Track lighting is a fun solution to a needed lighting addition in your home.

It’s easy to install and best of all, there’s no need usually to remodel to make a new electrical connection because it normally uses an existing junction box, or can be purchased to plug into an outlet on your wall.

There are so many choices for this fun method of lighting that it’s hard to know where to start.

The track of course sits firmly mounted on your wall, while the lights or heads snap into the track and are mobile once snapped in, so that they can be slid to one area or another for use as you need them.

Before you start with your installation take a good look at the lay of the land so to speak in the room you want to light.

The choices in track lighting heads range so much that you can choose literally hundreds of them for use in your room.

They will range from those which look like an oversized can, but better painted, to a very large highly technical looking lamp head that will afford your room some superior drama in the lighting system.

When you are deciding where to put your tracks for the installation of the lighting, bear in mind that the fixtures themselves, or the lamp heads, can be adjusted in the track in any direction that you choose so that you have the capacity to offer both normal illumination and task oriented lighting from the same light system.
That’s part of the beauty of the track system.

Find the best place for your track, keeping in mind existing junctions and get ready to install the tracks.

Once you have all the best places for your tracks, assemble the tracking and fixtures before you begin to install.

Most tracks are available to you in 2 foot, 4 foot, 6 foot and 12 foot lengths to provide for nearly any contingency.

Try to plan that the first section will start from a ceiling or higher wall junction that is already in place. From that point you can make a section that is as long as you like, or take the tracking all the way around the room so that you have the ability to move the lights wherever you might want them at any given time.

To begin the installation lets do the obvious things, like shut off your circuit breaker.

ALWAYS have someone else double check you to be sure that you’ve turned off the power completely to prevent nasty surprises.

Loosen the screws that hold your light fixture in place. And pull down slightly to show the wire connections.

These are probably wire nuts. Remove them completely and leave the bare wiring in place. You will probably want to replace the mounting strap with the one that comes with your track lighting.

Threads the circuit wires though the strap in the center and slide the connector onto one end of the section of track you will be putting up first. A connector will be necessary to join two sections of tracking.

Depending on where you are on the wall that will be either a tee, or an L connection.

Your tracks will be held up with toggle type bolts that need to be spread wide in the ceiling or upper wall

To start the placement of the track to the wall or ceiling, hold your track up and mark it with a pencil though the existing bolt holes in the track.

Take the track away and drill a small hole for each of the bolts.
Install the track section using the toggles and push the spring clipping ends through the holes to secure it to the ceiling.

You don’t want to adhere it all the way to the ceiling until all your tracks are up because it needs to be a bit flexible.

Let the pieces hang from the bolts until all your connectors and tracks are loosely up and then tighten things down to secure it to the ceiling.