Ceiling lighting miraculously transforms any room. Properly selected lamps and skillfully installed ceiling lighting in the apartment create comfort and help save the family budget. In the modern wealth of chandeliers, consumers cannot always navigate on their own. This article will help you choose the most suitable lamps for the ceiling.

Installation of lighting in an apartment begins with drawings and calculations, with determining the location of lighting points, lamps and switches. After the ceiling plan with lighting has been drawn up, you should begin installing the wires for the lamps.

The typical cable cross-section is 1.5 millimeters square, representing a maximum load of 4 kilowatts. Of course, it is unlikely that the lighting in the house will reach this parameter, because in such a situation it is necessary to use 40 100 W bulbs at the same time. However, you should never give up; it’s possible that jupiters will be installed for professional video filming at home.

When you don’t want to pay extra for the wire cash, you can calculate what cross-section of cable will be needed in each case. If the lighting zone consists of three lamps with 60 W bulbs, then the total power of the lamps will reach 180 W. It needs to be divided by 220. Now let’s look at what the result can tell us.

If the number is less than 10, then a cable with a cross-section of 0.75 millimeters square can be installed to the lamps from the box. If less than 15, the cross-section should have a size of 1 millimeter square, and more than 17 – up to 2.5 millimeters square. In our case, it turned out to be 0.8 - which means less than one. Use single-core or multi-core cable- a personal matter for each person.

Standard block diagram

On ceiling lighting It’s better to put separate boxes so that there is less confusion and it looks neater. Wires enter the apartment under the floor, and in the house they appear next to the door. The cable runs from it to the shield. Near the shield there will be the first box, the task of which is to transmit current to other boxes and distribute the unit for lighting the hallway and kitchen.

Block diagram lighting: input and distribution of wires usually runs under the ceiling

The second box is located above the entrance to a large room in the corridor, from which a chandelier operates in the hall and transmits voltage to the bathrooms. The third box is needed for servicing the bathroom, pantry and small corridor, as well as to broadcast the voltage to the remaining rooms. There is a fourth box in the nursery that serves the switch and supplies power to the bedroom. The box in the bedroom is only needed to service the switch and chandelier. The remaining toilet and bathroom are powered by the sixth box.

Rules for installing switches

Switches of any type are always placed on the phase wire. There is only one cable suitable for the switch, which opens and closes inside the switch. From the outside it may seem like there are two wires. However, the phase conductor forms a loop that rises or falls towards the switch. The loop is cut at the top and the ends are connected to the dimmer or switch contacts.

If you install a dimmer as a switch, you should take a closer look at its power. If the device is marked 300 W, then it is designed for a chandelier, which consists of five light bulbs, each 60 W. There are 1000 watt dimmers available for home use. With the help of such a dimmer, the lighting level can be changed in several rooms at once. The dimmer is installed in the same way as a simple switch, only on the contacts of the dimmer there is an inscription indicating which wire to connect to which contact.

Selection of lighting devices

Each lamp consists of an electric light bulb and fittings, which are necessary to enclose the light bulb, connect it and illuminate it. How to make lighting for suspended ceilings - a photo selection of lamps will help you figure it out!

Lamps, the fittings of which are fixed directly to the ceiling itself, are called ceiling lamps. Such devices are used to create the overall lighting design for the ceilings in a room. Ceiling light sources are suspended, surface-mounted and built-in.

A multi-lamp ceiling chandelier is traditionally located in the center of the room, evenly distributing the flow of light throughout the room

Pendant lamps are placed at a certain distance from the ceiling. They are best suited for tall rooms. These include pendants, multi-lamp chandeliers, lampshades and other devices.
Surface light sources are directly attached to the ceiling. These include various types of ceiling lamps, which are distinguished by their compact size. They are especially good for small spaces like a hallway or bathroom.

A near-surface ceiling lamp is most often installed in non- large rooms, not requiring bright lighting

Suspended ceiling lighting and stretch fabrics traditionally performed using built-in lamps. They can be installed anywhere in the room to create the most effective lighting in housing.

