Installing hanging porch lights can dramatically improve your outdoor space's ambiance. Here is the process for getting it done.
Time Varies
ComplexityBeginner
CostVaries
Introduction
Enhance your entryway with this project on installing a porch light fixture. Brighten your outdoor space and enhance curb appeal in no time.
Tools Required
- Caulk gun
- Cordless drill
- Fish tape
- Hole saw
- Insulated screwdriver
- Ladder or stepstool
- Pliers
- Voltage tester
- wire stripper
Materials Required
- Caulk
- Electrical wire
- junction box
- Light fixture with mounting hardware
- Light switch
- Wire nuts
One of my proudest DIY moments was when I first replaced a light fixture. Dealing with electricity comes with equal parts intimidation and fear. The thought of dealing with the connections of electric wires felt insurmountable and challenging.
Boy, was I wrong! While installing or changing a basic light fixture requires a high regard for safety and some attention to detail, it is not complicated. Nor does it require expensive tools. When it comes to electricity, there is one rule you cannot break or deviate from: Cut off the power to the source and test it before you touch it.
Although I have gained experience with electrical work, I would not consider myself quick or extremely skilled at it. Because we wanted to install our outdoor light fixture in a place without a junction box or wiring and intended for it to be connected to its own switch inside the entryway, I called an electrician. Burkhardt sent out a licensed electrician to install the box, run the wiring from outside through the walls in our office and to the entryway, and expand the box in the entryway to accommodate an additional switch, all in just a few hours. It would have taken me much longer to do and probably included patching more holes in my drywall. By calling, I turned this into a few-hour project rather than a full weekend project.
Choosing a porch light fixture
When choosing a light fixture for your porch, consider how much it will be exposed to moisture from the elements. When shopping for a porch light fixture, you find “exterior grade” light fixtures and “damp-rated” light fixtures. Choose accordingly if your light fixture will be exposed to all the weather elements, use and “Exterior grade.” If your light fixture will live under a covered porch that doesn’t receive sheets of rain, you may opt for a damp-rated fixture. It is a judgement call, when it comes to electricity outdoors go for the best protection you can find. Look for a light fixture with a universal mounting bar or mounting plate to ensure it is compatible with whichever junction box was installed.
Safety considerations
As with all electrical projects, ensure that the power to the area you are working in is turned off at the breaker before beginning work. Use a non-contact voltage connector, insulated tools and a non-metal ladder during installation. And, if at all possible, choose to do your installation on a dry day. The last thing you want to do is install a light fixture when it’s raining.
Project step-by-step (8)
Step 1
Cut the hole
After determining where you wish to hang your outdoor light, use a hole saw to cut a hole through the soffit panels and OSB underlayment into the cavity above the porch.
Step 2
Run wires
Make sure you have ample excess wire and begin feeding it toward the location of the new switch. Be patient with this. Fishing wire through a wall can be frustrating, depending on how far you need to run. If you decide to have the new porch light fixture on an existing circuit with capacity, run the wire to the nearest light fixture or outlet on that circuit. When the wire is run to its final destination, install a junction box in the porch rafter with the wires running through it and strip about 1/2-inch off the ends on each side of the wires.
Step 3
Make the switch connections
If you are running this light to a new light switch, make those connections now.
Step 4
Attach mounting bar
The junction box will have various holes to accommodate different light mounting plates sold with your light fixture. Some mounting plates are round, and some are square. Other times, it could be just a flat bar. These mounting plates or bars (regardless of manufacturer) are designed to correspond with at least one set of holes in your junction box.
Manufacturers often provide more than one mounting option in their instructions. Choose the one that makes the most secure connection from your junction box to your mounting plate. If you can’t find a hole in the junction box that lines up with the holes on your mounting plate or mounting bar, you may have to drill a hole into the junction box with a drill bit to secure the mounting.
Step 5
Connect the wires
Position the wires for easy access when making your connections. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or diagram to connect the corresponding colors. White wire to white wire, black wire to black wire and copper wire to green grounding wire or screw.
This light fixture is “damp rated,” which means the electric wire connection is protected from the elements by connecting the wires inside a capsule-shaped housing. It is also known as a waterproof three-pole wire connector external electrical junction box.
The three-pole wire connector is stamped with a letter key for a corresponding placement of the wires in your fixture. Follow the specific placement for the white, black and grounding wire and secure tightly with the small screw found in the housing. Be sure to use the right size screwdriver to avoid stripping the small screws inside the housing. Seal the wires into the capsule and continue with your process as you would with any light fixture by neatly tucking the excess wires into the junction box.
- Note: If your light fixture doesn’t come with a protected housing, make sure to cover the wire connections with the appropriate wire nuts.
Step 6
Mount the fixture
Tuck the wires away so that they don’t impede your ability to secure the fixture to the mounting plate. Install the fixture using the screws provided in their designated locations. Do this by hand rather than with a drill, in case you need to adjust a wire so it doesn’t get pinched in the process.
Step 7
Test the fixture
Once your porch light fixture is securely installed and before you install the lampshade or cover, turn the power back on at the circuit breaker and test the light by turning it on at the light switch. If your light doesn’t turn on, turn off the power before and go back to ensure all the wire connections have been properly made. Also, be sure you have a working lightbulb in the fixture. You’d be surprised how many people think their light fixture doesn’t work and it is merely a blown bulb.
Once you have the light is functioning properly, turn off the switch and attach the shade according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 8
Caulk around the base
For added safety and a cleaned-up look around the hole in your porch ceiling, apply a bead of siliconized caulk around the seam where the light fixture meets the ceiling. This will help keep moisture and bugs out and serve as an added support layer should the light fixture come loose from prolonged exposure to heavy winds.
FAQ
What does damp rated mean?
Damp-rated light fixtures are built for outdoor placement in areas protected from direct and harsh weather, such as snow or rain. An ideal location for a damp-rated fixture is a covered porch, balcony, or patio. Damp-rated light fixtures are also a great choice for interior locations with some exposure to moisture, such as basements, barns, ventilated bathrooms (not directly exposed to the shower) and cold storage warehouses where condensation can be created.
Wet-rated light fixtures are designed to withstand direct exposure to outdoor elements like rain or snow. If the light fixture is going to be directly rained on or snowed on, wet-rated is the choice you want.
Can I adjust the height of a hanging light fixture when installing it?
If your light fixture hangs down, you can absolutely change the length to hang to however high or low you want it from the ground or ceiling. Most manufacturers make these types of fixtures with extra wire, which you can simply cut to the desired height, strip back 1/2-inch to expose the wire, and make your connection.
Originally Published: September 12, 2024
