What Size Recessed Lights for the Kitchen?

What is the most common size for kitchen recessed lighting?

Putting recessed lighting in the kitchen uses different size recessed lights depending on where you put them. The size is a determining factor, so size isn’t always the major concern. The two sizes that are more commonly seen are 4 inch and 6 inch recessed lights. The larger sizes are usually placed into areas that are for general usage. Smaller lights are used for placing underneath hanging cabinets or accent ceiling lighting.

You need larger lights in the ceiling to give enough light throughout the room. Yet spacing each of these lights will be important to have good lighting uniformity. Since they are larger, these need to also have a plotted map of where they are placed. It all depends on the kind of light that you’re using as well. Many of the newest recessed lights are LED lights that give higher amounts of light.

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Based on the ceiling height, you need to have the correct beam angle degree so the light fans out correctly. Lower ceilings need wider angles with 120 degrees while higher ceilings should have narrow angles appropriately. You might also want to consider having LED lights that can be dimmable, so you have more control of mood and light intensity.

Should I use 4 inches or 6 inch recessed lights in the kitchen?

You don’t need recessed lights in the kitchen, but it adds a visual appeal that also has a function. The reason that recessed lighting is good for your kitchen is to have work lighting that’s best for seeing what you’re doing. When it comes down to cooking, you want to see how your food is doing, while you prepare and cook your food. This can come from 6-inch ceiling lights and also from closer and more practical lights to light-up the countertops.

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Since most of the countertops are perfect for preparing food and using kitchen equipment, having 4-inch lights installed underneath hanging cabinets is ideal. These smaller lights are installed into the cabinet itself or inside false bottom bases. The newest type of LED fixtures is flatter and thinner so they take-up very little space. These fixtures are less than inch thick making them easier to attach to the underside of hanging cabinets.

The wires can also be hidden under cabinet edges and lips and connected to an electrical outlet. Depending on the size of your kitchen and cabinets, you can use 4 inches and 6 inch recessed lights anywhere they appear attractive or fit best. It’s more common that smaller recessed lights are placed lower to the floor.

How to measure recessed lighting size?

Let’s suppose you’re now going to do some remodeling or kitchen makeover in your home. This is very important if you want to have a proper design that helps to have the best outcome for your kitchen. It also helps if you are specific where you do the most work so lighting can be placed to your benefit.

1. Measure your kitchen

Get all the correct measurements of your kitchen so this can be used for an exacting lighting plan that helps show where lights will go. You can also improve a lighting design to be placing lights where you work the most. If this light is placed in a set diagram, then the option to work in several areas of your kitchen are open. With improved lighting, it will make all available countertop areas into great food prep areas.

2. Plot out a lighting map

A lighting map is a diagram that gives you an overview of your ceiling kitchen. This is drawn onto paper and is essentially a blueprint map that’s scaled-down for DIY projects. If you’re doing this work yourself, you don’t need to be so precise. It’s just to help figure out where the recessed lights will go. Use a large enough size paper so you can turn feet into inches on your paper. This makes it easier to scale down your map.

3. Positioning lights under cabinets

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Cabinet lights are very helpful underneath hanging cabinets since they light up a workspace. It’s best to use 4 inch recessed lights that can be attached to the underside. Since these lights are so low in your workplace, they don’t need to be spotlighted. They only need to be positioned to the overall position of where your countertop is centered. Place them closer to the front of a hanging cabinet, if they are less shallow than your countertop, and so on…

4. How many lumens do you need?

The element of how bright you need your kitchen will be is all based on the Lumen count. Larger overhead ceiling lights will give most of the ambient light, while countertop lights will make up the rest. You can calculate how many lights by deciding what size recessed light you purchase. They are spaced appropriately from each other to give better uniformity. Also, be sure to space the cabinet lights correctly based on your overhead lighting diagram.

5. What kind of recessed light for the ceiling?

You can choose from all sorts of fixtures that have decorative rings on the recessed lights. But another important aspect is choosing what color temperature you want in the kitchen. Higher Kelvin may be too bright so don’t pick anything above 5000K. Use warmer lights in the 2500-3000K range to have more comfort similar to incandescent lights. The space in the ceiling is also important if there isn’t so much space to install them.

How many recessed lights do I need in the kitchen?

This is all going to depend on how large your kitchen is. The spacing will absolutely depend on the size of the recessed light size. 6-inch lights need to be spaced every 6 feet from each light. The same would apply to the 4-inch lights, so this would be 4 feet apart. The diameter is the key to understanding how many feet they get spaced. It’s not hard to figure this out. On your diagram, you will need to place them in front of the hanging cabinets.

A good rule of thumb is at least 3 feet from the edge of the wall. This way you get enough lighting over a countertop and onto the kitchen floor. When putting the lights under hanging cabinets, these smaller lights also need to be centered on the countertop. Some people prefer to have wall lighting so the cabinet lights can be placed further back toward the wall.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens