Home Improvement Ideas DIY Home Electrical Tips & Guides How to Install a Ceiling Fan Electrical Box Calm a shaking ceiling fan by replacing its worn-down box. We'll show you step-by-step how to install a ceiling fan box. By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on April 25, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Project Overview Working Time: 4 hours Total Time: 4 hours Skill Level: Advanced Estimated Cost: $50 Ceiling fans are heavy, and they vibrate. As a result, a fan installed on a faulty ceiling fan electrical box could come loose and perhaps crash to the floor. The first step in adding a ceiling fan is to inspect the existing electrical box. Shut off power to the circuit. Test to confirm the power is off and remove the existing ceiling fixture. Most building codes require ceiling fans to be mounted on special fan-rated boxes made of metal or strong plastic with deep-threaded holes for the mounting screws. The box must be mounted firmly by attaching it directly to a framing member or using a fan-rated brace. Replacing a ceiling fan electrical box is a messy job. Work carefully to avoid cutting through wires hidden in the ceiling. Our steps below show you how to do it carefully and successfully. Change Your Ceiling Fan Direction for Summer for a Cooler Home What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Utility knife Hammer 2 x 4 Pry bar Screwdriver Drill Wrench or groove-joint pliers Reciprocating saw (optional) Materials Fan-rated box Box brace Instructions Removing the Old Ceiling Fan Electrical Box Loosen Box Use a knife (not a saw) to cut through the drywall or plaster around the old box. The box is probably attached to a joist with screws or two horizontally driven nails. Force the box loose by hammering a 2x4 into it. Pry Box Insert a flat pry bar between the box and the joist. Pry the ceiling fan box away from the joist. You may need to pry out a staple anchoring the cable to the joist. Work carefully to avoid unnecessary damage to the ceiling. How to Balance Your Ceiling Fan So It Doesn't Rattle and Wobble Remove Box and Cable Pry out the box's mounting nails and pull the box down from the ceiling. Disconnect the cable from the box. The box shown has a slot that the cable slides through; pry the tab and pull the cable out. If the box has a cable clamp, remove the locknut. Installing a New Ceiling Fan Electrical Box Install Brace To install a braced box, slip the brace through the hole. Rotate the shaft of the brace clockwise until it touches a joist on either side and its legs rest on top of the drywall or plaster. Tighten Brace and Bolt Tighten the brace with a wrench or groove-joint pliers. Attach the U-bolt to the brace and slide the box up through it. Tighten the nuts. Installing a New Ceiling Fan Box from Above If you can get to the attic space above the ceiling box, go there to disconnect the old box. Install a braced ceiling fan box. The 8 Best Ceiling Fans of 2024, According to Testing Screw the Fan Bracket to a Ceiling Joist Here's an option that eliminates the need for a new ceiling fan box. Screw the fan's mounting bracket directly to a nearby joist. The plate will be off-center, so you may need a medallion to cover the hole. Pancake Box Older pancake boxes mount with screws driven into a framing member. Remove the screws and pry out the box. Removing a Stubborn Box If a box is too firmly mounted to be knocked free, cut a hole into the ceiling just large enough so you can see the mounting nails and the cable. Carefully cut through the nails with a reciprocating saw. Available Ceiling Fan Boxes If a strong framing member is positioned directly above the box's hole, a pancake fan box or a box with a joist bracket through its center may be the easiest to install.