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Discussion Forum

Recessed Light Spacing?

xosder11 | Posted in General Discussion on September 24, 2006 02:54am

 

I am going to be adding some recessed lighting in a kitchen with a ceiling height of 8′-4″.  The kitchen is rougnly 12 feet x 11 feet.  The 12 foot wall is where the sink, stove and cabinets will be.  I am planning to go with three 6″ recessed w/ 60w r30 bulbs on the cabinet side of the room about 40″ from that wall.  On the ohter side of the room I am going to install 2 more (there is a bump out in one corner hence only 2 lights on that side)  also spaced 40″ from the wall.  that should give me about 52″ between them. 

should I push them out closer to the walls or am I on target.  I know it’s incorrect and a common mistake to take a 12′ room and divide it into three 4′ sections because you get dark walls.  The spacing from the wall to the first light is usually about half the distance between lights right?

Could anyone help me  sort out my mess?  I just don’t want dark spots. 

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Replies

  1. rez | Sep 30, 2006 06:41pm | #1

    bump

    Andrew Clifford of Clifford Renovations, who serves as a steward of our history for future generations

    We can imagine something that only exists in our heads, in a form that has no measureable, tangible reality, and make it actually occur in the real world.  Where there was nothing, now there is something.
    Forrest - makin' magic every day

  2. Piffin | Sep 30, 2006 07:03pm | #2

    R-30 isn't much spread.

    Most - I get good lighting with from 30" to 40" spacing if doing a full room.

    But you have a different situation.

    #1 problem is that this is a kitchen with cabinets. at 40" ouit, you are creating a shadow from your head and shoulders on your wort space/hands. With a typical 12" wall cab and 25" top you want the can lights at about 20" from finished wall surface.
    Then fro distance apart, I like to compliment the wall cabinet layout, centering on a door or pair of doors if I can do it and maintain sopacing consistantly across that wall.

    In a hallway I found that 38" OC works good with an 8' cieling. with a higher cieling or greater radius light, you can spread out more, but may need higher wattage

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. xosder11 | Oct 01, 2006 08:50am | #4

      Thanks. Thats excellent advice.  I had not thought the shadow I will be casting on the work surface. 

      1. Piffin | Oct 02, 2006 04:32am | #6

        There are three kinds of lighting; task, ambient, and decorative.Yours is primrily task lighting, secondrily ambient.Task must always be oriented to the task it applies to. ( like form follows function)Something to keep in mind for the future. 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        1. mizshredder2 | Oct 02, 2006 02:05pm | #7

          What is the difference between "ambient" and "decorative" lighting?

          Maybe if I drink another cup of coffee, it'll become self evident? but right now, kinda going Hmmm?

           DUM SPIRO SPERO:  "While I breathe I hope"

          1. Piffin | Oct 02, 2006 02:15pm | #8

            ambient is general lighting that is just there for general non-speccific loations and purposes, like a bedroom cieling light or the light that just happens to be in the room from having windows in the day.Decorative - have you seen some of those fancy hotels that have lightsa on the ground, hidden in the bushes and projecting vertially to amplify every architechtural feature?Or a wall-wash eyeball light in the cieling pionting at a piece of art? Many lights are combo, but with a primary and secondary purpose. For instance, if I place a can light for task lighting as in the original here over the ccoutertop space, but center it an appropriate distncce on a nice wall cabintet, it becomes decorative also, as it creates shadow and light on the raise dpanel door there 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          2. mizshredder2 | Oct 02, 2006 02:21pm | #9

            AH! ok, the symbol for the lightbulb going off...in cartoon cloud above one's head...is found where in the book of famous Rez cartoons?   I thought I had it filed away here somewheres. <g>

            Seriously, thank you for that explanation.DUM SPIRO SPERO:  "While I breathe I hope"

          3. Piffin | Oct 02, 2006 11:10pm | #10

            As I get older and slower, I have to read aloud. That made it easier.
            That and the fact that 98.467% of Mister T's posts are - get ready to laugh ones 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  3. hasbeen | Sep 30, 2006 08:06pm | #3

    I agree with Pif about distance from the wall over counters and cabinets.

    I think your lighting plan is really minimal (or maybe you didn't tell the entire story).

    I'd suggest using halogens in 4" cans rather than the 60w bulbs in 6" cans. The 6" cans are better for area lighting and not as good for work space, IMO.

    I'd also highly recommend under cabinet lighting, if you haven't already planned it.

    More lights, with more options, with more types of light, with dimmers switches... you'll be happy later.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." Voltaire

    1. xosder11 | Oct 01, 2006 08:59am | #5

      There will be under cabinet lights. 

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