Imagine: you are going to do a little repair work in your garage or pack up your stuff. You just do not have any light! You go into a dark room where it is hard to see anything – all because the lighting system in your garage is either too weak or outdated.
To tell you the truth, this situation can now be found often even in most modern homes – as people just pay little attention to this problem.
Try to imagine how difficult and inconvenient it is to work with insufficient lighting. This problem can bring you not only discomfort but also injuries or accidental errors.
Nowadays you can find thousands of different lighting systems on the market that are ideal for your garage.
You may also like: 10 Best garage workbenches
They vary in area of use, brightness, number and type of lamps, as well as many other factors and criteria. We have decided to help you and tell you exactly what to consider when choosing your garage lighting system.
You may watch the following video for a better understanding of how to upgrade the lighting in your garage or shop
Brightness.
Of course, brightness is the most important criterion when choosing a lighting system. Any lamp has its own meaning in Lumen – it is a light measurement system.
A garage that does not have too much space and is needed for home use is best equipped with lamps at 3500 lumens. This value is enough for you to work comfortably.
You can also find a measuring system in watts. Depending on which type of lamp you choose, the number of watts consumption also depends.
Lamp type.
Let us move on to the type of lamp. The most common types are LED fluorescent and incandescent lamps. The most convenient and practical option is LED lamps – they are most often used in production facilities.
Incandescent lamps are a more economical option – since they use up to 60 percent less energy. If you are not going to be in your garage all the time, we do not think that saving money will be your main factor.
Lifetime.
Long lamp life ensures greater savings. If your light bulb has a long life, it will rarely need to be replaced, which means fewer maintenance costs. LED models have the longest lamp life, which is not the case with fluorescent models.
Color temperature.
Some people have sensitive eyes to light. If you feel uncomfortable going out or entering a brightly lit room, you should pay more attention to the color temperature of the lamp.
The lighting in your garage should be comfortable for long periods of work. If your eyes start to clatter from warm light, we recommend lamps with a value of 4000 Kelvin or more. All lamps below this value may be too dim.
Ease of installation.
If you are looking for a lighting system yourself, you will probably install it yourself. Of course, each system and lamp has its own user manual and installation instructions, but they may not always be easy to understand.
For self-installation, we would not recommend too complex systems – you can easily damage or ruin them.
Size.
Lamps and housings are rarely found over 50 inches long. Some lamps can accommodate several lamps at once, thus creating a complete system.
You should consider the area for which you are looking for lamps. For a small garage, you will need 3 or 4 lamps at most to light it. You do not need to buy too big lamps – they are more difficult to install and less convenient.
Other great garage lightings
1) Hykolity
If you have ever been interested in professional lighting, you may have heard of Hykolity. They are one of the best manufacturers of lighting fixtures, including for garages.
You can be sure of the quality of the product – as even electricians choose their products. This model can be easily installed in two ways – as a hanging device or by fixing the lamp to the wall or ceiling.
Bright light is what a professional garage needs. Installation is very simple, as everything you need is already included in the kit when you buy it. For example, you can immediately install all the mounting hardware, as well as the power cord.
Hykolity is an LED luminaire, so it also saves energy up to 75% compared to others. You can use it for 5 years and have a full warranty on breakdowns and replacements.
The manufacturer warns you that one lamp is designed for 7×7 feet. Calculate the required amount of Hykolity and order now – and soon your garage will light up with 4000 lumens.
You may also like: 10 Best garage shelving
2) Sunco Lighting
You may need more than just one light for the entire room. Sunco Lighting offers its customers the opportunity to create complete chains of lamps that will be connected to each other.
If you want, you can buy any number of lamps from this manufacturer – you only need to select the packaging you need. The luminaire is incredibly light in weight, so you can easily place them on the ceiling without assistance.
Sunco Lighting has all the necessary certificates and meets the standards required for professional lighting. Thanks to this, you have a 7-year warranty, which also gives you constant contact with the support team.
Some people use Sunco Lighting to grow plants and seeds to further decorate their gardens. Lamps are good for taking care of your plants. If you do not have this goal, just hang Sunco Lighting from the ceiling and work in a well-lit garage.
The lamps produce plenty of cold blue light that is pleasant to the eye and does not damage its brightness.
