How to remove this light fitting?

stepinnman

Please excuse my complete and utter ignorance...and I imagine this is straightforward enough, but I need to get this old light fitting down before I can put up a new one. I thought it would be easy enough - I've been told they usually unscrew anti-clockwise, but this one isn't really budging. If anything there's a tiny bit of give clockwise, or the whole unit coming together. Could be stuck with paint I suppose.

Any suggestions / ideas before I destroy my ceiling trying to get it down!

Thanks

zega

yeah it should just unscrew,take a stanley knife to the edge that meets the ceiling and cut through the paint

JR6

Ya that should just unscrew anticlockwise. It looks like paint may have it stuck alright. Maybe run a stanley blade around it to break the paint seal and then unscrew.

stepinnman

Thanks Zega, thanks JR6 - the seal is broken the whole way around where it meets the ceiling though and still no budging. The whole thing is just coming together. I wonder did paint get into the thread where it unscrews and stick it there as well. Any handy tips for unbonding that. Not much room to manoeuvre it really.

meercat

Tap of a hammer and it will crack away. Not a problem if your putting up a new light fitting.
Tap on the side. Mind your eyes. Turn power off

JamBur

Force it, it should give. If it cracks, well at least they are cheap and easy to replace

stepinnman

Thanks all - it's not for budging though no matter how I go at it! At this stage I'll just end up ripping it out of the ceiling. For the avoidance of doubt, I'm not being overly delicate about trying to force it - it's just completely stuck. Might just have to smash a bit of it to get some purchase...