How To Remove Fluorescent Light Fixture And Replace With Track Lighting

Do yous have one of those big functional merely ugly fluorescent lights in your abode? Learn how to replace a fluorescent calorie-free fixture today!

We take a couple of those big ol fluorescent lights in our house.

They certainly are functional because they are then bright merely they're not very attractive.

Merely look at this thing…I mean seriously it didn't even have a encompass over this light!

Just that bare seedling hanging at that place!

So pretty right!

Haha!

When nosotros gave my husband Chris's closet a complete makeover we decided it was time to get rid of that lite.

We weren't sure if nosotros were going to exist able to replace the fluorescent low-cal fixture with a regular light fixture simply we wanted to give it a try.

view of walk in empty bedroom closet after shelves were removedhelves

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Supplies Needed to Replace a Fluorescent Light Fixture with a Regular Light Fixture

old work circular electrical box
sheetrock saw
awl
screwdriver
drywall repair patch
spackling
new calorie-free fixture
lightbulb

Footstep one: Disconnect Electricity

fluorescent light on ceiling before replacing with regular light

The offset and about of import step is to disconnect the electricity to the fluorecent calorie-free fixture.

You should always turn off the power to the lite you are removing in your abode's excursion breaker box.

Don't just plow the light switch off.

Remember safety first!

Stride 2: Remove Fluorescent Light Fixture

view of ceiling after fuorescent light removed with electrical wire hanging from center and addition holes from screws

In one case the power is turned safely off you tin remove your fluorescent low-cal bulb.

Make certain you find out how y'all should dispose of the fluorescent bulb in your expanse. We take ours to our local home improvement store and they recycle them for free.

Using a screw driver you can so unscrew the calorie-free fixture from the ceiling.

Our low-cal had two screws on either side of the electrical connexion that we removed. But as you can see in this photo there was a 3rd pigsty.

Oops…looks like someone measured wrong when our house was congenital and they installed the fluorescent low-cal.

Step 3: Installing a Ceiling Light Box

hand cutting hole in ceiling with drywall knife to replace fluorecent light fixture with regular light fixture

Make sure you accept your electrical wires covered with wire nuts while replacing your fluorescent light fixture with a regular light fixture.

Since our fluorescent light was hung directly to our ceiling nosotros had to install an one-time work round ceiling electrical box.

Be certain to buy the correct electrical box. An one-time work electric box is for replacing existing light fixtures. It has mounts with swing clamps to allow you to attach to the ceiling from below.

You may get lucky and already accept an installed ceiling electrical box then you tin skip this step.

Using the template that comes with the ceiling electric box we punched holes in the ceiling with an awl. And so we cutting out out the drywall with a sheetrock saw.

view of ceiling while cutting hole to install ceiling light box to replace fluorescent light fixture with regular light fixture

Here is a view of the ceiling afterward making the pigsty for the electrical box.

hand attaching ceiling light box with screwdriver

Next, we pushed the plastic electrical box into place in the hole nosotros fabricated in the ceiling and attached information technology with a screwdriver.

Step 4: Repairing Holes subsequently Removing Fluorescent Lite

ceiling light box installed with electrical wires hanging from middle of box and dry wall repair patch on two spots on either side of ceiling box

Subsequently the ceiling box was installed it was time to repair those holes.

We cut iii drywall repair patches to cover each of the holes.

Then spread DryDex spackling on the patches.

completed light box in ceiling with bulb hanging down

This spackling goes on pink and drys white.

It's goof proof!

You volition know exactly when it's prepare to be sanded and painted.

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Step v: Installing New Regular Light Fixture

Follow the directions that comes with your new regular lite fixture to install.

We used daylight Edison bulbs to provide as much calorie-free in the nighttime closet as possible.

new light fixture in closet with edison bulb

Replacing the big fluorescent low-cal fixture with this smaller industrial style regular light fixture definitely looks better!

I beloved the difference this DIY project made in the closet.

new regular light fixture installed in closet

And if we can exercise it so can you!

If you lot have any questions or suggestions, contact me or exit a comment!

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