How to Hook Up Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting is simply a fixture that sits inside the ceiling area with the light bulbs flush with the ceiling. These lights also go by the name "can lights" and create a less cluttered appearance on the ceiling. Hooking up recessed lighting is exactly like hooking up other light fixtures. If you have access to the attic space, you may find it less cumbersome to perform most of the connections above the light instead of from below.

Ladder
Pencil
Drill
1/4-inch bit
Drywall saw
Nails
Hammer
Screwdriver
Wire caps
Joint compound
Putty knife
Fine-grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off all of the power to the room where you are working at the main breaker for the house. If you are not sure which switch controls the room you are working in, turn off all of the power to be safe.
- 2
  Look up into the ceiling hole and locate the wires that run to the main electrical box. If you are replacing an existing light, the wires may still be attached to it. Detach the light by locating and removing the screws. Then untwist the black, white and green wires from the light by unscrewing the plastic caps that connect them.
- 3
  Hold the recessed light up to the ceiling and trace around it using a pencil. Puncture the center of the hole using a drill and 1/4-inch bit. Then insert a drywall saw into the hole and saw around the perimeter of the pencil line. If there is an existing hole, simply enlarge it with the saw.
- 4
  Go up into the attic space and install the two metal mounting rails to the ceiling joists on either side of the opening. Recessed lighting rails have holes in the sides that you drive nails through to secure them to the joists. If you do not have access to the attic, you may need to cut a larger ceiling hole and work from below.
- 5
  Push the recessed light up above the mounting rails and center the lower portion over the ceiling hole. Locate the two screws on the can which reside above the rails and tighten them with a screwdriver.
- 6
  Look at the bottom of the can to determine if it is flush with the ceiling. If not, look up into it to locate the adjustment screws and loosen them to slide the can down. Retighten the screws when you achieve the proper can height.
- 7
  Locate the white wire from the recessed light and the white wire from the breaker box and twist the ends together. Screw a plastic wire cap over them tightly. Repeat the process with the black wires and again with the green or copper colored wires.
- 8
  Patch the ceiling around the recessed light, if applicable by spreading joint compound around the extra space with a putty knife. Wait until it dries and sand it smooth using a piece of fine-grit sandpaper.
- 9
  Turn the power back on to the room and test the recessed light fixtures.

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