Various methods are used to decorate the ceiling surface. Currently, property owners are increasingly decorating their property with LED strips for illumination. Such an interior element transforms the room, making its decoration more original.

What is LED strip

The strip with LEDs located on it has the form of a flexible strip 5 - 50 millimeters wide. On one of its sides there are LED resistors connected to each other by electrical conductors, resulting in a single circuit. On the other side of the diode tape for the ceiling, as a rule, you can see double-sided tape designed for fixing it on different surfaces.

These flexible strips may contain different numbers of LEDs, and of different sizes. In order to obtain more saturated and bright lighting, one or two rows of diodes are additionally soldered.

Benefits of use

Illuminating the ceiling with LED strip is an inexpensive, but at the same time beautiful design technique. This detail makes the interior brighter and more unique. It should be noted that LED strips, which are economical, are used not only for decorating apartments and residential buildings.

These elements are considered universal, as they are found on different real estate properties. For example, LED strips are used to decorate shop windows and advertising signs, since then they attract increased attention. Shopping centers use durable tapes with increased moisture resistance.

Moisture and dampness do not pose a danger to LED ceiling lighting, which is why it is often installed in the bathroom. IP68 class products can be placed under water. Due to the presence of this advantage, these lighting elements are found in swimming pools, in the design of landscape compositions and on the facades of buildings for various purposes.

The popularity of LED lighting is explained by the presence of numerous positive qualities that distinguish it:

• Consumers prefer this method of interior design, such as LED ceiling lighting, because it has an affordable price and lower energy consumption.
• This lighting is distinguished by a rich and bright glow, especially when there are many light bulbs on the strips. If you want to create a more subdued light, then you can choose an option with fewer of these elements.
• Installing diodes on the ceiling is simple and quick.
• Ribbons come in a variety of colors, so choosing the right option for any interior is not difficult.
• LED devices are completely safe because they are not subject to overheating. They do not damage the base. This advantage becomes especially relevant when you create LED lighting for a stretch ceiling with your own hands.

• Such tapes, as a rule, belong to customizable devices. For example, residents can independently change the intensity of the glow, adjusting it to their own preferences using built-in sensors and regulators.
• LED lamps have a long service life of more than 10 years. They are not afraid of power surges in the network. Conventional light bulbs often burst in such cases, leaving small fragments.
• Strips with LEDs weigh little, and therefore do not create a load on the finishing of the ceiling surface.
• These lighting fixtures are flexible and can be easily bent, so they can be used to frame structures of various configurations.
• The tapes are environmentally friendly because the lamps in them do not emit harmful components.
• The stripes come in a variety of lengths, which you can adjust yourself.
• LED backlight does not affect TV signals and does not cause interference.

Tricolor lamps

Strip lighting devices differ in the type of lamps used. In RGB strips, each diode is an assembly of three LEDs, having red, blue and green colors.

Such diode strips have 4 outputs. One of them is general, and the other three are intended for each color. By combining them, it is possible to obtain a rich range of shades. In a similar way, a variety of colors can be achieved on a television screen.

If three-color diode strips are used to install ceiling lighting, they must be controlled, which requires a device - a controller. Thanks to its use, you can adjust the speed of color change or fix one color. In an RGB strip, it is not at all necessary to run a multi-color option - you can only use white.

Today, high-tech types of diode strips are available for sale, equipped with built-in Wi-fi. They can be conveniently controlled from a smartphone if the appropriate application is installed on it.

When choosing a power supply, you need to take into account that strips with RGB bulbs are designed for voltages of 12 and 24V.

Strips with sealed diodes

Such strips with LEDs are very popular today because they are wear-resistant and durable. They are also commonly called waterproof or moisture-proof. An example of such a device is the 3528 120LED-24V IP65 device. This marking means that the light strip is made using SMD3528 lamps, and the presence of LEDs per meter is 120.

Tightness is ensured by silicone shells that reliably protect parts from all sides. This LED strip lighting option can operate outdoors and in water without any problems. Sealed devices are used to create lighting for swimming pools and aquariums. When choosing such LED strips, you need to look at their markings.

Power and density

The most important parameter of LED strips is power. An important indicator is the placement density. Popular devices have 60 to 120 diodes per meter. But strips of 30, 72, 90 and in some cases 240 bulbs are available for sale. They can be arranged either linearly or in several even rows.

The power of a strip meter depends on the type of LEDs, for example:

• SMD 3528 (60, 120 or 240 lamps) – 4.8 W, 9.6 W and 19.2 W, respectively;
• SMD 5050 (30, 60 or 120 elements) – 7.2 W, 15 W and 25 W, respectively.

Today there are flexible strips with a power of 220 V. In this case, when installing the diode strip on the ceiling, conventional 12V power supplies will not be required. You will only need a small rectifier to connect to the outlet.

Protection class

LED strips differ in their protection class. This parameter relates to the moisture resistance of the light bulbs, as well as resistance to the influence of dust and other external factors. Typically, the protection class of a particular device can be read on the product packaging; it is indicated by two letters IP.