The popularity of spots is also growing - metal structures with halogen lamps that can be rotated to the sides. The spot is easy to mount and has the ability to direct the light flux along at will.

Spot with halogen lamps attracts stylish design and the ability to easily change the direction of the light flow

Spotlights that can be installed in cornices, suspended ceilings and inside furniture are becoming popular. For the most part, spot lighting of ceilings is used to focus attention on local surface lighting. Nowadays, to single out one type of lamp that would be considered more popular than the others, because they all have their own advantages that make them attractive to citizens.

Installation of lamps: technology

After the lighting installation is done suspended ceiling, and the switches and dimmers are installed, you can attach lamps to the surface. To attach spotlights, you need to cut through the drywall round hole using a crown with a variable blade diameter, after which the light bulb is simply inserted inside. In this case, the spring legs must be held with your fingers, pressing them against the body.

Installation of a spotlight in the ceiling is carried out after laying the entire range of electrics

When the light bulb goes deep enough into the canvas, the paws will press the light into place. First you need to connect the cable to the contacts. The most commonly used spotlights in everyday life are those marked R80, R63, R50 and R39. The numbers indicate the size of the bulbs corresponding to the hole diameter in millimeters.

You can change your home beyond recognition by shifting the accents in space. An effective solution is to illuminate a plasterboard ceiling using LED backlighting, which features a “dimming” effect to set the brightness depending on the mood of the residents and the time of day. If the LED strip needs to be cut, then it is worth remembering that the cut is made in specially designated areas. If done incorrectly, it will be quite difficult to solder the tape back. To achieve uniform ceiling lighting, you need to secure the LED strip to the ceiling well.

Installation light diode strip can be easily performed by a completely inexperienced performer

An ordinary chandelier is attached in two ways: hung on a hook or screwed with screws or dowel-nails. There are holes on the plate that is located inside the decorative bowl that covers the joint. If the chandelier is placed on a hook, then you should use special dowels that have a hook instead of a regular screw. When you need to install a massive chandelier, you use a metal anchor, which has a diameter of about 8–10 millimeters and can withstand a load of up to 80 kilograms.

Lighting rules

Apartment lighting can be local, general or combined. By combining different types of lamps, you can create areas with soft or intense uniform lighting. To verify this, enter “stretch ceilings lighting” into a search engine and analyze the proposed options.

Most often, room lighting is a combination of several options.

In children's rooms and bedrooms, it is recommended to install lamps with a stream of light directed upward to create soft lighting throughout the room. With general lighting, you need to evenly illuminate the entire room using the most powerful and energy-intensive lamps suspended in the center of the ceiling. In general lighting lamps, you can use one lamp with high power - up to 200 W or several lamps with a total power of up to 300 W. As a rule, multi-lamp luminaires have two categories of lamps that can be switched on autonomously.

Ceiling lighting in the kitchen requires the creation of several groups, depending on how the ceiling design is executed. Usually this is the area above the table, above the work surface and lighting the central part of the kitchen. Lighting devices are also usually built into cabinet furniture.

Multifunctional lighting in the kitchen provides light and separates work area from lunch

An entrance hall or corridor usually has a small area, so the lighting here should not hurt the eyes and be overly bright, but you should not create twilight either. It is best to use LED ceiling lighting and wall-mounted lamps. If a decision is made to use a single lamp, it must emit light well.

In the living room, local and general lighting is created to make changes to the interior using the light mode. For the reception area, general lighting is used using chandeliers, lampshades and pendant lamps. Since the living room is known as a multifunctional room, it functional areas require local light using spots.

Thus, not so long ago it was believed that ceiling lighting could only be provided with the help of a chandelier and wall lamp. However, thanks to new technologies, other solutions have emerged. In the future, it will be possible that diffused light will almost completely replace sconces and ceiling lamps.

Ceiling lighting can transform the most boring room - if you install the lighting correctly, you will create an example of a fantastic room decoration, and it will add originality. You can install ceiling lighting yourself, without involving specialists, but in this case you will need to carefully study all the information on the upcoming process.

