How to Install a Wall Sconce

1. Turn Off the Power

   Turn off power to the work area by shutting off circuits at the electric service panel.

2. Mark the Wall Studs

   With the stud finder, find the two vertical wall studs behind the drywall between which the sconce will be located. Mark with painter's tape. Studs are usually 14-1/2 inches apart from side to side (or 16 inches on-center).

3. Mark the Light and Switch Locations

   With tape, mark the intended location of the sconce light and wall switch. They should be located between the two studs. Electrical code does not specify light switch heights, but generally switches are located about 48 inches high.

4. Mark and Cut the Hole for the Light Box

   Round electrical boxes often come with paper templates for cutting into the drywall. If so, cut this out with scissors and then draw a circle at the sconce light location. A 4-inch box will require a 4-inch hole. Cut the hole by hand with a drywall jab saw or with a hole saw. Remove the drywall cutout.

5. Mark and the Cut Hole for the Light Switch Box

   Use the light switch paper template, if available, to mark a hole on the wall. Otherwise, turn the box backward and use its edges as a template. Cut the hole and remove the cutout.

   Tip

   Make sure you are not using the outer lip of the box as the template as this must rest against the wall.

6. Assess the Outlet Box Type

   Remove the faceplate of the outlet you'll be drawing power from. Double-check that no power is present with the outlet by using the non-contact voltage tester. Unscrew the outlet and pull it free from the box but leave it attached to its wires.

   Determine if the outlet box is either an old-work box or a nail-in (or screw-in) box:

   • Old-Work Box: The box will look similar to the one you purchased for the sconce light switch. It will have two screws that allow the box to be removed.
   • Nail-in or Screw-in: These boxes will not have the two screws as specified for the old-work box. These boxes cannot be removed without pulling off drywall.

7. Remove the Old-Work Outlet Box

   Turn out the two screws on the old-work outlet box with a manual screwdriver. Turn the screws counter-clockwise until the box loosens. Then, gripping an edge of the box, pull it into the room but leave it attached to its wires.

8. Run Wiring From the Light Box to the Switch Box

   Manually fish 14/2 wire from the light box hole down to the switch box hole. Cut the wire long enough so that about 8 to 10 inches extend from each hole.

   Tip

   For this short run, there should be no need to use fish tape, but you can do so if this is easier. Insulated exterior walls may need the extra force that fish tape provides. Uninsulated interior walls usually will not need fish tape.

9. Install the Light Box in the Wall

   Insert the top end of the 14/2 wire into the one of the holes on the 4-inch round box. Insert the box into the hole. Turn the box's screws clockwise to secure the box to the wall.

10. Attach the Mounting Hardware

    For the 14/2 wire, rip the outer casing with the cable ripper, cut it off, and dispose of it. Strip the ends of the wires. The sconce light kit should come with a metal ring or strip that you attach to the electrical box with screws. Be sure to thread the three wires through the mounting hardware.

11. Attach the Sconce to the Wire and Box

    Attach the sconce's wires to the 14/2 wires. Often, light wires are pre-stripped and you just need to pull off the cut ends by hand and tightly twist the stranded wires. Attach black wire to black wire, white to white, and bare copper to bare copper, or green/yellow green wire.

    Cap off each connection with the wire nuts included with the light kit. Screw the sconce onto the mounting hardware with the included fasteners.

12. Run Wiring From the Switch Box to the Outlet

    Run a length of 14/2 wire from the switch box hole to the outlet:

    • For Old-Work Box: Drop the wire down from the switch box hole to the opened outlet hole.
    • For Nail-in or Screw-in Box: Use the fish tape to run wire upward, starting through the back of the outlet box and sliding up to the switch box hole.

    With either type of box, leave about 8 to 10 inches of wire extending from each hole.

13. Install the Switch Box in the Wall

    Insert the two 14/2 wires into the back of the switch box. Place the box in the hole. With the manual screwdriver, turn the screws clockwise until the box is securely attached to the drywall.

14. Attach the Light Switch to the Wires

    • Black: Attach the line (or powered) black wire to one end of the light switch and the load black wire (the side heading toward the sconce light) to the other end.
    • White: Attach white wire to white wire, bypassing the light switch.
    • Bare (Copper) Ground: Attach the two bare copper wires and add a third copper wire about 5 to 6 inches long. Twist the three wires together and cap them off with a wire nut. Attach the loose end of the third copper wire to the green screw on the light switch. Screw tightly into place.

    Screw the light switch onto the box. Add the face plate.

15. Attach the Wire to the Outlet

    Complete the wiring by attaching the wire from the light switch to the outlet.

    On the 14/2 wire, cut off the ripped cable sheathing and paper. Strip the ends of the wires.

    Wiring differs whether the outlet ends a run of other outlets or is one of the other group of outlets.

    Ends the Run: On the spare (unused) side of the outlet, attach the black wire to a gold terminal and a white wire to a silver terminal. Remove the existing bare copper wire from the outlet.

    Attach three ground wires: the existing bare copper wire, the bare copper wire coming in with the 14/2 cable, and a third bare copper wire. Twist the three wires, cap them off with a wire nut, then attach that third bare copper wire to the outlet.

    Another method is to twist the bare grounds together, leaving on approximately 6 inches longer than the others, and placing a brass crimp over the twisted portion of the wire.

    Tip

    From any extra 14/2 cable laying around, you can cut off the needed length, rip off all of the plastic and paper, and then use any of the remaining wires as needed: ground, black, or white. For safety, keep the wires within color families.

    Within Group: When both sides of an outlet are attached to wires (one being a line wire and the other being a load wire), you should not attempt to squeeze extra wires under the terminals. Instead, the best practice is to detach the line wires from the outlet and create a third, pigtailed wire that attaches to the outlet.

    Attach the black wire to the black wire on the switch's 14/2 cable, adding a third black wire. Twist the three wires and cap them off with a wire nut. Attach the end of that third black wire to the gold terminal of the outlet. Repeat for the white wire and bare copper wire.

16. Close the Outlet

    Push the wires back into the box. Attach the outlet to the box. Add the faceplate.

17. Turn on Sconce Light

    Turn the circuit back on at the service panel. Test the sconce light by turning it on and off at the light switch.

Tips and Troubleshooting Sconce Light Installation

• If the switch is reversed (flipped up turns the light off, flipped down turns it on), you can leave the wires attached and turn the switch upside-down. Be sure to turn off the circuit first before doing this.
• Purchasing a switched sconce light makes installation even more simple. With the switch located on the sconce housing itself, there is no need to install an intermediate wall light switch. But some users prefer the convenience of a wall switch.
• A lighted wall switch will help you turn on the sconce light more safely than fumbling around to find a non-lighted switch.
• When placing old-work boxes in drywall, it helps to use a manual Phillips screwdriver instead of a drill. The plastic swing clamps tend to break easily, and a drill can put too much pressure on them.