For example:

• IP20 - means that diode lamps are intended for indoor installation, they do not have additional sealing;
• IP65 – this type of LED strip is used to illuminate areas that have regular contact with water, this could be a sink or an aquarium; they are used both indoors and outdoors;
• IP 68 - these lighting devices are placed even under water, since they are completely insulated.

Selection of LED strips

Today, many consumers prefer LED lighting.

Before choosing an LED strip for ceiling lighting, experts recommend studying a number of criteria:

1. LED color. The required shade depends on where the device will be used. Thanks to the use of lighting, you can advantageously emphasize a certain decorative element on the ceiling or decorate the ceiling surface along its perimeter in an original way.
2. Brightness level. This parameter depends on the number of semiconductors in the tape and their size. The more LEDs there are on the device, the brighter the glow it produces.
3. Degree of protection. When deciding which LED strip is best for ceiling lighting, be sure to take into account the degree of its protection from moisture and dust. In this case, the class of the device is indicated on the product packaging.
4. Controller. It is necessary to purchase high-quality and at the same time easy-to-use tapes with these devices. The presence of a controller allows you to independently change the brightness of the lighting and its shades.

Options for creating backlight

To make ceilings with LED strip beautiful, you can use one of the following methods:

1. Spot. When using this option for creating lighting, the devices are placed in a special way so that they emit light directly downwards. The most popular and frequently encountered example of spot lighting is the “starry sky” design.
2. Directed. In this case, the tape must be installed in a special way on slopes. As a result of using this method of placing devices, they emit light along the ceiling surface.
3. Absent-minded. This option is also called contour. To implement this, LEDs must form a continuous light strip on the ceiling.
4. Figured. In this case, the devices are placed in special lampshades that are small in size. This solution allows you to create different lighting configurations.

Before making LED ceiling lighting, you should decide how the tape will be positioned. You also need to think in advance about creating protrusions in the plasterboard box if you plan to use it.

Most LED strips have a sticky layer on the back side. Thanks to its presence, you can create LED ceiling lighting with your own hands on almost any surface.

Before you start attaching the tape, you must carefully prepare the base for its installation. It is cleaned of dirt, layers of dust and other contaminants. Thanks to these measures, stronger and better adhesion between the adhesive side of the device and the ceiling surface will be ensured.

To glue a flexible strip, remove the protective film from it, and then apply the tape to the base and press it, and this should not be done too hard. These devices must be fastened carefully. It is also possible to use double-sided tape to install lighting on the ceiling.

Usually, niches are prepared in advance for LED lighting, for the arrangement of which sheets of plasterboard are used. The composition looks interesting when a strip with diodes is attached to curtains or to protruding parts of decorative elements.

In this case, the installation of lighting devices is carried out so that the luminous flux is directed to a certain part of the ceiling surface or to the wall.

There is a way to hide an LED strip on the ceiling. To do this, it can be placed under a decorative product such as a ceiling plinth. As a result, it will not be too conspicuous and the light from the diodes will make the interior of the room more interesting.

But at the same time, you must definitely pay attention to the condition of the surface under the baseboard, since the wall should not crumble in this place. When the plaster is not strong enough, it is treated with a deep penetration primer, which is usually used for concrete bases.

Connecting LED lighting

After the installation of the flexible tape with diodes is completed, they begin to connect it, and the owners can do this work on their own.

LED backlighting involves the use of the following elements:

• power unit;
• controller and sensor;
• Remote Control;
• semiconductor lighting system of a certain length.

The process of connecting an LED strip consists of several stages:

1. First of all, connect a network cable with a plug to the power supply.
2. Next, 2 contacts of the controller are connected to the block - this action is performed if the RGB system is used for lighting.
3. Then contact cables are connected to the controller.

It happens that a controller is already installed in the room, designed for an LED strip of a certain length, but it needs to be reconfigured for a larger number of LEDs. In this case, you will need to install an additional amplifier.

How then to make the wiring? In this case, the power supply is connected to the amplifier and the other end of the LED device, and on the opposite side, in order to reduce the load, another section of the light strip is attached.

When creating colored ceiling lighting, polarity must be observed when making connections. You also need to monitor the compliance of the voltage on the controller and power supply with the lighting device.

The tapes are not allowed to be connected in series, as this often leads to overheating of the bus and melting of the plastic base.

Typically, LED strips are sold in 5-meter-long reels. If a shorter strip is needed, then the excess section is cut off using scissors. An incision is made in the designated location. When you need to solder the tape, then you should use a low-power soldering iron.

To increase the length of decorative lighting, you can use special small devices - connectors, which are designed to close an electrical circuit by snapping into place.

Subtleties of lighting design

If you decide to supplement the ceiling space of the room with an LED strip, expert advice on how to illuminate the ceiling will not be superfluous. Correctly selected light sources and well-placed lighting accents in a room can change its space beyond recognition and ultimately save up to 50% of its cost on lighting.

Any light bulb or lighting device has its own color. Therefore, before you finally choose an LED strip for the ceiling, you need to know what kind of light it can provide and whether it will be optimal, taking into account the purpose of the room and the personal preferences of the person who will be in it.

