What would you do for lighting in my tiny garage?

[yjWrangler]

First off, excuse the mess but it's a slow work in progress I'm hoping to maybe finish this spring. I'm looking to do some lighting upgrades with LEDs. With the door closed in here it's much less bright, especially the half near the door. It's 12 feet wide, 24.5 feet deep, and 7 feet high. There are:

• Two 4 foot fluorescent fixtures I'm thinking of changing to LED bulbs
• One 3 foot light hanging under the ducting I'm thinking of removing
• A plug in light I want to remove
• And a bulb socket in the wall I want to remove

Should I just put run the switched wiring for the bulb socket and add two LED fixtures width wise between the garage door and beam along with converting the other fixtures? Any other suggestions? Brand suggestions? I feel like it could be easy to over do it in here.

 

[CamMark]

I'm no lighting design expert, but I'll share what I've done.

I had fixtures similar to yours for a while in my garage. I tried a few different LED Conversion tubes as replacements. I think out of 12 twin-tube fixtures, three of the LED replacements burned out sooner than a typical florescent would have. I think those were name brand too!

After trying out some "V-style" "integrated tube" LED fixtures for the new shop I was so pleased with the value, results and ease of install I swapped out the original fixtures in the garage for a set too.

I went with the Hykolity brand that I found on amazon. There are several that all seem the same and probably are. But that brand name made me chuckle so...

they are pretty low power draw so you can link enough together to do surgery in a space your size.

 

[nadogail]

I am using those LED Screw in modules, they are bright and efficient.

 

[tarmy]

Spend a few bucks and get some decent LED strip lights. Makes a huge difference. Amazon has these Barrina light for 10 8’ strips for about 175 bucks.

 

[dave*99]

With 7’ ceiling consider using more fixtures with lower lumens. Fixtures are in your line of sight. If they are super bright they will be hard on the eyes.

Covered fixtures, frosted tubes etc. or look at 2x4 led panels. For even lighting with a low ceiling

 

[yjWrangler]

Spend a few bucks and get some decent LED strip lights. Makes a huge difference. Amazon has these Barrina light for 10 8’ strips for about 175 bucks.

These look pretty promising. Their 4' ones could be nice since I've got so much **** taking up half the ceiling already

With 7’ ceiling consider using more fixtures with lower lumens. Fixtures are in your line of sight. If they are super bright they will be hard on the eyes.

Covered fixtures, frosted tubes etc. or look at 2x4 led panels. For even lighting with a low ceiling

Think the Barrina ones could be decent? 4000K, 2200 lumens each

 

[bluedog225]

The light strips are pretty nice. Not one source of light so shadows are managed. If you ever go to Costco or similar, look behind the door.

 

[dave*99]

These look pretty promising. Their 4' ones could be nice since I've got so much **** taking up half the ceiling already

Think the Barrina ones could be decent? 4000K, 2200 lumens each

Are they frosted or covered?

 

[yjWrangler]

Are they frosted or covered?

Appears frosted

 

[Keb]

Spend a few bucks and get some decent LED strip lights. Makes a huge difference. Amazon has these Barrina light for 10 8’ strips for about 175 bucks.

@tarmy, if your lights are the ones I'm looking at, they aren't frosted. Do you have any problems with them being too bright with the low ceiling? I have an 8 ft ceiling. Do you recall if yours are the 9000LM?

 

[gleman]

These look pretty promising. Their 4' ones could be nice since I've got so much **** taking up half the ceiling already

Think the Barrina ones could be decent? 4000K, 2200 lumens each

I did the Barrina 6500k 4 foot tubes and they were a awesome investment. It's a world of difference working in the basement shop.

 

[driftpin]

I used Costco FEIT double 'bulb' 4' strips which can be 'daisy-chained' and am happy with the service life, brightness, and ease of installation.

You might consider what I did below the OH door track, so the area beneath the OH door is lit, door open or closed.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/florida-chapter-of-the-garage-journal-florida-garage-life.282974/page-104#post-10287441

I added one more two-light 4' fixture between the OH door tracks. The garage has multiple 4' lights in the back-half of the garage, not shown. They're screwed to the floor joists of the loft area which is located there.

 

[tarmy]

@tarmy, if your lights are the ones I'm looking at, they aren't frosted. Do you have any problems with them being too bright with the low ceiling? I have an 8 ft ceiling. Do you recall if yours are the 9000LM?

Yep, the 9000. Many folks post that they are too bright or they glare. I love the crisp white light and have never had any issues with glare. Mine are not frosted and that is the way I prefer it. That ceiling is about 8.5 feet so nearly same as yours. I have them under cabinet too for even more light on task.

 

[Keb]

@tarmy Awesome, thanks. That is what I was hoping to hear. How big is your space and how many are lights are you using (excluding the under cabinet)?

 

[tarmy]

@tarmy Awesome, thanks. That is what I was hoping to hear. How big is your space and how many are lights are you using (excluding the under cabinet)?

I think the garage is 20x24 and used all 10 of the 8 footers and 4 4 footers. Like I said, I like a lot of light.

 

[Keb]

I think the garage is 20x24 and used all 10 of the 8 footers and 4 4 footers. Like I said, I like a lot of light.

Cool, appreciate the info. Mine is 30x30 and i was thinking of going with 15 eight footers. Didn't know if that would be overkill.

 

[yjWrangler]

Just to update, I did the Barrina 4000Ks and I'm pretty happy so far