Downlight is one of the popular LED light fixtures, also known as can light, which is widely applied everywhere for its sleek look and practical functionality. The normal types you see in daily life are recessed downlights, surface-mounted downlights, adjustable downlights, fixed downlights, deep downlights, and LED fire-rated downlights.
The most popular downlight types
Recessed downlights as one of the hot interior lightings are favored by most people, they are installed flush with the ceiling, creating a sleek, seamless appearance with minimal visual clutter, making them ideal for achieving a clean, modern aesthetic while providing focused directional lighting without the bulk of a traditional fixture hanging below the ceiling.
When you doing an architecture project, the below guideline may help you figure out the quantity of recessed light you need.
Elements affect the light quantity you select
When you are curious about the quantity of LED downlight requirements, you may consider the following factors before you select the lamps.
Room Size and Shape
The size of the space relates to how many lumens it needs, the larger rooms typically need more recessed downlights to provide adequate illumination.
Divide the measured length or width by the distance you want the lights to be separated by the selected spacing. Round the result up or down to the nearest integer and repeat the count. To be attentive avoid ceiling fans or other ceiling fixtures before considering the recessed downlights you need.
Functional of space
The workshop needs high brightness to move people’s positive for working, so the high power wattage and lumen are necessary. While, in the hotel room or the room hallway, where need warmer lighting to relax the client’s mood and body, so the illuminance requirement is not much higher.
Light output
Task-oriented rooms like kitchens or offices often need more light than relaxation areas like bedrooms.
Natural light
Calculate the total natural light the room has, rooms with ample natural light may require fewer downlights, on the contrary, rooms with limited natural light will need more artificial lighting.
What is the space between each lamp?
The spacing between downlight lamps typically depends on the ceiling height and the desired lighting effect. Typically, in an open area, one downlight per 4-6 feet of space is a useful guideline, while it needs footage by 1.5 in around 30 sq meter bedrooms. The common features both is also recommended to place them no closer than 600mm (2 feet) to the walls. However actual needs may vary based on additional considerations.
Diameter hole size of the ceiling
The diameter of the hole you'll need to cut in your ceiling for a downlight depends on the specific downlight fixture you're using.
| Cut Out Size | Faceplate Diameter | Power |
| 82mm to 90mm | 98mm | 11 Watts |
| 83mm | 95mm | 15 Watts |
| 85mm to 90mm | 105mm | 12 Watts |
| 85mm to 100mm | 110mm | 13Watts |
The most common downlight cut-out size is 90mm. The smaller size cut-out of 70-75mm will offer a more sleek appearance, however, it is harder to install, as your electrician will struggle to get installation personnel’s hand through the hole to make the connection.
Example show
This is a simplified top-down view of a room with evenly spaced downlights. You'd adjust spacing based on the specific room dimensions and ceiling height.
Room size space
- Room surface 7.5m * 4m = 30 m²
- Room Heigh 2.5m
- The top of the inner panel of the light slot is the distance from the ceiling: 12cm
Total Lumen require: around 2880 lumen
Wattage: 80~100 lm/W
Recessed lamp: 9 lamps, 4 watts
How to judge the quality of your light?
Choosing the suitable recessed LED fixtures for your place should be careful, there are many factors, like brightness, beam spread, color temperature, dimmability, energy efficiency, build quality, heat management, design and aesthetics, and certifications.
In a general perspective, each brand of recessed downlight has its merits and demerits, when picking fixtures, it depends on what point you are impacting on, such as high power but fast heat, low power but elegant and efficient, high efficiency and dimmable with expensive.
By evaluating these factors, you can choose high-quality recessed downlights that meet your needs and enhance your space.
Recessed Downlight for various applications
Recessed downlights are widely used in residential areas, commercial areas, outdoor areas, and some special areas.
Installing the recessed downlight in the residential areas that benefit from the clean, modern look.
Commercial areas: retail stores, restaurants, hotels, offices, conference rooms, and lobbies.
With the use of recessed downlights in commercial areas can create a professional and inviting atmosphere.
Industrial areas: warehouse, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and loading docks.
The durable and withstand harsher recessed fixtures are good for industrial applications.
Special areas: Museum, exhibition hall, makeup recession, etc.
In the special areas, anti-glare recessed downlights can create the desired ambiance and guide visitors through exhibits.