3) Tanbaby Garage Light
The Tanbaby Garage Light is a complete set of lamps. It has three adjustable light heads, which you can adjust as you wish. In total, you will get 6000 lumens, which is enough to light not the largest room.
The wide-angle light allows you to illuminate the entire garage with just one device. Each wing can change its direction by 90 degrees.
Of course, the main advantage of Tanbaby Garage Light is precisely the ability to deform the direction of light. You define the area that needs light.
By the way, the lamp saves energy, but it is also bright and comfortable enough for vision. The model has a special motion sensor – as soon as you move in the room, the light turns on immediately.
The light from Tanbaby Garage Light may even seem too bright to you – but there is plenty of light for you to enjoy. Even with prolonged use, the lamp housing is made of a temperature-resistant material.
4) LZHOME
LZHOME is another excellent 360-degree luminaire model. The garage luminaire should perfectly illuminate everything inside the room – only then will you be able to work in comfortable lighting.
Installation can take you a minimum of time – you just need to screw LZHOME in. One installation is enough to completely illuminate the room and you do not need to buy additional devices.
The aluminum panel is heat-resistant and will not be damaged by the temperature that can occur during heating. LZHOME has a long service life – in total, it reaches 50 thousand hours of operation without interruptions and shutdowns.
The deformable luminaire is an excellent solution for those people who want to spend minimum effort for complete lighting. Aluminum panels are large enough, and if you have already had similar luminaires, you will immediately notice it.
Larger panels provide more light diffusion. For such a small price, you will see all the dark corners of your garage and be able to illuminate them.
5) Amiluo Life Garage Light
You have to admit, blind spots are incredibly annoying when working. If your garage has a car zone, a work area, and even storage racks at the same time, the lighting problem is quite serious.
With Amiluo Life Garage Light, you can decide for yourself what you want to illuminate now. The range of light can vary from 90 to 360 degrees – you set the direction yourself. No blind spots!
Amiluo Life Garage Light is familiar to people who have already replaced light bulbs. You simply screw in the bulbs – preferably LED bulbs. The brightness of the LEDs is ideal for the garage.
You should be aware of safety regulations and do not touch the lamps when they are working – they heat up. You do not need to call a professional electrician to install Amiluo Life Garage Light.
Once installed, you get 80 watts of bright light that will not blind your eyes but will flood the whole room with light. This power is too bright for living spaces but great for garages and other areas where you need to do car maintenance or repairs.
6) Barrina LED T5
Do you need several sufficiently large and bright luminaires at once? Then we want to tell you a little about Barrina LED T5. This set consists of six luminaires at once, which you can combine into an entire lighting network.
It should be noted at once that with the brightness of one lamp of 2200 lumens it consumes only 20 Watts. It is incredibly low, taking into account that you will get a bright result and full lighting of the room.
LED luminaires consume 65% less than other lamps. You can easily install them yourself, and the set includes special latches. They are needed so that you can hang the lamps and start using them immediately.
You can connect all eight lamps in one system, but you should also consider the size of the room – you may not need the whole set.
Barrina LED T5 is ideal for garages, workbenches, and attics – places where you can repair. The only drawback you may notice is that the power cords are not long enough.
You may also like: 8 Best garage alarm systems
7) OOOLED
For the eyes, the best option in the work area is natural white light. OOOLED are excellent luminaires that provide you with 4800 lumens and complete lighting for your entire area.
As with other similar systems, you can connect several lamps together for better results and light a larger area. Your garage, basement or storage room will be fully illuminated and a 5-year warranty gives you the right to contact the manufacturer in case of any problems.
Mercury is not used in the manufacture of these lamps, so you will not have any ultraviolet radiation. For a more pleasant light, everything is made in a matt housing that slightly diffuses such bright light.
Installation can be done in two ways – fixing or hanging. For each method, there are additional details in the kit. You will need to drill several holes in the surface to install the fixings.
The whole process takes about 40-50 minutes – and this is for fixing several lamps at once. It is worth noting that OOOLED has a temperature range of -20 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees.
8) ACI Deformable Garage Light
ACI Deformable Garage Light is also a representative of adjustable garage lights. According to the standard, each of them is folded up to 90 degrees, and the illumination can be quite a large surface.
