Summarize
- Led strip lights are popular as modern lighting solutions
- They are thin, energy efficient and easy to install
- Led strip lighting is used in a wide variety of rooms
- Dimmable LED strip lights provide adjustable lighting
- DIY projects with LED strip lights are fun and rewarding
Led strip lighting has gained popularity in recent years and has taken its place in the modern lighting era. Led strip lights are an excellent choice for ceiling or wall lighting due to their slim and long shape. Their features and benefits make them an excellent choice for all kinds of lighting needs. In this article we will go through the features, benefits, applications, installation and selection of LED strip lighting, as well as their use in decorative lighting and energy saving.
Features and benefits of Led strip lighting
The features and benefits of Led strip lighting are undeniable. They are thin, long and easy to install. Led strip lights are also very bright, if required, and come in a variety of colours and adjustments. They are also highly energy efficient and durable.
The use of Led strip lighting is a sustainable solution. Led strip lights last up to 50 000 hours, which is significantly longer than traditional fluorescent solutions.
Why led strip lights are a good choice for ceiling or wall lighting
Led strip lights are an excellent choice for ceiling or wall lighting for many reasons.
They are slim and long, so they are ideal for narrow spaces where a traditional light may not fit.
Led strip lights can also be used for decorative lighting and can easily be used for indirect lighting, adding to the ambience of a space. The energy efficiency of LED strip lighting is also a big advantage, as it saves a lot of energy compared to traditional lighting technologies.
Many applications of Led strip lighting
Led strip lighting can be used in a wide range of applications. They can be used as ceiling or wall luminaires, as a direct light source or as an indirect light source.
The use of Led strip lighting for do-it-yourself projects offers opportunities. So make your own Led strip light. Led strip lights can be used in different rooms such as bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and work areas.
Installing Led strip lighting as a ceiling or wall luminaire
Installing a Led strip light as a ceiling or wall light is easy, as long as you know the tools, materials and installation instructions. Before installation it is important to do some preparatory work and ensure that the installation site is flat, of course the LED strip light and mounting profiles will bend to any shape.
During the installation phase, it is important to pay attention to the bending direction of the strip, as LED strip lighting is only usually designed to bend in one way, so get the right product in the right place to avoid damage during installation.
Tools and materials needed
The installation of Led strip lighting is quick. Before installation, it is important to ensure that all the necessary tools and materials are available.
The tools needed include:
- tape measure
- a small hacksaw or scimitar
- cutters
- screwdriver with small tip
- small screws
- possibly soldering iron and tin
Materials needed:
- led striplight
- Leadership
- power supply
- control devices (RGB/CCT or wireless light control)
- aluminium profiles
Preparatory work before installation
Before installation, it is important to do some preparatory work. The installation site should be thoroughly cleaned and dried. If the Led strip is used outdoors or in damp areas, it is important to choose a strip that is water resistant.
Measure and mark the actual installation location and the positions of the aluminium profile brackets.
Steps for attaching a Led strip light
- Mounting a Led strip light as a ceiling or wall light is easy.
- Screw the aluminium profile brackets in place, typically at 50 cm intervals.
- Cut the aluminium profiles to the correct size, leaving a couple of centimetres for the LED strip joint inside the profile.
- Prepare the LED strip:
- note the points where the ribbon is cut at 5 cm or 10 cm intervals.
- If you have bends, or the fixture you are making is longer than a typical 5 metre roll, solder the extensions.
- Run a long enough connecting cable from the led strip to the transformer
- Installation of a short (less than 2.5 m) LED strip light:
- clean grease and dust from the aluminium base
- Attach the led strip to the profile by removing the led strip tape
- close the profile cover and ends
- fix the profile to the brackets
- Run the cable to the transformer or control device
- Installation of a long (over 2.5 m) LED strip light:
- clean grease and dust from the aluminium base
- fix all the profiles to the ceiling or wall in a pre-fabricated manner, placing one bracket where the profiles meet
- fix the led strip to the profile by removing the tape from the led strip
- close the profile cover and ends, first placing the short cover over the longer profile so that the profiles do not meet at the same point as the cover.
- Run the cable to the transformer or control device
- Once you have connected the LED strip light to the transformer or controller and checked the wiring, you can plug the transformer into the socket and make the necessary pairing if you are using wireless control.
Ceiling or wall light design with Led strip light
The basics of interior lighting
Interior lighting is an important part of the look of your home. The lighting should be functional, but also visually pleasing. Interior lighting should take into account the size, purpose and style of the room.
