How to Add Bathroom Track Lighting

Bathroom track lighting is a useful and a simple way to add effective lighting inside the home and provide good utility at a cheap cost. It is most often needed to provide highlights or to showcase an area in expensive set-ups. However a very effective use of track lighting is to provide good effective and focused light in low light areas like your bathroom at a relatively cheaper cost. This article aims to help you achieve just that by bringing you closer to what you want. Note that the materials needed will come with the lighting that you purchase and thus are not included here.

Step 1 - Analyze Your Bathroom

Observe your bathroom space closely and decide where, what sort and how much lighting do you require and more importantly want. Some good ideas would be the bathroom entrance, vanity area of the bathroom where routine tasks like shaving are performed, the shower or the bathtub and the toilet. Ideally, you would want strong light directed towards the mirror and the sink, while soft light would be best suited towards the entrance and the shower to give off a soft or in some cases a romantic ambiance.

Step 2 - Plan and Purchase

Plan where and how the light track has to be laid out, explore the light types and track types available and then make a calculated purchase. Tracks most often support lights of 35 or 50 Watts. Remember, keep in mind the track type that is best suited to your needs, tracks are basically of two types, the linear track or the flexible track, these are of further two types then, the low voltage system and the line voltage system. Weigh both before purchasing anything.

Step 3 - Prepare the Installation

Before you begin, always remember to switch off the mains power supply first. Once you are done with this, proceed with removing any previously installed fixtures that you may have, and take special care not to let any wires touch.

Step 4 - Install

Position the track carefully under the old fixture and mark the screw positions of the mounting holes of your track around the fixture. Identify the areas in the bathroom that the track is going to pass through and mark the respective mounting positions.
At this point, you have two options: (1) to use a drill to make holes for the screws, or (2) to use self taping screws. It is recommended you use the latter as no drilling is involved making it a safer venture. Install the support anchors securely using the self taping screws. Mount the track under the old fixture and lightly screw in the self taping screws around the mounting fixture so that the track is held in position.

Step 5 - Wire Everything

Now attach the relevant wires from the ceiling to the jumper wires and proceed to attach the jumper wires to the connections in your track. Push the wires inside the ceiling and tighten the fixture screws properly. Snap the track into place and hammer lightly to ensure proper placement inside the anchor. Slide and snap the lights into their respective places and install the desired bulbs. Turn on mains and power on the track lights.