Drop ceilings allow you to hide the various wires, pipes and vents that make your home function properly. The foam tiles also offer an opportunity to install various types of lighting. Recessed-can lights give you a lighting scheme that illuminates any part of the room you decide to highlight while maintaining a constant height throughout the room. Remember to check local building codes before installing any lighting system to be sure your design is in compliance with all local ordinances.
Instructions
1. Unscrew the fascia ring from your can light. Set the ring aside. Remove the tile from your drop ceiling and set it aside so that it does not get damaged during the rest of the installation process.
2. Hold the can light up into the open ceiling. Spread the frame of the light so that it touches both ceiling joists. Move the light to make the bottom lip of the central can flush with the bottom of the metal ceiling frame. Drive a screw using a drill through each of the 4 openings on the legs of the frame to the wooden joists in the ceiling.
3. Shut off the power at the breaker box. Unwrap the end of the Romex wire that you will connect to the light. Cut through the Romex armor with a razor knife. Strip 1 inch of rubber from each of the coated wires in the Romex wire with a wire stripping tool. Strip 1 inch of the wires coming from the can light assembly.
4. Twist a wire nut onto the positive wire from the light with the positive the Romex. Wrap the nut and 1 inch of both wires with electric tape. Connect the negative wires in the same manner. Twist the end of the bare ground wire from the Romex around the grounding screw in the body of the can light. Tighten the grounding screw with a screwdriver.
5. Lay the tile you removed face up on a flat surface. Measure the ceiling to find the proper placement of the light. Lay the fascia ring onto the tile. Trace around the inside of the fascia ring to mark the tile with your fine pint marker. Remove the ring and cut along the line with a keyhole saw.
6. Push the tile up into the ceiling grid. Be sure that the can light goes through the hole. Be careful not to snap the tile while maneuvering it into place. Screw the fascia ring onto the can light to complete the assembly. Twist the light bulb into the socket. Turn on the breaker and test the light.
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