Quick Answer: How Far Apart Should Recessed Lights Be

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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.

How far 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 far should 4 inch recessed lights be from the wall?

Accent Lighting 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.

How do you space out 4 recessed lights?

Follow the ceiling height rule of thumb. 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.

How many recessed lights are too many?

The fix: To avoid having your kitchen ceiling look like an airport runway, the general rule to follow is: use one recessed light for every 4-6 square feet of ceiling space. The formula for spacing your recessed lights is to divide the height of the ceiling by 2.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 6 recessed lights do I need?

A common rule of thumb is that you use one recessed light for every 4 to 6 square feet of ceiling space. Doing so provides even, overall illumination. This is an important rule to keep in mind when you are going to rely exclusively on recessed ceiling lights to illuminate your kitchen.

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 off wall should recessed lighting be in kitchen?

Keep your fixtures between 1.5 and 3 feet away from the wall. Space fixtures equidistant from each other. Place adjustable trim away from the wall.

What is the difference between can lights and recessed lights?

Recessed lights, also known as can lights, are described as metal light housings installed in the ceiling for a sleek look that gives you back your ceiling.

Can you have too many recessed lights in a room?

The culprit: Too many recessed lights. Home builders, contractors—or hey, even you—can get a little overzealous when it come to how many recessed lights go into a space. And too many can leave a living room feeling like a lobby or a hallway feeling like a runway.

How many lights can be on a 15 amp circuit?

You can put up to 30 lights (based on 50 watt light) on a 15 amp breaker.

Are recessed lights outdated?

The one reason why recessed lighting is timeless because they offer the flexibility to change the finishes later. You have a can in your ceiling that stays forever. However, the finish may become outdated and can be purchased in different colors and styles to suit your needs. You can change them as often as you like.

How do you calculate lighting for an area?

Lighting Calculation – Summary Multiply the area in square meters by the lux, or the area in square feet by the footcandles. Work out how many bulbs you need. Divide the number of lumens by the number of lumens delivered by each bulb.

How many lights are needed in a room calculator?

To determine the needed lumens, you will need to multiply your room square footage by your room foot-candle requirement. For example, a 100 square foot living room, which needs 10-20 foot-candles, will need 1,000-2,000 lumens.Key Terms. Room Foot Candles Needed Bedroom 10-20 Hallway 5-10 Bathroom 70-80.

How many recessed lights can you put on one switch?

The main limitation on the number of recessed lights that a single switch can control is the rating of the circuit breaker controlling the circuit. Each incandescent or halogen 60-watt bulb draws around 1/2 amp, and therefore, standard lighting with a 15amp breaker can manage 30 lights.

Should recessed lighting be in a straight line?

Generally, the fixtures shouldn’t be too close to each other, and they shouldn’t be placed in a straight line down the room because the look is just unimaginative. However, a homeowner can get away with installing rows of tiny recessed halogen bulbs in a pair of well-spaced lines down the ceiling.

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.

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.

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.

How many recessed lights do I need?

How many lights should be in a room?

This will depend on the individual room and what it’s used for. As a handy rule of thumb, a sitting room or bedroom will generally require around 10-20 lumens per square foot, while a bathroom or kitchen will need a stronger level of lighting, at around 70-80 lumens per square foot.