Recessed lighting works well with a drop ceiling because it is easy to install and allows you to place lighting anywhere along the ceiling. Recessed lighting comes with adjustable arms attached to a light fixture. The arms adjust to fit between ceiling joists. You can then move the light fixture back and forth along the arms to position it over the opening you cut in the ceiling tile. Before you begin this project, determine which ceiling tiles will have recessed lighting installed above. Install the lighting and these tiles before installing the remaining ceiling tiles.
Instructions
1. Flip a ceiling tile upside down. Measure the tile's length and width. Divide each measurement in half and draw two light pencil lines over the tile at each measurement to form a plus sign. The point where the two lines meet is the center of the tile. Repeat with the remaining ceiling tiles which will have recessed lighting installed above.
2. Measure the recessed lighting fixture's diameter. Open a compass to half the diameter. Use the compass to trace a circle onto a piece of cardboard. Poke the compass' pointed end through the cardboard and wiggle it around a bit to make a hole. Cut out the circle with a scissors.
3. Place the cardboard circle on the back of a ceiling tile. Line up the hole you poked with the point where the two lines intersect. Trace around the cardboard circle with a pencil. Repeat with the other ceiling tiles. Cut out each traced circle with a utility knife.
4. Lift a recessed light fixture between the ceiling joists above one of the grid openings. Extend the 's arms to both sides to rest flat against each joist, with the tab hooked underneath the ceiling joists. Drive 1/2-inch wood screws through the holes in the tabs at the end of the fixture's arms to secure the fixture in place. Repeat with the remaining recessed lights.
5. Slide the light fixture back and forth along the adjustable arms until it is centered above the grid opening. Tighten the screws on either side of the fixture to hold it in place. Loosen the two screws inside the fixture. Raise or lower the fixture so it lines up with the ceiling grid. Tighten the screws. Repeat with the remaining recessed lights.
6. Back out the screw holding the junction box's cover in place on the recessed light and remove the cover. Feed a cable from the power source to the recessed light and into the junction box. Run a second cable from the next recessed light back to the first recessed light and insert the cable into the junction box.
7. Cut the cables with a wire cutters/strippers so about six inches extend into the junction box. Cut through the casing with a utility knife. Peel the casing off the wires. Cut both the casing and the paper insulation away from the wires. Strip 1/2 inch of casing off each wire.
8. Hold the two black wires from the cables together with the recessed light fixture's black wire. Twist a wire nut over them. Repeat with the white wires, then the green or bare copper wires.
9. Move to the next fixture. There will be one cable in the junction box which you pulled over in Step 6. Insert a second cable in the junction box and run it to a third recessed light. Wire the second recessed light the same way you wired the first light.
10. Continue to connect and wire each recessed light until you reach the final light. This light will have only two black wires, two white wires and two green or bare copper wires, since it is at the end of the lighting chain. Connect the power supply wire to the power source.
11. Center a underneath the grid opening. Angle the tile to lift it above the grid, then lower it in place. Place a recessed light cover over the hole in the ceiling tile. Insert the cover's two hooks into the light fixture. Hook them onto the two tabs located inside. Repeat with the remaining ceiling tiles.
Tags: recessed light, light fixture, Repeat with, ceiling tile, ceiling tiles, Repeat with remaining