Table of contents:

Illuminated ceilings - types

One point needs to be clarified right away - the arrangement ceiling lighting will “steal” quite a lot of space, in some cases it is necessary to reduce the volume of the room by 10-15 cm. Therefore, if the room is not large in area, or in an apartment/house low ceilings, then the surface decoration option under consideration will not work.

In general, you can install lighting on the ceiling in the following cases::

• the ceiling surface is made in a multi-level version;
• The ceiling is single-level.

A single-level ceiling will become optimal solution for rooms small areas– the space will be reduced slightly. But also some complex design original form you won’t be able to create it – everything will be simple and concise.

What materials are used for ceiling lighting

You can create ceiling lighting with your own hands only using specific materials. Experts suggest using three design options for ceiling lighting:

How to make a ceiling with lighting yourself

The process of organizing a ceiling with lighting is carried out in several stages. But before you start work, you need to replace all the wiring that is laid along the walls and on the ceiling, otherwise in case of any breakdown you will have to redo the ceiling again.

Single-level ceiling with lighting

We recommend reading:

To work, you will need to purchase certain materials, but first you need to draw a drawing - this will help you calculate correctly required quantity construction and finishing material. What you will need to purchase to arrange a ceiling with lighting:

• drywall;
• fastening elements (screws);
• profiles;
• pendants.

It is highly advisable to work with a building level, and a laser one at that - this will guarantee an ideal result.

Work on arranging a single-level plasterboard ceiling consists of the following: install a lath of profiles directly on ceiling surface, then drywall is attached. The most difficult part of the whole process is cutting the drywall into the required shapes. By the way, you will also have to cut holes in the plasterboard sheets for spotlights - be sure to check your calculations many times.

Please note:When installing plasterboard sheets on a ceiling surface, be sure to leave a gap between the plasterboard and the wall.

Multi-level ceiling with lighting

This type of ceiling can be constructed exclusively from plasterboard sheets, but they can be combined with plastic, suspended ceilings and other materials. However, you need to take into account that if you want to make suspended ceilings with lighting, you will have to purchase a specific tool (for example, heat gun), therefore it would be more advisable to invite specialists for this work.

Arrangement work multi-level ceiling with illumination must be carried out strictly according to the instructions:

Now you need to understand at what point it is necessary to install the actual backlight. This is done before installation begins. plasterboard ceilings or with a completely finished coating. Light strips are laid in niches (in the case of a multi-level ceiling) or attached directly to the profiles (in the case of single-level ceiling). If the illumination is performed with spotlights, then work on their fastening is carried out after plasterboard sheets installed.

IMPORTANT!!!

Our company’s specialists will help you calculate the illumination, number and power of lamps for FREE. They will also advise on the location of lighting fixtures, taking into account the design and zoning of the room.

There is a very important advantage of suspended ceilings - they can hide electrical wiring underneath, so you can add and diversify the lighting in your room. To begin with, I would like to dwell on the various options.

Chandelier lighting

Today, the range of chandeliers presented on the shelves of shops and markets is simply huge. There are probably something for every taste. If you don't like standard options, that is, companies that produce custom chandeliers. But for us, as an organization involved in installation, lighting devices are divided according to the method of mounting:

• Chandelier with hook mount. Everything is very simple here - in concrete floor a hook is screwed in, on which your lamp is then hung. This type of fastening is considered simplified for us.

• Chandeliers with ceiling mounting. For them, it is necessary to place a laying platform behind the canvas. To which such a light device can be attached.

Room lighting with a chandelier is currently not inferior in frequency of use to recessed lamps. After all, it can add sophistication. And in large rooms, sometimes you can’t do without a chandelier in principle.

Lighting with lamps

This option is very popular in small rooms or where it is necessary to separate zones or add light to the main one. Today, built-in lighting devices can be divided into three main groups:

• Lamps with a lamp located outside the canvas. In this case, the suspended ceiling is lowered minimally, due to the fact that there is no need to retreat the distance required to place the lamp and base. This plus, accordingly, becomes a minus for those who do not like the fact that the entire lamp is clearly visible. The sockets in them are usually G4 or G9.

