If you'd like to try a different style of lighting, replace your dining-room chandelier with wall sconces. Materials: Flat- and Phillips-head screwdrivers
Circuit tester
Needle-nose pliers to bend and shape wires
Drill, with drill bits and spade bits
Tape measure
Pencil
Wire nuts
Dry-wall-mounted junction boxes
Dry-wall saw
Electrical cable
Toggle bolts or wood screws to secure new light fixture
Wall-sconce light fixtures
Safety goggles - Turn off the breaker to the room you'll be working in. Post a sign warning other residents not to turn on the breaker while you're working on the circuit.
- Remove the cover for the existing fixture, and test the wires to make sure the power is off. Remove the fixture from the ceiling.
- Measure the dining room walls to determine where to install the sconces.
- Mark the wall, and drill a small hole at the center of the location for the junction box. Fish a coat hanger or a stiff wire behind the wall to make sure there are no obstructions (figure A).
- Use the junction box as a template to mark the wall, then cut out a hole using a dry-wall saw.
- From the attic, use a 1 1/2" spade bit to drill a hole in the top plate of the wall above each sconce.
- Thread a piece of electrical cable from the attic down to each wall-sconce cutout.
- Locate the junction box for the existing light fixture, and thread the other ends of the electrical cable into it.
- From the dining room, fish out the electrical cable from behind the wall, and thread it into the back of each junction box. Fit the junction boxes into the holes in the wall, and tighten them into place. If you're using dry-wall-mounted junction boxes, tighten the mounting screws (figure B) to draw the clamps tight against the back of the wall.
- Strip 3" to 4" of sheathing from each end of cable (figure C), and strip about 3/4" of insulation from each wire (figure D).
- Thread the wires through the hole in the wall-sconce mounting bracket, and secure the bracket to the junction box with screws (figure E).
- Connect the electrical cable wires to the wires for the wall sconce. Attach white to white and black to black, securing the connection with wire nuts (figure F). Attach the household ground wire and the wall-sconce ground wire to the green grounding screw on the mounting bracket. Repeat the procedure for each sconce.
- Pull the ends of the electrical cable for the sconces through the junction box for the chandelier. Remove 4" of sheathing from each cable, and strip 3/4" of insulation from the wires. Connect the wall-sconce cables to the existing cable, attaching white to white and black to black, securing the connections with wire nuts as before. Use a barrel crimp to connect the ground wires together.
- Push the wires into the junction box, and replace the nonworking chandelier.
Next: Undercounter Lighting Choices.
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