Lighting for 28x38 Garage with Three Ceiling Planes

[lyonkster]

My new gable-roof 28x38 garage will have three ceiling planes that follow the trusses, each section roughly 9 ft in length). I'm trying to find a good way to light the space, and would love some suggestions.



Here is what the electrician sketched as a preliminary suggestion. It would use nine 1x4 LED panels, oriented in three rows of three, mounted on the ceiling in the same direction as the cars:


I ran the Visual Interior Tool lighting calculator, and if I did it right, it shows that using Lithonia 2x4 panels (CPANL 2x4 40/50/60LM 40K - 60LM), I'd need 18 of them to get 80 fc at about 1 ft height. So twice as many as was baselined.



But I'm also (more) concerned not just about the quantity of light, but how it will be distributed, given my sloped/flat ceiling planes. It seems that the lights mounted on the sloped portions will be aiming towards the center of the garage, while the ones on the flat portion will aim straight down, but may be less effective because they are at a 14 ft height.

Should I consider a row of high bay lights in the center portion (flat 14 ft ceiling), and then a row of strip light or LED panels on the sloped portions, but mounted parallel to the walls and angled so that they point straight down (if that makes sense), like below:

 

[mm08822]

What are you doing to need 80 etc?

See what happens at 90 degrees to your original plan and at approx 12.5 ft. This should be about midway on the inclines.
Try 3 & 4 rows.

Make angled blocks so the lights are horizontal.

Consider linear fluorescent fixtures.

Think about dimmable fixtures and 2-3 switches.

 

[lyonkster]

What are you doing to need 80 etc?

Fair question, maybe I got corrupted by reading too many "you can never have too much light" threads here. I plan to do general repairs, with occasional precision work, but I am in my 60s and my vision is definitely worse than when I was in my 20s. Brighter lighting helps a lot. But I can probably go with 60 fc and count on auxiliary light where needed.

Here's the other layout you suggested, at 60 fc, I end up with 16 lights using the L 2 32 fixtures. I'm not sure where to find the 5000 lumen 48" lights in that catalog .

 

[lyonkster]

Thought about this some more, and I think I'm going to move away from LED panels, and go for 16 linear LED fixtures - maybe not as clean a look as panels, but more distributed lighting and easier to replace if needed. With the linear lighting fixtures, I'll also have the option of angling the fixtures on the sloped portion of the ceiling if I need to, something I can't do with panels:

 

[Shiftless]

Another consideration is to rethink your target. You said you wanted 80 fc at one foot off the floor. The usual target is 3 feet off the floor. That will change your fixture needs.

 

[lyonkster]

Another consideration is to rethink your target. You said you wanted 80 fc at one foot off the floor. The usual target is 3 feet off the floor. That will change your fixture needs.

Good point, I was just going by what I read about rules of thumb for automotive work - use floor level rather than workbench level. Regardless, using the Visual Interior tool, that changes the results from 16 to 15 fixtures, so almost the same thing.

 

[Shiftless]

“using the Visual Interior tool, that changes the results from 16 to 15 fixtures, so almost the same thing.”

I thought it would make a bigger difference.
BTW, do you have a man lift to use for installing those fixtures that are 14 feet above the floor?

 

[lyonkster]

“using the Visual Interior tool, that changes the results from 16 to 15 fixtures, so almost the same thing.”

I thought it would make a bigger difference.
BTW, do you have a man lift to use for installing those fixtures that are 14 feet above the floor?

That'll be the electrician's job . But yeah, I may have to invest in a taller step ladder to replace bulbs in the future!

 

[joebass3]

My garage is much smaller than yours but I also have a vaulted (17') ceiling. I went with 4 high bay plug in lights, basically spaced equally in the space. Lights are rated at 22,500 lumens each, so basically 90k lumens. I probably should have spent some time with online lighting calculators, but I just winged it. Im super happy with the amount of light these high bay lights put out!

 

[lyonkster]

My garage is much smaller than yours but I also have a vaulted (17') ceiling. I went with 4 high bay plug in lights, basically spaced equally in the space. Lights are rated at 22,500 lumens each, so basically 90k lumens. I probably should have spent some time with online lighting calculators, but I just winged it. Im super happy with the amount of light these high bay lights put out!

That does look great! But from what I've read, my 11-14 ft ceilings are too low for high bay lighting.

 

[joebass3]

That does look great! But from what I've read, my 11-14 ft ceilings are too low for high bay lighting.

Yeah I just looked and you are correct. I admit I didn't spend much time doing research on lighting. I guess I got lucky.

 

[dave*99]

OP, will you have a lift?

I've had my lift in 2 different garages. First garage I had a lot of ceiling light. Great for walking around the garage etc. But I worked on cars on the lift. So when I looked up, the ceiling lights were blinding. And my eyes adjusted to that. So when I looked back under the car, I couldn't see ****. If you had the hood up and were under the car on the lift, sometimes your eye catches a ceiling light through the engine bay. Count on hitting your head on something after that.

Dimmers may have helped, I didn't have them.

Second garage has a lot less ceiling light. And very bright light over the workbench. I have some portable lighting for under the car. Much happier.

One other thought, try to move the lighting fixtures between and at the perimeter of the cars. That's where you will work.

My wood shop has lots of ceiling light. And a similar ceiling to the OP. Bright lights are great in that application. 50fc at the work plane is fine. Even with my tired eyes.

Perhaps this will help.
YMMV

Lighting for 24x28 shop

So I think I'm off to a rocky start..... I've been reading the best light fixture ever thread for a long time. And I still think I need some help. The basics: Woodshop above garage. Under construction. I have some woodworking machinery to go in the shop. It will have drywall finished...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[lyonkster]

OP, will you have a lift?

