How to Install Recessed Lighting?

There are many different ways to light rooms in your house, your decision will probably rest on the level of light you need and the aesthetic effect you’re after.

Recessed lighting is a very popular option as it fits in with the lines of the ceiling and it allows you to target light exactly where you need it, across any room.

It is possible to install recessed lighting yourself. However, if you have any concerns you should contact a reputable electrician in Paddington and have them do it for you Electricity is dangerous and you need to know what you’re doing.

Even if you’re comfortable with electricity you should get an electrician to check your work afterward. Equally, if you’re working in the bathroom or kitchen you may need to have the work done by a qualified professional.

If you’re ready, here’s how you install recessed lighting yourself:

Make A Hole

Your recessed lights should come with a template. You can use this to draw a circle on your ceiling in the various locations you want recessed lights. Obviously, you need to decide the locations first.

The easiest way to cut the circle out is actually with a circular cutter attached to the end of your drill. However, you can also use a jigsaw or a hand saw to get the same effect.

You’ll need to go around the room repeating the process and remember to protect your face, there will be plenty of dust.

Wiring

If you’re fitting recessed lights then you’re going to need to add some wiring. You need to run a cable from one hole to the next, this will allow you to connect them all to one switch, placed in your desired location.

You’ll find it easiest to get the cables between holes by using a small piece of wire. This can be fed through to the appropriate hole and the cable tied to it, allowing you to pull it through.

You may need to use a right-angle drill to make a hole through joists, ensuring you can get the cable from one light to the next.

When you’ve done all the light holes you’ll need enough cable to go to your switch point. If you don’t want to recess the cable you can simply use small trunking and bring it down the wall.

Add The Lights

Every hole, except the last one, should have two cables coming out of it. Effectively this is power to the light and power onto the next recessed light. You’ll need to put these two cables into an approved junction box and add the recessed light cabling into them in the same junction box.

Once you’ve completed this for all the lights, lift the recessed lights into position and make sure the springs engage, to hold them where they should be.

Add Power

You can now add the switch to the wall and connect the cable from the lights to it. The other side of the switch should have power from the fuse box. This means running a cable from the switch to the fusebox, or you can take the power from the old lighting switch. Just be sure you’re not overloading the circuit.

That’s it, once the power is connected to the fuse box, turn the lights on and admire.