36' x 50' x 12.5' garage lighting

[APPLETREE]

I am driving myself crazy trying to figure out the lighting for my garage. However, I want to use T8 4' 4-bulb fixtures. I had a local lighting distributor look at it and he said i would need 9 fixtures. Sounds to me it would not be enough. Thanks for your help.

 

[pattenp]

If you are using it just as a place to store cars and equipment 50 lumens per sqft is okay. If you are going to be working doing some detail work and want lighting that won't ruin your eye sight trying to see things then 100 lumens per sqft is good. A typical F32T8 4ft tube outputs 2800 lumens.

Edit: Nine 4 tube fixtures should be around 56 lumens per sqft.

 

[2ManyProjects]

I am driving myself crazy trying to figure out the lighting for my garage. However, I want to use T8 4' 4-bulb fixtures. I had a local lighting distributor look at it and he said i would need 9 fixtures. Sounds to me it would not be enough. Thanks for your help.

In addition to "pattenp"'s well-found comments, note that much depends on the actual layout of the lights. In turn, the ideal layout will depend on not only the overall dimensions of the space, but also of exactly what you're going to be doing where, within that space. Things like workbenches, stationary power tools, etc., will each have an impact. Also, if you're working on automobiles, you want most of the light to fall where you'll actually be working, not on the roofs of the cars.

Further, you will near-certainly want to arrange the lighting into multiple independently-switched "banks", so as to maintain at least some control over both the overall brightness level and the various "zones" where more or less light will be needed at any given moment. In light of this (no pun intended), using simple four-foot twin-tube F32T8 fixtures will provide you with MUCH more flexibility (in terms of both placement and switching) than using four-tube or tandem (8-foot) fixtures.

 

[APPLETREE]

Okay it sounds like from "pattenp" comment that I would like to have about 100 limens per square foot. So that would be 16 4' - 4tube fixtures. Any good sites to order lites from? Thanks

 

[rburke65]

I have a similar sized shop.... 32' x 56' with 13' ceilings, that I just finished. The ceiling is finished with white metal liner to reflect the light. I have a full attic with a stairway that runs up the 32' wall, so the ceiling is shortened by the width of the stairway in that ares. So I have a total of 16 eight foot, 4 lamp, T-8 fixtures. Two rows of 5, and one row with 6. The fixtures run the 56 ft. length. I started the fixtures 5' in from the walls and the rows re 10' apart. Each row on a separate switch, so I don't have to have them all on at once. I have PLENTY of light. Love it! You won't regret it. Hope this helps.

 

[jvitez]

100 lumens at workbench height means you need more than a "gross" amount of 100 lumens per foot. Light can be diminished in the following ways:

---distance from fixture to work surface, so more light needed at the ceiling in a 14' high shop vs and 8' one.

---dust on the bulbs over time

---bulbs reduce their lumen output overtime (not much with tubular fluorescents but it's there)

---enclosed fixtures: the "wrap" type fixture absorb some of the light vs a bare bulb strip type fixture.

---reflector type fixtures (open bulb commercial or industrial type reflector) reduce the total light needed, but a dark ceiling is unpleasant if finished (cave effect).

So take these things into account as you're designing your lighting plan and you'll get where you want to go.