Size: if the room is large, there should be enough light
Purpose: Does the light create an indirect atmosphere or an effective working light?
Style: do you want indirect light from the wall? Will there be modern linear lighting or a halo? Do you want the light to break up space, for example at a doorway?
Designing lighting according to the needs of the room
The design of lighs should always be made according to the needs of the room. The number and location of luminaires will be influenced by the purpose and size of the room.
The light requirements for task lighting are significantly higher than, for example, mood lighting in a living room. Should light be a safety factor, for example on stairs or in a corridor? Is the light for domestic or public use?
How Led strip lighting can improve the appearance of a luminaire
Led strip light can be used in a ceiling or wall luminaire to enhance the appearance of the luminaire. Old lights can also be modified and equipped with LED strip lights. The different colour options of the Led light strips allow you to create different atmospheres and highlight the design of the luminaire.
It’s all about imagination, how the LED strip light can be used. The only limitation of the LED strip light itself is usually the placement of the transformer. Will it fit into the old lamp or will it be moved further away with a plug?
Choosing a Led strip light for ceiling or wall lighting
Basics of choosing a Led strip light
The choice of a Led strip light is influenced by many factors, such as:
- intended use
- light output
- colour options
Before you make your choice, it’s a good idea to find out what type of strip is best suited to your lighting needs, and what type of lighting control system you have in your home.
Choosing a Led strip light according to the style of the room
When choosing a LED strip light, it is also good to take into account the style of the room. For example, modern interiors can use cold colours and sharp shapes, while soft tones and rounded shapes are more suitable for romantic interiors.
For a more modern look, you can use light lines in the ceiling to provide direct general lighting, or even bold upright light strings on the wall.
For a more traditional or romantic style, indirect lighting solutions and rounded-edge drop ceilings are better.
How to choose the right Led strip light brightness
The brightness of the LED strips is selected according to the lighting needs of the room. In general, the brightness of the bands is expressed as the amount of lumen. In practice, the brightness of the strip can also be adjusted with a dimmer. If you have a dimmer or colour control, always take too much light rather than too little.
Led strip light wattages:
- 7.2 W per metre is enough to light an atmospheric wall light
- 14,4 W per metre and upwards while doing general lighting
Please note that if you want coloured lights or CCT adjustable LED strip lights, their wattages are usually lower than those of monochrome LED strip lights.
Use of Led strip light as a ceiling or wall light to save energy
Energy efficiency of LED strips
The energy efficiency of LED strips is a significant advantage over traditional lighting solutions. They consume much less energy and last much longer.
In many cases, new lights can be made from old fluorescent lamp bodies by attaching an LED strip instead of a fluorescent tube. The body of the light is always metal and as such acts as a cooler for the LED strip light. The amount of light per Watt produced by a Led strip light is double that of a fluorescent tube.
How Led strip lighting helps save electricity
As mentioned, the energy efficiency of LED strip lights helps save electricity, as they consume significantly less energy than traditional lighting solutions such as fluorescent tubes. The energy savings can be up to 80% compared to fluorescent tubes, because in addition to fluorescent tubes, you can get rid of chokes that continuously consume so-called “green energy”. “parasitic”.
The energy savings are significant, so the use of LED strip lighting can significantly reduce electricity bills.
Use of Led strip lighting for decorative lighting
The role of decorative lighting in interior design
Decorative lighting is an important part of interior design. It creates atmosphere and enhances the look of the space.
How LED strips can be used for decorative lighting
LED strips can be used in a wide range of decorative lighting applications. They can be used, for example, to illuminate a cupboard or a level, or to accentuate the shape of a room or the height of a structure.
How Led strip lights can add atmosphere to a room
Led strip lights add to the ambience of a room by illuminating different parts of the space and highlighting, for example, one wall and its materials. Led strip lights can be used to create different atmospheres, for example with colour variations and lighting intensity or CCT settings.
By adjusting the light to a cooler shade (5000K) you can increase your alertness, while a warmer shade (3000K) helps you relax and fall asleep.
Do-it-yourself project: make your own Led strip light
The benefits of a do-it-yourself project
Making a DIY project can be fun and rewarding. It gives you the opportunity to create something unique and unique. Making your own Led strip lighting is also a good way to save money compared to buying ready-made luminaires.
