Table of Contents
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 from the wall should recessed lights be?
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 far apart do you space 6 inch recessed lights?
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 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.
How far away from upper cabinet should be recessed lights?
How far should recessed lights be from the kitchen cabinets? If you have upper cabinets, another good rule of thumb is to center the lights with the edge of your countertops. In most homes, that means that lights will be roughly 25 inches from the wall.
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.
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 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.
Can you have too many recessed lights?
“It’s too bright in here.” 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 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 far apart do you put LED downlights?
As a rule of thumb, we suggest you divide your ceiling height by 2 to give you the space required between each downlight. For example if your ceiling is 8 foot high, then position your lights 4 feet apart.
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.
How many lights do I need for my room calculator?
Multiply width of room x length of room x 1.5 = amount of total minimum wattage needed (assuming an eight foot ceiling). Divide by 60 to get the number of 60-watt equivalent bulbs required. Then, add up the wattage in each bulb in each fixture to figure out how many light fixtures are needed.
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.
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.
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?
Minimum Clearances 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.
