How Would You Go About Lighting This Space (LEDs)

[-Brent-]

Click on the pic, please. Sorry it is a junky pic.

I'm in the planning and materials gathering phase of my garage renovation. It's not a conventional layout as far as lighting goes. So, I'd love your opinions and comments on what I think could work.

So far it's a blank slate. It will be getting an electrical upgrade (100a service) and all the normal upgrades.

I am planning to run LEDs. I figure I would run two or 3 4' led on the flat ceiling side and pendents with some high lumen screw in bulbs on the open/angled side.

However, I don't know how uneven lighting behaves in a shop setting. Especially with 14k+ lumens on one side and 5600 lumens on the other.

Also, would you place the 4 footers more toward the center of the structure and perhaps not use the pendents?

The interior sq footage is about 450 sq ft.

I don't want shadows anymore. I want it BRIGHT.

 

[-Brent-]

The image measurements are a close estimation. The vertical wall for the attic is not on the building's center. I should make that known. It is just a quick pencil sketch to show how the workspace is - albeit approximately.

 

[-Brent-]

There will be boxes put in the ceiling on the flat side, for sure. I just can't figure how to run it on the angled/open side.

With the finish materials I am using, I really need to have a plan. The angled ceiling is weathered galvanized barn roof. The more unaltered and unobstructed it is, the better.

Hopefully someone will chime in that has experience with something similar.

 

[REKIII]

I'm assuming there are joist running flat across?

If so, treat the right side the same as the left side. If you want to illuminate the cathedral part of the ceiling, but some secondary lights facing up.

 

[-Brent-]

No. Joists are only on the attic side. The vaulted area is open space. The more I think about it I think I will run two 4 footers on the left and 2 at the top of the wall where the rafters tie into the plate. Then, maybe some uplights to illuminate the wall.

Then, maybe a pendent or two over my workbench, separately switched.

 

[Shiftless]

No. Joists are only on the attic side. The vaulted area is open space. The more I think about it I think I will run two 4 footers on the left and 2 at the top of the wall where the rafters tie into the plate. Then, maybe some uplights to illuminate the wall.

Then, maybe a pendent or two over my workbench, separately switched.

I can't quite follow the shape of your ceiling, but I certainly encourage you to put separately switched lighting directly over workbenches and stationary machines. That's what I did. I have one circuit controlling a total of 9 PAR30 bulbs over my 2 workbenches and angling inward over my 12 feet of shelf storage. Another circuit controls 5 four foot twin tube LED shoplights spaced every 2 and a half feet. This lights up half of a 20x20 suburban garage.

I don't think you really want to use up lights except for dramatic effect on blank or art covered walls.

Post a few pics for more suggestions from the members who haunt this section of GJ.

 

[-Brent-]

I can't quite follow the shape of your ceiling, but I certainly encourage you to put separately switched lighting directly over workbenches and stationary machines. That's what I did. I have one circuit controlling a total of 9 PAR30 bulbs over my 2 workbenches and angling inward over my 12 feet of shelf storage. Another circuit controls 5 four foot twin tube LED shoplights spaced every 2 and a half feet. This lights up half of a 20x20 suburban garage.

I don't think you really want to use up lights except for dramatic effect on blank or art covered walls.

Post a few pics for more suggestions from the members who haunt this section of GJ.

Thank you, Shiftless. Here's a very simple diagram done in paint. The thing gray lines represent the garage door, which is off center. The attic space is going to be converted from a "hay loft" type of space. I use that term because there's access through a door 8' up on the endwall.

The brown rectangle is the beam. It's off center in the building but centered on the door, which obviously has its own beam/header. The attic beam sits on top of that header.

The yellow is my hypothetical light placement. The lights have 120 degrees of light output. I used a calculator, online, which approximates that at 120 degrees 8 feet off the floor the spread of light is nearly 18'. Each light fixture is 7200 lumens. I purchased four.

Right now I have 5 cfl lights which probably is a total of 2000 lumens... haha.

That straight wall will have some items on it worthy of being lit with focal point lighting. I'll have that on a separate switch. The same is true for the lighting above the bench.

I tried to get some pics but at the moment there are two projects that cannot move under their own power and nothing came out to the point that it would do anything more than distract from my query.

 

[Shiftless]

Brent:
For your vertical wall portion I would consider running individual PAR30 LED spot lights or flood lights on the opposite wall. I used them to illuminate a 12 foot wide section of shelves shown in this pic. I mounted them on the ceiling using outdoor style floodlight holders. Run EMT along the outside wall and space your lights every 3-4 feet or whatever you feel best based on desired lighting level. This will light up your wall like a store display. These bulb holders tilt and swivel so you can aim them at the angle you want for the best effect spot lighting up your wall.
Mine are Ngled downward, you can mount yours maybe 6 feet up from the floor and point them angling upward. Or run the conduit on the metal ceiling and angle them. It is best to place bulbs where their light does not shine directly into people's eyes. Glare is bad.

IMHO, galvanized EMT conduit with exposed bulbs would look great against the underside of the galvanized metal roofing on that part of the ceiling. Nice industrial vibe.

 

[Shiftless]

For your display wall you could also go with fixtures like these but you'd have to spend 10 times as much money as my earlier suggestion.

 

[-Brent-]

I picked up 5 dock light heads with the mounts that I am going to repurpose as spot/focal lights. They will fit the industrial/vintage worn vibe of the place. I'm going to pull the halogens out and put in LEDs.

Shiftless, thanks so much for advice. I do appreciate it.

 

[Shiftless]

I picked up 5 dock light heads with the mounts that I am going to repurpose as spot/focal lights. They will fit the industrial/vintage worn vibe of the place. I'm going to pull the halogens out and put in LEDs.

Shiftless, thanks so much for advice. I do appreciate it.

Wow! I have admired those dock lights for many years, but could never commit to the prices. Out here they cost 2-300 bucks each!

 

[-Brent-]

These are all older and dinged up. They're just the heads. I got them for $16 a piece.

 

[bushmechanic]

I'd use primarily indirect lighting at the far walls and angled ceiling, but with direct, single-point multiple source task lighting on the flat surface to be used as required, or simply as a fill.

I'd also use programmable LEDs, like the Philips HUE system to achieve various effects and "moods" as required; with a decommissioned iPad or iPhone on the wall for primary control, and a simple schedule to keep them adjusted for different times of day.

I'm highly sensitive to light, and it's only recently that I've been able to enjoy all the multi-source effects I've designed for others. It's been a lot of fun with the HUE system.

Note that my picture is not at all to scale. It's just showing where I'd put the light sources and generally where they would fill. Might be a bit of a pain to view, but I made it in a couple of minutes.

 

[Shiftless]

These are all older and dinged up. They're just the heads. I got them for $16 a piece.

Wow! You got a super deal on those dock lights. The bulbs alone are probably worth the price. I know you plan to replace with LEDs to save on running costs.

 

[RandomFlyer]

Lowes has a decent 4 foot led light putting out 5000 lumens for $100. Color is 4000k. Brand is Portfolio.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_595696-43921-MXL2007-LED2X34K840_1z11owh__?productId=999911229&pl=1