How to Mount Exterior Wall Lights on Stone Veneer
Exterior wall lights need to be especially well-sealed against a wall to prevent moisture from getting inside. This is especially important if wall surface is stone veneer with a rough surface that can cause gaps between the base of the light and the wall. The solution is to caulk around the base to seal out moisture.
-
Turn off the electricity to the existing wall light that you are replacing.
-
Remove the screws holding the fixture in place. Disconnect the wires behind it and pull the fixture free. This will expose an electrical box and three wires: black, white and bare copper, which is a ground wire.
-
Locate the mounting bracket for the new light, which will be a flat metal plate with holes in it. Hold it up to the electrical box and line up the screw holes. Secure the plate with the screws provided.
-
Connect the copper ground wire to the green ground screw on the bracket. Tighten the screw.
-
Use the screw-on wire caps to connect the black wire from the box to the black wire from the fixture. Repeat for the white wires.
-
Attach the fixture to the electrical box, pushing the wire connections into the box. Secure the fixture to the box with the screws provided.
-
Caulk around the base of the light where it meets the stone veneer to seal off any spaces there. Look carefully to make sure no gaps remain. Add caulk if necessary. Turn on the electricity.
References
Tips
- Smooth out the caulk with the tip of a wet finger.
- After the caulking has dried, make sure it has not separated from the wall. Caulk again if necessary.
Warnings
- Make sure that the light fixture you buy is rated for exterior use.
More Articles
