Ceiling Fan Mounting Bracket Types

Ceiling fans are excellent for cooling down your home or helping with air circulation, without having to rely too much on your air conditioning. They distribute air throughout your living spaces on warm days, and in cold months, they help circulate the air that collects on your ceiling. In turn, ceiling fans can save you a significant amount of money on your utility bills.

Choosing how to mount your ceiling fan – more specifically, the downrod length – is important, as proper placement of your ceiling fan ensures optimum safety, air flow, and aesthetic appeal in your space. Generally speaking, there are three main ceiling fan mounting options: flush mount, standard, and downrod. Although, rooms with ceilings higher than nine feet will require extended downrods, and angled or vaulted ceilings necessitate a sloped mounting bracket.

If you’re unsure of what type of mounting bracket, or downrod length, you should choose for your ceiling fan, we’re here to help. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on the various ceiling fan mounting options so you can determine which is best for your space and ceiling height.

Begin by inspecting the existing junction box to verify whether or not it is rated for ceiling fans. This is typically indicated by an inscription on the metal ceiling fan box. If it isn’t rated for ceiling fans, you’ll want to replace it with a fan-rated junction box and a fan brace between the ceiling joists. This will ensure proper support for the fan’s weight after installation.

Then, proceed with turning off power to the outlet at the circuit breaker and make sure that all wall switches are turned to the off position. After you’ve shut off the power, put a piece of electrical tape over the top of the wall switches and the breaker box to ensure that no one tries to turn the power back on while you’re working.

If you need to remove an existing fixture or fan before you install the new one, you’ll want to do that at this point in the process. Disconnect all the necessary wires and enlist a helping hand for taking the fan or fixture down from the ceiling.

Now you can start mounting the junction box. Place the fan brace into the hole in the drywall, on your ceiling. Use your hand to rotate the square tube until the teeth lock into the joist. Then, connect the U-bolt bracket to the fan brace, so that it is centered inside of the hole with the bolts facing down.

Finally, thread the cable wire in the junction box, split the box so the bolts slide through, and tighten the nuts to fasten the box in place.

At this point, you’ll want to secure the mounting bracket to the junction box – following the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Thread the primary wires through the middle of the mounting bracket. For a slide-on bracket, you can leave the mounting bolts on the junction box and easily slide the bracket in place over the screws. Then, tighten the mounting screws securely.

For fans that don’t have a slide-on bracket, position the fan bracket over the mounting bolts. Poke through the bracket and secure it using the provided nuts.

Before installing a downrod, always verify the angle and height of your ceiling. Refer to the previous sections, as ceilings with a high pitch will require a specialized downrod. First, use a flat surface – like the floor or a table – to help you slip the canopy on the downrod and fish the main wires through. Then, place the clevis and cotter pins into the downrod, connecting it to the base of the fan.

Next, take the bulb-shaped fitting at the top of the downrod and fasten it to the mounting bracket on your ceiling. For flush mounts, you’ll want to thread the electrical wiring through the canopy ring.

If the mounting bracket comes with a hook, you can use it to hang the fan while you proceed to work on the wiring. Or, ask for the assistance of a friend to hold the fan while you start to wire. The goal is to connect the ceiling fan wires to your household wiring. Some fans are equipped with extra wires, so make sure that you refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for specifics. The wire nuts that come with your fan kit should be used for securing the wires.

To wire the fan, match up the wires – black wire with black wire, white wire with white wire, and so on. For most fans, here are the connections that should be made:

Last, but certainly not least, it’s time to attach the fan blades, globe, and light bulb. You’ll use the included hardware to connect each blade bracket to a fan blade. Before tightening any of the screws, make sure to start each one in the corresponding ceiling fan blade. Then, proceed with attaching each blade to the ceiling fan.

Some fans come with quick-install blades, which make installation easier and faster. This involves simply aligning the blade are posts through the keyhole slots of the blade, and sliding them out until they click into position. For fans that don’t have these quick-install blades, use screws to attach the fan blades to the arms. Make sure that you position the side of the blade that you want to be shown downward.

Accu-arm blade brackets can also speed up installation, if your fan has them. These brackets come equipped with the blade screws already attached. For these fans, simply secure the blade assembly to the motor with two screws, driving the screws in slowly to avoid bending the blades and stripping the screws. The last step is to install the globe and light bulb, which may or may not be included in your particular installation kit.