Where and how can I find the necessary wires and run them through to the ceiling as well as to the different locations where I want the light switches to be? On October 7, 2020 By Amik. I decided that the best light bulbs for basements – in my opinion – were these 75 watt equivalent BR30 dimmable light bulbs in Bright White (3000K). Connect the trim ring's springs to the slots in the can, and slide the trim ring into position over the flange of the can. One set is operated by two 3-way switches and the other set is off a single switch. Everything is pre-assembled just like in the picture. (1) Recessed lights are the standard and best way of adding lighting to a basement. Or maybe you have a poker game down there once in awhile or some storage shelves. How to Replace a Single Vanity Bar With Two Lights, How to Install Recessed Lighting Without Access to the Attic, How to Replace a Ceiling Box With Recessed Lighting, How to Install an Electric Smoke Detector, How to Install a New Circuit From a Breaker to a Switch to 3 Light Fixtures, Family Handyman: How to Install Recessed Lighting for Dramatic Effect, How to Install Can Lights in the Kitchen Ceiling, How to Install a Ceiling Light That Has Two Bulbs, How to Replace a Recessed Can With a Chandelier. Tighten the screws to secure the cable within the clamp, then remove the outer sheathing from the cable with a utility knife. Install the rest of the recessed light cans in the same manner as the first. 7 Basement Finishing Secrets (the pros won't tell you). Get the kind thats "IC rated" these can be covered by insulation without a fire risk. With their low profiles, recessed lights help to create a feeling of increased space. First, put on your blue dork suit and ridiculous yellow visor hat. 6" HALO recessed light housing. 6" HALO recessed light housing. The first step in our new lighting game was to mount two of them in place so we wouldn't be working completely in the dark when we removed the old lights. Purpose for Recessed Lighting. (your good one, not that fakey one you have for male enhancement pills), I hate spam, your email is safe. Save Money, Get more Space, Learn Something New and Fun. Better yet, test it before turning off the power to make sure the tester is working properly, then turn off the power and test again to make sure there no current running through it. Some articles I read suggest have the ceiling done first, but nothing lines up for me. But if you're like me then maybe your kids have started to play down there. Installing recessed lighting is a DIY project that most homeowners can do. How do you calculate the number and placement of the cans for the basement lighting especially if I decide to go with LED lights? Now what are you waiting for? General lighting is the overall or "ambient" light in a finished basement. How would you go about this conundrum? - Jason. Great for seating, dining, and crafts areas, the downlighting offers bright light while minimizing shadows and glare. Install the hardware. Position a stepladder beneath the existing ceiling light and remove the unit's globe and light bulbs, then loosen the mounting nuts and pull down the existing fixture. When installing recessed lighting in an existing ceiling, a hole is cut in the ceiling that exactly fits the profile of a special remodeling can to keep from damaging the surrounding drywall. You can remove the single ceiling light fixture and install recessed lighting in a finished ceiling in a variety of places around the room. Unsubscribe whenever, no hard feelings. DIY Installation of Recessed Lighting in Basement Remodel. Buy the can light - Go to the electrical section of your favorite big box store. Buy the can light - Go to the electrical section of your favorite big box store. You're about to get a new friend, me! Recessed lighting can have a dramatic effect. Hi Jason. Fold out the four mounting clip tabs within the can so that they hold the can in place against the drywall. Recessed lights will sit flush with the drywall (or at least almost flush), which will give more head clearance when moving around in your basement. Strip 3/4-inch of insulation from each of the black and white wires in the junction box with a pair of wire strippers. (attn: Home Depot or Lowe's: your name here if you want to sponsor this website). For my basement I installed a light in the art niche and plug-in light above the Foosball table. But please, for now, keep reading. If the tester's light comes on, there remains power to the circuit. Easy to use voltage (line) tester. Attach the box--this is where the wires will be connected and from which the light will be hung--to a ceiling joist. Choosing the right recessed lighting layout requires careful planning. Secure the wiring along the ceiling joists with wire staples using a hammer. - Jason. Your email address will not be published. Pull back any insulation to clear the area around each location. Connect the white wires in similar fashion, then connect the bare wire to the grounding screw with a screwdriver. I like your easy-to-understand and funny lighting lesson. There will be a total of 16 recessed ceiling lights, broken up in 3 areas of an open basemment which is 23 feet wide x 32 feet long. Most recessed lighting kits come with the fixture box affixed to the light, which makes hanging the fixture easier. Required fields are marked *. If there's one thing you do, buy and use a simple voltage tester. