QA

Question: How To Line Up Recessed Lights

A good general rule for placement is to divide the height of the ceiling by two. The result is the amount of space to leave between each light. For example, recessed lighting spacing for an 8-foot-high ceiling would be 4 feet between each light. This will provide good spacing for general room lighting.

Do recessed lights need to be aligned?

The recessed lights should be aligned and equally spaced across the ceiling. Resist the temptation to place the lights according to objects in the room (such as furniture). Below are some of the most common layouts for general lighting.

Do recessed lights need to be symmetrical?

If you use recessed lighting as task lighting, the general rule for symmetry is if you have more than one light, they must be aligned evenly.

How far should recessed lights be from wall?

If you plan to illuminate an entire wall or accent particular architectural features or pieces of art, the rule of thumb is to place your recessed light fixtures between 1.5 feet and 3 feet from the wall. If your fixtures are fixed, they should be placed a bit closer to the wall.

Should you stagger recessed lights?

The typical rule is to place the lights the same number of feet apart as the bulb’s diameter in inches. So a bulb with a 4-inch diameter should be 4 feet away from the next light.

How far apart should Can lights be in a kitchen?

The formula for spacing your recessed lights is to divide the height of the ceiling by 2. For an 8 foot ceiling, space recessed lights about 4 feet apart. While things like the type of lighting used do factor in, sticking to these rules are generally a safe bet.

Where should recessed lights be placed in living room?

Living Room To achieve the best effect, place the lights two to three feet away from the walls. Cons: Spacing is important to make any room look its best with recessed lighting. If the ceiling in your room is too small to allow the correct spacing, consider using a chandelier or table and accent lamps instead.

Where do you place recessed lights in the kitchen?

Aimed at the countertop edges, the lights will illuminate counter work areas or the sink, and avoid creating shadows by people standing at the counters working. Place your recessed downlights 12″ apart from each other and 12″ to 18″ away from any cabinets to illuminate counter areas.

How much area do LED lights cover?

The average LED grow light draws about 32 watts to cover 1 sq ft for flowering. Compare this to a typical HID fixture which rings in at 40 watts per square foot (assuming a 5′ x 5′ area, or 25 sq ft coverage area). Using an HID in a 4′ x 4′ will bring the power coverage up to 62.5 watts per sq ft.

How many can lights in a 20×20 room?

If you have a center light fixture, you should be able to use 4 inch line voltage cans or low voltage for supplemental lighting. I would go with at least 8 three inch cans for a 20 foot room.

What size recessed light for 8ft ceiling?

When spacing recessed lights, use this general rule of thumb: divide the height of the ceiling by two to get the distance the lights should be from one another. For example, an 8-foot tall ceiling should have recessed lights spaced 4-feet apart.

How many recessed lights can be on a circuit?

The main limitation to the number of recessed fixtures you can run at the same time is the rating of the circuit breaker that controls the circuit. Each fixture with a 60-watt incandescent or halogen bulb draws about 1/2 amp, so a 15-amp breaker for a standard lighting circuit would be able to handle 30 of them.

How far apart should 6 inch recessed lights be?

Generally speaking, recessed lights that are four inches in size should be placed four feet apart. Six-inch lights should be placed six feet apart. In other words, the diameter of the lights equals the space between them.

How close can recessed light be to joist?

That said, a fairly standard recessed light should not be fitted so that any part of its assembly is less than half an inch from anything flammable — such as a timber joist — at the sides. A two-inch clearance from anything above the lamp is a typical minimum.

How far should recessed lights be from a ceiling fan?

To determine how far apart to space your recessed lights, divide the height of the ceiling by two. If a room has an 8 foot ceiling, you should space your recessed lights approximately 4 feet apart. If the ceiling is 10 feet, you’ll want to put about 5 feet of space in between each fixture.

How do you calculate how many recessed lights are needed?

Formula: total sq. footage x 1.5 = total wattage needed. Total wattage divided by 60 watts (or whichever wattage you select) = total amount of recessed can lights. Example: 240 square foot room x 1.5 = 360 divided by 60 (the bulb wattage I’d like to use) = 6 recessed lights needed.

Is recessed lighting outdated 2021?

Are recessed lights a kitchen lighting trend? Yes recessed lights are still a kitchen lighting trend, but not on their own – they work well, functionally, over countertops and island bars, but are best used alongside other lighting options like pendants and wall lights to add character.