You might be using the garage as a storage area or working space. Whatever the situation having proper lighting is necessary.
With proper lighting, you can easily navigate inside the garage. Besides, it will give much-needed lighting for some major areas in your garage such as the workbench and electrical appliances.
So, today I am hoping to give some modern garage lighting ideas.
Most people use fluorescent lights for garages. Also, you can use shop lights, flush mounting lights, CFL, or incandescent bulbs. However, remember to use the proper artificial lighting type for your garage too.
You might like to more inspect about modern small home office lighting ideas.
What Lighting is Good for Garage?
Most often, people use fluorescent lights as the lighting choice for their garage. It is a traditional thing.
So, if you are living in a cold environment, choose the fluorescent lights according to the temperature. However, for accent or ambient lighting, try to get lumens of 50 to 75 per square foot.
Areas of a Garage that Needs Proper Lighting
Before deciding on the type of lights, first, you should identify the areas of the garage that needs lighting. Here are some spots in your garage that needs proper lighting.
- If you use wall space to hang the garage tools, that hanging space needs proper lighting
- The workbench area needs good lighting
- For any electrical appliance
- Common storage areas of the garage
Top Modern Garage Lighting Ideas:
In this section, I am planning to give you some valuable modern garage lighting ideas. Depending on your requirement and liking, you can choose any method.
#Decide the Artificial Lighting Type
There are three types of artificial lights: ambient, accent, and task. Before jumping to any conclusion, let us learn about these three types.
01. Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting can recognize as the common lighting type that you can find in houses and commercial buildings. This type gives general illumination to the room or building.
These ambient lighting can be a floor lamp, wall sconce, recessed, or ceiling mounted.
Besides, you can adjust the brightness of these ambient lighting. Also, ambient light designs are easy to repair and cheap.
02. Accent Lighting
Most people know this accent lighting as highlight lighting. Accent lighting is commonly used to pinpoint the specific location of your home or commercial building.
For instance, you can use this ambient lighting for picture frames, art pieces, and many other spots. It is an excellent way to draw attention to a particular item or space.
You can use this lighting outdoor and indoors. When using accent lighting indoors, target spots such as living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. The best examples of accent lighting are low voltage lamps and chandeliers.
03 Task Lighting
The lighting that you use while doing an activity is known as task lighting. For instance, you can use this type of lighting while cooking, reading, or completing an indoor DIY project.
You can find task lighting in places such as desk surfaces or kitchen countertops. This type of lighting is great for the dining room or your garage.
Which Artificial Lighting Type is Suitable for My Garage?
From the above three artificial lighting types, you can use all three types for your garage.
Use task lighting for the workbench and some ambient lighting for general lighting purposes. Also, use accent lighting for the area that you want to highlight.
01. Security Lights for Outside
It is always a good idea to install some lighting fixtures on the outside of the garage. The best way is to place some security lights, and it will give your garage much-needed security and decoration.
You can find several types of security lights in the market. You can go one step further by installing some motion sensor security lights.
02. The wattage of the Bulbs
Depending on the type of garage, the lighting requirement might vary. This lighting requirement depends on the size of the garage.
For instance, if your garage is large, it is wise to choose lights or bulbs that have high wattage. Higher wattage means more brightness.
However, it might consume more electricity, but you will get proper lighting for your garage. That way, you do not need too many bulbs too.
Sometimes, good 4 or 5 bulbs will be enough to cover your entire garage. Even though your electricity bill goes up, the cost of bulbs and wires will reduce remarkably.
03. Use Bulbs That Has Higher CRI
Using bulbs that have higher CRI is an excellent method to light up your garage. But what is CRI?
CRI (Color Rendering Index)
Color Rendering Index is the measure of a particular light source’s ability to reveal colors.
With higher CRI, you will get a clear view of the garage items and spots. So, remember to use a bulb that has a high CRI value.
04. Natural Lighting
Most garages do not have any windows. That is the main reason for a garage being a dark and dull place. So, remember to open the doors to get some sunlight into your garage.
It is an excellent method to prevent damp spots in your garage.
On the other hand, if your garage has windows, remember to open them regularly.
How Do I Choose a Light Fixture for My Garage?
Usually, a garage is a dull and dark place. So, having a proper lighting fixture can change the entire look of your garage. But which light fixture should I choose?
If you are stuck on this question, do not worry about it. In this section, you will get all the answers you need. Having said that, here are some of the best modern light fixtures available in the market.
01. Shop Lights
Many considered these shop lights are a must-have lighting solution for a garage. You can find these shop lights in workshops and other commercial spaces.
These lights are new and improved versions of fluorescent lights. Besides, they are excellent for compact spaces.
Shop light provides a large amount of illumination, and they are cheap. Also, these lights consume a dwindling number of watts, and it will save some money for you.
Usually, a shop light is equipped with 4-ft fluorescent bulbs. They have a long-life span, and you can install and repair them effortlessly. Besides, these fixtures waste little light.
