How to Install an Outside Security Light on Brick

Installing an outside light on brick is not hard to do, but it will take about an hour to an hour and a half to cut through the brick and run new wiring to the light. It is important to have an understanding of how to wire a light and how to splice in to existing wiring. There are several steps listed, but in reality it does not take as long as it sounds.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Four-inch grinder and blade
• Safety Glasses
• Drywall knife
• Box knife
• Phillips head screwdriver
• Extra wiring according to building and electrical standards
• Round Gang Box

Instructions

1. Determine the location of the new security light. The best scenario is to locate the light on an outside wall near an existing electrical outlet located on the inside wall. This will make it easier to connect into existing wiring and will take less new wire.

2. 

   Use the open end of the round gang box as a template. Hold the open end of the box to the brick at the location where you plan to install the light. Use your pencil to draw around the box. This is where you cut the hole in the brick for the new wiring.

3. 

   Put on your safety glasses and cut the brick with a grinder. Cut out the entire circle. Make sure you cut all the way through the brick. Remove the section of brick that you cut out. Use a box knife to cut a hole in the insulation behind the brick. This will expose the studs and the back side of the drywall. Use a nail to poke a hole through the drywall to the inside of the house. Poke the hole as close to a stud as you can get.

4. Locate the small hole in the drywall on the inside of the house. Use a drywall knife to cut out a section of drywall big enough to allow access to a stud. You should not need a hole any bigger than 12 inches. Secure the gang box to a stud and make sure that the face of the box is flush with the hole that you cut in the brick. If no stud is close enough, you will have to install a wood brace between two studs to secure the gang box to.

5. Use your box knife to cut enough wire to reach from the gang box to the electrical outlet inside of the house. Cut off approximately five inches of sheathing on the electrical wire on both ends to expose the black hot wire and the white neutral wire. Use your box knife or wire strippers to cut at least two inches of sheathing off the black and white wires to expose the copper. Do this on both ends of the wire. Push at least four inches of the wire through the back of the gang box.

6. Turn the power off to the house at the junction box. Post a note on the box to inform people that electrical work is being done, and do not turn on the power. Remove the cover plate to the electrical outlet. Remove the screws holding the electrical outlet to the wall. Pull the outlet out of the wall. On the sides of the outlet, there are two screws; two silver screws and two brass screws. There will already be a white wire connected to the outlet and a black wire. These wires are connected to the junction box.

7. Loosen the empty silver screw. Loop the copper end of the new white wire around the screw and tighten the screw. Loosen the empty brass screw. Loop the copper end of the black hot wire around the screw and tighten the screw. Reconnect the outlet to the wall.

8. Slide the mounting bracket over the wires on the new security light. Connect the white neutral wire coming out of the gang box to the white wire on the light. Use a wire nut to connect them together. Connect the black wire from the gang box to the black wire on the light. Use a wire nut to connect them together. Connect the copper or green ground wire from the light to the green screw on the mounting bracket. Push the wires into the gang box.

9. Secure the mounting bracket to the gang box. Connect the base plate of the new light to the mounting bracket secure it with the provided hardware. Turn the power back on at the junction box. Repair the drywall and you are done.

Tips & Warnings

• It is possible now to buy wireless security lights. In this case you only need a hammer drill and a concrete drill bit to drill into the brick for mounting anchors and screws. If you are not comfortable running new wiring, hire an electrician.

• Do not work on wiring until you have turned off the power. Do not cross wires. Black goes to black and white to white. When connecting wiring to an outlet, remember that the white neutral wire connects to the silver screw and the black hot wire connects to the brass screw.