• The most common options for luminaires are those with lamps with GU 5.3 or MR-16 sockets. Most of the lighting devices around you have exactly these lamps. Their variety is almost limitless. But there is one significant drawback - the height of the lamp. It is about 6-6.5 centimeters. Because of this, the canvas will drop at least 7 centimeters. Previously, such lighting devices had another disadvantage in that they only had halogen lamps, which PVC film it was possible to set no more powerful than 35 watts. 50-watt light bulbs were almost guaranteed to burn through the canvas over time. Now there is already a large assortment of lamps with LEDs - the light output of which is very high, with low energy consumption.

• Ultra-thin lamps or, as they are also called, special lamps for suspended ceilings. Previously, they were presented mainly with the GX-53 lamp. The standard thickness of the device was only 38 millimeters. And the diameter of the lamp is about 10 centimeters. They provide a lot of light and do not lower the level of the canvas much. Currently, with the development of LEDs, ultra-thin lamps with a thickness of 15-20 millimeters have appeared. But they are still quite expensive.

With LED strip

In rare cases, this type can be called the main one; as a rule, LED strips are used as additional lighting. We will probably talk about each of them:

• Full lighting with LED strip. As a rule, this method is chosen in small rooms - bath, toilet, corridor. In this case, the LED strip is used a lot and consumes quite a lot of electricity. But this option looks really very unusual.

• Illumination of the level in the structure. This is perhaps the most popular solution using LED strip. It creates additional lighting and due to this, the level transition looks even brighter.

• It is also very often installed LED backlight along the perimeter of the room, hiding the tape behind polyurethane baseboard. This option is popular because it can be performed with my own hands. The process is labor-intensive, but technically not difficult.

• Floating design. In this case, there remains a space between the suspended ceiling and the wall, into which the LED strip is mounted. When it is turned on, it seems that the canvas is floating in the air, since there is even light along its perimeter.

• Stretch ceilings with hidden decorative lighting. The LED strip is mounted under the canvas, which imitates some kind of pattern or lines. When the tape is turned off, then you have a simple flat surface, and when it is turned on it becomes very unusual and elegant.

As you can see, the LED strip can be used both for the usual lighting, which many have probably seen, and to create interesting visual effects.

The downside when using LED strips is that it is advisable to install the power supplies and controller in an accessible place. Electronic equipment, unfortunately, not forever. This moment needs to be planned in advance.

And now our tips on lighting in individual rooms.

In the nursery

How to choose lighting for a children's room, because we want to make this room pleasant and unusual? It's hard to say for sure what will happen the best option for this room. Perhaps you will decide to install there beautiful chandelier or create a minimalist style for a teenager. Or make beautiful lighting with LED strip. Everything is limited by the height of the room, budget and your imagination. The basic rule in choosing is that the illumination should be high, especially in areas for playing games or studying, and the ceiling should be combined with overall design children's room.

In the kitchen

In the kitchen there are, as a rule, two main areas that should have a lot of light. The first is the work surface kitchen set. And the second is a dining area with a table at which people eat. The second zone is a little easier - with a good chandelier at the table there will be enough light for breakfast or dinner, but on work surface it may not be enough. This is why built-in lights are so often installed above the set in the suspended ceiling in the kitchen. And as a rule, they leave the chandelier.

The bathroom though small room, but the light there should be bright and pleasant. Most often, spot illumination is used in bathrooms. The main reason is not to block the chandeliers and so on small room. Although sometimes in large bathtubs you can see both structures and large lighting fixtures. But if your bathroom is not large, but there is a desire to make it unusual, there is an option with a completely luminous surface. Perhaps this is your choice?

In the bedroom

In the bedroom, it is advisable to create bright main lighting and additional lighting for reading books or a romantic setting. For the main lighting, as a rule, a chandelier is used, for reading or bedside lamps, or built-in lamps above the head of the bed. But for light that creates a romantic atmosphere, LED strip is most often used. It can be hidden in the transition level of a two-level structure, behind a curtain rod or in niches on the wall above the bed.

