Recessed can lights under loft?

[cfk]

I built a loft in my shop with the bottom of the joists @ 7'4", and was planning on using some 4' tube style LED fixtures tucked up in the joists a little so they are flush with the bottom (so I don't lose any headroom), but I am now contemplating adding some plywood to the bottom of the joists for a "ceiling" strictly for the aesthetics.. I'm wondering how well recessed 6" can lights would work under there. Enough spill to get decent coverage?

The loft is 7' wide by 24' long - any idea how many I should put in?

I will have a workbench under there and will likely still run some 4 footers over the bench.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I did the wafers with a peice of plywood for a "ceiling" but just big enough for each wafer. Over the 24' length at 7' height and 4' width I have 5 wafers

 

[unslow1]

I was looking at some surface mount LEDs that look like cans a few weeks ago. My plan was on the front of the house but I'm sure they could be used indoor. I'll try to find the spec to see how thick they are.

They were similar to this but they were from a big box home improvement store.

 

[u2slow]

I prefer my light in 4' strips. Less fixtures to wire. Usually getting 2nd-hand ones for free-$10 range. Exposed joists work for me.

 

[sparky 1971]

24' with 16" centers, you should have 18 joist pockets. Starting in the second pocket and installing a light every 4', you would need 12 fixtures if you did two rows. (I would have two rows, with each row about 18" in from the side). Recessed or disc are fine. The one problem I have with the disc's is when one fail in a couple of years, you take it down, throw it away and install a new one. Will you be able to find a match? Whenever I supply them. I leave a couple extra just for that reason.

Now, if it were my shop, and I know it isn't, I would use the linear tube led strip lights. Surface mount either two 8' and one 4' or five 4' right down the middle. Couple them together to make basically a 20' continuous fixture. You just need to set one box for the wire. When the fixtures are up, pull the rest of the wire through them. I measured my fixtures and they are 3-1/4" from the top of the fixture to the bottom of the lamp so there would still be 7' of headroom.

 

[rburke65]

I’m with Sparky above. Strips down the center, end to end. You’ll have only the screw holes in your plywood and you can change the out when they start making nuclear light fixtures or what ever the next new ones will be. You’ll only have 40” or so on each side of the fixture, and yo7ll have plenty of light

 

[cfk]

Now, if it were my shop, and I know it isn't, I would use the linear tube led strip lights. Surface mount either two 8' and one 4' or five 4' right down the middle. Couple them together to make basically a 20' continuous fixture. You just need to set one box for the wire. When the fixtures are up, pull the rest of the wire through them. I measured my fixtures and they are 3-1/4" from the top of the fixture to the bottom of the lamp so there would still be 7' of headroom.

If I run it directly down the center, is that adequate light for the workbench too, or am I still going to want a couple tubes over the bench? I'm guessing I'm going to get a shadow when working at the bench if I just have the one strip down the center?

 

[sparky 1971]

If I run it directly down the center, is that adequate light for the workbench too, or am I still going to want a couple tubes over the bench? I'm guessing I'm going to get a shadow when working at the bench if I just have the one strip down the center?

You probably should put one over the bench, maybe with a separate switch. I wound up having been to put a plug in shop light above mine when I was in my later 40's and my eyes started to go. The shadow probably won't be too bad though. The fixture will be about 3-1/2 feet from the wall. Figure a 2' deep bench and the light will be just a little behind you when standing a few inches away. But, It's easier to do it now.

 

[cfk]

Now, if it were my shop, and I know it isn't, I would use the linear tube led strip lights. Surface mount either two 8' and one 4' or five 4' right down the middle. Couple them together to make basically a 20' continuous fixture. You just need to set one box for the wire. When the fixtures are up, pull the rest of the wire through them. I measured my fixtures and they are 3-1/4" from the top of the fixture to the bottom of the lamp so there would still be 7' of headroom.

I'm liking this idea, but curious on the best way to wire it. I can run the wire in the joists and just poke it out the ceiling into the light fixture just like you'd do in a garage.. is that the best/easiest, or is there any reason to set a box on the outside of the (loft) ceiling, and then tie into that box for the lights?

Thanks for your help!

 

[plout99]

I built a loft in my shop with the bottom of the joists @ 7'4", and was planning on using some 4' tube style LED fixtures tucked up in the joists a little so they are flush with the bottom (so I don't lose any headroom), but I am now contemplating adding some plywood to the bottom of the joists for a "ceiling" strictly for the aesthetics.. I'm wondering how well recessed 6" can lights would work under there. Enough spill to get decent coverage?

The loft is 7' wide by 24' long - any idea how many I should put in?

I will have a workbench under there and will likely still run some 4 footers over the bench.

I have almost the identical set up loft 24 ft long 6 ft wide and 7ft3 in to the bottom of the joists with two work benches and all of my nut bolt bins etc under it. I tried can lights since I already had 4 cases of new can fixtures the wire I needed and plywood and half of the bulbs. It’s not worth the trouble it will take to many fixtures to get decent light plus the wire and plywood to hold them and potentially bulbs. I ended up buying 5 4 ft twin tube led that were linkable for a $100 or so that made it brighter with less shadows and everything was installed in a half hour or so.

 

[sparky 1971]

Just set a single gang box running the long direction of the room and in the center. Make it the long direction because once in a while, the fixtures aren't wide enough to cover the box if it's perpendicular to the fixture. You might have to nail a block in between two joists to make it happen. Just one box is all you need. Put it where it's easiest to get to from the switch. When it's time to put the fixtures up, if there isn't a factory knockout where you need one, drill a 7/8" hole and put a 1/2 "snap in bushing in there. Pull the wires through the hole and put the fixture up. There are slots in the inside top of strip lights. The end cap can slide in there half way. The next fixture can slide onto what's left of the end cap sticking out. Repeat for each fixture, the only fixtures that will have an officially installed end cap will be the first and last. Now you can pull the rest of the wires through the fixtures. It also helps to snap a chalk line down the center.

 

[Viper98912]

I know everyone likes strip lights on here, but I personally like can lights and have done it multiple times. Makes it look like a more modern, nicer area to be in. Now, if your shop is really just an old school shop and you like that rugged look, then sure. But I like the newer, cleaner look.

You may get shadows/dark spots against the walls if your lights are too far away from the walls. You may need to put rows closer to the walls than you think. Also, shadows are created when you only have 1 can light in a room or in a large area. Once you have multiples, the shadows go away because the next light next to it is lighting up the shadow.

Above your work bench, I still recommend another specific light just for that area.

 

[cfk]

I know everyone likes strip lights on here, but I personally like can lights and have done it multiple times. Makes it look like a more modern, nicer area to be in. Now, if your shop is really just an old school shop and you like that rugged look, then sure. But I like the newer, cleaner look.

You may get shadows/dark spots against the walls if your lights are too far away from the walls. You may need to put rows closer to the walls than you think. Also, shadows are created when you only have 1 can light in a room or in a large area. Once you have multiples, the shadows go away because the next light next to it is lighting up the shadow.

Above your work bench, I still recommend another specific light just for that area.

Have any pics?

 

[Viper98912]

Here's a few pix. No pictures of the workbench here, but it's basically some undercabinet lighting pucks underneath a shelf. In the corners of the walls, I also installed vertical led strip lighting. You'd be surprised how much the corner lighting also fills in any shadows, from floor to ceiling. This setup is definitely designed as more showroom + work area, rather than workshop + storage area.