Choosing The Most Efficient And Elegant LED Fitting For Any Type Of Ceiling
It goes without saying that ceilings are not built the same for every structure, and so the light fixtures that can be installed on them would depend on the way it was designed and constructed. Taking time to learn about the fixtures that fit well into your existing ceilings or renovation plans can help prevent costly mistakes and make sure that you get the most efficient and elegant lighting for your budget.
When choosing LED light for ceilings, you will want to look for fixtures that provide a comfortable and even light distribution with the appropriate lumen output for the ceiling height and the room size. There are 3 main things to consider when choosing ceiling lights:
1. Ceiling Construction: The method of installation for the LED fitting will vary depending on the height and method of construction of the ceiling.
2. Task: Consider what intensity of lighting you need – task lighting, ambient lighting, or accent lighting should all be considered when selecting ceiling lights.
3. Style: The style of the ceiling lights should match the overall design of the space. Consider different materials, shapes, sizes, and colors to find something that fits the interior.
Main (Structural) Ceilings
Main (structural) ceilings are the most basic ceiling type that consists only of the concrete slab with no other materials added. This ceiling type is common in low-rise buildings and apartments.
The recommended LED light fittings for main (structural) concrete ceilings are the track, pendant, and flush-mounted.
Track lighting is a great choice for concrete ceilings as it offers adjustable, directional lighting that can be used to highlight specific areas of a room.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into track lighting fixtures.
Flush-mounted lights can also be used for both task lighting and ambiance. Flush-mounted lights are installed directly to the ceiling, giving them a recessed, streamlined look. Semi-flush lights are slightly recessed but still hang down from the ceiling with a short stem or cord. They provide a more direct illumination than flush-mounted lights and can be used in areas where there is limited space above the fixture.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into flush-mounted lighting fixtures.
Pendant lights can be used for task lighting and decorative purposes with a wide range of designs and themes to choose from.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into flush-mounted lighting fixtures.
Tightly Attached Ceilings
Tightly attached ceilings have a direct covering of material such as wood planks or beams or metal bars and metal sheets. This type of ceiling is not common in commercial and residential settings and is mainly built for aesthetic purposes. They can be found mostly in bars, cafes, and restaurants.
The recommended LED light fittings for tightly attached ceilings are architectural strip lights, pendant-mounted, and flush-mounted.
Strip lights provide a clean, streamlined look with minimal disruption to the overall design of the ceiling. The light can easily be installed with spring clamps to securely attach to the ceiling, ensuring the fixture is stable and flush with the ceiling.
Duralec's LED Strip Lights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in 4-feet and 8-feet lengths, and can be installed in different ways - including recessed, retrofit, surface, hanging or continuous row mount.
Flush-mounted lights are designed to be installed into the ceiling surface, providing a more subtle and elegant look.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into flush-mounted lighting fixtures.
Pendant-mounted lights are also great for tightly attached ceilings as they hang low to maximize the open space and accentuate the ceiling design while illuminating the room.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into pendant lighting fixtures.
Exposed Ceilings
Exposed ceilings consist of a basic framework of beams and columns with no covering. This ceiling type is common in spaces that maximize as much vertical space as possible such as factories, warehouses, and gymnasiums.
The recommended LED light fittings for exposed ceilings are linear high bay and architectural strips.
High bay lighting is designed to provide powerful illumination in large spaces with high ceilings.
Duralec's LED Linear High Bay Lights are a great option, made with durable and long-lasting 2835 SMD LED Lights and set to 5000K. They come in sizes including 1x2 and 1x4 and installed in different ways - including hanging, surface and boom installation.
Strip lighting offers an attractive, modern look and can be mounted directly onto the joists for a seamless installation.
Duralec's LED Strip Lights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in 4-feet and 8-feet lengths, and can be installed in different ways - recessed, retrofit, surface, hanging or continuous row mount.
Pendant-mounted lights are also great for areas with exposed ceilings as they hang from the ceiling and maximize the open space while illuminating the room.
Duralec's LED UFO High Bay Lights are a great option, set to 5000K with Daylight Harvesting Occupancy Sensor. They come with hooks for fast and easy pendant installation.
Dropped Ceilings
A dropped ceiling, also known as a false ceiling or suspended ceiling, is a type of secondary ceiling that hangs below the main (structural) ceiling. The 2 most common types of dropped ceilings include the T-bar or grid type and flat drywall.
T-Bar or Grid Type Ceiling
The T-bar or grid-type ceiling has a visible grid system that holds removable tiles or panels made of drywall or acoustic boards with light panels and HVAC installed in between. They are the most common ceiling construction for commercial buildings such as offices, retail stores, studios, and schools. It allows for easy access to the wiring, lighting, HVAC, and plumbing while maintaining a modern and contemporary look.
The recommended LED light fittings for grid-type ceilings are panel lights and troffer lights.
Panel lights are a cost-effective and highly efficient lighting solution that can easily replace traditional fluorescent fixtures. They provide a soft and unobtrusive light and are flexible enough to easily change colors and intensity if desired. These lights are also easy to mount with minimal hardware, making them a great choice when looking to update existing drop ceiling fixtures to LED.
