How Many Recessed Lights Do I Need? Spacing and Layout by Room
Part of the project planner: Planning to frame and finish a wall.
Work out the light the room needs (lumens per square foot times the area), divide by the lumens in each light, and then space the lights no farther apart than about the height of the ceiling. A 14 × 12 ft living room with an 8 ft ceiling needs 4 recessed lights of 800 lumens, in 2 rows of 2, 7.0 ft apart along the length and 6.0 ft across. The recessed lighting calculator does your room.
Recessed lights by room size
Living room, 8 ft ceiling, 800 lumen lights, standard spacing:
| Room | Lights | Grid | Spacing | Lumens each needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 ft | 2 | 2 × 1 | 4.0 × 8.0 ft | 480 lm |
| 10 × 10 ft | 4 | 2 × 2 | 5.0 × 5.0 ft | 375 lm |
| 10 × 12 ft | 4 | 2 × 2 | 5.0 × 6.0 ft | 450 lm |
| 12 × 12 ft | 4 | 2 × 2 | 6.0 × 6.0 ft | 540 lm |
| 12 × 14 ft | 4 | 2 × 2 | 6.0 × 7.0 ft | 630 lm |
| 14 × 16 ft | 6 | 2 × 3 | 7.0 × 5.3 ft | 560 lm |
| 16 × 20 ft | 6 | 2 × 3 | 8.0 × 6.7 ft | 800 lm |
| 20 × 24 ft | 9 | 3 × 3 | 6.7 × 8.0 ft | 800 lm |
Lumens by kind of room
For a 14 × 12 ft room:
| Room type | Lumens per ft² | Lumens needed | Lights of 800 lm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room | 15 | 2,520 | 4 |
| Bedroom | 15 | 2,520 | 4 |
| Dining room | 20 | 3,360 | 6 |
| Kitchen | 35 | 5,880 | 9 |
| Bathroom | 40 | 6,720 | 9 |
| Home office | 40 | 6,720 | 9 |
| Garage or workshop | 50 | 8,400 | 12 |
Ceiling height
A 20 × 20 ft living room. Taller ceilings spread the light farther, so the spacing grows with the height:
| Ceiling | Lights | Spacing |
|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 9 | 6.7 × 6.7 ft |
| 9 ft | 9 | 6.7 × 6.7 ft |
| 10 ft | 9 | 6.7 × 6.7 ft |
| 12 ft | 9 | 6.7 × 6.7 ft |
Layout rules
- Spacing: about the ceiling height apart for general light, closer for an even wash of light, farther for accent lights.
- Wall distance: about half the spacing for general light, or 1 to 2 feet from the wall to wash the wall, which suits art and textured walls.
- Task lights: over a counter, put the lights over the front edge, in front of you, so your body does not shade the work.
- Grid: line the lights up with each other and with the room, and avoid putting them over the middle of a joist or a duct.
- Dimming: use dimmable lights and a dimmer rated for LEDs, so that you can set the right brightness for the time of day.
Before you cut
- Find the joists with a stud finder and mark where each hole will go. Check the space above the ceiling for wires, pipes and ducts.
- Use IC-rated housings where they touch insulation, and airtight ones where the ceiling is below an attic.
- Cut the holes with a hole saw sized for the housing, and fish the cable from one fitting to the next.
- Choose the color temperature: 2700 K (warm) for living areas and bedrooms, 3000 to 4000 K for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Turn the power off at the breaker before you start any wiring, and follow your local electrical code.
See also the lumens calculator. Estimates only.
Frequently asked questions
How many recessed lights do I need for a 12x14 room?
4 lights of 800 lumens, in 2 rows of 2, for a living room with an 8 foot ceiling. A kitchen of that size needs 9.
How far apart should recessed lights be?
About the height of the ceiling for general light, or three-quarters of it for very even light. For an 8 ft ceiling that is 6 to 8 feet. This room works out at 7.0 by 6.0 feet.
How far from the wall should recessed lights be?
About half the spacing: 3.0 to 3.5 feet here. Closer to the wall (1 to 2 feet) washes the wall with light, and farther away leaves scallops.
How many lumens do I need per square foot?
15 for a living room or bedroom, 20 for a dining room, 30 to 40 for kitchens, bathrooms and offices, and 50 for a garage or workshop.
How many recessed lights on one switch?
There is no fixed number: group them by purpose (general, task, accent), put each group on a dimmer, and check the dimmer is rated for the total watts of LEDs.
More guides
Tools & materials for this project
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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.