Ceiling speakers are a fantastic choice for both residential homes and office spaces, as they can provide impeccable sound quality whilst being hidden away and not immediately visible as free-standing speakers might be.
Choosing the right ceiling speakers for your needs, how many speakers you need, and how they might be positioned across your ceiling space are all important decisions that might occupy most of your thought process, but you must not also forget about the actual installation of your chosen speakers.
This can be a slightly trickier process than you might first realise, especially as you might have to make significant changes to the walls and ceilings of your home.
Table of Contents
Do ceiling speakers need a power supply?
Your ceiling speakers may need a power supply, depending on whether they are active or passive speakers.
Active speakers, such as those that are enabled for Bluetooth connections, will require power from a mains supply. These speakers will be packaged with their mains cables and any wiring work will need to include accommodation for these.
Passive speakers will not require their own power supply, but will need connections to an external amplifier, again providing their own needs for wiring that might complicate the overall installation.
Do I need to install fire hoods with my ceiling speakers?
Fire hoods are an incredibly important part of any ceiling speaker installation. If your ceiling speaker is going to go in a space below another storey of a building, you are required by law to install fire hoods. They will help to prevent the spread of fire if one occurs, and your building will not be compliant with building regulations without them.
So, if you are installing ceiling speakers in your kitchen – which happens to be located beneath your bedroom – you will need fire hoods. Likewise, if you wish to install ceiling speakers in your flat – located on the third floor of a five-storey building – you will need fire hoods.
Even if you do not have another storey above your ceiling, it is wise to install fire hoods alongside your speakers for maximum fire-proofing and safety. You may discover that you need them for insurance purposes, even if you are not required to have them to meet building regulations.
Many speaker suppliers will also stock fire hoods, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right size for your speakers. Alternatively, if you use a professional fitting service, they should provide and fit the hoods along with your speakers.
Can ceiling speakers be installed in high-humidity rooms?
Many people like to install ceiling speakers in high-humidity rooms like kitchens and bathrooms so they can enjoy background music as they go about their daily business.
If you would like nothing more than your favourite artists serenading you as you make a slice of toast, or your top podcaster sharing new anecdotes as you relax in the bath, ceiling speakers are a great option.
Since these will be electronics in very humid areas, you need to ensure that you buy ones that are steam- and water-resistant. You can also choose ones that are fully waterproof.
Installing ceiling speakers yourself
It is possible to install ceiling speakers yourself, if you so choose. If you are confident undertaking other DIY projects that require electrical work and altering walls and ceilings, you should be able to tackle this with the same care as you would any other project.
As with any other remodelling project, make sure that you take the appropriate steps to protect yourself and ensure that the speaker installation is handled as safely as possible. Using the correct equipment, such as a ladder and protective goggles, is a must. When you’re ready to install your ceiling speakers, follow these steps.
1. Survey the area
Where are you planning to put your speakers? When you measure out the placement of your ceiling speakers, you might find that there is some obstruction behind the wall that requires you to adjust the speakers’ positions a little. You need to make sure that you properly survey the area so you don’t make more issues for yourself further down the line.
Can you access the other side of the wall via a crawl or attic space? Can you easily run the cables you need through behind the wall? Will there be insulation to remove or important studs and joists that need to be avoided?
Take your time and ensure that you have a complete picture of what lies behind your walls before you start making holes.
2. Measure and cut your holes
Once you are satisfied with the positioning of your speakers, you can mark the wall and make your holes. The speakers you have selected should come with a template that you can use to trace the right size of the hole.
Mark out the hole you need, and make sure you score the plaster, too. This will help to make a neater hole when you cut through the wall, as it should help to prevent paint and plaster from cracking.
Remember – measure twice, cut once.
3. Install your hoods and speakers
With the right size of hole in your wall, you can now install your fire hoods and the speakers themselves. When installing the ceiling speakers, remove the grill from the unit and pull your speaker cables from the wall. You may have to strip some of the cable coating from the wires to be able to attach the speakers to them properly.
Insert the speaker into its new home and screw it in place. You then just have to adjust the swivel tweeters to deliver sound in the direction you want before reattaching the grill.
If you wish to camouflage the speaker further, you can choose to paint the grill the same colour as your ceiling. Choosing to hide speakers in this way can create an even more seamless experience in your room.
Where can I find a professional service?
Not everyone will be comfortable installing ceiling speakers themselves, especially as it requires you to handle electrical wiring and other potentially hazardous areas within your home.
Using a professional fitter can not only help you to ensure that your ceiling speakers are laid out correctly for your room but that they are also perfectly installed according to building and insurance regulations. You can even choose to integrate your speakers with lighting circuits and other innovations to create a fully functional smart home.
Want to speak to an expert about installing your ceiling speakers? Contact Inlink Systems for free, no-obligation advice today.
