Shop Lighting Layout

[Jason28]

We've decided to build a garage and add an attached shop in the back. Does anyone know of a good lighting layout tool to help decide on how many fixtures we need?

[sweensdv2]

What will be the size of the shop? My shop is 13' x 23' and I run two banks of two bulb 8' T8 Daylight florescent lights. This setup along with individual magnetic lights for the drill press and bandsaw works very well for me.

[Admiral]

I'm sure there is some sort of lumens per sq ft calculation out there, but I just kept it simple by adding $12 Walmart fixtures until I found I had enough light; just run a switched dedicated 20 amp lighting circuit along the center of the ceiling with quad outlets at 6 foot intervals, 3 foot from each end wall. My basement shop is 18 x 40 and that worked for me. Those Walmart shoplights will last about 10 years but are easy enough to replace. Some of mine are over 20 years old and still going strong. I've had less luck with those sold in Home Depot and Lowes for some reason.

[Lynden]

Have you seen this article?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/content.php?...ck-Lindsey

[FloridaRetiree]

I'm sure there is some sort of lumens per sq ft calculation out there, but I just kept it simple by adding $12 Walmart fixtures until I found I had enough light; just run a switched dedicated 20 amp lighting circuit along the center of the ceiling with quad outlets at 6 foot intervals, 3 foot from each end wall. My basement shop is 18 x 40 and that worked for me. Those Walmart shoplights will last about 10 years but are easy enough to replace.  Some of mine are over 20 years old and still going strong.  I've had less luck with those sold in Home Depot and Lowes for some reason.

Good general reply, . . . IMHO!

HOWEVER!, nowadays fluorescents are not the economical first choice save all they used to be; and other new type of fixtures can make your shop much much more pleasant to work in.

[teetomterrific]

With these lights you can plug them in end-to-end with the included adapter. I put two rows in end-to-end in my shop and it is amazingly bright, (24'x36' w/10' ceiling)

Lowes: Utilitech Pro Strip Shop Light (Common: 4-ft; Actual: 3.23-in x 48.03-in) Item # 595685 Model # MXL2005-LED2X20K840

[Steve N]

I'm an advocate of no shadows anywhere in the shop, and keep adding lights until they are gone. Some corners are darker than others due to what is kept in them, wood storage areas are very dark due to mass, so more light there. I think the best answer will come from trial and error. A light fixture like Tom suggested where you can plug link them together is a plus for that.

That said I believe all lighting to be Chinese anymore, even if it isn't, so it's cheap, and with that in mind spending more than 50 bux for a fixture is crazy money, because they may last 3 weeks. I go for Menards $9.99 a light, when they are 11% off, and if the Gods are smiling, on sale. One goes bad, it's on the dump pile, and another just like it is plugged right in