LED ceiling light under the skirting board
Ceiling skirting with lighting - a modern solution, which gives the room an interesting look. It is suitable for all types of ceilings - from suspended and plasterboard to suspended and multilevel. It can be used both as a decorative light and as a full-fledged addition to the main lighting. But most importantly - you do not need to invite an electrician to install it, the work is not difficult to do yourself if you understand the nuances of installation.
Features of the organization of LED lighting with a plinth
This option has a number of features that should be studied before deciding to install it. It differs from other solutions in a number of aspects:
- As a source of light is used LED strip. This is a circuit board with a width of up to 3 cm, on which one or two rows of diodes are installed at regular intervals. They can have different power and color, which allows you to choose what is more suitable for a particular room. For rooms with high humidity, it is better to take the tape in a silicone shell, which is not afraid of moisture. For decorative lighting options are suitable with a number of diodes from 30 to 60 per meter, for functional - from 120 to 240.
- Most often, the system operates from power supply at 12 V. This makes it completely safe for humans and eliminates electric shock if the wiring is damaged. LEDs are not very heated during operation, so there is no need to think through a cooling system, most often they are glued directly to the base, but it is better to use an aluminum profile that serves as a heat sink.
- Skirting for LED strip on the ceiling is needed in order to scatter the light and distribute it evenly. If you do not cover the tape, the diodes will just shine points, which is not very attractive and does not give the normal quality of light. Due to the use of the skirting, the light flux is reflected and diffused, resulting in an even illumination.
- For brightness adjustment The power supply is very useful for dimmer control, so you can get the right intensity in seconds. Power supply is selected based on the characteristics of the tape and its length, which can be up to 5 meters. If you need to lay more, then 2 or more pieces are used, connect Parts are not worth it, because the brightness of this will suffer.
- It is best to use a variant with backlighting on the perimeter. But it will also be suitable for highlighting one or two walls, if such a solution will look appropriate.
By the way! There are both single-color and multi-colored ribbonsThe backlighting can be adjusted to your liking. It can be adjusted to your liking.
What plinth to choose
Baguette under the LED strip is not difficult to find. There are many options, each with its own characteristics. It is worth selecting first and foremost for the interior, as the plinth should be combined with the environment and fit organically into it. More often than not, the following solutions are used:
- Cheap foam plinth. Not intended for use with lighting. But on sale you can find versions of a suitable configuration inside which there is a cavity where the LED strip is placed. It is important to find a model that provides the correct distribution of light. You can not glue the tape on the foam, it is always installed on other surfaces.
- Polyurethane versions are much stronger than foam and look better. You can adapt both conventional models, and find a baguette profile, specially designed to install backlighting. When choosing, the size of the protrusion is necessarily taken into account, it is chosen individually for the room, the style of execution must also be taken into account. There are also flexible elements, which is important for non-standard rooms with semi-circular or other protrusions.
- Duropolymer is a separate type of material. The plinth is formed by high pressure, so it is strong and well resists adverse influences. Well suited for use in conjunction with lighting, there are many models, which initially provide for the installation of a strip.
- Ceiling skirting board with light for stretch ceilings. A special type that combines the function of a standard wall-mounted baguette, but also has a recess for the ribbon along the wall. It is installation, as the framing is installed when the cloth is stretched, and then you only need to glue the LED strip into the recess.
- Aluminum baguette. A modern solution that is suitable for the style of high-tech and other similar trends. Characterized by strength and durability. If glue tape on aluminum, it will serve as an additional heat sink, which will prolong the life of the light.
- Aluminum profile with a recess for LEDs and diffusing insert. This option provides diffused light and can be used for both decorative and practical purposes.
When choosing the size of the baseboard, a simple rule to remember: massive options are suitable for large rooms with high ceilings. If the room is small and the ceiling is low, it is better to choose models of medium and small width.
Mounting the skirting board for LED strip
The work can be done with your own hands, the process is not difficult, but it requires accuracy and precision. It is worth understanding all the nuances to understand in what sequence to install the skirting and what points you need to pay special attention to:
- The ceiling must be completely ready, because after fixing the baseboard will be difficult to paint or finish the surface around the perimeter. Therefore, if it must be painted, this is done in advance. Next, the optimal location of the baseboard is determined. To make sure that it will look good, it is better to put a plank and see the result.
- Electricity is wired. Since the strip is powered through a unit, its location is selected in advance. If the baseboard is large, it can be put inside. In other cases, it is worth hiding the equipment so that it is not visible. If you do not lay the cable in advance, then you will have to spoil the finish.
- The bottom line of the baseboard is marked. To avoid drawing on the walls, it is worth using a laser level. A line is projected on the surface, and then a small width of painter's tape is glued over it. It is better to use a car variant, as it is easy to remove and no traces of glue are left on the surface.
- The surface, to which the baguette will be glued, must be prepared. First of all, it is cleaned from dust, then a primer is applied, if the substrate is strongly absorbing moisture. It is better to use a penetrating primer to strengthen the surface and improve the adhesion of the elements.
- If the tape will be attached to the wall or ceiling, it is better to do it in advance. Then the process will become more complicated because of the baseboard. Here everything is simple - you can draw a line, as it will not be visible anyway. Along it, the tape is glued, for this purpose, the protective film is removed from its back. Preliminarily a terminal or soldered wire is installed on the contacts. It is obligatory to check the functionality of the system.
- The skirting board is glued along the perimeter. The arrangement of the elements should be chosen so that there are as few joints as possible in prominent places. Glue is applied to the part of the baguette that is adjacent to the wall or ceiling. It is not necessary to put too much composition, so that it does not come out when pressing. Usually the element is aligned on the line, gently pressed down and fixed for 30-60 seconds, it all depends on the glue.
- To connect the elements in the corners, a wire cutter is used. This device allows you to perfectly cut the ends at an angle of 45 °. The main thing is to make accurate measurements, so that then there are no gaps between the pieces.
If the skirting will be painted, the joints can be additionally putty, then the surface will be perfectly even.
If you use a special skirting board for a suspended ceiling with backlighting, you just need to carefully insert it into the groove of the profile around the perimeter. The main thing here is to make sure that it becomes even and exactly joined in the corners.
Topical video: Mounting the light baguette.
Optimal distance from the skirting board to the ceiling
There are no clear parameters, you can pick up the indentation at your discretion. Depending on the purpose of use and the desired effect, the following recommendations can be identified:
- If the lighting will serve only as a decorative element, the baguette is located close enough to the ceiling. A gap of 5 to 20 mm is enough to form a uniform band of light. In this case, the light flux will be more directional, so it will add expressiveness.
- To use the LED strip as the main or additional light source, the skirting must be lowered by at least 10 cm. But usually the distance is about 15 cm. In this case, several rows of tape are glued, and a suitably sized diffuser can be installed outside. Only a solid wide skirting board is suitable for such systems.
In prefabricated strips for lighting, the location of the strip can not be changed, keep this in mind.
LED strip placement options
On the location of the light source depends on the effect that will be created. There are three main options, each of which has features:
- Gluing to the baseboard directs the light flux into the ceiling. Due to this, a clear line is formed, which will fit perfectly in modern rooms.
- If you attach a light source to the ceiling or baseboard with the direction downward, it will give illumination along the surface of the wall. This solution is most often used in baguettes under stretch ceilings.
- The option of sticking it to the wall is the most common. The flux is distributed over the surface of the ceiling, providing soft illumination or full main lighting.
To make lighting in the baseboard is not difficult, because it does not require special tools and devices. The main thing is to choose the type of baguette, determine the location of the tape and conduct the work according to simple instructions.