How to Wire an Exterior Sconce

Exterior sconces come in a number of sizes, shapes and colors.

Safety is an important factor in and around every home. Lighting plays a big part in this, especially around the outside area of your home. Adding new exterior lighting and exterior sconces is a good way to improve safety and give your home a new look. Wiring an exterior sconce will require two to four hours to complete, depending on where the sconce will be placed and where the power will come from.

Things You'll Need

• Hole saw
• Drywall saw
• Wire cutters
• Wire strippers
• Plastic twist caps
• Screwdriver
• Drill

Instructions

1. Locate where the sconce will be placed on the wall. Cut a hole in the wall equal to the size of the electrical box that will sit behind the wall sconce. Go up to the attic and drill a one-inch hole in the double header board located directly above the wall cavity you just cut the hole in. This will give you a path from the attic down through the wall to the sconce hole.

2. Push a 12-2 electrical cable through the one-inch hole, down to the hole you cut in the wall. Go back downstairs and pull the cable through the hole you cut in the wall for the wall sconce. Push the cable into the new electrical box and push the electrical box into the hole in the wall. Secure the electrical box to the wall.

3. Strip ½-inch of insulation off of the ends of the black and white electrical wires. Connect the black wire of the cable to the black wire of the wall sconce. Connect the white wire of the cable to the white wire of the wall sconce. Place plastic twist caps on each splice.

4. Place a ¼-inch line of silicone caulk around the edge of the electrical box. Push the electrical splices into the electrical box. Place the sconce over the electrical box and secure the sconce to the exterior wall.

5. Shut off power to the porch light circuit at the main power panel.

6. Go back to the attic and pull the other end of the electrical wire over to the electrical box that has the exterior lighting control switch. This is the box that controls the porch lights. Open this box and locate the existing wires that run to the switch that controls the porch lights.

7. Strip ½-inch of insulation off of the ends of the black and white electrical wires. Disconnect the switch wire that connects to the white wire splice. Connect the black wire of the cable from the new sconce to the wire coming from the switch that you just disconnected. Connect the white wire from the new sconce to the white wire splice in this electrical box. Place plastic twist caps on each splice.

8. Turn the power back on and test the new wall sconce by turning on the porch lights.

References

• Thisoldhouse.com: How to Install an Exterior Sconce