I've had my lift in 2 different garages. First garage I had a lot of ceiling light. Great for walking around the garage etc. But I worked on cars on the lift. So when I looked up, the ceiling lights were blinding. And my eyes adjusted to that. So when I looked back under the car, I couldn't see ****. If you had the hood up and were under the car on the lift, sometimes your eye catches a ceiling light through the engine bay. Count on hitting your head on something after that.

Dimmers may have helped, I didn't have them.

Second garage has a lot less ceiling light. And very bright light over the workbench. I have some portable lighting for under the car. Much happier.

One other thought, try to move the lighting fixtures between and at the perimeter of the cars. That's where you will work.

My wood shop has lots of ceiling light. And a similar ceiling to the OP. Bright lights are great in that application. 50fc at the work plane is fine. Even with my tired eyes.

Perhaps this will help.
YMMV

Lighting for 24x28 shop

So I think I'm off to a rocky start..... I've been reading the best light fixture ever thread for a long time. And I still think I need some help. The basics: Woodshop above garage. Under construction. I have some woodworking machinery to go in the shop. It will have drywall finished...

www.garagejournal.com

Dave, thanks for the comments. I do plan to have a lift, and I hear you about the risk of getting blinded by ceiling lights. I think it's similar to working on a car outdoors on a bright day - definitely takes some adjustment when moving from under the car to out in the open. I do plan to add some LED lights to the tracks of my 4 post lift - not sure how much that will help.

I actually read your linked thread earlier, because you have a similar multi-plane ceiling. I see that you put all the lights onto the flat portion, which makes sense. I my case, the sloped portions are the same length as the flat portion, so I think I have to put some lights onto the slopes.

I pinged prolighting.com for suggestions, and they suggested 18 linear lights, in three rows of 6. I need to check with them whether they considered the slopes, and the fact that the lights on the sloped parts will be closer to the floor than the ones on the flat portion - but maybe I'm overthinking this.

 

[dave*99]

Dave, thanks for the comments. I do plan to have a lift, and I hear you about the risk of getting blinded by ceiling lights. I think it's similar to working on a car outdoors on a bright day - definitely takes some adjustment when moving from under the car to out in the open. I do plan to add some LED lights to the tracks of my 4 post lift - not sure how much that will help.

I actually read your linked thread earlier, because you have a similar multi-plane ceiling. I see that you put all the lights onto the flat portion, which makes sense. I my case, the sloped portions are the same length as the flat portion, so I think I have to put some lights onto the slopes.

I pinged prolighting.com for suggestions, and they suggested 16 linear lights, in three rows of 6. I need to check with them whether they considered the slopes, and the fact that the lights on the sloped parts will be closer to the floor than the ones on the flat portion - but maybe I'm overthinking this.

Random thoughts on the slopes:

3 rows of 6 equals 18.

Increase the density of fixtures on the high part or use brighter tubes there

Put the high section on a separate switch from the sides. Add dimmers.

Yes you may be overthinking this. I should know I’m an expert over-thinker.

 

[Bert_]

Thought about this some more, and I think I'm going to move away from LED panels, and go for 16 linear LED fixtures - maybe not as clean a look as panels, but more distributed lighting and easier to replace if needed. With the linear lighting fixtures, I'll also have the option of angling the fixtures on the sloped portion of the ceiling if I need to, something I can't do with panels:

That's a decent layout. Fixtures between the cars is good, reduces shadows.

I would not go any lower than 60fc. 70 is a target I use often. 80 isn't as overkill as some claim.

 

[lyonkster]

Random thoughts on the slopes:

3 rows of 6 equals 18.

Increase the density of fixtures on the high part or use brighter tubes there

Put the high section on a separate switch from the sides. Add dimmers.

Yes you may be overthinking this. I should know I’m an expert over-thinker.

Haha, yes, indeed 6x3 is 18, I made a typo with the 16, it should be 18. Good suggestion on how to deal with slopes and flats, thanks. And thanks for confirming my overthinking it, I think GJ tends to do that to everyone!

 

[lyonkster]

That's a decent layout. Fixtures between the cars is good, reduces shadows.

I would not go any lower than 60fc. 70 is a target I use often. 80 isn't as overkill as some claim.

Thanks Bert! I figure too much is much better than not enough - I can always dim the lights, or have several banks of them on separate switches. But if I don't put in enough now, adding more later would be a PITA. I realize that there's an added cost for more fixtures, but it's in the noise compared to what I'm spending on the garage (side note, I find myself telling my wife more and more frequently "it's only a few hundred dollars more", "it" being thicker concrete, more lights, fancier cabinets, and so on and so forth). Bless her heart for seeing the humor in this.

 

[lyonkster]

I thought I'd report back on this, now that the garage is finished and I could take some measurements. I ended up going with five banks of four lights (20 total), which should have given me 70-80 fc per the visual interior tool). I have them on two switches, one controls two banks and the other three banks. The overall lighting is great:




It is definitely not blinding, so I'm happy that I didn't go with fewer fixtures. I did measure the illumination, and was surprised to find it much lower than expected. Instead of 70 fc, I measured about 44 fc 3 ft off the floor.

By way of comparison, it's an overcast day here in Portland today, yet I measured about 380 fc outdoors. So obviously the garage is not "bright as daylight". I'm not sure why my actual illumination is so much lower than the tool predicted. Probably because I could not model the actual fixtures that I ended up buying, since they're not in the VIT catalog.

I'll say it again though, I'm really happy that I got the number of lighting fixtures that I did, even though it seemed like overkill at the time.

 

[shade]

Well done. Floors look good what did you do there?

 

[lyonkster]

Well done. Floors look good what did you do there?

Thanks! I used the SPGX polyurea coating for the floor. It's not holding up at all though, so I would not recommend it based on my experience (which could be application error for all I know).