Help with garage / shop lighting layout

[TimberMan]

I am getting ready to have my attached garage / shop electrical trim out started and need to quickly finalize the ceiling light layout and order the fixtures. I have attached a screen shot for clarity but the summary is that my space is 26' x 36' with 13' ceilings. I plan to use the bottom third of the garage (the single door area) as my wood shop for a year or two until I build a detached shop. The electricians have roughed in the wiring with 6 penetrations in the drywall as shown with the circles on the file and I have two drop beams in the shop area shown in dashed lines so fixtures in that area will likely need to be suspended.

Any advice on how many lumens I need, how many fixtures I need and what type / size / brand will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Colin Gao]

I am getting ready to have my attached garage / shop electrical trim out started and need to quickly finalize the ceiling light layout and order the fixtures. I have attached a screen shot for clarity but the summary is that my space is 26' x 36' with 13' ceilings. I plan to use the bottom third of the garage (the single door area) as my wood shop for a year or two until I build a detached shop. The electricians have roughed in the wiring with 6 penetrations in the drywall as shown with the circles on the file and I have two drop beams in the shop area shown in dashed lines so fixtures in that area will likely need to be suspended.

Any advice on how many lumens I need, how many fixtures I need and what type / size / brand will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

just did a layout for u , u need 2*2 150W ufo high bay.

 

[kneppb]

just did a layout for u , u need 2*2 150W ufo high bay.

How did you do this? I am doing a 32x48x12 or 14 ft walls (have to decide this week) and scissor trusses.....

 

[Colin Gao]

How did you do this? I am doing a 32x48x12 or 14 ft walls (have to decide this week) and scissor trusses.....

hi mate, we have done this layput many times.

 

[kneppb]

Is this a program? Or can you do the same for mine?

 

[kneppb]

hi mate, we have done this layput many times.

is this a program or can you do the same for mine?

 

[Colin Gao]

is this a program or can you do the same for mine?

hi Mate, you are gonna need 2*4 100W UFO lights

 

[kneppb]

hi Mate, you are gonna need 2*4 100W UFO lights

I was thinking about looking at the Hyperlight High Bay LED in 200W. Would you recommend 2x3?

 

[zmotorsports]

One additional to think about when finalizing light fixture layout is to know what you are going to have under them and not rely solely on the mapping some lighting manufacturers provide. Most use a generic or even spacing and depending on the shop/garage's intended use, that may not be ideal. I ended up tweaking mine a bit and moving the fixtures some from where the layout map suggested.

By that I mean, if you are working on cars, you don't necessarily want the light directly over the center of the car and depending on how you pull the cars in, the generic spacing may place them directly over the center which casts shadows on the side where most of the work is done. When looking at my layout, I knew how far off the wall my cupboards were going to be placed and then where the cars would be spaced in relation. From there I adjusted the fixture layout over the spacing between the sides of the vehicles and the cupboards so I didn't cast shadows down alongside the vehicles. This allowed the majority of the light to actually get all the way to the floor and I seldom need drop lights now compared to my old shop.

Similar with where I spaced them over my machining and fabrication area, I placed the lights between the mill and lathe bathing the light down on the areas of the machines where I'd be working and not have the head of the mill block lighting or having the light miss my fabrication table, etc.

Just something else to think about when determining light fixture layout.

 

[Colin Gao]

hi 200w too strong at ur 12 or 14 ft height. no good.

 

[kneppb]

One additional to think about when finalizing light fixture layout is to know what you are going to have under them and not rely solely on the mapping some lighting manufacturers provide. Most use a generic or even spacing and depending on the shop/garage's intended use, that may not be ideal. I ended up tweaking mine a bit and moving the fixtures some from where the layout map suggested.

By that I mean, if you are working on cars, you don't necessarily want the light directly over the center of the car and depending on how you pull the cars in, the generic spacing may place them directly over the center which casts shadows on the side where most of the work is done. When looking at my layout, I knew how far off the wall my cupboards were going to be placed and then where the cars would be spaced in relation. From there I adjusted the fixture layout over the spacing between the sides of the vehicles and the cupboards so I didn't cast shadows down alongside the vehicles. This allowed the majority of the light to actually get all the way to the floor and I seldom need drop lights now compared to my old shop.

Similar with where I spaced them over my machining and fabrication area, I placed the lights between the mill and lathe bathing the light down on the areas of the machines where I'd be working and not have the head of the mill block lighting or having the light miss my fabrication table, etc.

Just something else to think about when determining light fixture layout.

Great information. Thank you. Mine will be mostly storage and some small projects, nothing too crazy. But I do like to have enough light, I can't stand when it is dark when I am trying to work on something.