Let's sum it up

In general, it doesn’t matter in which room you are going to arrange the light space. The basic rules are simple: suspended ceilings, like lighting, must be in harmony with the overall interior, there must be a lot of light. And if you are one of those who like dim light, then it is better to divide it into bright and calm, pleasant for you. After all, it may be necessary to turn on a bright light, and if you don’t do it, then there will be no opportunity to turn it on. And the most important rule when choosing lighting is to choose what you like. We can advise, but living with the option you choose is up to you.

Cosy beautiful house- everyone's dream... Modern performance about this dream is somewhat different from what it was 20-30 years ago. In the age of new technologies, there are many design solutions that add style, comfort and beauty to your home. This different materials for finishing wall repairs, practical floor coverings, exclusive furniture.

Using ceiling lighting, you can make the interior of the room stylish and individual.

And the ceiling today is not just snow-white whitewash. Modern ceiling may have the most intricate design, it is not always white, and a special highlight is the ceiling lighting, created with your own hands, which radically changes the idea of ​​​​what beauty and comfort is in a home.

How to create coziness in your home with ceiling lighting? What are the best options? There are several ways to illuminate the ceiling. Which one to choose depends on the design of the installation site, as well as the desired brightness of the lighting and the design of the room.

There are neon, LED strip lighting and spotlights with built-in spotlights.

Neon lighting: features

Classic neon ceiling lighting consists of glass tubes with an inert gas - neon. Inner surface processed with a special powder - phosphor, which begins to glow under the influence of voltage.

Hidden neon lighting is most often used to design a room. The lamps are installed in such a way that they are hidden in a special niche, through the open side of which diffused light enters the room. The more hidden the niche is (the narrower the hole for the light to exit), the clearer the backlight strip.

The easiest installation method neon lighting– installation in a polystyrene cornice. There are many models on the market that are suitable in size for these purposes. You can install such lighting yourself, without the help of specialists. The main difficulty is connecting the neon lamp circuit to the electrical network.

Neon lighting requires a fairly high voltage to operate, so during installation a special current converter is installed at the rate of one converter for every seven meters. Where to install each converter is planned at the ceiling installation stage. As a rule, special niches are installed in the wall using a concrete circle and a grinder, to which current is supplied. Enough for power supply copper wire thickness 2:75 mm2.

In addition to aesthetic functions, neon lamps have a long service life (10-15 years), do not heat up to high temperatures, which significantly reduces fire safety during their operation.

The disadvantages of such lighting include the high energy consumption and fragility of neon lamps.

Return to contents

Ceiling lighting with spotlights

She is often compared to starry sky, since spotlights are randomly placed on the ceiling, creating the illusion of the night sky.

Depending on the installation method, there are several options for lighting the ceiling with spotlights:

• overhead - the lighting element is located on the surface of the ceiling;
• built-in – mounted inside the ceiling;
• hanging, similar to a small chandelier.

There are three types of lamps for spot illumination. All of them operate from a 220 V or 12 V network. When installing an electrical circuit with 12 V lamps, it is necessary to install a current converter.

Return to contents

Additional options

1. Halogen lamps. Base halogen lamp filled with iodine and bromine vapors. This distinguishes them from conventional incandescent lamps, in which the spiral is located in a vacuum. The main disadvantage of such lamps is their strong heating up to 250°C. Therefore, the scope of application of halogen lamps is significantly reduced.
2. Fluorescent. This lamp consists of a bulb and a base into which two electrodes are soldered.

The space of a fluorescent lamp is filled with mercury vapor.

When an electric current is applied, mercury vapor is converted into ultraviolet radiation, which subsequently turns into visible light.

The main disadvantage of such lamps when installing ceiling lighting is the depth of the socket for the lamp base. Therefore, it becomes necessary to lower the ceiling by 8-10 cm, which is unacceptable in rooms with low ceilings.

Fluorescent lamps are economical and heat transfer is low. This allows you to install such lamps in a suspended ceiling made of polyvinyl chloride.

LED lamps. The most economical and having the maximum efficiency is led lamp. A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor that glows when electric current passes through it. The more LEDs built into a light bulb, the brighter the light.

The only disadvantages of such lamps include their high cost. But it's worth it. All the advantages that an LED lamp has allow you to close your eyes to this only disadvantage.

