How to install a chandelier?

The installation of a ceiling lamp, at first glance, seems like a simple task, which everyone can afford. Maybe it is. This work is really not labor-intensive, but it has a huge number of subtleties and nuances that you need to know about before starting work. Yes, and basic knowledge of construction and electrical engineering is also needed. We will figure out how to install a chandelier on different types of ceiling coatings, consider the possible difficulties that you will encounter.

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Ceiling mounted chandelier - general principles

There are 4 types of fixtures, with which you can hang the lighting device to the ceiling:

• Mounting hook. This is ideal for ceilings made of durable material (such as concrete).
• Mounting plate. In this case, the mass of the lamp is distributed over 4 points of fasteners. For this reason, this mount is considered the most reliable.
• Cross-shaped fasteners. It is used for hanging luminaires with a large mass, as well as for mounting lighting fixtures that fit tightly to the ceiling.
• I-mount. It is used for mounting multi-tiered chandeliers.

Important! Arrangement of standard mounts is not particularly difficult. For their installation, self-tapping sleeves are used. But you need to remember that installing the chandelier on the ceiling with your own hands is associated with the risk of electrical injury, so you must follow all safety measures.

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Rules for safe installation

Before you put the chandelier, check the phasing of cables and wires intended for lighting fixtures. Neutral is a common wire, and phase cables are connected to the chandelier via a switch. Phasing is checked using an indicator screwdriver.

Important! When checking the phase, never touch the tip of the screwdriver. It is dangerous both for life and for health.

Before checking, be sure to disconnect the room - turn out 2 plugs. Next, expose the wires and only then turn on the electricity again. Verification is carried out as follows:

• Press the switch of the device and bring the indicator to wires. A phase is present.
• If you test the wires when the indicator is off, there is no phase.
• If the indicator shows voltage even when the device is off, contact the master. Only after he fixes the problem, it will be possible to return to the installation of the lamp.

The second problematic moment of installation of lighting equipment is the early determination of the location of the wiring. It is important that when drilling the mounting holes, do not damage the wiring in the ceiling. Do-it-yourself wiring of the chandelier is sought using special indicators, at the applied voltage. After the location of the wiring is established, you can safely proceed with the installation of the lamp.

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How to install a ceiling chandelier - features of standard and non-standard fixtures

There are no problems with standard mounts. Separate the wires into the sectors of the light bulbs, ring the parting and fix it on the ceiling. But there are also difficulties: too low ceilings or the design of the chandelier does not allow hanging it on an existing fixture.In this case, the complexity of the work increases by an order of magnitude.

If the apartment has low ceilings, and you want to use not a ceiling, but a pendant lamp, then the hook will not work for you. For the reason that he “eats” about 10 cm of space, which is already sparse. In this case, you will have to use the mounting plate, cutting it so that it is not visible under the lamp cover.

Important! It should be borne in mind that modern lighting devices are equipped with additional functionality (for example, air ionization). The rules for connecting such lighting equipment are special, it is unlikely to manage independently, so you should immediately contact the master for help.

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Mounting the lamp on suspended ceilings

It is not easy to install lighting equipment on a finished stretch ceiling. Serious preparatory work will be required.

Important! If the canvas is already mounted, you will have to remove it completely, since even a slight cut in the stretched canvas will lead to damage.

For this purpose, it is important to use only suitable bulbs:

• Do not use incandescent lamps with suspended ceilings. Even low-power bulbs after several months of operation leave ugly spots of yellow or brown color on the surface of the PVC fabric.
• Energy-saving lamps fit completely, but due to insufficient heat exchange, their working life is significantly reduced.
• The best option is lighting fixtures with LED lamps.

Before the ceiling is mounted, consider all the points regarding the installation of fixtures for the lamp:

• Naturally, the base for the mounting plate or hook is the base ceiling.
• If a cross-shaped plank or I-beam is used, they are not mounted directly on the ceiling, but on a platform made of thick plywood or MDF.

Important! Thin plywood is not suitable for such a purpose, since it can simply break under the weight of the chandelier.

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Features of hanging the lamp on a plasterboard ceiling

The choice of fasteners suspended in a drywall construction depends on the weight of the lighting equipment:

• For small models weighing up to 3 kg, the best option is a mounting hook. For drywall constructions there are special “butterfly” hooks with cartridges.
• Lamps weighing up to 7 kg are suspended on panel slats. The plank, in turn, is fixed on special mole dowels.
• Massive devices are suspended using special studs. The thickness of the stud varies from 10 to 12 mm, depending on the variety of the main mount. In the gypsum plasterboard ceiling, holes are drilled for the stud, and then there is an arrangement of the mounting cushion.

Important! Experts consider the cantilever bracket as the best way to hang chandeliers on drywall constructions, since it is not subject to friction, which means it will be more durable.

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Dismantling specifics

Dismantling works are similar to installation, only the reverse algorithm. We must not forget that you must first turn off the power by turning the plugs. Before you remove the lighting device, remove all decorative elements. The mount can only be removed on the concrete ceiling. On suspended ceilings, only the device itself is dismantled.

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Stock footage

As you can see, the actual process of installing the chandelier directly on the ceiling is not so complicated, but it is associated with many nuances - of the lighting device itself, as well as the location of the wiring and the type of ceiling coating. Consider all these factors, then the installation of the chandelier will be solved for you many times faster.