How to hang a chandelier yourself: with and without a hook, on a concrete and stretch ceiling

Lighting is the most important component of any room. In living rooms, suspended ceiling lamps are traditionally installed - chandeliers that provide an even distribution of light over the entire area. With the same mounting methods used throughout the country, hanging a chandelier was always easy. Modern models may differ in fixing options, there are ceilings made of various materials, so it is worth considering the process in more detail.

Mounting options

Modern ceiling lights are not always designed for the traditional hook fixing in the center of the ceiling. They can be equipped with their own fasteners, in the overwhelming majority of cases included in the kit. It happens that one has to deal with a situation when the chandelier is designed for the traditional method of fastening, and the hook is missing for various reasons.

In these cases, it is not necessary to contact a specialist. You can easily fix the chandelier to the ceiling yourself. Installation does not require special skills if you study the features of all options.

Traditional hook

Until recently, all chandeliers were designed to be attached to a hook mounted in the floor slab. This method is still considered the simplest, most convenient and reliable.

The luminaire at the attachment point has a counter ring that is put on the hook. The wire connection, hook and ring are covered with a special decorative cup.

The biggest problem has always been the lack of a hanging ring on the luminaire. This was sometimes found in light kitchen lampshades designed for one lamp. Usually, a not very successful, but simple method was used to solve the problem: a knot was tied at the end of the lamp cord, the loop of which was put on the hook. It is difficult to call this method correct and safe, but it was often used even by professional electricians.

Nowadays, such problems are extremely rare, since modern lamps do not involve dangerous handling of current-carrying wires and must have a fastening element. Nowadays, you can more often face a situation when an old hook could not withstand long-term use or careless handling and broke off. In this case, you will have to replace it with a new one.

To hang a chandelier without a hook, you need to choose a new one. Wherein pay attention to the weight of the suspended lighting structure:

• For luminaires weighing less than 4 kg, it is quite possible to use a threaded hook screwed into a polymer dowel. These kits are available at almost any hardware store.
• For heavier luminaires, anchoring hooks are highly recommended. Recently, they are increasingly found on sale and are no longer a rarity.

Please note that a regular dowel hook can only be used with a concrete slab or wooden ceiling. To fix the chandelier to the concrete ceiling, you need to drill a hole of the appropriate diameter and insert a dowel into it. In the case of a wooden ceiling, the thread can be screwed directly into the wood, and it is desirable screw the hook along the entire length of the thread so that the connection is strong, otherwise thin boards will not withstand weight. Threaded connections cannot be used with plastic panels. Even drywall is not designed to be threaded or with the supplied dowel.

Anchoring mechanisms are capable of withstanding a significantly higher load. They are recommended for hanging a heavy chandelier. A hole of the required diameter and appropriate depth is drilled in the ceiling.

A hook is inserted into it and tightened by rotation until it stops. An adjustable wrench or pliers can be used to make tightening easier. The hook body is securely fixed in the hole with the paws set to the side.

Even if the purchased lamp has a small mass, it will be useful to think about the possible subsequent change of the chandelier. If it turns out to be heavier, you will have to change the fastening method again. It is better to immediately purchase an anchor hook, which will save you from possible inconveniences in the future.

Mounting bracket

Sometimes the lamp comes complete with a special bracket. It can be a straight bar or a cross. The fixture has holes for fixing to the ceiling and threaded rods for fixing the chandelier body.

The design assumes direct attachment to the ceiling surface. If the existing hook interferes with the fixing, you can simply saw it off. But it is better not to do this, because in the future it may be needed. It is recommended to bend it with a hammer and place the bracket side by side. If necessary, the hook can be unbent with pliers and used again. This approach will eliminate the need to mount a new hook the next time the chandelier is changed, if a different fixing method is required.

The mounting of the bracket is usually carried out using self-tapping screws and dowels. In the ceiling, according to preliminary marking, holes are drilled into which dowels are inserted. The mounting plate is attracted to the prepared points with self-tapping screws. The bracket in the form of a cross allows you to more reliably attach the chandelier if it has a significant mass. At the final stage, the luminaire body is fixed to the bracket using the supplied screws, bushings or decorative nuts.

Direct placement

Some ceiling luminaires are designed to be directly attached to the ceiling surface. In this case, holes for fasteners are provided in the device case.

Hardware are selected depending on the material of the ceiling. Self-tapping screws, screws, special dowels can be used.

Special conditions

Traditional methods of installing a chandelier consider fixing the luminaire to a solid and solid base - concrete or wood. Ceiling modifications may dictate special requirements for the implementation of the suspension.

Drywall and plywood

Attaching a chandelier to a plasterboard ceiling is quite simple if you use a special bracket. Multiple fixation points allow you to distribute the load and use conventional self-tapping screws. But you can significantly increase the strength of the connection, if you take special dowels for drywall.