Install spotlight easy for any suspended or suspended ceiling. To do this, you must first prepare the hole to size. In plasterboard ceilings, this can be done using a grinder with a nozzle of suitable diameter. In tension ones, a sharp stationery knife is enough, and the lamp is installed on a special stand, which is attached to the main ceiling. The built-in lamps are attached to the ceiling using tendrils on a spring.

Spotlights are connected to the network using a copper wire with a cross-section of 2:75 mm2. At the places where the lamp is installed, sockets corresponding to the type of light bulbs selected are connected.

Return to contents

Ceiling lighting with LED strips

LED strip lighting is becoming increasingly popular. An LED strip is a flat flexible base with LEDs connected to it, which, when connected, form an electrical circuit.

There is a wide selection of LED strips on the market with a wide variety of color solutions and lighting programs. According to the density of tape diodes, there are 120, 60, 30 diodes per meter. Which one to choose depends on the desired backlight intensity. The brightest ones can be used as main lighting. It should also be noted: the convenience of the LED strip is also that you can cut it to any required size in a specially marked place on a flexible basis.

Installation of such lighting is as simple as possible. The electrical circuit consists of the LED strip itself, which is attached to a niche in the ceiling or ceiling cornice. A controller is connected to it, which acts as a switch, and a power supply, which is connected to the electrical network while maintaining polarity.

LED strip lighting is the most practical, economical and easy to install.

Ceiling lighting with LED strip - original design solution, allowing you to give the ceiling area uniqueness. In order for this ceiling design technique to be stylish and appropriate, it is necessary to study the subtleties of its placement and the most advantageous design techniques.

Peculiarities

LED strip is a functional lighting device with mass diode lamps. The design consists of a base with an adhesive surface and protective film. Some varieties are attached to the ceiling using plastic brackets. At the very base there are auxiliary components, a contact pad and LEDs. To ensure uniform lighting, light sources are placed at the same distance from each other.

This material is quite flexible, the tape is sold in reels that prevent the formation of creases, and has cutting lines. It is an auxiliary lighting, although the power of this lighting device often allows it to replace the central lighting. The power consumption of 1 m of tape ranges from 4.8 to 25 W.

In this case, the number of LEDs per 1 m can range from 30 to 240 pieces. Its uniqueness lies in its efficiency: a 10-meter-long piece consumes less energy than a conventional incandescent lamp.

Resistors eliminate the possibility of a voltage surge; they limit the flow of current. The width of the tape can reach 5 cm. The size of the LEDs also varies, so some varieties shine brighter than others. If it is necessary to increase the intensity of the ceiling lighting, sometimes an additional row of diodes is soldered to the strip.

Based on their tightness, LED strips are divided into three types:

• not having tightness (for ordinary premises);
• with an average degree of protection from moisture (for rooms with high humidity);
• in silicone, resistant to water (for the bathroom).

On modern market such products are presented in the form of classic ribbons white, varieties of RGB and single-color backlighting.

Advantages

LED backlighting in the form of a strip is convenient and of high quality.

It is a sought-after ceiling design tool for several reasons:

• is an impeccable technique for updating the interior composition of any room;
• sets a unique atmosphere for any room;
• features an even and soft directional glow without flickering or noise;
• attaches directly to the ceiling;
• significantly saves energy consumption;
• different attractive design;

• durable - has a service life of about 10 years;
• distinguished by the possibility of choice color shade for interior composition;
• due to its flexibility it can take any shape;
• harmless, does not emit toxic substances into the air during operation;
• fireproof;
• does not affect TV and communication signals (does not create interference).

This ribbon can be a decoration for any room in your home.

You can decorate the ceiling with it:

• living room;
• children's;
• hallway;
• corridor;
• bathroom;
• bay window area;

• kitchens;
• work office;
• home library;
• glazed loggia;
• balcony;
• storage rooms.

LED strip lighting is affordable. It is easy to install; you can install it yourself, without involving outside specialists.

photos

Selection criteria

LED strip lighting has a lot of varieties. Before purchasing, determine the type of lighting.

