# Wood Shop Lighting



## LSGss (Dec 16, 2012)

Hello,

I am currently building a basement shop which is about 23' x 13'. Currently the basement is unfinished. I plan on putting in a drop ceiling later on. However right now I am focused on figuring out lighting. I was thinking about using recessed lights. I think they will work well with a drop ceiling and wont take up any additional room. There are some calculators available online that determine how many lights I should install. It seems like 8 with be okay but I was actually thinking of placing 12. I know some people are proponents of T8 light fixtures however they seem pricey and would be difficult to install with a drop ceiling.

Anyway those are my thoughts. I wanted to see if more experience people had some additional comments.

Thank you
Lenny


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

By recessed lights do you mean "Can Lights"?
If so, you will need 12 or more because they don't spread very much.

Can lights with what kind of bulbs? Incandescent bulbs are way less efficient than anything else you could install. LEDs are nice and they can sometimes be used in can lights, but they are very expensive right now.

T8s are about as cheap as you get. What are you comparing them to?

And the 3 and 4 tube 48" fixtures just drop into the grid of a drop ceiling. I don't see how they could be any easier.

T5s are a little more expensive but the light is really good and they last a long time.


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## LSGss (Dec 16, 2012)

Hello Crank49,

I do mean can lights. Right now the can lights are $10 each which would mean about 120 for all. To install T8 into a grid dont I need troffers? Also if I do get troffers I loose about 3-4 inches of ceiling space. I realize I will lose that when I install my drop ceiling but I was thinking of using something called ceiling link which installs right to the joists. Also I am not planning to put in a drop ceiling/ceiling link in for a while. I plan to put some lights up and work in the shop a later install a ceiling. That way when we get around to selling the house it will have a nice looking ceiling. What T8 do you recommend? And how many would I need for a shop that size. Thank you, Lenny


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## toddbg (Dec 21, 2013)

I would go with the parabolic troffers at the Borg.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-3-Light-White-Fluorescent-Parabolic-Troffer-2PM3NGB33218LD/202193186?N=5yc1vZc7buZwvZ1z1159x

If wanting 100fc of light at a 3' working height (if your ceiling is 10') you would need 8 of these and you would only lose 6" in height.


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## LSGss (Dec 16, 2012)

Sorry should have mentioned that my ceilings are 8 feet tall. Does that change how many lights to add. Thanks for everyone's help.


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

I thought 'pot lights' was the usual term for recessed lighting. I guess 'can lights' is the latest one.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

More expensive, but I am hoping in my new shop to put all LED lighting. Bigger cost initially, but better in the long run.


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## toddbg (Dec 21, 2013)

You would just need 6 with 8' ceilings
spacing would be 3.25' from the wall to center of fixture and then 5.5' from the back wall to the center of fixture.
then spaced 6' apart for the next two.


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## LSGss (Dec 16, 2012)

One last questions, what about can lights with CFLs in them,

Thank you


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

CFLs work in a can but you loose a lot of the efficiency of the CFLs. That is because a CFL, or any fluorescent light for that matter, radiates light in all directions. Much of what is radiated up and into the can is not very well reflected back down, and part of what does get reflected runs back into the bulb and is lost.

By comparison, LEDs only radiate light in one direction to start with. That is partially why they have such high efficiency. Also why they have so much glare.

I'm building a new shop right now, a 16' X 24' detached shop with 9 ft ceilings. I plan to use T5-HO two tube fixtures. My ceiling will be white painted masonite or OSB. My lighting plan includes some CFLs in special fixtures I'm designing for special task lighting in certain areas. The CFLs I use are 63 watts and put out the light equivalent of a 300 watt incandescent.


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## welcon (Dec 3, 2012)

You can never have too much lighting in a shop, I always hated working in shadows so when I built my new shop I installed 35-4' fluorescent fixtures with a total of 70-32 watt T-8 bulbs. My shop is totally lit up now. With installing a dropped ceiling in your basement you should think about a T bar ceiling and then you can eliminate some of the ceiling tiles and purchase drop in fixtures to take the place of the tiles. I have them in my basement and they are excellent.


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