How to Install a Swing-arm Lamp

Choose the location for your swing-arm lamp and decide on the vertical placement on the wall. In general, the bottom of the lamp shade should be at eye level, which will vary based on the height of the bed or chair it is next to. Mark the location with a pencil.

Call an electrician and have them run new wiring to the location that you marked. If the location already has wiring you can skip this step.

Assemble the swing-arm lamp using the manufacturer's instructions until you are ready to hang it on the wall.

Turn off electricity to the room at the main fuse box to prevent injury. Hold the mounting plate of the lamp up to the outlet box inside the wall. Insert two screws, provided with the lamp, through the mounting base into the holes along each side of the outlet box.

Locate the black wire on the back of the lamp. Locate the black wire that emerges from the wall. Twist the ends of the two black wires together and screw a plastic metal insulator cap on top of them.

Connect the white wire from the lamp to the white wire in the wall in the same manner. Then locate the green or copper wire on the lamp and twist it together with the green or copper wire in the wall.

Push all of the wiring inside of the wall gently and push the base of the swing-arm lamp against the wall. There are typically two screws on the mounting plate that will push through the base of the lamp. Place a nut or decorative finial cap on top of each screw on the base and twist them clockwise to secure the lamp to the wall.

Screw a light bulb into the lamp and then turn the electricity back on to the room. Test the lamp by turning it on.