Shop Lighting Layout & Design
Get Your Custom Lighting Plan With Product Recommendations
Includes up to 8% off the price of our recommended lighting products 
Dedicated Sales Support
Every lighting plan comes with a dedicated product specialist, providing personalized service and expert advice for your project needs.
How long does it take to get a plan?
1-2 for indoor and 2-3 days for outdoor projects
Our Customers
4
5
CBRE needed high quality lighting for their customer, with stock available for ongoing projects.
Customer had an urgent need for high temperature lights. We had them in stock & shipped out next day.
Poor lighting caused parking lot safety issues for spectators. Our lighting plan & new lights resulted in an improved experience.
Customer needed to source large quantities of specialty fixtures for use in their manufactured products.
Tracy Electric was seeking a reliable source for ongoing lighting projects.
Distributors partner with us to provide customers a high quality product at a reasonable price.
Repeat lighting supplier for an electrical contractor working in manufacturing facilities.
Permanent tent lighting for large acrobatics facility. Our lighting plan & recommendations resulted in ideal performer & spectator safety.
Shop lighting plans are designed to deliver the right light levels, minimize shadows, and ensure safe, productive workspaces. A well-designed layout considers your shop’s size, ceiling height, and work tasks to determine fixture type, placement, and spacing. This helps you achieve the correct foot-candle levels and avoid costly mistakes when selecting and installing LED shop lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Ideal Shop Lighting Layout?
The ideal shop lighting layout positions fixtures to achieve consistent foot-candle levels and even coverage throughout the space. Start by identifying your required brightness, then use a lighting plan to determine fixture quantity and placement. This process helps eliminate dark spots and ensures uniform illumination for all work areas.
How Do I Calculate the Lumens Needed for Lighting a Shop?
For general light-duty shops, 20 to 40 lumens per square foot is typically sufficient. Production environments often require 40 to 60 lumens per square foot for more detailed work. High-production commercial shop lighting applications may need 60+ lumens per square foot to support precision and safety.
How Do I Calculate the Number of Lights Needed in a Shop?
Use a lighting calculator for a quick estimate, or request a custom lighting plan for precise results. A professional plan provides exact fixture counts, optimized layout, and foot-candle readings across your floor area. Shop lighting layouts vary based on use, ceiling height, and work requirements.
How Many Foot-Candles Do You Need for a Shop?
General light-duty shops should target 20-40 foot-candles for basic tasks and storage. Production work areas benefit from 40 to 60 foot-candles for assembly and repairs. High-production shops should aim for 60+ foot-candles to maximize visibility and safety.
How Do I Calculate LED Shop Light Placement?
LED shop light placement is based on your target foot-candle levels, fixture output, and ceiling height. Key factors include mounting height, spacing between fixtures, and wall clearance. Proper planning considers beam angle and lumen output to achieve even coverage and minimize glare or shadows.
What Is the Ideal 24 x 40 Shop Lighting Layout?
A 24 x 40 shop typically needs 4 to 10 fixtures, depending on ceiling height and brightness requirements. For general lighting, a 2×2 grid with 4 high-bay fixtures is common. Production or precision work may require 6-10 fixtures in a 2×3 or 2×4 pattern for higher light levels.
Why Should I Get a Professional Lighting Plan for My Shop?
A professional lighting plan helps avoid over- or under-lighting, ensures optimal fixture placement, and delivers accurate foot-candle mapping before installation. This reduces guesswork, prevents wasted energy, and provides consistent lighting tailored to your work requirements.
How Much Can a Proper Lighting Plan Save Me?
A well-designed lighting plan can save 20-30% on fixture costs by optimizing placement and preventing over-lighting. Installation time is also reduced with precise layout data, helping you avoid costly retrofits and ensuring you purchase only what you need.
What Information Is Needed to Create My Shop Lighting Plan?
To create an accurate lighting plan, provide your shop’s dimensions, ceiling height, and main work activities. Photos of the space help identify obstacles, electrical locations, and existing fixtures. Also specify your target brightness and any areas needing extra illumination for detailed work.
What Type of Fixtures Are Best for Shop Lighting?
LED high bay lights are recommended for shops with higher ceilings, while LED linear fixtures or strip lights work well in lower-ceiling workshops. Choose fixtures with appropriate lumen output, beam angle, and color temperature for your tasks and mounting height.
How Far Apart Should Shop Lights Be Spaced?
Fixture spacing depends on mounting height, fixture output, and desired light levels. As a general guideline, space high bay fixtures approximately 1 to 1.5 times the mounting height apart for even coverage. A custom lighting plan will provide exact spacing for your shop layout.
How Do I Reduce Shadows or Dark Spots in My Shop?
To minimize shadows and dark areas, use uniform fixture spacing, select fixtures with wide beam angles, and avoid placing lights too close to walls or obstacles. A professional lighting plan will identify potential problem areas and recommend adjustments for consistent illumination.
Sample Workshop Lighting Plans and Heatmaps
