Hey everyone! I'm looking to swap out the overhead light in my dining room and move it about 6 to 12 inches from its current spot. I'm pretty comfortable with electrical work—I've handled a lot in my workshop, including installing a 100 amp subpanel that passed inspection. Here's what I'm thinking for this project and I'd love your feedback to make sure I'm on the right track:
1. First, I'll turn off the power and remove the old fixture. I'll check the Romex cable to see if there's enough slack to move it to the new location. If I can, I'll cut out the section of drywall where it needs to be relocated, patch it up, and repaint.
2. If the Romex doesn't have enough slack, I'll tie into the existing wiring in the junction box, cover it with a plate, and then cover it up with drywall.
3. Next, I want to figure out where the new light should go. I'll use a small drill bit to make a hole through the ceiling into the attic to check the location.
4. Once I'm in the attic, if the spot is on a joist, great! I'll anchor a new box and run the wiring for the new light, cutting out additional drywall as needed.
5. However, if the new location is between two joists, am I right in thinking I should use blocking to mount the new box? I'm assuming I need to use 2x6 or similar lumber for that.
I'm mostly asking if using blocking is the correct way to do this when I can't mount directly to a joist, and if there's anything I might be overlooking?
1 Answer
Hey! Just a quick heads up, you can’t cover a junction box with drywall; it needs to be accessible. If you end up needing to tie into the existing wiring because there isn’t enough slack, consider using a proper junction box in the attic instead of the one that’s hidden. Just make sure it’s easily reachable! Good luck with the light!
Thanks for the tip! I’ll make sure to use an accessible j-box if I need to tie in.