Installing Recessed Lights

by Murray Anderson

Recessed lights are a great choice in any home. They provide functional and attractive lighting options for virtually any room and as an added bonus they're relatively easy to install even in existing homes. Here's how.

Getting ready to install you recessed lights

A great feature of recessed lights and what helps make them easy to install is they can be 'daisy chained' together, so if you have an existing light fixture in the room, your power source for all your lights is already there.
Start by deciding where you want to position your lights. A good rule of thumb is to position 4” fixtures 4 feet apart and 6” fixtures, 6 feet apart. Alternatively try to have one fixture for every 25 square feet of ceiling.
Once you've decided where you want you lights located, you need to find out which way you ceiling joists run (a stud finder will tell you). Placing the lights between the joists is the easiest way to install then but it is possible to install them across joists as well. However, keep in mind, going across joists will mean you must cut a hole in the ceiling near the joist, drill a hole through it to run the wire then, after installation, patch the hole.
After deciding and marking where you want to place your lights, at each location, drill a small hole in the ceiling and insert a stiff piece of wire (a cost hanger?) with a 4 inch section bent at 90° and spin it around in a full circle. Doing this will ensure there are no obstructions in the ceiling above where you want to install your light.

Connecting your lights

Turn off the power to your existing fixture (at the main panel) then disconnect and remove it.
Using the template that came with your recessed lights (or the fixture itself) draw a circle on the ceiling. Next, using a dry wall or keyhole saw cut carefully around the outline and remove the piece of drywall. This is a messy process so to make clean up easier, it's a good idea to remove any furniture you can and lay down a tarp before you cut into the ceiling.
Recessed lighting fixtures come prewired with their own junction boxes so now it's simply a matter of running an electric cable from the power source to the junction box of the nearest recessed fixture. Loop the wire in and out or the fixture and continue running wires from fixture to fixture until each fixture has cable running to it. Secure the cable to the ceiling joists using wire staples.
Wire each fixture by cutting the wire into the fixture junction box, and stripping about an inch on the end of each wire in the sheath. Use wire nuts, to connect the white of the carrier wire to the white in the fixture, the black carrier to the black fixture wire and the green or copper (ground) of the carrier to the ground of the fixture.
Repeat the process at each fixture until they're all connected to the power source

Finish installing your recessed lights

Finally, install the fixtures by rotating them up through the hole until they are firmly attached– most recessed light fixtures have clips that secure the fixture to the ceiling.
Finish the project by installing the decorative molding and screwing in the light bulb.
Now just turn the power back on and enjoy your dramatic new lighting.

Caution: When installing recessed lighting in existing construction be sure you install fixtures that have an insulation contact (IC) rating. These are specifically designed to be used in locations where they might come in contact with insulation and won't overheat if they are in contact with insulation.