Materials and tools needed
To make a Led strip light, you need Led strip light, wire, power supply, aluminium profile, cutters and a screwdriver. Materials and tools may vary depending on the requirements of the project.
And, of course, the materials you were going to use to make the lamp. You can make a lamp out of an old spinning wheel or a trolley wheel. As you can see from the picture, the use of the LED strip light is limited only by your imagination!
Connecting Led strip lighting to dimmers
Why a dimmable Led strip light is a good choice
A dimmable Led strip light is a good choice, as it allows you to adjust the intensity of the light as needed. The dimmable ribbon is particularly suitable for mood lighting and creates a pleasant atmosphere. As mentioned earlier, it’s always better to choose the light intensity above, as then you’ll have enough light when you need it, but the dimming will still allow you to have the right level of light at any time.
And you’ll also save electricity, because less light = less energy consumption = lower electricity bill. In addition, the LED strip light lasts longer when not used at full power and also gets hotter. Similarly, transformers last longer at lower loads.
Led strip light dimming options
The Led strip light can be dimmed with different dimmers, such as a TRIAC wired dimmable power supply or a separate dimmer or wireless Zigbee solutions.
The use of a dimmable LED strip light always requires a dimmable power supply and dimmer.
How to connect a Led strip light to a dimmer
The Led strip light can be connected to a dimmer by selecting the appropriate dimming power supply and dimmer. The wirelessly controlled and dimmable power supply is connected to the strip with connectors and plugged into a socket.
Wired dimming is often electrical work and therefore requires an electrician to be called in.
Led strip lighting maintenance and servicing
How to clean and maintain Led strip lighting
The LED strip light profile can be cleaned with a damp cloth or by vacuuming lightly. Careful cleaning will keep the light from the LED strip light bright and intact.
How to extend the life of a Led strip light
The life of a Led strip light can be extended by ensuring that it does not overheat and that it has sufficient airflow around it. Cooling is always done by installing it in a heat conducting material, such as led aluminium profiles. Led cannot withstand heat.
- The tape must not be bent too much or stretched during installation.
- It is also a good idea to keep the LED strip light clean from dust and moisture.
- Use only moisture-resistant IP65 LED strips outdoors.
Use of Led strip lighting in different rooms
Led strip lighting in the bedroom
In the bedroom, Led strip lighting can be used for example for bed head lighting or wardrobe lighting. As mood lighting, it creates a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere.
A popular solution is to use an indirect LED profile on the wall or ceiling to create indirect light in the bedroom.
Led strip lighting in the living room
In the living room, Led strip lighting can be used to illuminate, for example, a TV stand or a bookcase. It creates a cosy and pleasant atmosphere in the living room.
If you want direct general light from the ceiling, make a strip ceiling in the living room and install a LED strip light between the strips.
Led strip lighting in the kitchen
In the kitchen, the Led strip can be used for lighting a worktop or cupboard, for example. Practically, it makes it easier to work in the kitchen and I see baking.
By installing an LED strip light on top of your kitchen cabinets, you create a moody atmosphere at the same time.
Summary
The use of Led strip lighting as a ceiling or wall light offers many advantages over traditional lighting solutions. They are energy-efficient, long-lasting and versatile in their applications. When choosing a Led strip light, it is a good idea to take into account the style of the room, the lighting needs and the brightness of the strip.
Making a DIY project with Led strip lighting is fun and rewarding, and combining Led strip lighting with dimmers allows you to adjust the intensity of the lighting as needed. The use of Led strip lights in different rooms allows you to create a pleasant and atmospheric atmosphere throughout your home.
LED strip lighting specialist
LedStore has been an expert in led lighting since 2010. We have our own product design, so our products are technologically state-of-the-art.
We focus on light colour temperature controlled and high colour rendering index lights. We do around 500 lighting designs in a year.
We offer a service of custom made led strips, i.e. custom made led light strips in profile. Also installed.
Remember that we are always ready to offer our help to you along the way, by email (myynti@ledstore.fi) and by phone (045 251 4510).
As always, feel free to share photos of your own projects on social media at ledstore.fi at Instagram and ledstore.fi at Meta. We love to see the cool things done by our LEDs, and it also helps to provide inspiration for those who are not sure about the power and awesomeness of LEDs. Did you know that we already have over 3 500 pictures of our LED installations in our Gallery!
Led Lights Gallery:
Product gallery: Pictures of products in different installation locations
Indirect light: Indirect light in different spaces
Room-specific: Light in different rooms
References: Complete houses that have been photographed
