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How to Swag a Light Fixture

How to Swag a Light Fixture

 

Do you have a chandelier that is a little “off” in your dining room? Do you curse the electrician that didn’t bother to think about centering a hanging light fixture? Yeah, me too! I  had this problem in our laundry room.

Granted, “most people” don’t hang chandeliers in their laundry room, but I wanted to do it. Except there was one problem. The confounded light fixture box was no where near centered on the room or the washer and dryer. Grrrr.

How to Swag a Light Fixture

No worries, if you have enough wire and chain, you can simply swag your light fixture by installing a ceiling hook.

Materials:

How to Swag a Light Fixture

  • Flashlight
  • Straight Pin
  • Tape Measure
  • Pencil
  • Ceiling hook (screw in type)

Difficulty: Easy

How to Swag a Light Fixture Instructions:

The first and most important thing you have to do is locate the studs or ceiling joists.

Start by taking the flashlight and peeking beside the fixture box. Typically ceiling fixtures are mounted to a stud. But, some may have a brace installed (this is the case if the electrical box was installed with the intent of holding the weight of a ceiling fan or other heavy light fixture.)

How to Swag a Light Fixture

In my case, the joist was right there (see photo above.) Locate the direction the joist runs, and then measure 16″ out from the joist on either side. This is a good location to start looking for another stud.

How to Swag a Light Fixture

(I do have a stud finder, but half the time I can’t find the stud finder. Yes, I probably need a stud finder finder!) Next try rapping your knuckle on the ceiling around where the next stud should be. If it helps, close your eyes and feel for solid wood under the drywall as you knock. When you think you found that elusive stud, use the pin trick.

Insert a straight pin. If it goes all the way in, there is no stud there. If it goes in a little bit and then stops no matter how much you try to force it in, you found yourself a stud (let’s hope he’s a well mannered guy as well. Ha ha ha.)

How to Swag a Light Fixture

Take your ceiling hook and screw it into the hole where your pin was. Pull down to test the strength.

How to Swag a Light Fixture

Hang your chandelier onto the hook at the desired height.

How to Swag a Light Fixture

Rewire your fixture to the electrical box (you can follow my tutorial for installing a light fixture if you need to.)

Voila! You now have a chandelier hanging exactly where you want it.

How to Swag a Light Fixture

Do you like my adorable sunny yellow chandelier? Would you believe that she used to be a dated brass chandy? Do you have a Habitat ReStore near you? Check them out for inexpensive light fixtures.

How to Swag a Light Fixture

See y’all later!

How to Swag a Light Fixture

 

33 replies
« Older Comments
  1. Rachel
    Rachel says:

    Hi there! I’m looking for a modern simple hook like the one you used here, but every one I find is frilly! Can you share where you got it?

    Reply
  2. Lucy Madden
    Lucy Madden says:

    Hi
    I love your how-to video with swag lights. The question I have is this……can I safely wire 2 chandeliers to one electrical box? I need 2 light fixtures and I have these awesome matching deco chandeliers (I can rewire them, no problem) but there’s only 1 box in the ceiling, which is already centered. Obviously, I don’t want to overload the receptacle. What do you think??
    Thank you !
    Lucy

    Reply
    • Brittany Bailey
      Brittany Bailey says:

      Lucy, you can wire two light fixtures to the one box…BUT, you need to add up all the wattage used on that one circuit to answer the overload question. You also have to make sure that all connections are contained and sealed in the junction box. So, you probably need to wire the fixtures together and then attach it to the box. You might want to consult with an electrician just to be safe on this one.

      Reply
  3. Heather
    Heather says:

    Question…how is the weight of the chandelier supported? I’m trying to figure out a way to hang a swag light I made but I don’t think it’s smart to have the electrical wires be the support…and the swag chains are too 70’s childhood memory for me.

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] First I located the stud in the center of the wall. Locating studs is easy by using a quilting pin. […]

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