| In
This Article:
The mounting strap is
attached to the ceiling box and the length of the threaded
tube is checked. The ceiling medallion is glued and screwed in
place. The chandelier wires are connected and the fixture is
suspended from the ceiling J-box. |
Related
Articles:
|
| Skill Level:
3 (Intermediate) |
Time Taken:
About 2 Hours |
By
Bruce W. Maki,
Editor
An elegant chandelier in a dining room makes a huge improvement
in the appearance of the room. I would even say that a good
chandelier makes all the difference in the world. In our old house
remodeling project we had long planned to install a chandelier near
the middle of the room, directly over the dining table.
 |
This was the dining room after the
hardwood flooring had been installed and finished. |
|
| The ceiling before the medallion and
chandelier were installed. |
 |
|
 |
The junction box.
This is a ceiling fan J-box from Home Depot.
Chandeliers can be heavy, so they need more than an
ordinary junction box.
Even if a light-weight chandelier was being
installed, remember that years from now somebody else
may install a different chandelier.
|
|
| We got this 20 inch ceiling medallion at
Home Depot. We simply spray painted it with an off-white
semi-gloss paint. |
 |
|
 |
This medallion came with long screws,
threaded tube extensions, and a small tube of caulking. |
|
| I used a stud finder to locate the joists.
Instead of marking the joists with a pencil, I used
masking tape, and I marked them quite far from the
junction box so the medallion wouldn't cover the marks. |
 |
|
 |
This is the mounting strap that came with
the chandelier. |
|
Chandelier Installation Without A Medallion:
| If I was installing a chandelier without
a ceiling medallion, I would install the stock mounting
strap to the ceiling junction box. |
 |
|
 |
Then the canopy would slide over the
threaded tube.
Note how the threaded tube pokes out of the canopy by
about 1/4 inch. Since the medallion is 1¼" thick,
I will need a longer threaded tube. |
|
| And the threaded collar loop would be
screwed onto the end of the tube (but there would be
wires going through the tube). |
 |
|
 |
This is what the canopy would look like if
I wasn't using a medallion. |
|
Installation With A Ceiling Medallion:
| I replaced the 2½" original tube
with the 4" long tube that came with the medallion. |
 |
|
Important:
Getting the correct length of the threaded
tube is critical here. I measured the total
thickness of the medallion plus the canopy, plus a small
length (perhaps ¼") of that the rod goes inside
the collar loop. If the rod extends too far, the collar
loop will "bottom out" before it clamps the
entire assembly in place, and I'll have to remove
everything and reposition the threaded tube so it
doesn't protrude as far.
|
|
 |
I wrapped the ground wire around the
ground screw in the junction box, and tightened the
screw firmly.
The ground wire must be attached to the
junction box and the mounting strap.
|
|
Note how the red wire was capped off and tucked into the J-box.
We used 14-3 wire to feed this fixture just in case someday
the home's owners want to install a ceiling fan instead of the
chandelier. In previous years this room has been used as a living
room, and maybe that will happen again.
| I installed the mounting strap with the
longer tube.
Note how I also connected the ground wire to the
green screw on the mounting strap. |
 |
|
The Medallion:
 |
I applied a bead of urethane
construction adhesive to the back of the medallion,
but not according to the instructions. |
|
The instructions show four big dabs of adhesive being applied,
well inboard from the edge. Uh-huh. In that big recessed area?
Obviously they changed their design without updating their
instructions.
| I positioned the medallion against the
ceiling and drove in several 3" trim head screws.
I was only able to catch the joists in three places,
but from my experience that is enough to hold the
medallion until the glue dries. |
 |
|
Later I applied some siliconized acrylic latex caulk over the
screw heads to conceal them.
Back To The Chandelier:
 |
With most chandeliers you get plenty of
extra chain and wire. I've always had to shorten the
chain by opening one link. Usually I can bend a link
with a pair of pliers and a crescent wrench.
The chain with this chandelier was especially heavy,
and I had to put the link in a vise to be able to bend
it. |
|
| I threaded the chandelier wires through
the chain.
I ran the wires through every second link. |
 |
|
 |
This chandelier had a deluxe feature: an expanding
link with a hex nut. |
|
| The wires need to poke through the hanging
loop. |
 |
|
 |
And then the wires need to run through the
canopy. |
|
| I stripped the ends of the supply wires in
the ceiling J-box. |
 |
|
 |
I placed the chandelier on the paint tray
of a 6-foot stepladder. |
|
| I made the wiring connections.
I twisted each chandelier wire around its
corresponding supply wire.
Note that the chandelier wires are not colored white
and black to distinguish neutral from hot. The wire used
for chandeliers is basically lamp cord.
Lamp cord has a ridge along the neutral wire. |
 |
|
 |
I made the connections.
Only I did this wrong.
I always do this. |
|
| The lamp cord needs to run through the
threaded tube, up into the ceiling J-box, and then
back down below the ceiling where you can reach it to
make the connections. |
 |
|
 |
Like this. |
|
| I tucked the connections up inside the
J-box.
This is where you realize how important it is to have
enough extra length of wire. |
 |
|
 |
I placed the canopy up against the
ceiling, and threaded the hanging loop over the threaded
tube. |
|
| I connected the chandelier chain to the
little section of chain on the hanging loop.
With most chandeliers you won't have this fancy
openable link, you'll need to bend a link to open it. |
 |
|
 |
Then I carefully lifted the chandelier off
the ladder, and moved the ladder away.
The chandelier was finally installed.
|
|
| This is a huge improvement over the old
ceiling fan that was here before. |
 |
|
 |
While you are working on your dining room,
I strongly recommend parking something underneath your
chandelier.
Every time I've worked on a house that
had a chandelier with no table underneath, I've hit my
head or my shoulder on the bloody light fixture. Every
single time. Including this project. |
|
|
Tools
Used:
- Cordless Drill/Driver
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Wire Stripper
- Pliers
- Crescent Wrench
- Caulk Gun
|
Materials Used:
- Chandelier, Kichler
Lighting
2061 LZ 5 Light 60 Watt Candelabra
- 20" Ceiling
Medallion, Fantec Inc.
- Urethane Construction
Adhesive
- 3" Trim Head Screws,
GRK
- Light Bulbs, Clear, Small
Base
- Wire Nuts
|
Back To Top
Of Page
Read our Disclaimer.
Search
Page
Home
What's New Project
Archives H.I.
World
Rants
Contact Us
|
|