Nuances that you should ask the seller about:

1. Color rendering index. The value of this indicator determines how pleasant the color of interior items will look under artificial lighting conditions. On lamp packages you can find the letter symbols Ra or CRI. For normal lighting, the Ra index should be 80-90, and its ideal value is 90-100.
2. Colorful temperature. It is responsible for the shade of light and is measured in Kelvin (letter designation K). There are three shades: warm is ≈2700-3000 K; white or neutral ≈4100 K and cold ≈6500 K. For rooms where family members eat or relax after a hard day, designers recommend choosing neutral or warm light. They help create an atmosphere of ease and comfort. Cool color is ideal for various institutions where it is necessary to put people in a businesslike mood.

When purchasing strips with LEDs, you need to remember that as the voltage increases, the energy consumption also increases. To use them as the main lighting device, you need to purchase bright options equipped with a remote control.

Examples of effective room lighting

The LED strip on the ceiling surface looks great. It is easy to choose for the interior in any color scheme, and the ceiling structure itself can have a different number of tiers with different shapes.

For example, flexible tape looks beautiful in a two-level system when the lower tier is made of stretched film fabric. The lines of a box of another level made of plasterboard can be made in a wavy and graceful shape. In this case, it would be appropriate to install spotlights that are built into the plasterboard base.

A beautiful decoration of the room will be LED lighting in the suspended ceiling, consisting of parts of the correct geometric shape. Tapes attached to their bases will give them additional volume. When using this design solution, you can hang a chandelier made of chrome or shiny metal in the center of the ceiling surface.

LED strips can be installed in rooms of any purpose. For example, if there is dark furniture in a light bedroom, blue lighting will look impressive against the background of a white two-level ceiling structure. A ceiling with a similar design will be in harmony with walls made in soft and pastel colors and richly colored furnishings.

3 years have already passed since the new building was put into operation. First, I did some simple DIY repairs. Now the house has shrunk, the walls have warmed up and some defects have appeared. Two large cracks, 6 meters long, appeared on the ceiling at the junction of the plates along the entire room.

The wife began to demand repairs, but there were many modern and interesting finishing options and she could not decide. I decided to make the ceiling lighting with LED strip with my own hands.

I read about editing on other sites, but there is useless rubbish written there, because they are written by authors who do not understand this and have never done it. You will still have to explain the subtleties and advantages to your wife, so I decided to do it in writing, you will also be interested.
I recommend reading first:
1.
2.
3.

• 1. Types of ceilings
• 2. Types of lighting and backlighting
• 3. Select a diode strip
• 5. Colored backlight
• 6. How to install LED strip on the ceiling
• 7. Additional methods
• 8. Illumination of a suspended ceiling, video
• 9. Components and connection
• 10. Polyurethane cornices

Types of ceilings

Let's look at the main popular types for the home:

• tension;
• suspended plasterboard, slatted, cassette;
• suspended-tension, a hybrid of plasterboard and tension;
• single-level and two-level.

Tension - a modern and practical look, quickly installed. A big plus is the glossy surface and transparency of the film; gloss better reflects the light flux.

The use from the inside looks great. If your imagination runs wild, then for example you can do:

• starry sky, looks gorgeous at night;
• logo of your sports team or car;
• at least a simple drawing with palm trees and the sea.

Of all the types, I chose tension, with preliminary fastening of sound insulation under the film.

Plasterboard and suspended-tension will be quite optimal for a single-level project. In my apartment I can hear my neighbors upstairs very well, especially since they have 2 small children, they can knock on the floor at 3 am, it sounds like a drum. It will be possible to place soundproofing mats under the drywall, which cannot be done with tension mats without gluing.

Two-level ceilings look interesting from a design point of view, but they have a much higher complexity of execution and a large amount of drywall work. I can afford them without much damage, my height is 280 cm, which is higher than the usual 250 cm. They look beautiful, but from a practicality point of view, there will simply be additional costs. In a couple of weeks you won't pay attention to him anymore. I can spend this amount more usefully than on useless design.

Types of lighting and backlighting

Functions that can be performed when placed on the ceiling or the top of the walls.

1. decorative white;
2. decorative single color or RGB color;
3. basic lighting;
4. auxiliary, complementing the main one, such as low beam in a car;

I wanted a combination type. Good and beautiful chandeliers are expensive, and they no longer fit into modern design and look outdated. Classic, these are built-in lamps and light around the perimeter of the room.

Solid fill inside the second level, photo of a house room

In order not to lay a powerful diode strip and an expensive aluminum profile around the perimeter, I’m thinking of placing medium-power LEDs to perform the function of low-bright lighting. For bright light in the center of the room, install a built-in ceiling LED panel under Armstrong, which, with dimensions of 60 by 60 cm, shines at 3600 lumens, has a thickness of only 1 cm. For me, the cost of such an LED panel will be about 1000 rubles.

Why exactly the panel? – in fact, I don’t need bright lighting in every corner, besides, my walls are light-colored, the light will be reflected. It will shine as efficiently as possible only downwards; there will be a lot of light on the floor for children to play.

Choosing a diode strip

For backlighting it is better to use 5050, which does not require an aluminum profile for cooling. Its power should not exceed 10 W/m.

