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Project Difficulty:
Moderate
Estimated
Project Time: 1/2 to full day
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| Tools and Materials: |
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Track lighting system
Screwdriver
Fish tape, as needed
Electrical cable, as needed
Electrical box, as needed
Stud finder, as needed
Pencil
Metal ruler
Drywall saw, as needed
Wire connectors
Wire strippers
Wire cutters
Power drill
Toggle bolts, hollow wall anchors, or wood screws, as needed
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When it comes to versatility, track lighting's the star of the show. It can serve as a general light source to brighten a section of a room; as task lighting to illuminate a kitchen or reading nook; or as accent lighting to highlight a painting or the irregular surface of a stone fireplace. If you install track lights in an open ceiling, you can paint the joists and sheathing above the same color so that the lights will seem to float upon them.
Most manufacturers offer an extensive array of fixtures, so there's bound to be some that will complement your décor. In some cases, with the right adapter, you can even connect a fairly heavy chandelier to the track. (Fig.1)
Best of all, track lighting doesn't have to be built-in as recessed fixtures do, so it takes less work to install. In fact, you don't necessarily have to hard-wire track lighting to an electrical box; instead, some manufacturers offer accessories that let you simply plug a track into a wall or ceiling socket. (Fig. 2)
Track lighting systems usually include a track, an electrical feed box, and two or more fixtures that you can slide along the track to position wherever you need them. The wiring for the fixtures is in the metal track itself.
The most common type of track lighting has a single circuit, meaning one switch controls all the lights on the track. However, you can buy multiple-circuit tracks that allow you to turn some fixtures on and off without affecting adjacent ones. Following are guidelines on how to install a standard, single-circuit track using a conventional electrical box.
RUNNING POWER TO THE TRACK
The procedures for installing track lighting vary with the brand and model. Before you purchase a system, make sure you read the instructions carefully so that you know which tools and operations are required. And before you do any electrical work, turn off power to the circuit on which you will be working.
Installing an Electrical Box
To connect a track lighting system to the house wiring, you'll need to wire it to a power source in the ceiling. If you're lucky enough to find an existing electrical box there, skip this section and go directly to "Hooking Up the Track," below.
If you have to install a box, first choose a location. Decide where you want the track to be, and then mark the ceiling at one end of the track. Check around your mark with a stud finder to make sure your location doesn't overlap a ceiling joist. If the area is clear, lay out the opening for the electrical box and cut the opening with a drywall saw. Install the box, fishing wiring through the ceiling to connect the new box with an existing box or light switch nearby.
Hooking Up the Track
How you install the track depends on the manufacturer. You can screw directly through some tracks into the ceiling. For others, you'll need to install connector clips to the ceiling, and then fasten the track to the clips. The following explains how to use the clip system.
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1.
Attach the Connector Plate
The track adapter plate covers the electrical box and holds the track connector and the electrical housing. Assemble these pieces. (Fig. 3)
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2.
Connect the Wires
Splicing like-colored wires together and covering them with wire connectors, hook the track wires to the power cable in the electrical box. Then fasten the adapter assembly to the electrical box ears with the screws provided.
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3.
Plot the Track
The track is held in position by special clips spaced evenly along the track. To plot where the track will go, align a ruler with the center of the track connector and draw a line as shown in the illustration (Fig.4). Next, hold the clips in place on your line, and mark pilot holes in the ceiling.
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4.
Install the Clips
Center a clip on the line, and mark its screw location. Drill the pilot holes and attach the clips. If the track lighting channel is attached to a ceiling made from drywall, use toggle bolts or hollow-wall anchors to hold the track to the ceiling. Otherwise, the track lights may wobble, or the weight of the lights may even pull the track from the ceiling. If you're attaching the clips to wood, you can use regular wood screws. (Fig. 5)
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5.
Connect the Channel
Attach the track channel solidly to the electrical connector; slip the channel into the track connector. Snap the track channel into the clips. Then tighten the setscrews along the sides of the clips to hold the channel firmly in position. (Fig. 6)
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6.
Attach the Track Lights
To complete the project, install the raceway cover and attach the track lights anywhere you wish.
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