How to Place Insulation Around Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting that ends up sticking up into the attic or crawl space of your home has to contend with insulation. Although you need the insulation batting to cover the floor of the attic for the most part, it cannot touch the recessed lights because of the risk of fire. To keep insulation from getting too close, you must block off the fixture.

2-by-6 boards
Power saw
Measuring tape
Utility knife

Instructions

- 1
  Measure from the light fixture out 3 inches or more and make a mark. Repeat this for the other three sides if it is a wide area. If the fixture is in between two ceiling joists with less than 3 inches space between the fixture and the joist, then there is no need to measure to the sides.
- 2
  Measure the distance between the joists and cut two boards to that length. Use a power saw to cut the boards.
- 3
  Slide the boards on either side of the fixture at the marks you made.
- 4
  Drill 3-inch screws through the joists and into the ends of the wood pieces.
- 5
  Measure in between the boards you just inserted. If there is a large space between the fixture and the joists, cut boards to fit between the two boards you just inserted so you can form a box. Cut the boards as you did the others. Set them in place and attach them to the first boards with 3-inch screws.
- 6
  Roll out the insulation up to the wood you used to block off the fixture. Cut the insulation up against the board with a utility knife.

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