How far apart should recessed lights be spaced?

A reliable rule of thumb: divide the ceiling height by two to get the spacing in feet. An 8-foot ceiling means lights roughly 4 feet apart; a 10-foot ceiling, about 5 feet. Keep the outer ring of lights 2 to 3 feet off the walls so you light the room, not just the floor in the middle. For task areas like a kitchen counter, tighten the spacing and aim the trims where the work happens.

Can I install recessed lighting myself?

Retrofit LED downlights are a realistic DIY job if there is already a light or circuit to tap and you are comfortable with basic wiring. You cut holes with a hole saw, connect the included junction box (black to black, white to white, ground to ground), and clip the light into the hole with its spring arms. The job crosses into pro territory when you need a brand-new circuit run from the panel, which is licensed-electrician and permit work everywhere.

What is the difference between IC-rated and non-IC recessed lights?

IC (insulation contact) rated housings can sit directly against attic insulation without a fire risk; non-IC housings must be kept 3 inches clear of insulation. Modern canless LED retrofits are typically IC-rated and airtight, which is why they have largely replaced old metal cans. If your lights sit under an insulated attic — most top-floor ceilings — buy IC-rated, airtight fixtures to stay code-compliant and to stop heated air leaking into the attic.

Do recessed lights need a junction box?

Yes, and canless LED retrofits include one. The small junction box connects to your house wiring and tucks up into the ceiling cavity beside the hole; the thin light fixture then plugs into it and springs into the opening. You never leave bare connections loose in the ceiling. If you are feeding several lights from one switch, you daisy-chain the junction boxes, keeping every splice inside a box.

How much does it cost to install recessed lighting?

As of 2026, canless LED retrofit lights run about $15 to $40 each, so a six-light room is roughly $90 to $240 in fixtures plus a hole saw. Doing it yourself where a circuit already exists keeps it there. Hiring an electrician to install and wire six lights typically runs $600 to $1,500 depending on attic access and whether a new circuit is needed. Costs vary by region — get a local quote if a new circuit is involved.

How to Install Recessed Lighting: A DIY Retrofit Guide

Written & researched by Derek Holt Home & Appliances Editor

Updated August 2026

Over-the-shoulder view of a person switching, in warm late-afternoon light

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Retrofitting LED recessed lights into an existing ceiling is a doable DIY project — plan on a day for a room, about $15 to $40 per canless light, and no permit if you are tapping a circuit that already exists. You cut holes with a hole saw, wire the included junction box, and clip each light in. Always kill the breaker and verify the wires are dead first. The line you do not cross alone: running a brand-new circuit from the service panel, which is licensed-electrician and permit work, jurisdiction-specific.

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How to Install Recessed Lights — Ask This Old House

Tools and materials

Canless LED retrofit lights — IC-rated and airtight if there is insulation above. These include the junction box and springs.
Adjustable hole saw or the size your lights specify (commonly 4-inch or 6-inch openings).
Non-contact voltage tester, wire strippers, screwdrivers, and a stud finder.
A ceiling light template or cardboard to lay out spacing, plus a pencil and tape measure.
Bulbs are built in; for switch control choose a compatible dimmer from our best dimmer switch picks so the LEDs dim without buzz.

Three-quarter view of a person switching, in soft early-morning light

Step 1: Lay out the spacing and check for obstructions

Divide ceiling height by two for spacing (8-foot ceiling equals about 4 feet apart), keep the outer lights 2 to 3 feet off the walls, and mark each center. Before cutting, use a stud finder to confirm no joist, pipe, or duct sits behind a mark — slide the light 6 inches if it does. If you can get into the attic, look from above to confirm the bays are clear.

Step 2: Kill the power and verify dead

Switch off the breaker feeding the circuit you will tap. At the existing fixture or switch you are extending from, confirm the wires are dead with a voltage tester before you touch them. Every splice you make later happens with the power off and gets verified again before you restore it.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person switching, in soft overcast light

Step 3: Cut the openings

Cut each hole with the hole saw at the size on the fixture's instructions — a snug hole lets the spring clips grip. Cut slowly and hold the saw steady so you do not tear the drywall paper. Vacuum the dust, and fish your feed cable to the first opening (from the attic above, or by pulling from opening to opening if the ceiling is open framing).

Step 4: Wire the junction boxes

At each hole, open the light's junction box and connect the house cable: black to black, white to white, ground to ground, capped with wire nuts and tugged tight. Daisy-chain from box to box for multiple lights, keeping the incoming and outgoing cables both landed in the same box. Push the junction box up through the hole into the cavity beside the opening.

Overhead view of a person switching, in soft overcast light

Step 5: Clip in, restore power, and test

Squeeze the light's spring arms inward, feed them into the hole, and let them snap flat against the back of the drywall — the fixture pulls tight to the ceiling. Restore the breaker and test. All lights on, even, no flicker means solid connections. Aim any adjustable trims toward the task areas and set the color-temperature switch (many retrofits offer 2700K to 5000K) to suit the room.

Common mistakes

Cutting into a joist or pipe. Scan every hole location first.
Wrong hole size. Too big and the springs will not grip. Match the spec.
Non-IC housing against insulation. A fire hazard and a code violation. Use IC-rated, airtight lights.
Loose splices in the junction box. Cap firmly, tug every connection.
Even spacing that ignores the room. Weight the lights toward where you actually need light.

When to call a licensed electrician

Tapping an existing circuit is a homeowner job in most places. Bring in a pro if there is no nearby circuit and you need a new one run, if the existing circuit is already near its load limit, if you have no attic access and the ceiling is closed, or if any of it means work at the service panel — that is licensed-electrician and permit territory, and it is jurisdiction-specific. Adding load to an unknown circuit is exactly the kind of thing a pro sizes for you.

How to Install Recessed Lighting