For white, the optimal density for SMD 5050 is 60 diodes per meter. The actual power may differ in one direction or another; it can only be determined by measuring the current consumed. LEDs 5050 can be inexpensive at 13 lm, and high brightness at 19 lm, labeled as LUX (High class). It already has a consumption of 14-15 W.
The average brightness with 13Lm diodes will be 800 Lm/m. which corresponds to a 60-75W incandescent lamp. With 19Lm LED diodes. brightness per 1 m. 1150 lm., this is the equivalent of a regular 90W light bulb.

Do not buy the less popular SMD 3014, 7020, 3020 LEDs. There is a high probability of purchasing components of low quality and with inflated technical characteristics.

The figures show the most common installation distances. There are no special requirements for installation, you can safely experiment until a satisfactory result is obtained. The laid light source can be left unattached, which will allow it to be moved in the future.

Var. No. 1 provides more intense illumination not only of the stretch ceiling, but also of the room. By moving the bookmark inside the box you can adjust the width of the lighting in the room.
Var. No. 2, creates the effect of a floating ceiling, looks especially good with a light blue sky.

Var. No. 3, used to create light stripes from the inside. You can post, for example, a simple drawing or a Volkswagen logo.
Var. No. 4, illuminates the entire area inside the tensioner. A small box on the sides will visually enlarge the illuminated surface. A simpler and more practical way is to mount it directly on the wall; it also looks decent, but it’s a matter of taste.

Additional methods

Var. No. 5, suitable for the main LED lighting of the room.
Var. No. 6, the lower profile is mounted overhead in the form of an LED lamp on a plasterboard surface. Can be replaced with a ceiling plinth.

Var. No. 7, due to the complex shape of the cornices, ice is usually placed on the wall.
Var. No. 8, the plinth is attached 50 -70 mm lower. and a light source is placed on it. This is a budget installation; any cheap baseboard will do, not necessarily polyurethane. The luminous angle of the LED is 120 degrees, so with this placement it will not dazzle and will be practically invisible.

Var. No. 9, plasterboard box of two-level tension
Var. No. 10, visually increases the height by illuminating the wall.

Suspended ceiling lighting, video

The installation of the light source is closely related to the installation of the entire structure. In the video, experts will show in detail the sequence of installing a two-level suspended ceiling from the very beginning. The main lighting will be done using built-in lamps; a strip source will be used for decorative lighting.

Components and connection

List of required materials for installation:

• ceiling plinth, polyurethane cornice, plasterboard;
• power unit;
• dimmer or RGB controller, with or without remote control;
• connectors for connection;
• cable for 220V network.

Polyurethane cornices

The optimal and simplest way to illuminate a stretch ceiling is to use polyurethane cornices, moldings, fillets, and baseboards. Cornices are quite expensive, sold in pieces of 2 meters and have many types of finishes, stucco moldings, patterns, and are suitable for painting.

For complex design forms it is produced in a flexible form, but costs 2 times more, and is labeled as FLEX plinth. The cost of Russian Europlast ranges from 350 to 900 rubles/m.

Chinese manufacturers have a more affordable price, the length of the products is 240 cm. To compare, you will need to calculate the price per meter. On average 400 r/m. for flexible, and 200-250 rub. for ordinary.

If the power consumption is large, and you want to hide the power supply behind the eaves, then use several smaller power supplies.

With the development of lighting equipment, more and more new design solutions are constantly appearing, as well as techniques for organizing indoor lighting. It is the use of lighting effects that gives an unusual feature and zest to the design of various rooms. At the same time, it is possible to create a special, exclusive ambiance of a particular direction. Making any type of ceiling lighting with your own hands is not a difficult task.

Types of ceilings and their lighting

There are several options for ceiling design, and each of them can be combined with each other. It all depends on the master’s imagination. So, here are their main types and materials:

1. Drywall;
2. Two-tier stretch film ceiling;
3. Finishing with baseboards or cornices;
4. Just regular whitewashing, plastering and painting.

For each type of ceiling, you can apply an individual type of lighting:

1. Neon;
2. LED;
3. Using chandeliers and spotlights.

Let us consider in detail the options for how to perform backlighting.

LED ceiling lighting

Lighting based on a semiconductor device - LED - appeared not so long ago, but at the same time it managed to confidently gain leadership among lighting equipment. With the help of LED lighting and backlighting, you can not only create a unique design for any room, but also save money on its subsequent use. Even a beginner can make LED ceiling lighting. The LED, in turn, is a light source that has the following advantages:

• Low power consumption along with good light output;
• Environmentally friendly since it does not contain any dangerous or even harmful gases for humans and the environment;
• The “life” of all lighting and each device in particular does not depend on the number of switches on and off;
• No vibration will affect the life of the LED;
• Low heat generated during operation.

Most often, LED lighting installed on the ceiling is made in a suspended version. So, when installing a suspended ceiling in a room, you need to decide on its type:

1. Contour. Diffused light emitted by LEDs located on the shelf, their light directed upward. It forms a continuous light strip;
2. Directional lighting. In this case, semiconductor devices are mounted on a slope, and their light flux is directed along the flow. If these are not LED strips, but separate light sources, then the rays diverging to the sides are clearly visible;
3. Ceiling spot lighting. LED lights are installed parallel to the floor and shine directly down.
4. Starry sky. One of the most difficult types of lighting, since it is necessary to place many separately lit LEDs throughout the ceiling, and an LED strip is no longer enough.
5. Shaped lighting. LED lamps are installed in small-sized ceiling lamps.