02. Flush Mount Lighting
When we talk about modern garage lighting ideas, we cannot leave out the flush mount lights. Having said that, installing flush mount lights in a garage or home is a popular option for most people.
These dome-shaped lights can be easily mounted on the ceiling.
Also, these super versatile fixtures are more of a decoration-type light, and they will surely increase the beauty of your garage. Flush mount lights are suitable for both indoor and outdoor uses.
These lights give ambient lighting which can be great for daily tasks. Apart from that, these lights come in many sizes, styles, and designs.
For instance, Semi Flush Mount Light is one of the popular flush mount lights in the market, and it has three lights.
Also, adjustable light heads are popular among people and an excellent choice for a garage. With this kind of bulb, you will be able to change the direction of the light fixture.
You can easily target the bulb to the garage’s focal points. Semi Flush Mount Light that has fabric shade is also an excellent option for your garage.
These kinds of bulbs will give you a very warm light.
03. High Bay Lighting
If you are looking for a light fixture to illuminate a large space, high bay lights are the best option.
Usually, the high bay lights are extremely powerful, and because of the powerful lighting, they are most suitable for places such as garages.
You will have to suspend the high bay light from the ceiling using a pendant, chain, or hook. It will give your garage a cool look.
Also, you can install them directly on the ceiling too. No chain or hook is needed. However, these light fixtures are designed to place on a high ceiling.
But you can suspend them even under a low ceiling, given that the room has enough height.
When it comes to illumination, high bay lights are considered one of the best options. These lights can brighten up large spaces and are suitable for commercial and industrial use.
One of the best advantages of high bay lights is uniform illumination. Because of this uniform illumination, every part of your garage will get the same amount of lighting.
So, you do not have to worry about dark corners. You can set these high bay lights with several types of fixtures such as LED lights, fluorescent lights, induction lights, and metal halide lights.
04. Fluorescent Lights
If you are looking for a lighting fixture that comes with high effectiveness and efficiency, fluorescent lights should be your choice.
A fluorescent bulb is equipped with a tube-shaped bulb that contains mercury vapor.
When the mercury atoms get ionized, the bulb starts to produce light. The glass tube contains phosphorus coating, inert gas, a set of electrodes, and mercury.
When it comes to efficiency, these fluorescent bulbs are three times more efficient compared to incandescent bulbs.
Besides, they have a long-life span and require a ballast to function.
The ballast maintains the level of electricity. However, the inside temperature of the bulb plays a significant role in its performance.
If the temperature drops below 50°C, the fluorescent bulb will stop working.
05. Compact Fluorescent Lights
These energy-saving bulbs are part of the fluorescent light family. However, they have unique features that separate these CFL bulbs from the rest.
These CFL bulbs were invented to replace the traditional incandescent bulbs. So, they are an excellent alternative to incandescent bulbs.
Anyway, CFL bulbs are great for garages and warehouses.
As you already know, these bulbs are highly energy-efficient and produce a natural type of lighting for your home or garage.
CFL bulbs last ten times longer compared to standard light bulbs. They have a life span of 10,000 hours.
However, the price of these CFL bulbs is little high, but you will surely save some money by consuming less electricity.
Besides, after purchasing a CFL bulb, you do not have to replace it for a long time.
06. Incandescent Light Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs are the most common type of light bulb used by people. They are suitable for bathrooms, bedrooms, and even terrenes.
Also, they are a popular selection for garage interior lighting. When it comes to energy, incandescent bulbs range around 40-100 watts.
How Many Lumens Do I Need for My Garage?
The recommended minimum lumens value for square feet is 50. Usually, a garage measures 400 square feet, given that you park two cars inside.
If that is the case, you will need at least 20000 lumens. However, depending on the size of the garage, the level of lumens might vary.
Garage Workbench Lighting Ideas
A garage workbench is a key place in your garage. You will be spending a lot of time on the bench doing DIY projects and repairs.
So, having proper lighting for the workbench is necessary. Here are some lighting ideas for a garage workbench.
01. Use a Proper Task Lighting
Using an appropriate task lighting fixture for your garage workbench will help you immensely. For instance, use a caged bulb including the wire connection and hook in front of the workbench.
Always keep the bulb and wires free. That way, you will be able to move the bulb and wires to any place.
02. Allow Natural Light
If possible, allow the natural light to come into the workbench area. Having some natural light is always good, and it is an excellent solution for damp places.
So, if your garage has windows, try to install the workbench close to those windows.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Fluorescent Lights Good for My Garage?
Yes, indeed. Fluorescent lights are an excellent choice for a garage. However, if the temperature drops below 50°C, fluorescent lights do not work.
For Cold Garage, What Kind of Lights Are Good?
If you own a cold garage, use LED lights. They work well even in cold garages. Besides, they work fine in extreme heat too.
Do I Need Professional Help to Install LED light Fixtures?
It depends on your skill level. If you have previous experience in such electrical projects, you do not need any help.
Final Thoughts
Whenever you choose light fixtures for your garage, consider the above talk-about points. Above modern garage lighting ideas will brighten up your garage nicely.