How to Mount Track Lighting on the Wall

Turn off the electrical current to the wall fixture location at your home's main breaker panel.

Remove the existing wall light fixture, if applicable, and extract the circuit wiring from the electrical box.

Lay out the positioning of the lighting track. Mark a level line from the horizontal center line of the wall electrical box outward to the approximate overall length of the track. If the power box will be located at the end of the track sections, mark the level track line from the electrical box in the direction the track will be mounted. If the electrical box will be centered in the track, mark a level line outward to both sides. This line will be the center mounting line for the track. Check the levelness of the line, using a level, or measure several points from the floor surface.

Extract and separate the three circuit wires from the wall electrical box. The wires are black, white and a third wire that's a ground wire that will be bare copper or coated with green-colored insulation. If the lighting circuit is wired with two switch locations, referred to as a "three-way" circuit, there will be a pair of each of the wires.

Install the lighting track's junction adapter and cover assembly provided in the light kit. The junction adapter attaches the track junction connectors to the circuit wiring. Align the matching-colored wires from the wall box with the wires from the junction adapter and secure them together with the wire nuts provided.

Mount the lighting track's junction adapter to the electrical wall box. Press the wire connections into the wall box, then secure the adapter plate to the box with the two bolts provided, using a screwdriver.

Align a section of lighting track with the chalked layout line and one end at the attachment point of the junction adapter. Center the layout line in the track's screw holes and mark each hole on the wall surface, using a pencil. Remove the track and set it aside. For junction adapters that are centrally positioned, repeat this step for the first track section on the other side.

Bore a 5/32-inch hole at each screw center point that was marked in Step 7 and insert a plastic wall anchor into each drilled hole. These will be the wall anchor holes that hold the track section in place. If your lighting track is being mounted on wood paneling, the anchors can be omitted and the track screws can be driven directly into the wood's surface.

Install the first lighting track section. Slip the end of the track section fully onto the junction box connector and secure the section to the wall with a No. 12 screw at each screw hole, using a screwdriver. The track must be tightly inserted onto the adapter connector before attaching the track section to the wall to ensure proper electrical current flow.

Repeat Steps 7 through 9 to install all of the remaining lighting track sections until the track installation is completed. A provided track connector or union must be installed between each adjoining track section for track types without preinstalled connectors.

Install the track lighting fixtures, following the manufacturer's instructions. The fixture's base is commonly shaped to insert parallel to the track opening and then twist 90 degrees to lock the base into place. There will also be a label or marking to denote which side of the base should align with the track's "hot" side or current direction.

Install an appropriate light bulb into each track fixture, according to the manufacturer's labeled recommendation for size and wattage.

Switch on the electrical power at the home's main breaker panel to restore power to the track lighting fixture. Turn the track light on and adjust the fixture's light direction by swiveling the base as desired.