Most homes often have a light above the center of the dining table. For the people who want fancy lighting, a chandelier is the preferred option. However, a few people are slowly beginning to incorporate the use of a stained glass lamp over their living rooms, pool tables and even
dining rooms. This is because a stained glass lamp provides ambience to the table and adds more life to the house. Therefore are a few things you should know and do when installing a stained glass lamp, hanging right above your dining table.
Choose the right light bulbs
A dining area does not require a lot of lighting. Therefore a 75 watt light bulb is recommended. While this may seem like a lot of lighting for the dining table, you should remember that it will be covered by the stained glass lamp and therefore some of the light will be reduced by the colors. Another factor to consider when choosing the correct lamp is the height of the ceiling above the table. While most houses have average height ceilings, yours may just be one of the very high or very low ones. So put this into consideration.
Mounting the swag lamp
One thing to remember before mounting the swag stained glass lamp is that it is very heavy compared to the normal lamps. Therefore, you should ensure that the fastening is more secure to avoid a lamp landing in the middle of your table and spoiling a perfectly peaceful family dinner. After removing the pre-existing light, fix a metallic hook on which to suspend the chain that holds the lamp. It is important that you employ a stud finder to pinpoint the closest stud to the point where you wish to install the lamp. Then drill a hole next to this spot and slot in the metallic hook, turning the threads as far into the ceiling as they can get. After securing the hook, you can then hang the stained glass lamp onto the hook by using the decorative wire and chain.
Mounting on an existing electrical box
If your ceiling has an electrical box instead of the normal lamp, you may have to install the stained glass lamp onto the existing box. Sometimes you may even have to install another electrical box depending on the mounting specifications. It is also highly advisable to consult the local permit authorities before mounting a lamp onto a pre-existing electrical box. This is because there are usually special laws regarding electrical wiring and you don’t want to find yourself on the wrong side, or even worse, starting an electrical fire. Another thing you should ensure is that there should be a stud in the middle of the electric box, onto which you will mount the stained glass lamp.
Finally, as in any electrical project, always ensure that the power supply is switched off when you are doing all these things. This is because you may need to drill a hole through your ceiling when installing the lamp and you wouldn’t want to get yourself electrocuted.
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