# Help me illuminate my basement (need answer kinda fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813 "2023-04-17T20:04:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/1 "2023-04-17T20:04:25Z")
I’m remodeling my basement. I’m walling off a utility room for the boiler and hot water heater, adding a large TV and a gas fireplace, and opening up the center to make room for square dancing. I will put a treadmill in the corner, and also expect to use the source for board games and jigsaw puzzles. Oh, and I’m improving the ventilation and adding HVAC. High quality lighting makes a huge difference for jigsaw puzzles. I expect it will also make a big difference in how likely i will be to actually use a treadmill. I’m very sensitive to lighting. Anyway, the two choices I’m considering are cove lighting along each side and in the center, where the ceiling changes height, or several little wafer lights spread around the ceiling. Both would be LED, dimmable, and i believe i can find either with a CRI ~90. The ceiling is kinda low in the near half of the basement, so i don’t want even an inch or two of light fixture extending into the center of the ceiling. Assume the price is the same. (It isn’t, but that’s not the aspect I’m concerned with.) Which would you pick, and why? ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/2 "2023-04-17T20:25:35Z")
IME cove lighting works better when you’ve got a little room to the ceiling so the light can wash. If the ceilings are low that could be an issue. We used a LOT of [these](https://lithonia.acuitybrands.com/products/detail/1708652/lithonia-lighting/switchable-white-round-mvolt-wafer-canless-downlight/wafert-led-mvolt-with-switchable-white-indoor-outdoor-housing-free-recessed-downlight) in our house. There are a few varieties, the color temp. is changeable, and they dim well. And they’re cheap and easy. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/3 "2023-04-17T21:02:43Z")
Cove lighting may be a bad description. I am looking at strip lights with a 120 degree radius of light, attached to the ceiling , with a thin strip of molding to hide the strip from direct view. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/4 "2023-04-17T21:24:34Z")
Sounds like the room might be a little big for that? Also, if you wash the ceiling with a more or less direct beam, expect to see every imperfection. Also, those strip lights (at least the good ones) need a transformer/driver which definitely drives up the cost. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/5 "2023-04-17T21:27:49Z")
Yes, they need a driver, and yes, that it more work for the electrician, as well as more cost for materials. But the difference there is pretty small compared to the overall cost of the project, and I’m mostly interested in how is going to look. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/6 "2023-04-17T21:42:14Z")
How high is the ceiling? Sounds like some kind of mock-up might be in order. The strip lights will be a more diffuse, even light for sure, and of course you could add some wafer lights to fill in, which might be the real answer. If you want to go all-in: [Reglet lighting](https://fryreglet.com/led-lighting-reveals/) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/7 "2023-04-17T21:57:42Z")
The low part is 7’ tall, the high part is 8’1" ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/8 "2023-04-17T22:04:06Z")
That’s tough–not much room for the light to diffuse, and you’ll be looking right at the strip lights from many points in the room. The wafers offer nice, diffuse light, but they’re not going to light too many square feet. I guess it depends how much demo you’re going to do and how much you want to spend. If you have the budget the reglet lighting with a diffuser 4" down from the ceiling might be really cool (with some wafers). Fry is definitely proud of their product. Not without reason, but… ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/9 "2023-04-17T22:04:42Z")
While it may not be a _direct_ answer to your question, have you considered two (or more) circuits: ambient lighting (that may be indirect) and task lighting, specifically for activities like the puzzles? I find the combination very versatile and very useful. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/10 "2023-04-17T22:09:42Z")
What does reglet do that i couldn’t do with strip lighting? I’m not getting what’s special about it from the website. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/11 "2023-04-17T22:10:19Z")
I was looking at this as a possible strip light > **[UltraBright™ Architectural Dynamic Tunable White Series LED Strip Light](https://www.flexfireleds.com/ultrabright-architectural-dynamic-tunable-white-series-led-strip-light/)** > > Control the color temperature (CCT) of your strip lights with a Dynamic Tunable White LED strip light. Select from ranges such as 2400K-3000K, 2400K-4200K, or 2700K-6200K ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/12 "2023-04-17T22:19:39Z")
The reglet is incorporated and flush with the drywall. You can do that with your strip light, an aluminum channel, a diffuser, and 2 pieces of l-metal. May or may not be less expensive than reglet. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/13 "2023-04-17T23:10:23Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > While it may not be a _direct_ answer to your question, have you considered two (or more) circuits: ambient lighting (that may be indirect) and task lighting, specifically for activities like the puzzles? > > I find the combination very versatile and very useful. As do I. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/14 "2023-04-19T17:17:38Z")
My finished basement has removable ceiling tiles (similar to what you see in an office) to cover furnace ducting, plumbing, central vac piping, etc. so everything is easily accessible for any repairs or maintenance. For lighting I have pot-lights recessed into the tiles with dimmable LED bulbs. Lots of light when necessary but can be dimmed to zero if I want. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/15 "2023-05-11T21:52:58Z")
Task lighting for puzzles would have to be movable. But also, shadows are a big deal, and diffuse lighting works well. I ended up going with both the thing the electrician wanted to use and also strip lighting. The LED circles have been installed. They are okay, but I don’t love the light. The strip lighting arrived today, and will hopefully be installed next week. We’ll see how that goes. Anyway, I guess I can always supplement with floor lamps, not that I love those. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-illuminate-my-basement-need-answer-kinda-fast/982813/16 "2023-05-11T22:30:29Z")
I got a bunch of 4ft. LED shop lights. Didn’t like it at first, mounted only 7ft. up and the light was directed mainly down, so my head was casting a shadow on everything I worked on. Then instead of having parallel to the ceiling joists I had them angled across 3 joists. I needed to add a couple more but now the light is coming in from a variety of angles. Along with a small spotlight I’m doing fine now. I also have a 5 billion lumen LED panel that I can’t put anywhere from fear of looking at it by accident and seeing a big white spot everywhere for the next hour.