lights installed in ceiling before or after drywall?

[Snipe Hunter]

When I finished my basement about 7 to 8 years ago, I went to all the trouble and extra expense to install recessed cans throughout. LED light were just coming into the market and most were designed to be installed into a standard screw base.

Now there is no way I would bother with the cans.  The spring loaded clip in LED lights are more low profile and so much more convenient.

+1

I'd run all the wire and leave enough to work with at each light location. Cut the holes and reach in and grab the wire. Then put in the pucks with spring loaded mounting.

 
 These have gone up about 40% since I put them in my kitchen in 2019. Home Depot

[adamcherubini]

Those flush mount lights are attractive from an installation perspective, but I’m not sure how great they look installed. Kinda like an exposed light bulb. I think the lights that are recessed into the ceiling some look better. And I prefer aimable eyeballs. And in a kitchen please make sure they are close to the walls. I’d center over the edge of the counter top, no more, so 2’ from the wall.

[Snipe Hunter]

Not the best picture but you can see 6 of the snap in pucks in the ceiling during our kitchen rebuild.The other hanging lamps are gone now. 

[MstrCarpenter]

I installed 12 or so pucks in a basement ceiling. They were a pain in the butt. Instructions and tape measure said 1/2", but they needed a little bit more. One worked for only about 1/2 hour; they don't come out easy. The ceiling needed touch-up then blend in the paint. 6" cans are dated, but fortunately we can get plenty bright with 4". The last few higher end kitchens and baths I did were a combination of new construction and remodel fixtures. The remodels are installed after drywall is up and I use them where exact placement is needed (i.e. centered on or between cabinet doors). I know within an inch or so where they'll be, I just have to make sure that area is clear. Recessed bulbs keep the lighting task orientated vs. general overhead area lighting. This is more important with the "open concept" currently trending.

[srv52761]

…
Or, since there are plenty of options for recessed LED that don't need actual cans and can just clip into the drywall with a little box that will fits behind the ceiling, should I have the drywaller do the ceiling without worrying about any light placement, and then do the layout and hole cutting after it's all up? Fishing wires should be no problem given the 3/4" gap created by the strapping. 

thoughts?

Check with your electrical inspector.  While the diagram for those clip in lights show the junction box just pushed into the ceiling, the NEC has conflicting statements, kinda, and inspectors have differing interpretations.

Part of the code says the junction box must be secured and the nm-b secured within 12” of the box, another part says installed per manufacturer’s direction.

I have heard of inspectors saying the box must be secured, and other inspectors saying just placing in the ceiling is ok.

Then there is my inspector who says he requires secured box and cable in new construction, but just laying in the ceiling on renovation work.

[Vijay]

+1

I'd run all the wire and leave enough to work with at each light location. Cut the holes and reach in and grab the wire. Then put in the pucks with spring loaded mounting.

 
 These have gone up about 40% since I put them in my kitchen in 2019. Home Depot

Not to be a naysayer, but these only put out 540 lumens, 60 W incandescent equivalent.  I have currently the old fashioned 4 inch cans that take screw in led bulbs @ 100 W equivalent putting out almost 1500 lumens. I am considering replacing these because some of these randomly go off (overheating?) and I am considering replacing these all but 540 lumens will not cut it for our needs.  Any more powerful LEDs available in these puck style?

[mound]

Not to be a naysayer, but these only put out 540 lumens, 60 W incandescent equivalent.  I have currently the old fashioned 4 inch cans that take screw in led bulbs @ 100 W equivalent putting out almost 1500 lumens. I am considering replacing these because some of these randomly go off (overheating?) and I am considering replacing these all but 540 lumens will not cut it for our needs.  Any more powerful LEDs available in these puck style?

I put some in the living room area of my old house, I'm trying to find my receipts to remember which brand/type, but they were very bright.. We tended to keep them slightly dimmed during normal use.

[Snipe Hunter]

Not to be a naysayer, but these only put out 540 lumens, 60 W incandescent equivalent.  I have currently the old fashioned 4 inch cans that take screw in led bulbs @ 100 W equivalent putting out almost 1500 lumens. I am considering replacing these because some of these randomly go off (overheating?) and I am considering replacing these all but 540 lumens will not cut it for our needs.  Any more powerful LEDs available in these puck style?

Just put in more where you need them. We have 4 in a 20x22 family room and that's plenty. In the kitchen (17x13) we have 2 over the sink on their own switch and another 8 throughout the kitchen The other 8 are on 2 separate circuits. All are on dimmers and all dimmed. Nice even lighting throughout the room.