If this tape will serve as general lighting, remove everything from the ceiling lighting fixtures. Then several tapes of higher power are fixed on the ceiling, placing them around the perimeter, as well as behind the film stretch ceiling(costly method). To accentuate the contours, this self-adhesive lighting is fixed around the perimeter of the niches, creating diffused light and the visual effect of increasing the space.

If you need to highlight a figured protrusion, you can partially repeat its shape, which is especially important for suspended structures. At the same time, the flexibility of the tape does not limit the curvature of the line.

If you plan to repeat the ceiling lighting, for example, by highlighting the shape of a mirror or cladding kitchen apron, acquire varieties that are identical in glow. To choose the LED strip correctly and not get confused wide range presented assortment, you need to decide on the type of fastening, the shade of the glow, the power of the light sources and their number. It also matters design idea, on which the final effect of light transmission depends.

Therefore, when purchasing, you should even pay attention to the backing: you don’t want it to be conspicuous. It is purchased to match the color of the main background of the ceiling. She can be not only white. On the market for similar products you can find options with a brown, gray and even transparent base.

Shade of glow

Ribbons are not simply divided into plain and colored. In the first case, these are light bulbs that burn exclusively in one shade (for example, white, blue, yellow, orange, green). In addition, these varieties can emit infrared and ultraviolet light. The second ones are a strip with built-in lights that can glow different colors alternately or simultaneously. The different capabilities of the tapes affect the price: options with a light switching mode are more expensive.

Power and density

If the main requirement for backlighting is the brightness of the luminous flux, you should purchase a product with a smaller gap between the diodes. In this case, electricity consumption will be greater than that of varieties with sparse bulbs. If the lighting in the ceiling design will only have a decorative function, it is enough to buy an LED system to decorate the ceiling area - a system with the number of LEDs per 1 m of about 30-60 pieces. For the main lighting, a tape with a number of bulbs of 120-240 pieces per 1 m length is suitable.

In this case, an important nuance is: what more spacious room, the larger the width of the tape should be. Narrow version on high ceiling a large area will be lost. It is better to decorate the ceiling area with a wide variety of LEDs in 2 rows.

Studying the board

In fact, everything is simple here: the abbreviation SMD indicated on the tape means “surface mount device”. There are 4 numbers next to the letters: this is the length and width of one LED. Of the options presented, the most relevant choices are parameters 3020 (3 x 2 mm), 3528 (3.5 x 2.8 mm), 5050 (5 x 5 mm). The larger the diodes and the density of their placement, the brighter they shine. Each type of belt has a different capacity. For example, SMD 3528 with 60 diodes per 1 m consumes 4.8 W, if there are 120 light sources, the power is 9.6 W. If there are 240 of them, the consumption is 19.6 W.

Footage

The meter of the tape depends on the perimeter of the ceiling plane being pasted. Since LEDs differ in the intensity of their glow, they are not bought at random: if the space is small, excess light will hit the eyes. Simply put, a total of 11 watts will replace a 100 watt incandescent light bulb.

To select the light level, measure the required footage of the illuminated area using a tape measure. After this, the resulting figure is multiplied by the power of 1 m of tape. This value will allow you to decide on the purchase of a power supply or controller if you plan to purchase a strip with multi-colored light bulbs to decorate the ceiling.

As a rule, the length of tape for ceiling lighting is 5 meters, although today such a product can be purchased in shorter lengths.

Protection class

Each type of LED strip is designed for ceiling decoration different types premises.

Returning to the topic of notation, it is worth considering the marks:

• IP 20 is a label indicating the possibility of using LED strips in dry rooms (living rooms, children's rooms, work rooms, corridors).
• IP 65 is an indicator indicating that the board can withstand contact with moisture; it can be used in “wet” areas (places where leaks are possible from neighbors above).
• IP 68 – category with insulation.

When purchasing, it is worth considering that varieties with a silicone layer are not suitable for decorating the ceiling, as they conceal the intensity of the light flux and force the substrate to heat up, which provokes heating of the surface of the ceiling finish.

