20 Best Lights for Garage Ceiling (Ideas and Examples)

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According to Statista research, it is predicted that by 2020 the sales of new car dealers and old dealers are expected to reach $960 and $109 billion respectively.

However, most of these purchased cars can’t be comfortably kept in garages as other research has shown that 1 in 4 Americans have garages they can’t use due to improper planning and excessive stuffing.

In fact, the common conception of garages is that they are damp, dark, and infested with spiders and cobwebs.  This results in garages being used as a place to dump condemned mechanical tools and objects.

This doesn’t have to be your experience though. You can turn your garage into whatever you want and a simple thing as changing your lighting can be the transformative agent.

Now, your mind may have just gone to boring old fluorescent lights, however, it doesn’t have to be that. There are numerous creative lighting ideas and lights you can introduce into your garage to make it what you want.

However, there are two major types of lightings:

A.  Outdoor Lighting

A lot of people tend to ignore the exterior of their garage because they do not think it is relevant.

But the exterior of your garage matters too and when considering lighting ideas, you should also consider exterior lighting ideas that will give your garage an alluring and appealing look.

Properly lighting the exterior of your garage can transform the look of your entire building.

B.  Interior Lightning

Having examined exterior garage lighting, let’s look at lighting ideas for the interior of your garage.

The major use of light is the illumination, so when considering the lighting of the interior of your garage, it has to be done in a way that the garage is properly illuminated so that you will be able to see what you are doing.

This, however, does not mean that the lighting should be boring. Here are some beautiful lighting ideas for your garage.

This article will describe the type of garage ceiling lighting that’ll be a perfect fit for your garage, what style would be the best fit and a lot more. So, let’s dive in into the best light ideas for your garage.

1. LED Lighting Strips

If you love your garage a bit dim and are a little frugal in your garage expenses then using LED lighting strips is something you should consider.

This is because they aren’t as bright as fluorescent lights and create a dimly lit space, which transforms your garage into a soothing atmosphere.

However, these ceiling lights are powerful enough to brighten up any type of garage. And what’s more?

They are capable of lasting for approximately 6 years, so you don’t have to bother about purchasing new lights every year or after a few months.

A great brand that offers strip lights is Waveform Lighting LED Strip Lights. Also, this type of lighting for your garage is great if you want to keep the cozy feel of your garage.

Below is an example of LED lighting Strips:

2.  Workspace Lighting

We already saw that data shows that a lot of people do not consider their garages as a place to keep their cars instead they use them for other things.

However, when this happens, the garage ends up turning into a massive collision of mechanical tools, especially if you’re a DIY activist.

Now, even though you do not want to use your garage for parking cars and want to retain it as a workshop or a place for your tools, you can do this by introducing modern ceiling fluorescent lighting to your garage.

Fluorescent lights are very energy efficient so you don’t have to worry about the bills. Furthermore, they give off natural looking bright light.  

For instance, Lithonia Lighting 4-light Heavy Duty Shop Light is a great example; it has four bulbs and hence provides enough lighting to light up every area of your garage.

Take a look at the garage below and how it’s been lighted. This will allow you to carry out your DIY tasks easily.

3. Hanging Shop Lights

Everyone loves methods that have been proven and tested. Hanging shop lights fit perfectly into proven lighting methods.

There’s absolutely no way you can go wrong intruding hanging store lights into your garage.

Even though these lights seem a bit archaic, that shouldn’t be the deciding factor on whether you use them or not. If you’re big on keeping things simple, these type of lights is right for you.

For example, the hanging light in the garage image below is capable of lighting a particular workspace.

So you simply just hang up a fixture and put in four or two bulbs and you’re good to go. The light it produces is bright enough to let you see what you want to do.  

4. Philips Hue Lights

Innovations are part of life and in the information age, everyone loves having a lot of things automated. And the Phillips Hue Lights help you experience this with your garage lighting.

You can connect the function of your lights to your smartphone or tablet, as it runs with smart tech.

