Introduction
Up until this point, ceiling fans are still a practical and cheap way to cool off. Additionally, the ceiling fan boxes really do contribute to the visual aesthetics of rooms.
A common complaint again ceiling fans are the ceiling fan boxes aren’t flush with the drywall.
So, what’s the fix behind the ceiling fan box not flush with drywall?
To start off, turn the power off for the fan switch then start working. Then, marking out the joists should be your goal. After that, you need to cut the joist and drywall along the markings. Then, mount a fan bracket and cut a hole in the center. Finally, install ceiling fan support there.
This information’s important and full of facts. Yet, there’s more to come! You can get to know all the info by reading the entire article.
Start reading now!
How to Flush the Ceiling Fan Box with Drywall?
Not seeing the ceiling fan adjusted with the drywall can be frustrating. It looks pretty odd and is a bit on the risky side. This can actually mess with your mental health issues by increasing anxiety.
However, we have a solution for it. Below, we have explained the method of how to flush the ceiling fan boxes with drywall. Don’t worry; it is divided into multiple simple steps for your convenience.
So, without further ado, jump right into the steps!
Step 1: Turn the Power Off
This step is all about safety and precautions. Before doing any work on the ceiling fan, you have to turn the power off. You can keep the other electric connection of the house on.
Just turn off the specific circuit breaker for the ceiling fan. Usually, the circuit breaker is supposed to sit.
However, if the circuit breaker’s not sitting, it might indicate circuit breaker problems.
Along with turning the power off, detach the ceiling fan as well. By detaching the ceiling fan, the ceiling fan box should be visible. Also, the drywall should be visible as well.
Hold on, we will start working on that in our next step.
Step 2: Mark the Joists
The joists are the timbers that support the ceiling fan’s weight behind the drywall. To fix the flush issue, we have to mark the joists. If you’ve removed the ceiling fan, you should see a joist through the drywall hole.
You have to find the edge of the joist to start cutting.
To find the edge, you can use a screwdriver. Just poke the screwdriver along the lines of the joist. If it gets stuck, you are hitting the joist. If it goes through, you’re at the edge of the joist.
Mark that section with a pencil.
Repeat this step for all 4 holes around the ceiling fan hole. You should have 4 holes in a rectangle of a square, depending on the joist’s position.
Mark all the holes and connect the 4 holes into a square.
Step 3: Cut out the Drywall and Joist
Although this step may seem contradictory to some, it is necessary. In this step, we will be cutting the drywall around the Ceiling fan box. This is critical because we are going to make flush drywall.
In order to do that, we have to make it from scratch.
Before cutting the drywall, you can put some drylok on the drywall. Consider this as a safety measure for future reference! Now you are ready to do some cutting.
You can start cutting from the markings. Cut around the square using a handheld hacksaw. You can also use the regular hacksaw, but it’ll take a lot of time. After cutting the area, mark the edges with a utility knife as well.
If you’re looking for quality utility knives, you can get some good ideas from here-
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These utility knives are some of the sharpest in the industry. Be careful while using them! These knives also last really long compared to regular knives.
After you can take the drywall off, you have to cut the joist as well. Cut along the visible edges of the joist with the hacksaw. It should have a couple of nails in it, you have to cut through them.
When you are done cutting the joist, some of the insulation may have been tampered with. Do not panic and put the insulation back in its place.
Step 4: Mount Fan Bracket
In this step, we will be mounting a fan bracket in space of the drywall hole. This is basically restarting the fan installation progress by restoring the drywall.
To do this, get on a ladder and measure out the drywall hole. Use a measuring tape to take the measurements. After you have the measurements, copy the measurements on a bracket.
Then using a utility knife, carve out the markings.
After that, simply applying pressure on the marking will break the drywall in the right spots. Apply pressure and break off all 4 sides.
After you have the perfect bracket for the ceiling, screw the bracket in.
Step 5: Find the Center of the Room
There is a couple of ways you can go about this step. Finding the center of the room is easy, but you’ll need the right pieces of equipment. First, measure using the measuring tape.
Measure the width of the room. After that, measure the length of the room. Then, half the width and the length and match the markings. The intersection of these markings will be the center of the room.
Then you can use a dot later and project the marking up to the ceiling. The mark on the ceiling will be the center of the room. The laser dot should be marked with a pencil.
Put a cross on the laser dot.
Step 6: Create Ceiling Fan Hole
In this step, we will be using the chop saw. Keep the laser dot mark in the center and run the chop saw around it. That will create an open drill in the ceiling.
Try to keep the diameter of the chop saw small. If needed, you can make it bigger. But once you cut a big hole, you cannot make it smaller. You’ll have to reinstall the drywall, which is a hefty process!
Step 7: Get a Ceiling Fan Support Box
This here is probably the most critical step of all. You have to buy a ceiling fan box. This box will have all the pieces of equipment to help you install ceiling fans. It should have all the tools like screws, wires, etc.
Most of the time, the box is not rated. Whenever you are making this purchase, make sure the box is rated to hold up a ceiling fan!
That way, you can be extra safe and not worry about the fan falling off.
Step 8: Install the Ceiling Fan
Firstly, you need to go to the attic. Then, locate the hole you made in step 6. The hole should be big enough for the bracket to be installed.
The ideal bracket sizes are from 16-24 inches. These can be adjusted.
Also, the two tabs of the support should be sitting in between the joist and drywall.
Get the bracket through the hole. Then, hammer the two tabs and then screw them in. They should be screwed in the joist for optimal weight capacity.
Through the hole, you can pass the ceiling fan wires on. Turn on the circuit breaker for the ceiling fans. Test them with a bulb, and see if the fan cables are getting power. If the cables are getting power, you’re all set.
Finally, install the ceiling fans. And that is about it with the fan boxes. This way, the ceiling fan box will be flush with the drywall.
However, since we attached the mount bracket, there might be some holes. The holes and gaps on the drywall won’t look good on the ceiling. For that, use 90 joint compounds that you have to mix and flush.
Fill the gaps with the compound and finish the coating with lighter mud. After the compound dries, the ceiling should be flush and gap-free.
From there, you can do a ceiling paint job of your own.
No one will even suspect the ceiling fan box fix. Yes, the finishing will be that clean! And voila. You have successfully fixed the ceiling fan box flush issue!
FAQs
Can a ceiling fan be too heavy?
Yes, a ceiling fan can be too heavy. The stud, joist, or rafter that holds the fan must support its weight of it. If you are operating overweight fans, stop as soon as possible. They might fall off and cause an accident. You can consider upgrading the studs to increase ceiling fan weight capacity.
Are Longer ceiling fan blades better?
Yes, longer ceiling fan blades are better for large rooms. On the other hand, the short blades are fit for small rooms. Large blades create comfy and soft airflow. On the contrary, the small blades offer direct airflow and are a bit noisy. Ultimately, you can decide between the fans depending on your room size.
How many blades on a ceiling fan make the best airflow?
Ideally, the best airflow can be extracted out of 3-bladed fans. Three blades on a fan is the sweet spot. These ceiling fans create comfortable and sufficient air. It is not necessarily true that the more blades, the better. As you add more blades, the noise, power, and weight draw will increase.
The Final Words
You’ve reached the end. Hopefully, you know the fix when you find the ceiling fan box not flush with drywall.
If you are finding the task to be hard, it’s perfectly fine. Pay a small labor cost and hire an electrician! He/she can do the work effortlessly!
Good luck!