House framing question for the builder types

So I'm replacing some pendant lights in a bathroom with 4" remodel cans/LEDs. The pendants used single gang boxes that were clipped into the drywall rather than attached to framing. The old lights and boxes came out without issue, but I hit a snag when I went to cut the round holes for the new cans. It turns out that the round holes will overlap a framing member by  ~.5". 

The rectangular holes for the old boxes just fit inside the 4.25" diameter holes for the cans, so moving the cans away from the framing isn't an option as it would leave visible gaps and would make the new cans not fit properly.

So now my question. Can I sister another 2x8 against the existing one and then shave off the .5" that I need to clearance the cans, or is there a better way that I should be approaching this? 

In reply to STM317 :

I don't know about the framing, but they have LED "can" lights now that don't need the cans. Would something like this work?...

http://www.acuitybrandslighting.com/library/ll/documents/specsheets/wf4%20mvolt.pdf

Boost_Crazy said:

In reply to STM317 :

I don't know about the framing, but they have LED "can" lights now that don't need the cans. Would something like this work?...

 

 

http://www.acuitybrandslighting.com/library/ll/documents/specsheets/wf4%20mvolt.pdf

This is what I wish I used when I did mine.

Would you only have to move one light or multiple? A little drywall work sounds like a piece of cake compared to some potential structural work and cutting that 1/2" of clearance.

Trusses or stick framing above the ceiling?

Also lookup "goof rings" for the can lights. You're not the first to encounter a 2x in an unfortunate place.

Lastly.. where is your insulation relative to these new can lights?

In reply to Boost_Crazy :

Those are cool. Based on their dimensions, I think I'd still have to do some trimming on the framing, but it would certainly be less. 60-75 lumens/watt is pretty inefficient for an LED these days though. And then I've got 2 cans and LEDs sitting around that I'd need to do something with.

In reply to Enyar:

The same problem exists for 2 lights a couple of feet apart. The biggest reason that I'm trying to avoid drywall work is cost. It's a textured and painted ceiling, and I don't have the skills to make it look decent after a drywall repair. I know a talented drywall guy who could probably do the repair and make the texture look right but he doesn't work for free like I do. If I can sister up another framing member, it will be work, but it will cost under $20 vs hundreds to have my drywall guy repair it and do a texture match, plus the cost/hassle of paint for the ceiling when he's done.

In reply to OHSCrifle:

I need to go up into the attic and survey the situation from a better perspective. I believe it's stick built, but haven't spent much time up there in the 2 years that we've owned the house.

Goof rings would hide any gaps from the bottom side, but the remodel cans need to clip into the drywall for support, and they can't clip into drywall that's not there if the hole has to be moved or is too big.

The insulation is all around this area. It appears to be fiberglass batts on the bottom that has had cellulose blown in on top of. The cans are rated for direct contact with insulation, so no worries there.

Maybe I should consider doing full sized 6 inch cans to see if the larger diameter holes would allow me to move the position of the lights enough to clear the framing while also not leaving gaps from the old rectangular holes. It will require some measuring.

The simple answer is probably. Assuming no serious weight is being placed on that specific beam, and your sister board is attached properly (i'd recommend wood glue and either glue coat nails or screws) then sistering and trimming is fine. If, however, there is some serious side-load being placed on that particular board for some reason, then the sistering process is more complicated. You need to box it in on each side of the sister to prevent lateral movement, otherwise the shifting of the board will pull on the drywall screws and ruin your ceiling that you don't want to fix. You *may* want to do this anyway, if the board you are trimming is longer then 3ft, for the same reason; the cutting for clearance may disrupt the ceiling drywall screws and make cracks or holes in the finish. 

Box it in quick, make sure its solid, and trim what you need to make the cans fit. 

-J0N