At the moment, the leaders among LED lighting are strips on which not only the semiconductor devices themselves are located, but also their individual power supply elements. LED ceiling lighting is safer in terms of fire hazard and electric shock, as it operates on low voltage.

How to choose LED strip

To select a suitable LED strip for lighting, you need to understand its types and functional features:

LED strips are mounted on a special adhesive tape. Therefore, it is better to install and glue them on plastic than on plasterboard or concrete. Connecting several tapes and bending them must also be done carefully using a reliable connection - through soldering. When installing, be sure to observe the specified polarity, since an LED turned on in the opposite direction may fail.

A suspended ceiling with LED strip lighting looks extremely modern and elegant, and most importantly, practical. Ready-made kits for lighting ceilings of this type can be purchased in specialized stores or online sites, where a large assortment of these products is offered.

Neon ceiling lighting

To create this type of illumination, classic glass or plastic tubes are used, on the walls of which a phosphor is applied. It is this that allows the device to emit light radiation. Electrodes are installed at the ends of the lamp tube to supply power voltage, and an inert gas - neon - is filled inside the tubes. In order for the device to emit light, a voltage converter is needed from the usual 220 Volts to a special high voltage for the ionization of neon. Moreover, the color emitted by this device depends on the composition of the phosphor. A distinctive feature of this lamp is the absence of an incandescent filament, so their operating life is 10-15 years. Most often, the length of such tubes is 1.5 m and the diameter is from 8 to 15 mm. Multi-level ceilings with neon lighting create a unique soft shade.

Several practical options for lighting different types of ceilings

A suspended ceiling illuminated using an LED or a neon tube can differ in both shape and structure; it all depends on the designer’s imagination.

Ceiling plinth with lighting

One of the most common types of modern lighting. A niche is left between the ceiling and the baseboard for laying the LED strip. It is attached both to the vertical surface of the ceiling and to the top of the baseboard. Illuminating the ceiling with an LED strip under the baseboard is used very rarely, since without turning on the lighting in natural light, the strip itself does not look aesthetically pleasing. It is worth choosing and using a special ceiling plinth for lighting. A regular fillet will not work, as it is simply a corner trim that covers the joint between the wall and the ceiling. Here we need another configuration, shown in the figures below.

Illuminated ceiling plinth is considered uncomplicated and very effective both as main and additional light. The baseboard for lighting can be polyurethane or polystyrene. Illumination of the ceiling with an LED strip under the baseboard can only be done with a certain configuration of this decorative element.

Ceiling cornice with lighting

Cornered ceiling lighting with LED strip is one of the simplest solutions for organizing ceiling lighting. It is most often located around the entire perimeter, and can be used in conjunction with other types of lighting. In this case, it is recommended to switch on from different switches, so that it is possible to turn on each type of lighting either in tandem or individually. Most often, such ceiling lighting does not require the installation of chandeliers or other lamps.

A distinctive feature of this type of lighting is the presence of a special protrusion under the ceiling into which the LED strip is recessed. You can choose different options for its location, which will determine the direction in which the light rays fall (reflection from the side of the cornice, wall or ceiling). Manufacturers of curtain rods have long thought out how to make them most convenient for electrical work. For this purpose, the standard fillet shape has been slightly modified; it has a small recess in the body for placing an LED strip or neon tube in it.

Installation of a ceiling box with lighting for LED strips is carried out as shown in the figure. In this case, two options can be distinguished. With installation of the light source on the wall or inside the box.

Stained glass ceilings with lighting

To perform this type of ceiling lighting, acrylic or ordinary silicate glass is most often used. Stained glass windows give the room a rich appearance and spirituality. To fasten stained glass, frames for stained glass ceilings made of different types of materials are used:

1. Brass;
2. Aluminum;
3. Become.

An interesting aspect of using metal profiles for fasteners is their decorative finish, and brass takes on the appearance of antique bronze.

Glass ceilings with lighting

The glass can be frosted, or painted for a specific design project. The light source is selected separately depending on the room and its structure. In this case, the lighting is produced as if from inside the ceiling.

This type of lighting is more suitable for offices, premises of large organizations, or studios. Some craftsmen create this type of lighting, as well as lighting for living spaces, bedrooms, living rooms and halls.

A two-level ceiling with lighting and a glass insert is often used in suites of hotel complexes and hotels.

It is not difficult to illuminate the ceiling; the main thing is to observe safety precautions when working at height, as well as when working with voltage.

DIY ceiling lighting video

Ceiling lighting with LED strip is a very popular way to create unusual interiors in modern homes. This technique is given additional popularity by the fact that all installation work can be done with your own hands, without seeking help from specialists in the field of electrical engineering.

The active development of innovative technologies has allowed designers to develop a whole range of new techniques that make it possible to radically change the visual perception of a variety of living spaces. By installing a modern lighting system using diode strips, you can literally transform any apartment or house, making your home truly original and cozy.

