How Many Lumens Do I Need? Lumens per Square Foot for Every Room
Part of the project planner: Planning to frame and finish a wall.
A 12 × 12 ft living room needs about 2,160 lumens, which is about 15 lumens per square foot: 3 bulbs of 800 lumens, each the light of an old 60 watt bulb. A kitchen needs more, about 35 lumens per square foot. The lumens calculator works out the lumens and the bulbs for your own room and bulb.
Lumens per square foot by room
Lumens needed per square foot, and for a 12 × 12 ft (144 sq ft) room:
| Room | Lumens per sq ft | For 144 sq ft | Bulbs of 800 lumens | LED watts (at 90 lm/W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living room | 15 lumens | 2,160 lumens | 3 bulbs of 800 lumens | 24 W of LED |
| Bedroom | 15 lumens | 2,160 lumens | 3 bulbs of 800 lumens | 24 W of LED |
| Dining room | 20 lumens | 2,880 lumens | 4 bulbs of 800 lumens | 32 W of LED |
| Kitchen | 35 lumens | 5,040 lumens | 7 bulbs of 800 lumens | 56 W of LED |
| Bathroom | 40 lumens | 5,760 lumens | 8 bulbs of 800 lumens | 64 W of LED |
| Home office | 40 lumens | 5,760 lumens | 8 bulbs of 800 lumens | 64 W of LED |
| Laundry room | 30 lumens | 4,320 lumens | 6 bulbs of 800 lumens | 48 W of LED |
| Hallway | 10 lumens | 1,440 lumens | 2 bulbs of 800 lumens | 16 W of LED |
| Garage or workshop | 50 lumens | 7,200 lumens | 9 bulbs of 800 lumens | 80 W of LED |
Lumens for different room sizes
| Room area | Living room | Kitchen | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 1,500 lm | 3,500 lm | 4,000 lm |
| 144 sq ft | 2,160 lm | 5,040 lm | 5,760 lm |
| 200 sq ft | 3,000 lm | 7,000 lm | 8,000 lm |
| 300 sq ft | 4,500 lm | 10,500 lm | 12,000 lm |
| 400 sq ft | 6,000 lm | 14,000 lm | 16,000 lm |
Lumens, watts and old bulbs
Lumens measure the amount of light. An LED bulb is far more efficient than an incandescent one:
| Light output | Old incandescent | LED (about 90 lm per watt) |
|---|---|---|
| 450 lumens | 40 W | 5 W |
| 800 lumens | 60 W | 9 W |
| 1,100 lumens | 75 W | 12 W |
| 1,600 lumens | 100 W | 18 W |
How to light a room well
- Use layers: general (ceiling and recessed lights), task (under-cabinet, desk and reading lights) and accent (lamps and wall lights).
- Spread the light: several bulbs give better light than one very bright one. Count the lumens from every source.
- Fit dimmers so that you can lower the level in the evening. They suit a living room and bedroom.
- Choose the color: warm white (2700 to 3000 K) suits living rooms and bedrooms, and neutral to cool white (3500 to 5000 K) suits kitchens, workshops and garages.
- Look at the color rendering (CRI): 80 or more is good, and 90 or more for kitchens and bathrooms where color matters.
- Dark walls and floors soak up light, so add more lumens in a room with dark finishes.
For recessed lights see the recessed lighting calculator, and the recessed lights guide. These are guidelines: use more light where you read or do close work.
Frequently asked questions
How many lumens do I need for a living room?
About 15 lumens per square foot: 2,160 lumens for a 12 × 12 ft room, which is 3 bulbs of 800 lumens (the old 60 watt bulb). Use several light sources, and dimmers.
How many lumens for a kitchen?
Kitchens need more light for work, about 35 lumens per square foot: 5,040 lumens for a 12 × 12 ft kitchen, or 7 bulbs of 800 lumens.
How many lumens is a 60 watt bulb?
About 800 lumens. A 40 watt incandescent bulb gives about 450 lumens, a 75 watt bulb 1,100 and a 100 watt bulb 1,600. An LED makes the same light with 8 to 14 watts.
How many lumens per square foot do I need?
It depends on the room: about 10 for a hallway, 15 for living rooms and bedrooms, 20 for dining rooms, 30 for laundry rooms, 35 to 40 for kitchens, bathrooms and offices, and 50 for a garage or workshop.
Do I count watts or lumens when I buy a bulb?
Lumens: they measure the light. Watts only measure the power, and an LED uses far fewer watts for the same lumens. Look for lumens on the pack.
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Estimates only. Quantities depend on your materials, site and supplier. Confirm important numbers before you order, and follow local building codes for anything structural.