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Do not attempt to work on any electrical circuit without first turning off the electricity and verifying that the circuit is off using a non-contact electrical tester. Big blue arc of light, and a big shock that knocked me off the chair I was standing on. Run a length of 14/2 (with ground) electrical cable between the junction box and one of the recessed lights. Remount the junction box with the electrical cable from the light switch onto the top of one of the ceiling joists using the mounting screws you removed to loosen the box earlier. Pendants are a great source of task lighting, as seen here in the pool table and bar. Insert a 1/8-inch drill bit into a power drill, and drill a pilot hole into the ceiling for the center of each recessed light, no less than six inches from any ceiling joist. Cut out each drywall hole using a keyhole saw. One of those lights should be controlled by a switch. I was fine. You can see his work in publications such as "Consumer's Digest," where he wrote the 2009 Best Buys for Power Tools and the 2013 Best Buys for Pressure Washers. These are the bulbs that I used. Then you can extend that circuit to install 3 or 4 more recessed lights in that area. In addition, recessed lighting is ideal for basement … Then rock, scissors, paper to see which wire to cut first. This fixture is simple to install and can be located in just about any type of ceiling, be it drywall or suspended ceilings . Installing one or two recessed lights is a great starter project for learning to wire your basement and electrical wiring in general. Turn the wall switch in the room to the “off” setting. The most popular basement light fixture has to be the recessed 6″ light fixture with a 65 watt frosted spot bulb. Turn off the breaker switch for the electrical circuit to the ceiling light. Determine the purpose for your recessed lighting; Identify the area that you need to light; Decide on which recessed lights you will use; Calculate the number of recessed lights needed; Determine the layout of your Recessed lighting . OK…the first phase of the installing the recessed light in mounting the canister using the adjustable mounting brackets. Replace the switch cover. Last year, when I talked about our DIY DVD shelf project, I apologized in the post for the terrible lighting in our photos because our basement was so poorly lit.Our basement has zero windows. On July 28, 2020 By Amik. I don't want to scare you off, but if you read through to the end of the post I'll explain the one thing I failed to do that nearly knocked me out cold. We installed 6 lights in our room. A false ceiling is needed to fit these lights into, and since all the light fixtures are hidden away you are left with a sleek, clean and modern styled space. Recessed ceiling lights are a perfect option for a finished or suspended ceiling. Insert the end of one of the cables into the wire clamp of a recessed light can. Here's the deal, if you'll give me your email address (your good one, not that fakey one you have for male enhancement pills) I'll send you some great basement content about once a week. Of course when you have a finished low basement ceiling, the best idea is to install recessed lights into the drywall of the ceiling. Recessed Lighting can add a stylish, modern touch to any room in your house. Give your room a stunning new look and feel by installing recessed lights. I was at least using the proper rubber coated wire stripper for cutting the wire so I'm sure that helped. But, like in the rest of your home, the lighting should be layered, with ambient light augmented by task lighting and accent lighting. Connect all of the black wires together with a wire nut, followed by the white wires and then the bare wires. Cut the cable from the roll with a pair of wire cutters, and feed 12 inches of one end of the cable through the drywall hole and 12 inches on the other end into the junction box. If your remodeled basement has a finished or suspended ceiling, recessed can lighting is a great option.These fixtures contribute focused light from above. Center a recessed light can over each of the holes, including the original light fixture hole, and draw the perimeter of the cutout around the can onto the drywall. It is amazing how incorporating a feature such as recessed lights can transform the entire ambience of a room and set the tone for even more extensive improvements. Is it possible to use this circuit and attach a dimmer switch that does not affect any electricity upstairs? Plan for some light to be at eye level. You'll have more light, save money and feel awesome. 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