By and large, they tried to illuminate the ceiling with LED strip already in the 1970s. It was then that the first diodes began to appear on the market. But in those years, new lighting was not widely used due to the fact that it did not have the most pleasant spectrum for the human eye (too sharp) and a small color range. Now these problems have been resolved. Diodes with a soft spectrum and any color shades are available for sale. And most importantly, these days almost any home craftsman can engage in amateur lighting design.

LED lighting in the apartment

It is enough to purchase a suitable kit for creativity, which includes special controllers, power supplies and diode strips directly, and arrange your home with your own hands in the desired lighting version. LEDs allow you to decorate any ceiling surface. The most difficult thing to do with your own hands is the lighting design of suspended and. But with the right approach to business, this problem becomes solvable. And without unnecessary expenditure of effort and time.

Ceiling lighting using LED strip can be done in different ways:

1. Pointed. In this case, the lighting fixtures are positioned so that they cast light straight down. The most famous option for LED spot lighting is the so-called starry sky.
2. Directed. The devices are placed in a special way on slopes. Due to this, they shine along the ceiling surface.
3. Diffused (contour). With this scheme, the diodes form a continuous strip of light on the ceiling (they are directed up, not down).
4. Figured. In this case, lighting devices are installed in small ceiling lamps, which makes it possible to create a special lighting configuration.

With your own hands you can make all the given diagrams for any ceiling (stretch or the most ordinary one). But first you need to decide on the characteristics of the diodes that you plan to use.

The first characteristic you should pay attention to is the color of the ceiling diodes. It may be different. Moreover, you can decorate the ceiling with either a single-color LED strip or a multi-color one. The glow of products with several colors is controlled remotely. In residential premises, as a rule, lighting from emitters of different shades is used. And single-color products are usually installed in public institutions, in exhibition and sales halls, where the total amount of lighting is high. By the way, in terms of price, ribbons with one and several colors are no different. They cost about the same.

LEDs for ceiling

The next important parameter is the density of diodes on one strip. There can be 120, 60 or 30 for each meter of product. If you are installing directional lighting for the ceiling, the pros advise purchasing strips with a density of 120 or 60. But it is better to make contour lighting yourself using products with 30 (in large rooms - 60) emitters. Ideally, for a stretch ceiling, it is advisable to use two tapes with different densities at once. In this case, it is necessary to install products with 60 (30) emitters on slopes, and 120 (60) on shelves. But this option is only possible when the niches for mounting diodes are relatively large.

Next, we determine the power of the LED strip. Such products are marked with SMD letters. After them there are numbers, they indicate the power. For example, if you have two products in front of you labeled SMD 6035 and SMD 3028, know that the first tape will be more powerful. It is also easy to find out the power of a particular emitter in its passport. In practice, directional lighting is most often performed with strips with a luminescence intensity of 5 W/m, contour lighting - 8 W/m. If you place several products on slopes and on a shelf at once, choose emitters of 5–7 and 7–17 W/m, respectively.

The controller and power source for the LED strip must be selected taking into account the power of the lighting product. It can operate from 24, 12 or 5 V. Both the controller and the power supply must be designed for the same indicators . In cases where the ceiling lighting may get wet (careless neighbors above, constant high humidity in the room), it is advisable to install strips that are marked with the letters IP. This type of lighting technology has a special waterproofing coating based on silicone. It perfectly protects lighting fixtures from moisture.

An LED strip for a regular or suspended ceiling is installed on a frame. It is made from (gypsum plasterboard), making a kind of cornice (shelf, niche). The frame can be located around the perimeter of the ceiling or hidden between the second and first levels of the surface made of plasterboard sheets. Making this shelf with your own hands is not difficult.

Preparing the ceiling frame for installing lamps

Its installation is done like this:

1. Step back from the ceiling slabs by about 10 cm and place the first level of plasterboard sheets on the skeleton made of galvanized metal profile.
2. Connect the next part of it (second level) to the mounted structure. Here it is necessary to leave enough space between the ceiling and wall surfaces so that the light from the diodes can pass into the room without problems.
3. Cover the second level of the frame with sheets of plasterboard, forming a shelf for mounting the LED strip.
4. Lead the wires for connecting the lighting into the mounting groove and connect them (temporarily) to the plasterboard. For these purposes, use regular masking tape or tape.

Now you need to putty the ceiling, complete its final finishing, and then begin installing modern LED lighting. Special skirting boards, moldings and cornices made of polyurethane are usually installed on suspended ceilings. And LED emitters are already being installed on them. Due to the fact that these polyurethane elements have various types of images, stucco moldings and original finishes, it is easy to create a unique decor with your own hands. And supplement it with original diode lighting equipment.

LED strip is usually sold in five-meter-long reels. If contour lighting of the ceiling is performed, several such coils are connected into one unit. It is not recommended to connect more than three reels in series. In cases where the perimeter of the room where the diode strips are installed is more than 15 meters, several sections should be connected in parallel.

LED strip installation

When connecting LED strips with your own hands, you must carefully monitor their polarity. Incorrect connection will result in failure of all products when they are turned on.