So if you’re the laid back type and want to be able to control the world around you with your phone, this type of light is just right for you.

What’s more? You can even switch the shade, brightness, lighting, and color of the light from your smart device.

It even allows you to change from workspace to party mode in a flash, with a single swipe on your phone.

Here is an example of the type of lighting you can expect with Phillips Hue.

How amazing is that? So, if you’re the party freak, you’ll absolutely love it.

5. Compact Ceiling Light Pot Fluorescent Lamps

Compact Light Pot Fluorescent Lamps are excellent if you do not require the kind of brightness you’d get from regular fluorescent lights.

You can basically just screw them in different corners of your garage ceiling directly above where you want to carry out a task and it’ll create enough lighting for you.

These lights are quite cheap in terms of costs and maintenance. Furthermore, they are known for their durability.

So, when you get them you don’t have to be concerned about changing them frequently.

6. Inviting Space Lighting

If you’re looking for a light that creates an inviting or welcoming feel to your garage, you’ll need to create a layer up of lights in addition to your ceiling light, using fluorescence bulbs, as these work perfectly for anyone would a minimalist approach.

So, you just need to layer up the lights by using a combination of floor lamps, hanging lights, ceiling lamps, and wall lights and if you want to go a little further you could even add curtains if your garage has windows.

This lighting combination will create a very inviting atmosphere in your garage.

7. Mancave Lighting

Regardless of why you need a Mancave, whether for your son, for yourself, or out of randomness your lighting can massively affect how it looks.

For example, if you’re using the Hyperikon LED High Bay Light, it comes with motion sensors and literally lights up when you’re up to 80 feet from your garage.

If no one comes into the garage it dims out in 2 minutes, impressive right. What’s better to have in your Mancave than lights that understand you even when you’re 80 feet away?

Another thing to consider is using fluorescent lights especially if your Mancave has a lot of white gadgets like fridge, white gamepad, etc.  This will create a soothing feel whenever you step in and the lights turn on.

8. Bright Garage Lighting

If you’re not big on any fancy garage ideas and simply want a bright garage where you can see all your tools or cars properly, then you need to avoid porcelain fixtures and lights and opt for huge 8ft fluorescent fixtures.

All you need to do is mount them directly above your garage ceiling boxes as this will enable you to see your gadgets and cars properly.

Here is a great example of how to fix large fluorescent lights.

9. Bobcat Lighting 30W LED Area Light

If you have a garage that frequently gets wet, and you’re still in the process of fixing it up or can do nothing about it. Using the Bobcat Lighting 30W Led Area Light is your best option.

These lights can be placed on your ceiling and can work perfectly in a damp garage.

You don’t have to be concerned about replacing due to damage as a result of the dampness of your garage. They were built for such situations and will do just fine.

10. DIY Lights

For all DIY enthusiasts, this is for you. Most times you’d want to just fix in lights to your ceiling without calling a professional.

And the Striker TRiLIGHT Motion Activated Ceiling Light is great for that. All you need to do is screw it to your ceiling and you’re good to go.

Its light is bright enough to help you see your way through your garage and what’s more, they work with motion sensors, so you don’t have to bother about switches.

11. Decorative Lights

You can enhance the appearance of your garage by putting decorative lights outside.

The lights can be colored if you want to spice things up a little. Decorative ceiling lights work very well for the ambiance of your garage.

A great type of bulb that you can use for the ceiling edge of your garage is the VEGA LED light; it can be attached to the ceiling edge. It is very beautiful and also saves energy so you don’t need to worry about the electricity bill piling up.

You can use a Matte Black finish to give your garage a contemporary look. Allow your creativity to be fully unleashed when using decorative light, the outcome will be amazing.

12.  Security lights

Who says light is only for illumination or decoration, they are also used for security reasons and that’s why we have security lights.

You can light up the outdoor of your garage for security reasons which will help reduce the risk of theft which is prone to happen in some neighborhoods.

Having security lights outside your garage’s roof can help ensure the safety of your vehicles, tools and any other thing you store there.