Duralec's LED Panel Lights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 3500/4000/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in many common grid sizes including 2x2, 1x4 and 2x4, and are easy to install.
Troffer lights offer a concentrated light source and attractive appearance, which makes them ideal for nearly any space including office buildings and homes.
Duralec's LED Troffer Lights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 3500/4000/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in many common grid sizes including 2x2 and 2x4, and are easy to install.
Flat Drywall Ceiling
Flat drywall dropped ceilings are typically made of drywall boards for a smoother finish. This ceiling type is common in building hallways and lobbies, and residential homes, where plumbing and wiring are located in the space above the drywall and the main ceiling. This allows for easy access to the wiring, lighting HVAC, and plumbing while still maintaining a smooth, finished look.
The recommended LED light fittings for flat drywall ceilings are recessed downligts and strip lights.
Recessed round downlights provide a clean, modern look that complements the flat dropped ceiling while also occupying minimal space. Choose housed recessed lighting for ceilings that are rated for areas with higher clearance (6-inch to 8-inch drop). Choose slim or wafer-thin recessed lighting fixtures that are rated for areas with lower clearance (3-inch to 5-inch drop).
Duralec's LED Downlights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 2700K/3000K/3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in many common recessed light sizes including 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch for residential applications and 8-inch for commercial applications, and are easy to install.
Recessed strip lights provide functional and decorative lighting. These lights are typically installed on thin grooves on the ceilings, where they can provide bright, even illumination with minimal distraction from other light sources. They are available in a variety of lengths and colors, allowing them to be tailored to fit any interior design scheme.
Duralec's LED Strip Lights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in 4-feet and 8-feet lengths, and can be installed in different ways - recessed, retrofit, surface, hanging or continuous row mount.
Interstitial Space Ceilings
Interstitial space ceilings have a gap between regular-use floors, specifically in buildings with clean rooms and laboratories, healthcare facilities, and food and drug preparation facilities. This type of ceiling is often used to house the inner mechanics of a building, such as plumbing, electrical wires, ductwork, special machinery, and lighting.
The recommended LED light fittings for interstitial ceilings are recessed utility panels and round recessed downlights - specifically, wet-location suitable.
Utility recessed panel lights for clean rooms feature sealed units that are IP65-rated dustproof and waterproof, suitable for ISO5 clean rooms. The housing is also corrosion-resistant, with a gasket seal, to ensure that it is airtight and can withstand chemical cleaners.
Wet location downlights are IP65-rated to withstand moisture and humidity, and typically feature watertight housing and sealed lenses.
Duralec's LED Wet-location suitable downlights are a great option, providing light up to 4000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in many common recessed light sizes including 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch for residential applications and 8-inch for commercial applications, and are easy to install.
Coffered Ceilings
Coffered ceilings are highly decorative and consist of beams and coffers made of wood or metal. This type of ceiling is common in ancestral homes and historic buildings. These types of ceilings would need statement lighting to accentuate the design of the coffers.
The recommended LED light fittings for coffered ceilings are pendant-mounted, flush-mounted, and recessed lights.
Ornate pendant-mounted lighting fixtures like bowl pendants and chandeliers provide a single focal point of light that can be used to draw attention to the coffered beams.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into pendant lighting fixtures.
Tunable flush-mounted lights are also a good option as they allow for different subtle designs that complement the coffered ceiling.
Duralec's LED refractor bulbs are a great option, providing light up to 5000K. They come in many common mogul base sizes including E26 and E39 and fits readily into flush-mounted lighting fixtures.
Recessed lighting can be used to accentuate the architectural features of a coffered ceiling. The recessed lights can be placed in the center of each panel and aimed up or down to create a dramatic effect. Recessed lighting is also a great way to provide subtle illumination for the area, adding soft, ambient light throughout the room.
Duralec's LED Downlights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 2700K/3000K/3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in many common recessed light sizes including 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch for residential applications and 8-inch for commercial applications, and are easy to install.
Bulkhead and Soffits
Bulkhead and soffits ceilings are structures that protrude from the main ceiling and are often box-shaped, round or wavy commonly added to conceal differences in height occurring in ceilings, as well as plumbing, electrical wires, ductwork, and lighting.
The recommended LED light fittings for bulkhead and soffit ceilings are recessed can downlights and strip cove lights.
Recessed can lights are a popular choice for bulkhead ceilings as they are installed directly into the ceiling line and are great for creating accent lighting specially in a lounge area or living room.
Duralec's LED Downlights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 2700K/3000K/3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in many common recessed light sizes including 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch for residential applications and 8-inch for commercial applications, and are easy to install.
Strip lights as cove lights are often used to create a dramatic effect in a room or hallway, as the light from the strips can be directed up and down walls in order to provide indirect lighting that creates a pleasant atmosphere.
Duralec's LED Strip Lights are a great option, providing light adjustable between 3500K/4000K/5000K and can be dimmed from 0-10V. They come in 4-feet and 8-feet lengths, and can be installed in different ways - recessed, retrofit, surface, hanging or continuous row mount.