The tapes are attached to the frame without the slightest problem. There is adhesive tape on the back side. It is covered with film. All you have to do is carefully remove this covering and mount the product on the ceiling. It is not advisable to glue LEDs directly onto gypsum boards. Over time they may come away from the drywall. It would be optimal to select corners made of polyvinyl chloride for slopes and cornices (if diodes are installed on a suspended ceiling - made of polyurethane) and secure them with universal self-tapping screws. And then glue the tape to these additional parts.

After placing and connecting the LED strips to the wires removed from the frame, they need to be connected to the power supply unit (PSU) and (if multi-color products are used) to the controller. If the lighting system you are creating has a power of more than 50 W, install several power supplies with low power. Such devices are small in size. They are easy to disguise in plasterboard shelves on the ceiling. If you use 70 W units, they can protrude from the frame and thereby spoil the appearance of the ceiling surface.

The process of connecting the tapes to the power supply with your own hands is elementary. You just need to connect the appropriate wires and terminals correctly. When this is done, turn on the backlight and check it. If everything works fine, praise yourself for being able to create an unusual lighting decor in your home with minimal financial outlay.

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Ceiling lighting with LED strip and LED lighting: 18 frequently asked questions

This article is about LED lighting. In it I will talk about how ceiling lighting with LED strip can be implemented, whether the strip can be used as the main lighting, and how beneficial LED lamps are compared to other light sources. The material will be structured in the form of answers to the most popular questions among potential buyers. So, let's go.

Market Review

1. What LED lamps can the modern market offer??

Here are their main types:

• Tapes, which are LEDs on a flexible conductive substrate. Tapes can have a supply voltage of 12 and 220 volts;

Tapes powered by 220 volts use direct current and are connected through a compact rectifier (diode bridge).

• Panels are LEDs on a rigid substrate, equipped with a diffuser. Often the panel is a combination of a diffuser and an LED strip cut into short pieces;
• Spots are lamps that provide directional light thanks to a built-in reflector;

• Soffits are compact luminaires built into the ceiling that provide diffused light;
• Spotlights.

1. How economical is LED lighting?

The latest generations of LEDs provide light output of more than 100 lumens per watt of power consumption. For incandescent lamps this indicator is 10 times worse, for compact fluorescent (“energy-saving”) lamps it is 1.5–2 times worse.

Ribbon

1. How to choose an LED strip for ceiling lighting and for main lighting?

For hidden lighting, the main criterion is low heat generation. As a rule, it is installed in a ceiling niche, on a plinth or molding, which means a rather poor heat dissipation. Therefore, for the role of illumination, a tape with a power of no more than 5 watts per linear meter is usually purchased.

Which LED strip to choose for lighting the ceiling based on the color of the glow?

The color should be selected based on the functionality of the room and its overall design. So, red lighting would be appropriate in, but obviously out of place in the kitchen, and “acidic” green light will in no way fit into the style of a retro living room.

An interesting solution is an RGB strip that can change the backlight color.

If you choose a tape for the role of main lighting, two other criteria are important for you:

• Colorful temperature. The most accurate color rendition is ensured by lighting with a temperature of 4000 K;

However, light with a temperature of 2700 - 3000 K is more pleasing to the eye. In terms of spectrum, it is closer to an incandescent lamp than to daylight.

• Specific luminosity per linear meter. It should be at least 1000 lumens. The optimal combination of luminosity and energy consumption (from 1000 lumens and no more than 18 watts per linear meter) is currently (July 2016) provided by SMD LED strips 5630 and 5730; older smd 5050 with the same consumption are half as luminous as them.

A nuance: the same LED can have different luminosity depending on the voltage applied to it. However, as the voltage increases, power consumption inevitably increases, and subsequently the heat dissipation of the LED. Tapes with a power of more than 18 watts per meter must be mounted on an aluminum profile that dissipates heat.

1. Which tape is better - powered by 220 volts or 12?

Definitely the second one. Its only drawback is the need for an external power supply, while the 220-volt strip uses a compact rectifier mounted at its connection to the power cord.

The advantages outweigh it completely:

• A diode assembly powered by 12 volts is just three diodes with several resistors. It is in sections of three LEDs that a low-voltage tape can be cut. When powered by 220 volts, cutting is only possible by the meter;

• The failure of one LED will cause two more light sources in the same assembly as the defective part to go out. In a 220-volt tape, all the parts in each meter segment are connected in series, and the burnout of any of them will mean that the meter of tape will go out completely;

It’s curious: the 220-volt strip that I purchased to illuminate the exit to the courtyard lasted only a year. It went out in meter-long sections as single SMD parts burned out.

• Finally, don't forget about safety. 12 volts in any short circuit cannot lead to fatal consequences.

Lamps

1. How LED strip lights work?

They consist of an aluminum profile with a fastening system, a tape with a sufficiently high luminosity glued to it, and a plastic diffuser - matte or prismatic. As a rule, the cost of such lamps significantly exceeds the total price of components purchased at retail.

1. Which is better - spotlights or LED panel?

It all depends on the key requirements.