The most popular mount is called molly. Such a dowel belongs to expansion mechanisms and resembles an anchor in its principle of action. The hardware is inserted into a previously prepared hole until it stops. The rotation of the head is carried out with an ordinary screwdriver or screwdriver. The screw tightens the cylindrical expansion element, which firmly protects the dowel from movement and falling out of the hole.

If the chandelier is designed to be hung on a hook, other fasteners in the form of so-called umbrella dowels will help solve the problem. The device consists of spring-loaded plates attached to the straight section of the hook. With the effort of the hand, the umbrella is compressed and pushed into a previously prepared hole in the drywall. After passing the hole, the plates are unclenched and securely fasten the hook from falling out. It remains only to tighten the lock washer with a nut.

Stretch ceiling

To mount the chandelier over a stretch ceiling, you will need a special bracket that creates a new base surface. These brackets are commercially available, but can also be made from scrap materials. The fixtures are a rigid base that is attached to a concrete ceiling with legs. Serial samples have height adjustment of the brackets, which allows you to adjust the structure for any position of the canvas relative to the concrete slab.

In the place of fixing the chandelier, a mounting ring is glued to the fabric, in which a slot can be made. On sale there are also special transparent stickers that protect the canvas from a heating lamp.

Brackets can be used for more than just securing the mounting plate. In the center there is a hole for leading out the wires. Usually, a hook fixed in a concrete base can be passed through it. Stretch ceiling brackets are universal and suitable for a variety of methods of fixing chandeliers.

Connection technique

All electrical work must be carried out with the voltage removed. This must be done not just with a switch, but by turning off the machines on the electrical panel. It is recommended to additionally check the voltage at the terminals of the wires using an indicator screwdriver.

Phase and zero

Most older fixtures do not have color-coded wires. According to the old rules, that was enough. But when using screw cartridges, it is advisable to place the phase on the center contact, and zero on the screw. This will provide additional protection against electric shock if accidentally touching the screw conductor when replacing the bulb.

In addition, the rules for breaking the electrical circuit are not always observed in houses, as a result, the neutral wire opens, and the phase always remains on the chandelier, which creates a certain danger. For this reason, it is recommended that even a simple lamp change be made when the voltage on the shield is removed. This is the only way to give a complete guarantee of protection against defeat.

If the wires of the chandelier are color-coded, it becomes easier to connect the device. The zero conductor comes up from the shield. The phase wire is opened by a switch. If the wiring of the apartment is not marked, you can determine the phase and zero using an indicator screwdriver.

Some modern luminaire models have additional protective grounding. If the wiring in the apartment is equipped with grounding, it is strongly recommended to use it, since there are no unnecessary moments in matters of electrical safety.

Wire connection

It is important to remember that all twist joints are currently unacceptable. You can pull with the replacement of the twist with a special connecting device, but when installing a new chandelier, it is categorically not it is recommended to use old hazardous wire connection methods, which can lead to overheating, short short circuit and fire.

Modern luminaires include special contacts for connecting wires. They are usually represented by screw terminals. It is enough to insert the stripped section of the wire into the contact hole and tighten the screw.

If the chandelier and wiring ends in just wires, you need to purchase special clamps. They come in several varieties:

• Tubular screw shoes. The wires are securely clamped with screws, providing an acceptable contact and insulation of the connection.
• Blocks with a lamellar current-carrying jumper. The wire is pressed through the washer, so the contact is more reliable and there is no risk of chafing the wire with the sharp edges of the screw. Uncovered pads of this type are characterized by less insulating properties, therefore it is recommended to use models with covers.
• Push-on terminal blocks with snap or spring. There are self-clamping designs that are easy to use, but are usually designed for lower amperage. They are more resistant to vibration, contact is not lost over time, since there is no screw that can be unscrewed.

There are additional guidelines for making the connection correctly. Here are the main ones:

• It is better to strip the wires using a special tool. This will ensure the most complete cleaning without damaging the core.
• Removing the oxide film from the stripped conductor is recommended.
• For stranded wires, it is advisable to use lugs that are pressed onto the end of the wire. This is especially true for screw terminals, in which the conductor is squeezed, respectively, by a screw. Without a tip, contact may deteriorate over time due to the compaction of individual thin veins.
• The wire must be inserted into the terminal before the end of the stripped area. This should be taken into account when determining the stripping length. This ensures good insulation.

Modern chandeliers can be mounted in a variety of ways. Knowledge of the features of all options will allow you to easily independently install the lamp. There is an opportunity to reliably and beautifully hang a chandelier even on a stretch ceiling. Compliance with safety requirements and rules for electrical work will allow you to successfully connect and maintain its reliability for many years.