Here is simple tutorial to show you how easy it is to hang a plug in wall mounted wall lamp.
This is the dark corner in the lower level family room with a sad little lamp sitting in the chair just waiting to be used to it’s full potential. I have been busy actually doing tons and tons of changes to the family room and I’m still in the midst of the projects, but let’s get this swing arm lamp up on the wall so it can feel better about life.
A wall mounted swing arm lamp is kind of perfect for here, not just because it’s a dark corner, but also it frees up the small top of the side table next to the chair. (HERE are some really awesome wall mounted lamps)
To hang this lamp, pretty much all the hardware you will need is provided for you with the lamp, except for anchors. HERE is a link for these very useful anchors.
You will need to provide for yourself good quality anchors. (assuming you don’t find a stud in the exact spot you want to hang the lamp… if your luck is like mine, chances are, you won’t find one, but don’t let that stop you)
BTW: A stud finder is a simple tool that you hold flat on the wall and it will beep and light up to show where behind the sheetrock the studs are located. HERE is a best selling stud finder. I’ve had mine for years and am so happy to have it help me on projects like this!
The metal sheetrock anchors I use in this project are a favorite of mine. (I use to use the plastic variety of these screw in type anchors, but let me tell you, these metal ones are way, way better!) However, these will NOT work on plaster walls… these are designed for sheetrock walls only, (and they will not work where there is a stud, obviously).
To insert them in the sheetrock, you don’t need to drill beforehand, but I like to just to be sure. I simply screw in a sheetrock screw on the marked spot on the sheetrock, this assures me there isn’t a stud I’ve missed, it also gives an easy pilot hole for the anchor.
The anchor gets screwed flush to the wall. If you use a power driver, then you just want to be careful to not over screw them. Be sure you stop just as they become flush with the sheetrock.
If you wouldn’t have checked for the stud, and you would have screwed the anchor right where a stud was located, the anchor wouldn’t penetrate far enough into the wall… it’s kind of a mess then too, so be sure to check first for the stud.
The round mounting plate comes with the lamp.
The screws that hold the wall bracket on the wall go right into the center little hole of the anchors. The anchors are some sort of soft metal so they adapt their shape to grip onto the screw.
After the mounting plate is mounted the lamp goes over it and the little knobs that came with the lamp screw onto the bolts that are on the mounting plate. I’ve installed a few different styles of wall mounted lamps, and they each a slightly different way to do this, but it’s very easy.
The lamp is fairly sturdy for swinging the arm as needed, however, I wouldn’t encourage my grandchildren to do so, you can only expect so much from an anchor… or sheetrock for that matter…
Let there be light!
I love the option of wall mounted lamps!
Here are some more of my carpentry tips and tutorials:
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Betsy says
Yay, it looks wonderful and you’ll be able to see without cluttering up your table. I’ve had nothing but problems with the plastic anchors also, the metal ones are definitely the way to go. Thanks so much for the great DIY tutorial:-)
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
Great tutorial. I love those little anchors, they work wonders on tons of things. The lamp look super. Hugs, marty