At the same power, one bright light source will always provide better illumination than several weaker ones. Therefore, from an economic point of view, the panel wins. But it loses in the uniformity of lighting: spotlights distributed throughout the room will not create shadows.

36 watt LED panel. Size - 600x600 mm. Luminosity - 3200 lumens.

Lamps

1. Which LED lamps are better??

If we evaluate efficiency, the proximity of the spectrum to the sun and, accordingly, the accuracy of color rendering (that is, the correspondence of the color of an illuminated object to what is visible in bright daylight), then the undisputed leader will be lamps with LED filaments (they are labeled as filament).

These lamps are interesting, among other things, because their appearance is very similar to incandescent lamps: the same glass bulb is used, and the LED filament is very similar in appearance to a spiral.

The obvious disadvantage of filament lamps is that they produce diffused light, while lamps with a hemisphere diffuser create a bright beam of light directed in one direction. If you plan to install a lamp in a spot lamp, your choice is a lamp with a semicircular diffuser.

Power

1. How to calculate LED lighting?

When selecting the total luminosity of light sources, you should be guided by the sanitary standards prescribed in SanPin 2.2.1/1278-03.

The unit of measurement in the table I have given is lux, which corresponds to one lumen (unit of luminosity) per square meter of area. Luminosity in lumens is always indicated on the packaging of any LED lamp or lamp. Let's say, for a children's room with an area of ​​20 square meters, it is recommended to use light sources with a total luminosity of 20*200=4000 lumens.

A caveat: the actual luminosity of light sources is often lower than declared. The reason is both the dishonesty of the manufacturer and light absorption by diffusers and lampshades (especially dusty ones). Therefore, when calculating, it is better to increase the obtained value by 20 - 30%.

Installation

Main lighting

1. How to properly install an LED strip on the ceiling as the main lighting ?

Self-adhesive tape is applied to the heat dissipation profile. It can be built-in or overhead.

When the tape power is less than 18 watts per linear meter, for heat removal it is enough to stick the tape on any surface with non-zero thermal conductivity. For me, for example, this role was played by the cover of a cable channel made of PVC. During long-term operation, the temperature of the tape does not rise above 45 - 50 degrees, which is quite safe for LEDs.

1. How to attach an LED profile to a plasterboard ceiling?

Depending on the design, the profile is glued with any universal glue, liquid nails or sealant into a pre-cut groove or attached to the ceiling through holes drilled in it with self-tapping screws with countersunk heads. Don't forget to countersink the holes so that the heads of the screws do not interfere with the application of the tape.

Another option for attaching a mortise profile is to use an additional profile - a holder.

1. How to attach an LED profile to a panel ceiling?

Screws with plastic dowels. The step is no more than 50 cm, otherwise the profile will move away from the ceiling. The remaining gaps can be carefully filled with acrylic putty.

1. How to install a diffuser on a profile with an LED strip glued inside ?

The plastic diffuser purchased complete with the profile snaps into it along its entire length. The design of the latch is similar to that used in cable channels.

By the way: the diffuser absorbs 25 - 30% of the light. Subsequently, its light absorption increases due to dust and clouding of the plastic. In my opinion, it is better to use flat aluminum profiles without a transparent cover.

1. How to glue tape without a profile to a plasterboard ceiling?

It is enough to paint the strip of drywall directly under the tape with any glossy paint or enamel. The gloss gives a perfectly smooth surface on which the self-adhesive tape adheres quite reliably.

Another solution is to stick a strip of plastic onto the plasterboard (for example, half of a universal PVC corner cut to length). Liquid nails or silicone sealant can be used as glue.

That is why tapes are prohibited from being connected in series. High current can lead to overheating of the bus and melting of the plastic base of the tape.

Backlight

1. Which ceiling plinth for LED strip is better to choose??

The main criterion is the widest possible vertical. The plinth will only be glued to the wall along the perimeter of the ceiling, so a large gluing area will ensure its secure fastening.

The baseboard material can be anything with a tape power of within 5 watts per meter: the LEDs practically do not heat up during operation. Their operating temperature of 35 - 40 degrees will be quite safe for both polyurethane and expanded polystyrene.

1. How to attach a ceiling plinth to a wall?

I used spot-applied acrylic putty for this purpose. With the same success, the plinth can be glued to liquid nails or any universal glue.

Important: the wall under the baseboard should not crumble. Weak plaster must be pre-treated with a penetrating primer for concrete bases.

1. How to install LED strip ceiling lighting?

Hidden lighting is glued to the top shelf of the baseboard at a minimum distance from the wall or to the wall itself above the baseboard. The optimal distance between it and the ceiling is about 5 centimeters. The distance from the tape to the edge of the baseboard should not allow the viewer from the opposite end of the room to see the backlight.

1. How to minimize heating of the backlight power supply?

• Ensure free air circulation in the area where it is located. From a practical point of view, this means that the power supply should not be installed in closed niches;

• Select the power of the power supply so that it covers the total power of the strips or low-voltage lamps connected to it by at least 30%.

Conclusion

I hope that I was able to satisfy the reader’s curiosity in the field of LED lighting. As always, you can learn more by watching the video in this article. I look forward to your additions and comments. Good luck, comrades!

October 23, 2016

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