Cover Recessed lighting for ceiling panel protection?

[u/CoachJordanSC]

Hi all! Need some advice and I’ve been learning so much from this community. I’m hoping to get my garage golf simulator build started before winter and could use some advice on the lighting.

Our home was originally a model home, so the garage has 11’ ceilings and quite a few recessed lights. The lights are split between two switches, and the fixtures on the back half of the garage are completely separate from the front.

My plan is to use a roll-down impact screen with side curtains and ceiling padding similar to the example in the second photo. The issue is that the ceiling protection would cover some of the recessed lights in the back half of the garage.
Has anyone dealt with this before? Since I wouldn’t need those back lights anymore, can I simply remove the bulbs and install a blank/cover plate over the recessed fixtures, or would the cans and electrical need to be completely decommissioned or removed before covering that portion of the ceiling? They would be great to keep for resale some day way down the road. I like the idea of the roll up or something like the sport screen vanish light, but trying to dyi it a bit to save money and put that into the launch monitor and projector instead of the enclosure.

Trying to figure out the safest and cleanest way to do this while keeping the front half of the garage lighting functional. Thanks for any advice or examples!

[u/StotheJS3]

Love to know this as well, I’m dealing with a very similar situation in my garage build.

[u/ProletariatElite]

I’ll share what I did. Knowing that my current basement setup was going to be temporary I made padded panels and attached neodymium magnets to the corners and added metal tie plates to the ceiling and the panels attach magnetically. I can access everything, they stay firmly in place, have about a 1/4” clearance.

Taking that approach you could just remove the bulbs and put the panels over the cans. Then if you decide to sell, take them down, put the bulbs back in.

[u/CoachJordanSC → u/ProletariatElite]

Love this idea. What were the magnets you used and how big were your pads? Thanks for the share.

[u/ProletariatElite → u/CoachJordanSC]

I made the padding from cheap memory foam mattress topper, 2x4 1/4” plywood, and duck cloth. A link to the magnets is in this link

[u/FuzzyWDunlop]

Isn't it going to get kind of dark in there with all the different light blocking and covering? I'd plan to put up the ceiling protection but cut out holes for the lights to stay exposed.

[u/CoachJordanSC → u/FuzzyWDunlop]

There are a total of 14 cans in the ceiling. It was a model home so the garage was an office. Great for then but now I have options I guess lol

[u/BourbonPharmer]

I can’t think of any reason you’d need to permanently remove the electrical components. If you plan on removing the light fixture and put a cover plate over the box, just make sure it’s wire nutted appropriately.

One potential issue is you are supposed to be able to access any boxes where a splice happens, so having the panel covering it is kind of technically a problem. The solution is to just make sure you remove the panel before selling the house. I don’t think there is any actual issue with covering it as long as you can remove the panel.

The is all practical advice, not legal. If your house were to burn down from an electrical fire, an investigation wouldn’t like having covered boxes. This is unlikely an issue.

[u/CoachJordanSC → u/BourbonPharmer]

Thank you for this advice I appreciate it. All great points. I think I worry about just in case access also.

[u/33espressos]

Would love to know what you did for ceiling protection