Ceiling – How to remove glue from ceiling

I agree with answer #1 with the following exception: Do not use longer screws to attach the fixture. Find a suitable box with extensions as needed to make the box opening flush with the ceiling surface. You do not want a gap between the box and fixture the could allow heat and spark from a fault in the box to escape. Here are products that I would use in your situation. These may not be available at home improvement store but are available at electrical suppliers who service contractors.

• For support between studs -- Erico/Caddy TSGB24 or simply use a 2x4

• Box attached to support --4" octogon box

• Two extension boxes as need to bring opening flush -- 4" octogon extension box 2 1/8" deep

This combination gives you a box 5 3/4" deep. Adjust the support on the attic studs to make this flush with ceiling.

Remember that it is important to not leave a gap that could cause a smoldering fire in the voids of the ceiling structure. This is the reason that most electrical codes require that box faces be flush with the finished surface.

The best time to remove glue that squeezes out is about 30-60 minutes after the glue-up. At this point it's still soft enough that you can easily scrape it off but it's stiff enough that it won't smear and make more of a mess. When it's past that point and you realize you still missed some, the best solution is still to scrape with a card scraper and/or sand it.

Scraping works really well if it has only been a day or less and the glue is not yet rock hard. You should be able to sand by hand if you are worried about overdoing the sanding and gouging the wood. Use a flat sanding block for the flat areas and a foam-backed block for the curved parts. For the corners you can fold your sandpaper and back it with your fingers.

I don't think mineral spirits are likely to remove dried Titebond, and if you get a solvent that can dissolve it, how will you keep from just smearing it around into larger patches? This will be especially a problem on red oak, because of the large pores of the wood that will trap the dissolved glue. If you go this route anyway, I suggest trying it on some scrap before the real project to make sure it works as desired.