The garage used to be just a place to park cars. More and more, garages are becoming man-caves, hobby rooms, and even spare rooms. So as functions shift, so does the way the garage looks. If you're wondering whether to add recessed lighting to your garage, we've done the research to let you know if it's possible.
You can put recessed lighting in a garage. It’s an affordable option to light your space with some style. When you’re ready to make the change, there are some factors to consider:
- What kind of lights do you need to use?
- How do you effectively brighten the garage?
- Is recessed lighting actually for you?
Now that we’ve covered that it can happen, let’s go over what we need to do to make it happen. We'll discuss brightness and bulb color and some of the major pros and cons of recessed lighting.
What kind of Recessed Lights to use in the garage?
You need to make sure to get the proper housing for your bulbs, first and foremost. For example, if you have insulation make sure to get IC-rated housings for extra heat protection. Non-IC-rated housings need to be in uninsulated ceilings.
Click here to see 6-inch, IC-rated lights on Amazon.
You need to choose the voltage system you want to use. Line voltage systems will be the same volt feed as in your house, whereas the low voltage system will be more focused and lower volts.
You can choose the trim around your bulb. If you want more light, then get the reflective trim. If you want more specific lighting for art or a workspace, you should get the wall wash trim.
Click here to see 6-inch recessed lights with trim on Amazon.
Lastly, you need to know if you want to do it yourself or hire a professional electrician to do the work for you.
How Can You brighten a garage?
Now to effectively brighten your garage, you need to make sure you’re lighting for its function. You need the proper color and spacing.
How Many Lumens do you need to light your garage?
A single recessed light can put out 1000 lumens or measurement of light per square foot. It’s recommended to have between 130 to 150 lumens per square foot. One light every five or six feet should be adequate.
If you go to Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, or Amazon, there are thousands of bulb options to choose from. Of course, the main choices are fluorescent or LED lights. You can buy fluorescent bulbs cheaper than LED bulbs, but the LEDs will give you more for your money. They are energy conserving, long-lasting, and still going to put out quality lumination.
Click here to see LED recessed light bulbs on Amazon.
What color light is best for a garage?
The color of the bulb can also make a difference. If you’re using the garage for storage, you can use any color light, but if you’re worried about pests making themselves at home, use a brighter light. If it’s going to be more of a hobby space for woodworking, painting, or a spare room, you’ll want a light around 3,500 Kelvin. This is what most people use in their house and what you’ll feel more comfortable in.
Click here to see LED 3,500K bulbs on Amazon.
For a gym in your garage, use a 5,000 Kelvin bulb. It will be as close to natural sunlight as possible. Speaking of natural sunlight, if you want to create an indoor gardening environment, utilize 5,000 to 7,000 Kelvin yield for foliage and 3,500 to 4,500 Kelvin for flowering plants.
Is recessed lighting for you?
Some pros for recessed lighting would be that you can have as much or as little light in an area as you would like. There are even dimming options available now. You can turn your garage into the space of your dreams. It can save space for storage or decorations on the wall since there are no low-hanging fixtures in the way. Recessed lighting is also safer than tube lighting because of safer handling and disposal. Standard bulbs you can just throw away and replace.
The cons would be financial, and it will take a little more work to install. The expense and time-commitment are greater than tube lighting, for example, because you need more light fixtures and wiring to install each properly. You also have to put fairly large holes in the ceiling to install them, which can cause energy efficiency issues in your garage.
In Closing
Recessed lighting can be used in any room of your house, including your garage. It is a very efficient way to set the tone for whatever your garage is going to function as.
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