Magnetic attachment for an unusual lamp

Invisibly attach a ceiling light using magnets.

Magnetic attachment for an unusual lamp

Materials used:

• Old wooden board, 2 m long, 5 kg (slightly sanded, varnished several times)
• 4 ultra-flat LED recessed spotlights, warm white, 3.5 W, 230 V, swiveling
• A bit of cable and some clips (electrician)
• 2 metal disc Ø 50 mm with hole and countersink nickel
• 2 pieces neodymium pot magnet Ø 32.0 x 8.0 mm with counterbore holds 30 kg

With a ceiling height of 2.12 m in a small kitchen, there aren't too many options for attractive lighting. The standard offerings at the hardware store were unacceptable, so I had to make my own. I was allowed to get the board from my neighbor's old woodshed, and I ordered the spotlights online. The electrician pointed out that I couldn't attach the board directly to the ceiling, as even ultra-flat LEDs generate very little heat.

Magnets immediately came to mind as a mounting option, but how exactly?
A call to the magnet shop and the friendly and competent advice from the employee in their workshop was invaluable!
The metal disc is 5 mm high, the flat magnet 8 mm high, resulting in a total distance to the ceiling of 13 mm – sufficient for this type of light. The placement of the two zinc discs was measured, and then they were anchored directly into the ceiling.
When I tried to remove the pot magnet directly, I could only do so with pliers and with great difficulty, so I wallpapered over it and painted it twice. The weight of the long board is distributed with only two magnets, so I removed the wallpaper again. The flat clamps were screwed onto the board at the point determined by a plumb line. Four holes were drilled for the spotlights using a large hole saw (7.5 cm). The spotlights were then inserted, wired by the electrician, and the whole assembly was simply hung from the ceiling – after being connected to the cable, of course.

The finished ceiling light:
It holds firmly and securely, but due to its length, two people are needed for installation or removal.
The electricians were impressed with the magnetic solution and plan to use it again in future challenging projects. And I'm thrilled with my original ceiling light…