All ceiling-mounted fixtures are installed similarly, regardless of style. A key question you’ll have to answer is to determine if the electric box that houses the wiring connections in the ceiling will support the weight of the chandelier you have chosen. If you replace a hanging fixture with a fixture about the same weight, the existing box is probably fine. If the new fixture is heavier than the old one, you may need to replace the ceiling box with one designed to hold more weight. Once you have the box you plan to use, proceed to the steps below to begin your installation.
Tools:
Ladder with support platform
Wire stripper
Screwdriver
Electric Drill
Manual
Materials:
Chandelier
Pendant
Materials (cont'd.):
Wire nuts
Electrician's tape
Before you start
Preparation:
Make sure the junction box that holds the chandelier or pendant in place is capable of supporting the weight.
Inventory all parts and instructions before starting your installation.
Safety:
Turn off electrical power to the fixture at the electrical panel and use and appropriate testing device to ensure no power is present at the fixture before you begin work. DO NOT RELY on a wall switch to protect you from electrical shock.
If you are adding a new light fixture where one didn't currently exist, consult with your local building department to determine if a permit is required.
Saving:
Installing the light fixture yourself is a great way to save on the cost of your project.
Consider using CFL light bulbs instead of standard bulbs to help save energy with your new fixture.
If you're removing an older fixture that's still in good working order, consider donating it to charity or if you can, recycle the metal and glass components rather than just throwing it in the garbage.
Follow These Steps
| Assemble the Canopy and Hanging Hardware |
| Set aside any components that can be installed after the fixture is hanging (globes, glass panels, lightbulbs, etc.). Follow the specific instructions provided with the fixture. Remember to slide any necessary parts over the wiring and hanging chain. Support the fixture close to the ceiling by screwing a platform to the top of a stepladder with a few drywall screws. This provides a good work surface and should put the chandelier close enough to the ceiling to allow you to do the wiring without having to hold the chandelier in midair. Having a second person on a second ladder may also work, but coordinating your movements can be difficult with a heavy fixture. Fixtures usually come with a new mounting strap - a strip of metal that screws into the junction box in the ceiling. You can often use the existing strap, but if not, unscrew the old strap, and screw the new strap in place. |
Step Two
Connect the Wiring
Check the supply wires for fraying or damage. If necessary, cut the wires and strip off about 3⁄4 inch of insulation. Newer fixtures have a black and a white wire. Twist the bare end of the black supply wire together with the bare end of the black fixture wire, then twist on a wire nut. Repeat with the white wires. Carefully tuck the wires into the junction box. Put a bulb in the fixture and check that connections work before finishing. If you are re-installing an older fixture, you may find that the fixture wires aren't color coded. In this case, simply choose one fixture wire and connect it to the black supply wire and connect the other fixture wire to the white supply wire, then complete the remaining steps.
Hang the Fixture
Thread the fixture's mounting stem into the mounting strap on the ceiling box. Although the fixture is now securely hanging from the ceiling, the box and mounting hardware are still visible. Slide the canopy up against the ceiling to cover the mounting hardware; tighten the locknut against the canopy.