A very important kind of light you should use on the exterior of the roof of your garage are sensor lights, these kinds of light come up automatically when motion is senses around the entrance of the garage.

A great example of a motion sensor light is the Night Eye LED Bulkhead — PIR Sensor Lights.

This light can sense motion that is within the range of 7 meters, and they can stay on for as long as 10 minutes after the motion is detected.

There are other amazing lights like this in the market, you can do a market survey and choose the one that you prefer.

13. Natural Lightning

There is no rule that forbids natural lighting in garages. Most people think the only way that they can have light in your garage is by installing bulbs, but you can use light up your garage with natural lighting.

To get your garage naturally lighted all you need to do is to fit windows into the wall or on the roof of the garage, this will flood your garage with sunlight.

This, however, does not eliminate the need for bulbs in the garage especially if you work in your garage at night when the sun has set and outside is dark, then, there will be no light in your garage except the faint moonlight.

Also, Windows may not be a great idea during winter when heating is necessary.

This, however, does not mean that natural lighting is a horrible alternative; in fact, it is a great one because not only is natural lighting cost-effective, and it also helps in eliminating the stuffy smell in your garage through proper ventilation.

14.  Temperature appropriate lighting

You may not know this but bulbs are made for different kinds of temperature. So when you are thinking of lighting up your garage, you can choose bulbs that suit the temperature of your house.

If the temperature is low or your garage is cold, making use of fluorescent lighting like the image below is a bad idea because they do not function well in low temperatures.

The same applies to T12 fixture that has metallic ballasts, they will not work well in cold temperatures.

Electronic ballasts, on the other hand, will work perfectly. Also, ensure that the lighting is a T8 size and 1 inch wide.

These ones will work well in your garage and also help you conserve power.

15. Decor Complementing Light

You can enhance the decor of your garage by using garage lighting that complements the decor.

Most of the time people ruin good decor by choosing lights that don’t go well with the interior decor of the garage.

If you want a vintage interior or shabby chic decor or vintage decor, a good choice of lighting that will complement the decor will help to enhance the beauty of your garage.

Take for example if you want an industrial-chic decor, you should buy the Edison-style lamp it goes well with industrial chic decor.

If you want a flashy decor that will show off the beauty of your car like the image below, you should use very bright and vibrant lights that will show the beauty well.

16. Personalized Ceiling Lighting (Pendant Ceiling Lighting)

Do you know that you can do something different and unique by placing your lights on the ceiling without unnecessary wire cluster?

You can make the lighting of your garage more interesting by fitting floodlights on the ceiling and aiming the light to any position where you require the light.

You can add an interesting twist by making use of pendant lights. You can choose a notification that suits your taste.

You can even get creative by inscribing your name or a pattern on the lights on the ceiling; this will give your garage personalized and beautiful lighting.

17.  Light for practical uses

Aside from the fact that light can be used for security, illuminating and decorative purposes, they also have practical relevance.

If you use your garage for experiments, assignment, and DIY, you will need lots of light that will help make your work easier and eliminate the hassle of having to look for tools or any other thing you need to work.

A great kind of light for practicality are overhead lights, natural lights, and floodlights. These lights will illuminate every angle in the garage and eliminate shadows and will enable you to be more efficient.

Whilst having a lot of light in a garage can help improve the ambiance and lift your mood, light is also important for practical reasons.

If you’re doing DIY in there, you’ll want plenty of light to help ensure you can easily find the tools, screws, and anything else you’re looking for.

For practical reasons, you want as many different sources of light as possible.

18. Chandelier lighting

You probably think Chandelier and garage can’t be in the same sentence, well they can. You can use chandeliers for the interior of your garage.

Even though this Chandelier won’t be made of crystals they will still give you garage an exotic look.

You can make custom chandeliers for your garage using old mechanical parts or any other material that you like.

You can make the chandelier look more colorful by making use of two or more different colors of the bulb and you can also attach overhead lights attached to it.

There is no rule guiding what you chandelier should look like, so unleash your creativity and create a beautiful masterpiece.

