All an Area of a Wall That Is Recessed for Art or Similar to Display

Cans. Loftier hats. Spotlights.

Whatever you call recessed lights, they're some of the most versatile lighting options out there—whether you're using them for downlighting, wall lighting or uplighting (yes, you can fifty-fifty recess lights into the ground).

They're peachy for providing ambience light in a multifariousness of residential and commercial spaces, besides as accent lighting to highlight piece of furniture, artwork or the wall itself. With and so many different applications and looks, it'due south tough to know where to begin…

This guide will give you the rundown on what you need to know near getting the correct recessed lights for your needs and incorporating them into your space.

Types of Recessed Lighting

They usually go in ceilings, but you tin can stick them in walls and in the basis also.

Ceilings: The most common use of recessed lighting, and what we'll focus on here, is recessed downlighting from the ceiling.
Walls: When recessing a calorie-free into a wall, you'll desire to apply an angled flange to straight your light downwards to illuminate a pathway or onto steps.
In Footing: Normally used in outdoor applications to iluminate a pathway or uplight landscaping.

The Components

A recessed low-cal consists of 2 components – the housing and the trim.

The housing is what is recessed into the ceiling/wall/ground and consists of the calorie-free source, mounting and other electrical parts.

The trim is what's visible to people in the room and gives the light its aesthetic and, depending on what you cull, can exist used to direct the beam if you're spotlighting artwork or "wall washing." (More on that later on.)

Good TO KNOW: Trims and housing are sized to correlate with one some other, so make certain you've got a lucifer when purchasing both together.

Selecting the Housing

What housing you cull starts with knowing whether it volition be used in new construction or a remodel.

New Structure

New structure housings are specifically designed for locations with visible ceiling joists and without drywall–usually that'due south new construction, only these can be used for remodels if yous're gutting the space.

Remodel

If joists are non exposed, or if you want to upgrade your current system to LED, a remodel housing is appropriate. These housings are installed through a modest opening in the ceiling and held in place with clips.

Retrofit

Playful and retro, like a piece of pop art.

You may besides consider a retrofit housing, arguably the most economic option. An existing trim is removed from its housing, and the retrofit is fastened to the housing with clips.

When and Where to Use Recessed Lighting

Sometimes you want ambience or full general lighting, sometimes you want to focus your lite on a piece of fine art or create an effect similar "wall washing."

Ambient/General Lighting: When you want to burnish up a room that sees a lot of traffic like your kitchen or living room.
Accent/Spot Lighting: If you have a focal point like a piece of art or fireplace mantle that you want to spotlight. The optimal angle to reduce glare when spotlighting fine art is 30 degrees.
Wall Washing: By placing your recessed downlighting near a wall–finer bathing it in light–you're billowy light into a space in a less harsh manner than straight downlighting.

Adept TO KNOW: Whenever possible, add a dimmer to your recessed lighting to gain more control of your lighting scheme.

Selecting the Trim

Choosing the right recessed lighting trim comes downwardly to your aesthetic taste and desired event.

Choose a flangeless trim to fit seamlessly with the surface, or a flanged trim for a more prominent look.
A square discontinuity for a more mod look, or a circular one for a more archetype aesthetic…
A bevel trim for depth, or a flat trim for a minimalist finish.

In addition to aesthetic differences, there are a diverseness of functional differences between trims that customers should look out for in their search.

Moisture location trims are advisable for areas where water could come up in contact with the trim, such as a shower or sauna. Damp location trims are suitable anywhere else.
Adjustable trims are suitable for sloped ceilings or walls that will be washed; otherwise, fixed trims are the fashion to go.
Of the adjustable trims, directional trims requite the most flexibility in directing low-cal while gimbal trims notwithstanding offering enough of flexibility, but non quite as much.
Open up reflector trims emit the highest amount of uncontrolled light possible, while baffle and specular trims reduce glare.

Selecting the Lamp

Lamps are ordinarily sold separately from the housing and trim. Most lamping in recessed lighting today is integrated LED—no bulb needed. Simply if you lot're working with not-LED recessed lighting, there are enough of different styles of lamps to fit the specifications of whatsoever configuration.

The A Lamp is the most common blazon of lamp, useful for a multifariousness of applications. It has no glaring weaknesses, nor exceptional strengths.
Perfect as spot, alluvion and display lights, R Lamps contain a reflector and excellent beam control.
With their long beams and wide spread, PAR Lamps are first-class for task lighting, equally well as general lighting.
MR16 are ideal for accent lighting due to their excellent beam command.

Basic Rules of Thumb for Downlighting Size and Spacing in Each Room

Each room is designed for a dissimilar purpose, then information technology follows suit that the size, lumens, color temperature and spacing will be slightly different then to provide ideal lighting in its all-time form.

Bathroom
High ambient light required

2-inch – 3.five-inch trim size.

700-1200 Lumens per light

2700-3000K colour temperature

Narrow or spot axle spread

2' to 3' of infinite between each calorie-free

Wet location trims

…And Now a Note on Voltage and Ratings

Co-ordinate to the National Electrical Lawmaking (NEC), housings must be IC (insulation contact) rated if the housing is installed less than 3" from the location'due south insulation. Non IC-rated housings are acceptable when they are installed iii" or more away from the insulation.

It'south of import to determine the correct voltage for your housing. The most common voltage in America is 120V, though some commercial spaces use 277V, and international spots typically use 220V. In one case the voltage has been determined, you lot can choose whether the housing will be line voltage, low voltage or integrated LED.

Wired in 120V, line voltage housings are easy to maintain and have a lower upfront cost, although replacing old lamps and parts will add more toll in the long run.
Low voltage housings offer 12V or 24V – while the voltage is lower, these housings provide greater control over the lite colour, quality and dimming.
Integrated LED housings provide the most control over the light and dimming, they have low maintenance costs, and they are the most energy efficient. The biggest downside is that once the LED bulb goes out, the unabridged unit of measurement volition take to be replaced.

Now that you know how to choose your recessed lighting, it's fourth dimension to actually practice information technology. Shop YLighting's recessed lighting for the best in mod lighting.

johnsondecten.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.ylighting.com/blog/how-to-choose-recessed-lighting-trims-spacing-and-downlighting/