instruct you to hold the rose in place for three minutes.
Step Seven: Attaching the Ceiling Rose
Using your electric drill, screw in the plaster screws through the ceiling rose and into the ceiling joists. This should be done in three or four places, and holes should be countersunk in order to hide the heads of the screws.
Step Eight: Neatening the Aesthetics
Excess adhesive should be wiped away from around the edge of the ceiling rose with a damp cloth or sponge. It is important not to use a coloured cloth for this, however, as the colour from the material may run and transfer onto the plaster of the ceiling rose. You may also wish to paint over the heads of the plaster screws in order to ensure their complete obfuscation, or consider caulking the edges around the ceiling rose in a colour which matches its plaster (excess should also be wiped away).
The ceiling rose should be left to dry after this.
Step Nine: Rewiring Light Fittings (Optional)
If the intention of fitting the ceiling rose was to complement and complete the aesthetics of a light fitting, this can be finished once the ceiling rose is dry. Rewire the light fitting and turn the power back on.
If you are fixing a heavy light centrepiece, such as a chandelier, this may involve lifting one or more boards in the room above and installing and screwing a wooden noggin between the two central joists. This acts as grounds and safe support for the chandelier below.
Seeking Specialists for Larger Projects
If you are managing a particularly large project, or are overseeing renovation or restoration work on a period property or listed building, it is highly recommended that a specialist carries out the installation of any ceiling roses required. Depending on the specifications of the project itself, an experienced professional should be able to work with project managers, historians, and interior designers to ensure precision accuracy in the finished result. It also ensures that any work carried out is completed with the delicacy and finesse the fitting of ornate features is owed.
For a Quote on Our Services
In the event that you are managing a larger project and you are in need of a quote for the specialist moulding and installation of plaster ceiling roses, contact our London office today. We are more than confident that our team can provide you with the pieces that complement and complete any interior in need of transformation, whether in a modern or period property. Once we are aware of your specifications, we will be able to provide you with a quote.
Our master craftsmen will always be on hand to offer advice and assist in any way that ensures your project’s specifications are met, and our previously completed projects are available to view if you require inspiration for any part before you begin. Explore these if you are still searching for the final elements of your design work, or speak to us if you already know what you need to complete any renovation or revitalising restoration work.