Since unfinished basements are often damp and cold, fluorescent tube lights should probably be avoided. The Build Direct blog advises you steer clear of bare incandescent bulbs. They provide a harsh, yellow light that isn’t welcoming. Instead, opt for soft white bulbs that provide a warmer light.

What kind of lighting is best for basements?

For a basement, ambient lighting is often best achieved through recessed ceiling lights (aka — can lights, high-hats or downlights). Track lighting is an alternative to recessed lights, and it can be more budget-friendly especially if you are trying to fit ambient lighting in a finished space.

How bright should basement lights be?

You should look for 75 to 100-Watt incandescent lamps, but we want to stop thinking of lights in terms of wattage, so let’s look at Lumens instead. For the newer lamps, that means you want lights with a Lumen output of 800-1200 Lumens (typically a 13-Watt LED will yield within that range).

What color light is best for basement?

Cool white bulbs give off a friendly and inviting light that is perfectly suited for high-traffic areas of the home including living rooms, kitchens, basements and playrooms. Cool white light is also ideal for reading and completing tasks.

How do you install an unfinished basement light?


Quote from Youtube video: So they're all going to be in line so all these lights are going to be in line. And this row over here all of these lights are in line. Another way to do it it's kind of staggered the lights.

How do I get natural light in my basement?

How To Bring Natural Light Into A Basement

  1. Consider A Solar Tube. These are tubes that feed natural light directly into your basement. …
  2. Install Light Wells. …
  3. Choose Feature Lighting. …
  4. Extend Ceiling Heights. …
  5. Glass Doors. …
  6. Design Details.


How do I plan my basement lighting?

It’s very easy to figure out how far apart to space your lights. Take the height from floor to ceiling, divide that by 2 and use that number as the spacing for your basement lights. If your ceiling is 8′ above the floor, divide 8′ by 2 and your lights should be spaced approximately 4′ apart.

How many LED lights can be on a 15 amp circuit?

Assuming a 60 watt light, you can put up to 24 lights on a 15 amp breaker. If you are using low-wattage LED bulbs, an LED bulb using 10 watts, you can install up to 150 bulbs on a single circuit.

How do you light a low ceiling basement?

What is the best lighting for low ceilings? Flush-mount lighting or close-to-ceiling lights are the best for low ceilings. If you combine that with recessed lighting, then you’ll have function and form.

How do you wire LED lights in a basement?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So what I'm gonna do. Take this wire here which travels off to the other three fixtures. And we're going to tie that on with these two wires which is the wire coming from the switch.

How do you daisy chain basement lights?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Then you run your cable that you've run from the controller. To the light fixture. Now one side is marked and then one side is marked out. So you put your light wire this is rum in the inside.

What are wafer lights?

Wafer Lights are thin, low profile fixtures that come in a number of shapes and sizes. Their narrow profile allows them to be used in for new or retrofit applications.

How long do LED wafer lights last?

Instead, they’ll slowly dim until they become too dim to provide enough light. Led lights can stay effective for up to 50,000 hours, which is approximately fifty times longer than a regular bulb.

Do LED wafer lights get hot?

Answer: While LEDs run much cooler than incandescents, their electronic components and external heat sinks do get quite hot; you would still need to keep the insulation away from your fixtures.

How many wafer lights do I need?

Total wattage divided by 60 watts (or whichever wattage you select) = total amount of recessed can lights. Example: 240 square foot room x 1.5 = 360 divided by 60 (the bulb wattage I’d like to use) = 6 recessed lights needed.

Can you have too many recessed lights?

It often seems that installing recessed lights is a cure all, but they cannot properly wash light upon walls and all dark corners, which would bounce reflective light into the room. In fact, using too many recessed light may leave areas of your room dark and may even cost you more on your electric bill.

What is the difference between can lights and recessed lights?

Recessed lights, also known as can lights, are described as metal light housings installed in the ceiling for a sleek look that gives you back your ceiling. Their diameter generally varies from 3” to 6.”