recessed lighting installation troubles

[smodes]

I have recently purchased 5-inch recessed lighting for our main floor. i have cut the holes through the ceiling to find drywall over plaster and then strips of wood over that. (the house was built in 1904). it is quite thick with all of these layers so when i go to snap the remodeling clips down it pulls the smaller ceiling clips right through the drywall. i have thought about just screwing the ceiling clips in to the drywall and also screwing in through the inside of the can and not using the remodeling clips at all. does anybody have a solution to this problem other than screwing it all in? i was thinking a less rigid remodeling clip (if they exist) or longer ceiling clips to take more pressure. if anybody has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance!

[kactuskid]

The problem is that most of these cieling clips are only good for cielings that are between 3/8" to 5/8" thick. Now what you have is called plaster and lathe. The lathe are the wood strips and the plaster is adhererd to these wood strips. The only way you're gonna get these to work is to try to cut away the lathe and the plaster above the drywall around your hole, so that the light can sit down agains the drywall and the clamps will also then secure against the drywall from above.

You don't want to screw these clips through the inside of the can or mount them any other way than what they're approved for. You also need to make sure that the ones you bought are IC rated if they'll be in contact with any insulation or wood.

Home Depot sells Halo brand recessed lighting and they are of great quality. Here's a link that'll show you what their 5" IC rated can looks like and you'll notice the clips are secured from above and are basically a pressure clip that pulls tight to the drywall.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...-D27X-_-325947

Your only other alternative would be to patch your holes back up and install some track lighting.