With some basic knowledge and the proper tools, you can make your own lighting upgrades in the home.
Few home improvement projects are more satisfying or as easy as a lighting upgrade. Materials are relatively inexpensive and with some careful pre-planning, the work should go relatively smoothly. This article assumes surface-mount ceiling light fixtures only although almost any configuration could be adapted from the basic techniques written about here. This article also assumes that the house wiring already in place is up to local code and in good and safe condition.
Instructions
1. Locate and mark with a pencil where the new light fixtures are to located on the ceiling. If the ceiling is inaccessible from the floor above -- such as an unfinished attic -- use a stud finder to make certain that there is not a joist sitting where you want a light fixture to be. If so, you will have to place the fixture on either side of the joist.
2. Using an electrical box as a guide, use a pencil to trace the outline of the box on the ceiling where the fixtures are to go.
3. Cut holes at the tracings using a drywall saw.
4. Fish lengths of electrical wire from hole to hole making the length of wire about two feet greater than necessary to span the holes. Cut cable using linesman's pliers. Use the drill and 5/8 bit to put a hole through the center of any joist that may be blocking a wire. If the joist cannot be accessed from the floor above you will need to remove enough of the ceiling to place the drill at the joist. Use a sharp utility knife to cut out a rectangular section of the ceiling. Save this removed piece to patch the ceiling afterward.
5. Insert the free end of at each hole into an electrical box and clamp the wires. Plastic boxes require that you push the wire through a friction clamp. Metal boxes require a Phillips or slotted screwdriver to drive the clamp onto the wire. Make sure there is at least eight inches of wire inside the box.
6. Insert boxes in respective holes. Old work boxes will have two crews that are to be tightened once box is pushed so its open face is flush with the ceiling surface. Heavier lighting fixtures will require boxes attached to joist spanning brackets which should be attached to joists. Follow manufacturer's instructions for installation.
7. Remove the original fixture to expose wiring at original fixture box. Make sure that power is off before this is done. Clamp an electrical cable to the original fixture electrical box that connects to the string of new fixture boxes. You have a choice of continuing to use this box as a fixture mount or you can place a correctly-sized plate over it and use it as a junction box. If you do, most codes require that the wires inside the box remain accessible and not buried behind Sheetrock.
8. Rip the sheathing of all cable ends back to the clamps in each electrical box with a cable ripper. There should be a white wire, a black wire, and an uninsulated copper wire. Remove 3/4 inch of insulation from the end of each wire with a wire stripper. Connect all white wires together, all black wires together, and all copper or green wires together at each electrical box with wire nuts. Once you check all connections, switch the power back on and test the lighting fixtures for operation.
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