How to Install Pendant Lamps

Almost every room in the home needs some form of functional task lighting. Functional does not have to mean boring or lacking in style though. Pendant lamps are just one of the ways that you can add great, focused task lighting without sacrificing any aesthetic appeal. Pendant lamps can be used anywhere but are especially useful in the modern kitchen, hung over a kitchen island or counter top.

If you are relatively handy around the house you can install pendant lighting yourself. Here is a basic step by step guide:

The first step will be determining the positioning of your new pendant lamps. If you are replacing existing light fixtures you should be able to make use of the instructions below and do so quite easily. If your pendant lamps are going to be placed in a spot that has never had a light fixture before the do it yourself route is not advised, however handy you think you are.  Spend the extra few dollars and have a professional electrician do all the new writing for you.

Whether you are going to be installing your new pendant lamps yourself or have decided to call in the pros it is up to you to decide how low the pendant lights will be hung. Although a general guideline is that you allow at least thirty inches of space between counter top and the shade of your new pendant lights,  you might want to get on a ladder and experiment with a piece of string before making a final decision.

If you have decided to install your new pendants yourself before you begin you will need to gather a few basic tools. You will need a screwdriver, wire cutters, and quite possibly a ladder.  Make sure that you have all the pieces (screws, findings etc) that came with your new pendants and that you have any instruction manuals and operating instructions close at hand.

Before you touch anything it is crucial that all the power in your home is turned off at the main electrical box. Simply switching off the power to the room you will be installing the pendant light in is not a good idea and it is far better to be safe than sorry.

Once the power is off unscrew the existing light fixtures carefully removing each fastening and/or screw.  Save those screws though, just in case you ever decide to reuse the light fixtures you are dismantling. Remove the light fixtures from the mounts and disconnect the power source by unscrewing the wire nuts. Finally unscrew the mounts and brackets from the ceiling.

Your new pendant lamps will come with their own mounting brackets with instructions for their proper use.  These new mounting brackets should be affixed in as close to the same spot as the old ones were to make the process of hanging your pendant lights a little more straightforward.

Connecting the wiring of the new pendant light can be the trickiest part of the whole process. Generally the wire colors will correspond – black to black, white to white. It is also essential that you remember to attach the all important ground wire to the green screw which you will find in the junction box. Your last step will be to secure the pendant light to the ceiling, turn the power back on and then hopefully stand back and admire the way they illuminate your space.