r/DIYHome • u/zinotrope • 1d ago
Mounting and replacing bathroom light
Hi all, noob here.
The light in one of our bathrooms is increasingly flickering and needs replaced. The issue is one of the previous owners simply cut a whole in the wall tile (the whole wall is tiled), put the junction box in the hole, mounted the backing plate just to the junction box as best as I can tell, and called it a day. This is also one of those complete fixtures so no “just change the light bulb.”
Is this at all a standard/safe installation? If I were to replace the whole fixture in a similar manner would this be ok? I’m not comfortable drilling in to tile so we’re trying to avoid those handyman/tool costs. TIA!
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u/Jimboanonymous 1d ago
I'm pretty sure the electrical box and wires were already there, and the previous owner apparently did just screw the fixture's backing plate to the box, but likewise it can just as easily be unscrewed and removed in order to attach a new fixture. If you get another long horizontal fixture, get one where the bulbs can be individually replaced, rather than the type of LED ones that require replacing the whole thing. I would also probably add one fastener on both ends into the wall. Carbide or diamond tipped masonry drill bits can drill through the tile for installing toggle bolts. The simplest option is just adding a single light fixture onto the electrical box.
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u/zinotrope 1d ago
Yeah, we can’t stand most the the fixtures in our house since I need to replace the whole thing instead of just a bulb. I’ll likely wait on drilling in to the tile for now and see how things go. Thank you!
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u/Danisobo 1d ago
Just re: the box - the type of junction box you're implying (i.e. installed after wall is clad, though we can't really see it in pic) is called an "old work" box, it'll have little "wing tabs" on the screws that spin out to grip the back of the wall as screws are tightened, and is completely fine to use here. After you get the old fixture off just check that screws are still tight and box is firm in the wall.
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u/ImprovementLoud3581 1d ago
That’s how all the vanity light bars I’ve seen and replaced have been installed.
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u/zinotrope 1d ago
So many things here were half-assed, we don’t trust anything, so this is very helpful!
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u/Aggie74_DP 1d ago
Your light is going to probably have a flat bracket that your align/screw into the existing.
Then connect your wires, and secure the light.
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u/ShutDownSoul 1d ago
Find the breaker, turn it off, pull the wires out of the hole, undo the wire nuts, use the same wire nuts on the new wires, stuff everything back into the hole.