Recessed Lighting

Whether you’re building a new home or remodeling your house, installing recessed lighting is likely one of the more challenging tasks. The good news is, except for the occasional concrete or ornate plasterwork ceiling, most ceilings are suitable for installing recessed lighting. All it takes is a few handyman tools, some knowledge and you are good to go.

Can You Really DIY?

For a brand new construction, installing recessed lighting isn’t much of an issue. You just need to locate the ceiling joists, screw or nail in the brackets where you would like to position your light fixtures and affix the physical metal housings to the bracket. Place the dry wall (with the openings for the housings cut out) over and viola, it’s done. The same ease applies if you’re able to access the ceiling via the attic.

Installing recessed lighting is slightly more complicated if you’re remodeling your house. Luckily, manufacturers have came up with retrofits kits that comes complete with detailed recessed lighting installation instructions and even stenciling templates for outlining and cutting out of dry wall openings. These products tend to be insulation contact (”IC”) proof and you can install them from the bottom of the ceiling without worrying if there is insulation above. If you choose to use non IC rated fixtures in this case, you need to make sure there is at least 3 inches away from the insulation wiring.

An area that you probably need professional help is the wiring. If there is no available power source nearby, engaging a certified electrician to setup a wire connection to the fixture can help you save loads of time and hassle. But in the event that there is already ceiling box around the installation area and your local codes permit, you can still do-it-yourself by detaching the wires from it and reconnect to them to the retrofit.

Things You Need

• Recessed Lights Fixtures
• Stud Finder
• Drill
• Dry wall saw
• Utility knife
• Wire connectors
• Wire strippers
• Pliers
• Screwdrivers

Step by Step Recessed Lighting Installation Instructions

(1) Cut the Opening

Turn off the power and use the stud finder to locate the ceiling joists. With the stenciling template provided in your retrofit kit, outline the opening in between the joists. Use the utility knife to mark out the line and once that’s done, cut the opening with a drywall saw. Make sure the hole’s is just right to hold the fixture’s housing.

(2) Run the Wiring

Draw the cable from the ceiling box or other applicable power source to the opening. It’s recommended to have excess inches of cable to make

(3) Connect to the Fixture’s Junction Box

Insert the wire into the junction box and hold it with a clamp. Strip off the wire’s insulation and connect it based on the matching wire colours. The fixture’s black wire has to go with the black house wiring. The white goes with the white house wire while the green or bare ground fixture wire matches with the ground wire. You can use wire connectors if you like. Once that’s done, close up the junction box.

(4) Install the Housing

Insert the junction box into the hole and position the housing inside the opening. Make sure it’s tight. Use a screwdriver to push in the mounting clips until they secure the fixture against the ceiling.

(5) Affix the Trim

Position the trim. Depending on the design you’ve selected, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions and you will be able to get this done in a breeze. Attach the light bulbs provided and turn on the power. Viola, your recessed lighting’s up!

Some Notes & Precautions

• It’s important to check if your local regulations allow you to do your own wiring. Some local codes prohibit this or required any do-it-yourself wiring to be certified by an licensed electrician. Do ensure that you comply with this.
• Installing recessed lighting fixtures that are non IC in an insulated ceiling can be dangerous as the heat generated may result in a fire. If you’ve chosen to do so, make sure your non IC fixture is at least 3 inches away from the insulation or any combustible substances.
• Use only bulbs of the right voltage. In the event of a converting your existing recessed lights to a lower voltage, make sure you select a retrofit kit that pre-installed with transformers.
• All power should be shut off while installing recessed lighting fixtures.

As recessed lighting becomes popular, a greater variety of recessed lighting trim styles and designs are also introduced by manufacturers to cater to different needs. Some of these are functional. Such as the standard baffle which incorporates the baffle functionality with the trim. Others are decorative and stylish. But how do you select the recessed lighting trim that complements the interior style and function you’re going for? And what are your options?

To help you with this, let’s take a look at some of the common recessed lighting trims available :

(1) Baffled Recessed Light Trim

Baffles are basically used to redirect bright light in a particular direction and slightly lessens the intensity of the lighting. When merged with the trim, the baffled recessed lighting trim essentially look like ribbed interior rings. You will find concentric circular grooves inside the cones that holds the lamp. Since it is great for creating a soothing architectural atmosphere without the glare, many home dwellers tend to prefer this over the other designs, making it one of the most popular choices. It is also used in commercial offices.

