Light spacing over garage door - double check

[ddurrett896]

Brick starts this weekend and I am setting boxes for light fixtures. Want to run this by everyone to make sure I'm right on the spacing.

At first I was thinking....
Garage door is 18' wide. Split the door in half, so 9' and split that in half to 4 1/2. So each light fixture would be 4 1/2 from each side, with 9' between them.

Then I was thinking....
18' / 3 = 6'. So pull in 6' from each side making a 6' gap between both lights.

What is the correct way. Thanks!

 

[rburke65]

I’d do the 4 1/2

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Brick starts this weekend and I am setting boxes for light fixtures. Want to run this by everyone to make sure I'm right on the spacing.

At first I was thinking....
Garage door is 18' wide. Split the door in half, so 9' and split that in half to 4 1/2. So each light fixture would be 4 1/2 from each side, with 9' between them.

Then I was thinking....
18' / 3 = 6'. So pull in 6' from each side making a 6' gap between both lights.

What is the correct way. Thanks!

4 1/2 to have even light distribution.

Think about it like supporting a board perfectly evenly with two supports. You want each half of the board to be centered over a support. So if you split the 18ft board into two sections and then evaluate it becomes clear.

6-6-6 would be 6-support-3 and 3-support-6 No bueno.
4.5-9-4.5 would be 4.5-support-4.5 and 4.5-support-4.5

 

[Platonic Solid]

I don't understand what the garage door has to do with light fixture spacing criteria since the fixtures in question will be covered by the door when open. When the door is closed, it's not a factor. Forget about the door and space light fixtures according to fixture specifications for the room size and height. Then tweak according to how you are using the space.

Link to Visual Photometric Tool Instructions.

 

[ddurrett896]

I don't understand what the garage door has to do with light fixture spacing criteria since the fixtures in question will be covered by the door when open. When the door is closed, it's not a factor. Forget about the door and space light fixtures according to fixture specifications for the room size and height. Then tweak according to how you are using the space.

Link to Visual Photometric Tool Instructions.

These are lanterns, face mounted to the gable above the garage door.

 

[Platonic Solid]

LOL - Wow, did I get that wrong. Sorry, I didn't realize you were talking exterior fixtures.

 

[fartymarty]

I don't understand what the garage door has to do with light fixture spacing criteria since the fixtures in question will be covered by the door when open.

These are lanterns, face mounted to the gable above the garage door.

I think the key word for clarity here is "outside". You did say "brick starts", but the simple use of "outside" lighting would have made it clear.

I'd say 4 1/2 from the ends. Mentally we (almost) all see a double garage door as being the entry way for two vehicles, so even with the door closed aesthetically it's more pleasing to see each light centered over the lane for each vehicle. Now if this were an airplane hanger for a single vehicle then the thirds solution (6') would probably work better as long as it was clear from just looking at it that it was a hanger.