Chandeliers are one of the most important elements in any interior. The chandelier will be the finishing touch in the process of creating the atmosphere of an apartment or house. Designers offer complex intricate solutions that amaze with their appearance. But choosing and buying the option you like is only the first step. Next comes the assembly and installation of the chandelier. Let's see how to do these operations yourself.
Assembly
The most difficult moment in the assembly process is the possible confusion with parts and wires. Carefulness and slowness are important here.
It is best to work on the floor or at a large table - you need to conveniently lay out all the elements and the necessary tools. Space is especially important when it is required to assemble a crystal chandelier - in the kit of such products there are a lot of fragile decorative details.
Tools you may need a knife, a set of screwdrivers, wrenchessuitable sizes.
Be sure to read the instructions in detail. Often, working on intuition and experience, you can make ridiculous mistakes. If the chandelier is expensive, these mistakes can be costly.
The assembly process usually leads from the center of the product to the ceiling. Do not neglect washers where the manufacturer recommends installing them. Plafonds and lamps are installed the latest, after the installation of the chandelier and its connection to electricity. Without shades it will be easier to work under the ceiling. When installing them, do not overtighten the fasteners. There is a risk that the ceiling will simply burst.
Wiring connection
There are two ways to install a chandelier. It can be connected to a single switch or to a double switch. The type of switch you have depends on how the wires will be connected. In the first case there will be two groups of wires, in the second - three. Cables are divided by color. Blue wires are always zero, and brown wires are phase wires.
Connection for single pushbutton switch
There will be two groups of conductors - these are phase and zero. For double switches - three groups. Zero wires in the first group, in the second - phase (connected to one key). In the third group - phase conductors. They go to the second key.
There are two wires coming out of each horn. Their color can be any. First, work with wires of one color, and then group the cords of another.
In the case of a single-key switch, all phasewires are connected to each other. Next, connect the zero cords. So, we got wires combined into two groups. After that, the cables are connected to the main power wire - it can be found in the chandelier rod. One of its ends goes to a decorative plate and there it connects to the wires on the ceiling when installing the chandelier. The other end of the cable goes inside the chandelier. Phase wires are connected to one wire, and zero wires to another. Manufacturers complete products with special mounting connecting caps. The ends of the wires are stripped, twisted together and then a connector is screwed onto them. Now the contact point is securely protected.
Choice of mounting method
Before you fix the chandelier on the ceiling, you need to determine which method is best suited for installation. How to install a chandelier on the ceiling with your own hands? This operation provides for two mounting methods - on a mounting plate or on a hook. The choice of method depends on the design of the lighting fixture and the type of ceiling.
Modern models of fixtures are equipped with a mounting plate. But some products (especially those made in Europe) are designed for hook mounting. For those people who used to have a chandelier hanging on a hook, it is better to purchase a new one of the same type. But you need to take into account the material of the hook. Chandeliers used to be made of plastic. And modern models can even be made of crystal, and it is heavy.
The ceiling itself also affects the mounting method. So, when working with concrete, both the first and second methods are suitable. If asuspended ceiling, then only a hook, if you need to do the work in a short time and with high quality. It is also necessary to take into account the features of a particular chandelier. Chinese models with a remote control on LEDs (namely, they are most often bought for mounting on a stretch ceiling) are mounted on a mounting plate in the shape of a cross.
Mounting on a concrete ceiling
Let's see how to install a chandelier with your own hands on ordinary concrete ceilings. They have sufficient strength - even heavy chandeliers can be safely hung on them. The mounting method depends on which mounting option the manufacturer has provided. It is important to determine where the wires run so as not to accidentally damage them.
Bracket mounting
First of all, make the markup for the mounting bar. It is best to install it so that it is perpendicular to the wire. If the last lamp hung on a hook, then it is gently bent to the side. You do not need to saw it - it can come in handy if you want to replace the lamp in the future. Holes are drilled in the marked places and the bar is fixed with dowels with self-tapping screws.
After the bar is installed, check the absence of electricity and connect the lighting fixture. There are protruding elements on the bar. The base of the chandelier is attached to them. Nuts are then screwed onto these elements so that the plate is pressed tightly against the plane of the ceiling.
Hook mounting
This approach is appropriate when installing chandeliers and lamps of large size and weight. In old houses suchthere are still hooks - you just need to make sure they are strong. For testing, it is enough to hang a load on the hook that exceeds the mass of the chandelier. If there is no swinging over time, then the element will withstand the lamp. In new houses, the hooks are screwed in by hand.
For fasteners of this type, it is better to use anchor bolts. They install a spacer hook. Its design is such that it literally digs into the material of the ceiling and is tightly held there. The drill is selected so that the bolt enters the hole tightly. The bolt is turned all the way, due to which it bursts along its entire length. The hook should be carefully insulated.
After that, you can hang and connect the lamp. To hide the installation location, there is a decorative element on the lamp.
Stretch ceilings
If you hang a lamp on a hook, then the following scheme applies. The installation rules are the same as for concrete, but there are nuances. So, first a hole is formed in the base. The diameter is selected slightly larger than that of the anchor, but less than the hook heads. Next, the base is drilled under the anchor. The fastener is screwed in such a way that its top is on the same level with the stretched fishing lines.
Then, when the canvas is installed, a special thermal ring is glued at the installation site of the chandelier. It will prevent the film from spreading. A hole is made inside the ring for the hook. If the canvas is already stretched, then first you need to stick the ring, and then form a hole. Next, the hook is mounted in the base ceiling.
Herehow to install a chandelier on a stretch ceiling with a bar with your own hands. Since the canvas is soft, certain preparatory measures are carried out. A wooden plank is glued to the base ceiling. Its thickness should correspond to the distance between the base ceiling and the PVC sheet. This is easily done with screws and dowels. The bar provides holes for the wiring of the chandelier.
Then stretch the canvas. In the place where the lamp will be installed, a thermal ring is installed. A hole is made inside the ring. After that, the mounting plate is mounted. It is mounted on a bar within the thermal ring and not through the canvas - the ceiling material can spread. It remains only to connect the chandelier and install decorative elements on it.
For the assembly and installation of large lamps and chandeliers with a large wide base, use a bar in the form of a cross. How can this be done?
So, a platform is made from a sheet of plywood that will fit the size of the cross. It has holes for wires. Metal strips are attached to the corners of the plywood platform. They are needed in order to fix the structure on the base ceiling.
When the canvas is installed, thermal rings are fixed at the fastening points of the cross and holes are made. Then the cross of the chandelier is attached to the plywood platform. Next, perform the assembly and installation of the chandelier. It is important to ensure that the base of the lightingfixture is parallel to the ceiling.
Conclusion
This is how you can install any chandelier with your own hands. As you can see, this is not difficult, and anyone with a minimum set of tools can perform this operation.
