How To: Turn a Recessed Can Light Into a Pendant Fixture!

4 Materials
$20
25 Minutes
Easy

Have a recessed can light that you'd like to quickly and easily change into a different type of fixture? Problem solved!

So we have this can light by our front door that's just begging to be a different kind of fixture, a pendant. Short of taking out the can, I didn't know what to do. After some online research I found......

The Recessed Light Converter kit! A very clever kit containing all you need to quickly and easily convert your can light! A few general steps will be below but do come check out the full installation story over on my blog, Flipping the Flip: humboldtartdept.blogspot.com

It's really pretty easy. Turn off the power to your fixture at the breaker box. Install the supplied socket adapter first. Make sure to take off that trim cover!

Next up is adding a couple of different brackets. The first bracket is shown here. It gets screwed into the can itself for stability.

Make sure you have a good assistant nearby to catch all the screws you're dropping. Or to be a giant doorstop.

Attach the second smaller bracket to the first, wire the green ground wire, then attach the new fixture's ceiling bracket to all that.

Next up, wire your new fixture into the socket adapter wires and attach the base to the ceiling. In my case, I didn't need to use the kit's plastic ceiling medallion as my new fixture's base was rather large.

Then voila! You can now install a pendant, a ceiling mount, any other kind of fixture where you once had a recessed can! Super duper easy. Come read all about this installation and also about the painted stripe wall over on my blog by clicking the link below!

Suggested materials:
  • Recessed can conversion kit   (Amazon)
  • Electrical tape   (Amazon)
  • Wire cutters   (Amazon)
See all materials
Becky at Flipping the Flip
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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