Even though this kind of lighting is not cheap, it will define give your garage a rich and admirable look.

19. Ceiling Stop lights Lighting

Stop lights are not just restricted to being used on roads; they can also be used to light up the interior of your garage and can be screwed to your ceiling.

You can get inspiration from the arrangement of stop lights at intersections and come up with a great lighting arrangement for the stop lights in your garage.

You can go the extra mile and mix the stop lights with sconces and tail lights. This beautiful blend of stop light will give your garage a unique look.

20. Colour Scheme based Lighting

If you do not want your garage to be different from the rest of your house, you can choose a color scheme that matches the color and decor of the rest of the house.

If the furnishings of your house are soft, you should use soft colors to light up your garage, but if the decor is bright and vibrant, you can make use of bold colors.

Just ensure that you have a proper understanding of the color scheme of the rest of the house before choosing lights for your garage, if the lights complement the decor of the house them your garage will look more like a part of the house, but if it is different from the color scheme, it may look chaotic to you especially if you want everything in the house to blend.

FAQs

How bright should garage lights be?

For basic garages, 50 lumens are ideally recommended per square foot. If, however, you wish to use the garage as a workshop as well, nothing less than 300 lumens per square foot will do. For electric lights, lumens denote their levels of brightness. So, the higher the lumen value, the brighter the light is. When talking about lighting any confined spaces, especially where good lighting is essential, the brightness levels are always considered in lumens.

What color temperature is ideal for garage lighting?

Garage lights with a color temperature of 5000 Kelvin will create the most suitable and convenient environment for most. The idea is to create a crisp and clear scenario that will be conducive if you need to work with tools and gears. This gives a slightly warmer shade than natural daylight, which, even though ideal for most people, might not be enough in all cases. Depending on use cases, you may need to adjust the lighting to be cooler or warmer. It’s best to consult a specialist for the best results.

Are LED lights better for garages?

LED lights are considered better for garages as they are brighter and last longer than traditional incandescent lights. The longevity of LED lights helps reduce your overall investment in the garage as you can save substantial money on replacements. Moreover, they rarely have issues or go bad, which means you need to put up with far less hassle of hauling ladders, stools, and anything else that helps you reach the lights. LED lights are also brighter, so you will need fewer lighting fixtures to get the right amount of lighting needed to work with tools and gears inside your garage.

How difficult is switching from incandescent to LED lighting for my garage?

Switching from incandescent garage lights to LED lights is quite easy and hassle-free. Thanks to the different types of LED lights available, most of the different existing incandescent light fixtures can be simply swapped for newer LED units. There are plug-and-play LED lights that only need to be hung off a ledge or wall. Most LED lights can directly replace incandescent light bulbs in their own socket. So, all you need to do is just twist them back in. There are also several forms of LED lights that can be chained together to provide optimum lighting for your garage. LED lights are also high on sustainability factors, making it an even sweeter deal.

Are LED lights a more expensive option for garages?

Contrary to popular belief and what the upfront costs may suggest, LED lights are significantly more cost-effective in the long run. Given that the costs of a light fixture don’t solely depend on their buying price but also their operating costs and other factors, a longer period must be considered. Calculations suggest that while the operating costs for an incandescent light amount to $6.60 for 1000 hours, the numbers for LED lights are significantly lower at just $1.32 per 1000 hours. Furthermore, the operational costs for LED lights are lower at $19.45 over 10 years compared to $93 for incandescent ones.

Conclusion

The lighting of your garage can change up the entire feel or mood of it. You can literally transform it to what you want by simply knowing the right kind of lights to use.

That’s why this list of the 20 best garage ceiling lights exist. It’ll help you know the right type of lights to use in a particular setting and how they change the feel of the garage.

So simply follow the tips, ideas, and examples listed in this article to make the best decision for your garage.

What’s more?

Everyone knows how garages can easily be discarded due to being damp, dark and dust filled but introducing quality ceiling lights into the garage can completely overhaul that and make it a place you’ll want to stay.