Perla IrishYour garage is a sanctuary. You spend countless hours toiling on your DIY projects, working on your car, and getting away from your wife.
When the sun goes down, you start to realize how poorly lit your garage is. One rinky-dinky lightbulb won’t cut it any longer. Light up your garage properly with these 5 tips to make your time in the garage timeless.
1. Calculate the Lumen Requirement
For a residential garage, you’re going to want to get 50 lumens per square foot. If you’re in a workshop, you’re going to want 300 lumens per square foot. A 450 car garage will require 22,500 lumens.
It’s important that you adequately light your garage when deciding your garage’s lighting layout. By knowing how many lumens you’ll need, you’ll be able to choose the best garage lighting for you.
2. Pick the Right Color Temperature LED
You’re going to want to stay within the range of 4500 Kelvin to 6500 Kelvin. Any lower and you’ll start to get too many shadows, and any higher you’ll get a bluer tint in your garage. 5000 Kelvin is what is comparable to direct sunlight.
The great thing about LEDs nowadays is that many of them offer an adjustable colour temperature. If you find that you would rather go to the cooler end of 6500 Kelvin, you can easily adjust your lighting with a switch of a button.
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3. Don’t Forget About Secondary Lighting
When you’re choosing your garage’s layout, you’re going to want to pick up secondary lighting. The benefit of secondary lighting is getting light exactly where you need it like under your cabinets.
You can also pick up a work light if you’re a woodworker or work on intricate projects like woodworking or working on an engine. Secondary lighting gives you the flexibility of getting the light right where you need it when you’re working in your garage.
4. The Outside Needs Lighting, Too
You’re so excited about lighting the inside of your garage, did you even think about the outside? Your wife is gonna get upset about that one! Pick up waterproof LED’s that will add a unique aesthetic on the outside of your garage.
The worst thing is coming home late at night and not being able to see your keys! With outdoor lighting, you’ll be able to easily spot your home and anything or anyone that may be lurking about.
5. Lighting is an Investment
The upfront cost and time can be a bit daunting when it comes to lighting up your garage. The biggest benefit is how clearly you’ll be able to see your entire garage at any time of the day. You’ll be able to spend an unlimited amount of time in there!
Another thing is that most LEDs are rated for up to 50,000 hours of continuous usage. Even if you spend every waking hour inside of your garage, it will be a while before you replace your lighting.
Some are even rated for 100,000 hours meaning it’ll be quite some time before you need to replace them!
Conclusion
Your garage will be properly lit before you know it. It will take some time however to pick the exact lighting layout and lighting fixtures you’re going to need. Take your time with it, it is your garage after all.
You’ll be glad that you spent a bit of time and effort getting your garage lit properly. The difference is going to be night and day, literally!
Invest in your garage, your home, and your enjoyment by getting the best lighting possible out of your garage.