Unfortunately, this model consumes quite a lot of electricity – 80 Watts, but if you do not keep the light on 24/7, it will not be a problem for you. The bulbs that fit inside have a standard E26 and E27 socket.
The light you get is very bright – the triple luminaire provides 8000 lumens. Very bright lighting will not leave a single dark corner, and you can use only one installation for the entire garage.
The aluminum heads are adjustable, but it is best to set the lighting to 360 degrees – so the light will not hurt your eyes.
By the way, you do not need any special tools for installation – just screw ACI Deformable Garage Light into the standard socket of the luminaire. If you are not satisfied with something, you can return the money by contacting the manufacturer.
9) Lightdot LED Linear High Bay Light
Earlier we told you about adjustable and long luminaires. Lightdot LED Linear High Bay Light is different from them – because the body looks like a wide rectangle. This design scatters light well, evenly illuminating the entire room.
Targeted use allows you to immediately determine which place in your garage needs brighter light. 18,000 lumens is at your disposal – enough for an incredibly large garage.
For better light dispersion, there are special ventilation openings on the sides of the structure that diffuse the light more intensely. The milk light cover prevents the yellowing of light, which is so unpleasant to the eyes.
If you are worried about a little moisture, which may be in your garage, you can be calm – Lightdot LED Linear High Bay Light can work even in wet areas.
Operation is completely safe and the lamp will last you more than 50 thousand hours of continuous operation – the manufacturer guarantees it.
10) PrimeLights Light Fixture
Large rooms require serious light structures. PrimeLights Light Fixture is a one-piece housing that accommodates four standard long lamps.
They are all LED and operate in thermal daylight mode. Compared to fluorescent lamps, a one-piece installation consumes 40% less energy. You can replace the lamps yourself and easily.
The main difficulty you may have is the installation. PrimeLights Light Fixture has some wires upstairs that you will have to connect to your garage system yourself.
You should be careful, as it is dangerous. You should also fix the lamp firmly to the ceiling. You may not even install all bulbs – if you think that four bulbs will be too bright. The silver reflector inside the case amplifies the light you get.
The market today is simply overflowing with various lamps, luminaires, lighting systems and much more. When you face the problem of garage lighting, you realize that each model has its own functions and features that may suit you.
We recommend that you choose the models that will provide optimal light levels in your garage, ensuring a comfortable workflow. With a comfortable and pleasant lighting level, you can bring all your projects to life without problems.
FAQ for garage lighting buyers
1. Are LED bulbs brighter than conventional ones?
When comparing LED bulbs, incandescent bulbs, and fluorescent models, people often think that LEDs are much brighter and produce more light. This effect is created by the technology used to diffuse light.
LED luminaires are usually aimed at a certain object or area, thus not scattering light on unnecessary details. Other, more standard, lamps usually have a housing or plafond, which scatter light over a larger area and space.
2. Do I have to choose large lamps for lighting?
Depending on the size of the room you want to light, you will have to choose the size of the lighting system. Consider the size of the garage, as a bulb that is too small may not give you enough light.
Too large lamps will be unpleasant for your eyes – because the light will dazzle you when you work. The size also depends on the type of lighting system – horizontal or vertical.
3. Are there any temperature limits for garage lamps inside the room?
If you prefer to install fluorescent lamps, there are several factors to consider. Because of their low price, these lamps have temperature restrictions in the room.
They are not recommended for use in an unheated garage, as they lose their reliability during the cold season. For example, at temperatures below 50 degrees, more than half of fluorescent lamps can fail and even be damaged.
You may also like: How to equip a garage
4. Is it possible to get burned by touching a working lamp in the garage?
All lamp and lighting system manufacturers always warn you that you should be careful when using any type of lighting. For example, you are not insured against the risk of overheating the luminaire – in this case, the glass may just burst and hurt you.
Of course, this risk is minimal and such situations can only occur in extreme heat. If we talk about the risk of burns, LED lamps are less heated compared to competitors. In any case, it is not recommended to touch a working light source.
5. Is it worth choosing cooler lighting or preferring warmer tones?
Three standard light bulb color temperatures are distinguished. The light can be soft white, cold white or daylight. The soft white light colors everything a little yellow in warm tones.
These lamps are not very suitable for garages and work areas – better used in bedrooms or living rooms. For garages, daylight or cold white is the best solution – so you can see every detail without falling asleep from the light.