(2) Eyeball Gimbal Ring

If you need a focused, precise light beam effect for highlighting your art display, signboard or a specific part of your building, the eyeball gimbal ring may be be your choice. Equipped with an adjustible swivel, you can easily adapt the light to where it’s needed. Sometimes, this type of trim may also be used for task lighting. For example, a reading light effect over your bed is something you can achieve with this. If you’re planning fo this function, remember to choose a lamp with a very tight beam so that you will not disturb your partner sleeping beside you.

(3) Reflector / Multiplier Lighting Trim

Such trims contain an interior reflector surface that optimizes the lighting while hiding the source. Multipliers are commonly used to manage the light flow of “A”style incandescent light bulbs and fluorescents. Best suited for task or general lighting functions, as they tend to give off more light. Also, if the recessed lights is the only source of lighting in the room, this may be a suitable option as well.

(4) Decorative Recessed Lighting Trim

As the name suggests, such trims are clearly for asethetic purposes. Different decorative designs, ranging from colourful glowing art glass to contemporary stylish finishes are available to suit all kinds of interior settings. Believe it or not, but one such trim can transform your seemingly unintrusive fixture into a beautiful chandelier! If you prefer not to draw any attention to the recessed lighting fixture, going for trims that matches your ceiling’s colour and texture is a wiser choice.

(5) Lens / Louvred Trim

Lens / Louvered recessed lighting trim diffuses the light, making it soft and soothing. Awesome for space that looks good in a gentle douse of light, it’s common to find such trims used in showers or even closets. The lens also have the added function of protecting the lamp and hence is commonly used for lights in wet areas such as bathrooms.

(6) Wall Wash / Pin Hole Trim

Both the wall wash and pin hole recessed lighting trim has a small partial opening where light is allowed through. The main difference between the two is that the latter doesn’t have any spill over effect.

The light beam from the wall wash trim tends to be asymmetrical and hence great for getting rid of the common “scalloped light effect”. This type of trim is commonly used to accent vertical areas such as the wall, fire place, drapes, fire place, etc. with light. Some people also use this to highlight art displays, even though the effect is not as precise as the eyeball gimball ring trim.

Although recessed lighting is commonly used in interior settings, over the years, outdoor recessed lighting is also getting popular. One of the main proposition for it is that it does not increase light pollution. Light pollution which has been commonly attributed to glaring floodlights, street lamps etc disrupts the regular cycles of insects reproduction, birds migration and our circadian rhythms. And since outdoor recessed lighting does not emit that much amount of light into the night, it’s hence more environmental friendly.

Since it is waterproof and contains a lens or trim that protects the lamp from weather elements, people have used outdoor recessed lighting and other surface mounted lights to illuminate their decks, barbeques, walkways etc. You name it, there’s probably a light for it! Some of these are also required by local codes for safety purposes. Commercial buildings and offices love using it for landscaping as it’s able to accentuate the designs very well.

Let’s run through some of the common styles of outdoor recessed lighting available :

(1) Well Lights

Commonly used to illuminate walking paths or highlight a specific landscape design such as a statute, the well light is usually placed along the path or garden with the lights shining upwards. It creates a therapeutic and calming atmosphere while lighting the pathways subtly without being too much of a glare. There are also some well light styles which project itself upwards on a pedestal instead of inground. These are predominantly used for highlighting sculptures, fountains etc.

(2) Wall Mounted Lights

As the name suggests, these are outdoor recessed lighting designed for mounting on vertical surfaces such as the wall or a particular side of the building. They come in a variety of styles, from the elaborate decorative, modern simplistic zen to standard shaped lights. If you’re looking to light your barbeques, wall mounted lights can be a good consideration.

(3) Recessed Down Lights

Great for for illuminating pouches, recessed down lights is a great way to light up a large area like the porch as it would quite a challenge getting the same level of lighting with wall mounted light fixtures. If you have tall ceilings, it’s important to ensure that an appropriate number of larger size cans are used. For example, if you have a porch that is 10′ x 20′ with a 12 foot high ceiling, four 6 inches halogen recessed cans lights should be sufficient to light up the area.

(4) Underwater Lights

Another style of outdoor recessed lighting is underwater lights. These are often used to illuminate swimming pools, fountains and even ponds for during the night. These lights are not intrusive to marine life and hence work well even if you have carps in your pond.

(3) Step Lights

Where do you think step lights are used? Yes, you’re right. Staircases! Be it the outdoor staircase leading to your home entry. Or the steps sprinkled along your garden pathways, these step lights gives a heart warming welcome to your guests and keeps them safe from tripping in the dark. A must have!