Summarize
- Lighting of staircases improves safety and aesthetics
- The Led strip is easy to install without major modifications
- The whole project can be completed for less than €600
- The installation steps include cutting, punching and fixing
- The result is stylish and the lighting is dimmable
Interior staircases are often left dark, requiring additional lighting afterwards. If there are no wall or ceiling light points, one effective way is to light the steps of the staircase. LedStore’s customer’s self-made staircase lighting was completed quickly and the customer was very satisfied with the end result. Typically, no modifications are required to wooden staircases, and the installation of the LED strip lighting can be done easily. To attach the rail, all you need to do is screw two screws per step, at the bottom of the step. If a socket is provided for the transformer, and the transformer is connected to it, the whole renovation can also be done by the consumer. The cost of the parts needed for this renovation was less than 600 euros. The LED power for 12 metres is 86W, and the lumens for the staircase are about 4 800.
Components and steps of staircase lighting
A 24V 7.2 W/m, 500 lumen/m Helmeile LED strip was used to illuminate the staircase. The light colour chosen was 4000K neutral white. The profile chosen was a low profile surface mounted 8x17x2500 brushed aluminium profile. The power supply was a 24V DC RF 100W transformer for wireless control, and the dimmer buttons were VaLO series one-piece buttons. The work steps were summarised as follows:
- Cutting aluminium profiles to the right lengths.
- Cutting Led strips to fit profiles.
- Soldering of connecting wires to LED strips.
- Fixing Led strips to profiles.
- Performance testing.
- Fixing the Led rails in place.
- Bumping the body line to the transformer.
- Power to transformer and pair to wireless buttons.
- Fixing the buttons in the desired position.
- Use can begin!
Cutting of aluminium profiles and punching of LED strips
The aluminium profiles were cut to the right length using a table saw. In the absence of a circular saw, the aluminium is also cut with a hacksaw. The profiles can be cut with a plastic cover. After cutting, the metal scraps inside the profile must be cleaned off so that the LED strip can be attached to a clean metal surface. When working on the strip, the cutting points of the strip, which are 7,2 W/m on the strip at 5 cm intervals, must be taken into account. The cutting points are identified by copper dots, which also act as punching points. In the case of a low-current product, the consumer can also carry out the soldering work himself. The surface of the LED strip has a transparent, thin and non-yellowing silicone coating, so a sharp knife should also be used to peel off the silicone coating at the punching point. The silicone is not attached to the strip, so it comes off nicely. The LED strip and cable are light, so a good way is to tape one or the other, the cable in the picture, to the substrate to make the alignment with the dots more stable.
Installing Led rails
Once the LED strips were wired, all the lights on the individual steps were tested by connecting them to the power supply one by one. The widths of the curved stairs varied, so the light rails on the steps were also numbered to make it easy to get them in the right order. The order of the rails was checked again when the rails were attached. The plastic clips supplied with the profiles were used. The clips were screwed on at intervals of about half a metre, and the rails fitted neatly into them. The Led rails and their wires are lightweight, so the fixing is very strong, even if only two clips are used per step.
The connecting cable was a two-core low-current cable, on which the wires of all the rails were twisted. This is the most labour-intensive stage of the project, as the soldering has to be done on site between the stairs or under the stairs. Once the joints were made, they were insulated with electrical tape and moulded with white conduit.
Between the stairs and reflected by the walls , the illumination of the LED steps raises the light level of the entire staircase considerably. In the picture, the lights are at their brightest. The lighting can also be dimmed continuously and easily according to mood and need. The dimmer has an internal memory, so it switches on at the brightness level left when it is switched off. The end result is very successful and elegant. The lights are not dazzling even when viewed from below, as the LED rails remain behind the front crossing of the steps.
If you are interested in lighting your staircase with an LED rail, you can contact us via our website, ledstore.fi, or by calling the store on 045 251 4510. The store is always staffed by at least two LED professionals. The store, where our warehouse is also located, can be found in Vantaa Koivuhaas at Mesikukantie 16, 01300 Vantaa. We make ready-to-install LED strip lighting at LedStore’ s LedPajka.
Take a look at the shop with the video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiQjH98gCSM
