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DIY for Homeowners

How to Install an Electrical Ceiling Box for Light Fixture

5/13/2020

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text by Vicki     Sign up here to join our weekly email newsletter! ​
Whenever we shop at Costco, we always take a look at the products for sale in the lighting/electrical aisle. It seems on every trip they have brand new and exciting LED lighting options! We are sold on LED for lighting in our homes and workspace!

Earlier, this year, we purchased a skylight fixture for Steph's garage to replace a fluorescent fixture that had seen better days. Once installed, the difference was remarkable! Clean, even looking light that actually does look like a skylight!

Well, I was sold and told Steph I wanted one for my very dark closet. The one where I choose my clothes and then realize later on when I'm in the sun, I'm actually wearing, what I thought were black pants, but they are actually blue! 

I loved that lighting solution so much in the closet that I talked Steph into installing one in my laundry room. My sad, dark mess of a laundry room. 

So here is that install! And like most DIY projects, there was a hiccup or two to figure out...

Materials/ Tools:


  • Carlon 1-Gang 18 cu. in. Round Old Work Electrical Ceiling Box (Home Depot)

  • Dremel 8220 Series 12-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Variable Speed Cordless Rotary Tool Kit (Home Depot)

  • Dremel 1/8 in. Rotary Tool Multi-Purpose Cutting Bit for Wood, Plastic, Fiberglass, Drywall, Aluminum, and Vinyl Siding (Home Depot)

  • Stanley 6.25 in. Jab Saw with Wood Handle (Home Depot)

  • ScotchBlue 24 in. x 30 yd. Pre-Taped Painter's Plastic with Edge-Lock and Dispenser (Home Depot)

  • Skylight Flat Panel by Artika (Amazon)

We are replacing this fluorescent fixture with a LED skylight.
This fixture had long ago lost its cover and stayed naked for a long time! There was a "not so nice surprise" hiding under that light!
Removing the old lighting fixture in the laundry room.
After turning off the power, we took down the old fixture. It was pretty straight forward but the screws holding it to the ceiling were surprisingly long. We soon found out why!
The fixture was not supported by a ceiling box!
This is what we found when the fixture was removed. And, no, that wiring situation is not to code! Those overly long screws in the ceiling drywall was what was keeping the fixture attached to the ceiling. So, now to figure out what to do! After some internet research, we determined we needed to install a proper electrical ceiling box to support the fixture.
This Ryobi battery powered LED light fits perfectly on a 2 x 4.
Steph went up into the attic to see if she could find the location of the wiring. It proved to be really difficult so I had the idea to put the lighted end of a video scope up through the hole as a beacon for her to follow. It worked really well and she was able to identify the wiring location. By the way, that Ryobi light on the left is designed specifically to fit onto a 2x4 stud. It proved to be very handy while in the attic.
Ug, a ceiling joist is blocking the placement of the ceiling box we need to install.
This was what we didn't want to find--a ceiling joist blocking where we needed to add the box!
We used a battery powered Dremel to cut the hole in the ceiling.
Obviously, we had to place the box outside the joist. Steph drew around the outside of the ceiling box to mark the cut line.
The is the old work ceiling box that is going in that hole. It's for use in existing construction.
The is the old work ceiling box that is going in that hole. It's for use in existing construction.
Cutting the hole for the old work ceiling box with a Dremel rotary tool fitted with the cutting kit.
This battery powered Dremel fitted with the Dremel cutting kit proved to be the perfect tool to cut the hole.
The hole is not perfect but the fixture will cover it.
The hole is not perfect but the fixture will cover it. We attached some plastic sheeting to the ceiling to help contain the drywall mess.
Our Makita compact drill made short work of the install!
Steph initially tried to hand screw the spring clips into place but they actually needed the torque of a drill to open and secure the box to the ceiling. Our Makita made short work of the install!
The Skylight Flat Panel by Artika from Costco.
Done! Nice and bright, but it does shed light on how much more work the laundry needs! Our next project?

Please note: This is not a sponsored post.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don't claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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