Things You'll Need
Rope light
Wire cutters
Wire strippers
Screwdriver
Prybar or hammer
Wire nuts
Rope lighting looks like a rope with several small lights inside. Rope lighting can illuminate specific areas of your home including under cabinets and in bookcases. Most rope lighting comes with a plug at the end of the rope. Hard wiring a rope light will free up an outlet where the plug would normally sit. Hard wiring a rope light only takes a few hours and will make it appear professionally installed.
Step 1
Turn off the power to the house.
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Step 2
Cut off the plug on the rope light with wire cutters. Strip away 1/2 inch of plastic sheathing from the bottom of the rope light wiring with wire strippers.
Step 3
Unscrew the wall plate and the electrical box from the wall. Remove the old electrical box from the wall with a prybar or hammer. Install a new electrical box that has room for an extra switch that will go to the rope lighting.
Step 4
Run the rope light electrical cord to the electrical box. Choose whether you are going to run the wire through an electrical conduit or through the wall. Check the building codes in your area to see if there are special specifications.
Step 5
Connect the rope light wiring to the wiring in the light switch and the wiring in the wall. Match all of the black wires together and twist together the ends. Screw a wire nut over the top of the wires. Repeat with the white wires and the ground wires.
Step 6
Push the wiring into the electrical box. Screw the plate cover on top of the electrical box.
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