Installation

Installing LED backlighting with your own hands is easy. However, before installation, it is worth considering the fact that the tapes dissipate some of the energy in the form of heat. Therefore, before fixing and connecting the lighting, in some rooms it is necessary to consider insulation. For higher power diodes this may be an aluminum substrate. If the backlight power is low, the lamp is needed as decorative lighting; insulation is not necessary.

Into the baseboard

This method convenient because the lighting can be mounted on the ceiling after installation ceiling covering. The main task is to purchase a skirting board that is attractive in appearance, but it is important to take into account that it is not thin. This can cause the backlight to lose its expressiveness. At the beginning of work on the ceiling using a reliable adhesive (for example, liquid nails) fasten the plinth, leaving a channel about 8 - 10 cm from the ceiling. To ensure that the cornice is level, you can mark it using a level.

After the glue has set and dried, begin installing the tape. To do this, clean the surface of the plinth, remove the adhesive layer from the back side of the backlight, and attach it to the ceiling or the back side of the plinth in the gap left. If laying the self-adhesive tape seems unreliable, you can glue it in several places with silicone glue or double-sided tape. All that remains is to connect the power supply, and for multi-colored varieties, the RGB box, taking into account the polarity. After checking the voltage in the system, you can connect the tape to a 220V power supply.

In a plasterboard cornice

You can hide the lighting in a plasterboard box while installing the ceiling. At the time of construction of the system, an open or closed niche is created for laying the built-in strip lighting. The box structure is made according to markings, connecting load-bearing profiles with CD elements to the walls, forming a niche. In this case, whatever the system is (single-level, two-level or multi-level), it is necessary to mount it with a gap of 10 cm in order to ensure the passage of light from the LEDs.

Sheets of plasterboard are placed on the frame, leaving a niche for strip lighting. The perimeter of the box is covered with a side (cornice), which will subsequently hide the fastening of the tape. The seams are masked, primed and painted, then the self-adhesive backlight is mounted directly on the drywall. Fixation is carried out in such a way that the light of the LEDs is directed from bottom to top. After observing the polarity, the system must be connected to the current conductors.

Design

Ceiling decoration using LED strip is varied. It depends on creativity, features of the ceiling design, the presence of protrusions, patterns and type of lamps. The light strip can be located around the perimeter of the ceiling and can be a decorative element for multi-level structures. There are many options for its location, in each case it creates an individual effect.

The lighting of the ceiling with LED strip looks especially interesting, participating in emphasizing the protrusions of the structures. For example, the lighting of the second level with a combination of strip and central lamp will be beautiful. At the same time, they try to select the backlight so that its shade matches the temperature of the central light.

Ribbon hidden in a niche suspended structure, will emphasize the desired area of ​​the ceiling, due to which you can zone the room. For example, this way you can select dining area in the living room combined with the dining room. The same technique can advantageously accentuate the guest area, creating a special atmosphere in it due to the color shade.

The illumination of the curly lines of a certain part of the ceiling composition looks beautiful. This can be a single-color coating or a stretch ceiling design with photo printing. The use of diode strip around the perimeter of the picture gives the image volume and a special effect. Lighting small prints changes their perception and is a tool for adding the right mood to the interior. Such lighting makes the ceiling visually wider and lighter, even if the structure consists of several levels.

The texture of the ceiling covering also matters. For example, LED strip lighting is reflected in a glossy canvas, visually adding light to the space, which is especially important for rooms whose windows overlook north side, and spaces with small window openings. Directing the diodes upward creates a soft light; mounting to the side of the niche provides a directed flow and a “floating ceiling” effect.

Installing a tape between the coating material and the base creates the illusion of a glow from within. A complex technique is to create designer lighting using a strip inside a stretch ceiling. Often, for such systems, additional threads with a glow source at the ends of the fibers are used.

To make the backlight as correct as possible, the cut locations must be fixed using a connector or soldering iron. In this case, you cannot act on the material for more than 10 seconds. In single-color varieties, it is necessary to connect the “+” and “–” contacts.

In RGB type boards, the contacts are combined based on color and markings, where:

• R stands for red;
• G – green;
• B – blue;
• 4 contact = 12 or 24 V.