# Wall Sconce Height



## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

If you have a room with 8' ceilings and there is can lights and also wall sconces, what is the correct or normal height to put the wall sconces?

The room will have a dropped ceiling (grid & tile). Customer wants 5 sconces, 3 on one side and 2 on the other. If it makes any difference the room is going to be his media/theater room. He will have a ceiling mounted projector and the screen will be 15' away.

He left it up to me for the placement of the sconces!


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

depends on the shape, style size of the sconces


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

I would place them no higher then the top of his screen. 

I asked my wife just now, she said it would give a balanced look. But it depends on the style of fixture.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

Wirenuting said:


> I would place them no higher then the top of his screen.
> 
> I asked my wife just now, she said it would give a balanced look. But it depends on the style of fixture.


He hasn't bought the fixtures yet as I'm just starting the rough-in. He did say just something small & simple. He does have his screen dimensions outlined on the wall with chalk. So I can go by that. 
That sounds like a good idea, no higher than the screen!:thumbsup:


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

If the fixture points up, like a candelabra, 5'6" to the center of the box.
If the fixture looks like half of sea shell or you can look down into it and see the bulb, 5'9" to the center of the box.
How do I know this? I did a house for a family that is British Royalty. She told me that in England, those are the standard heights and wall sconces originated in England. 
That was 25 yrs ago, I've use those heights ever since and no one has disagreed. 
It doesn't matter about ceiling height, those measurements work.

I'm guessing his fixtures will be the sea shell type or something similar. Go with 5' 9" to center. Look up the dimensions of the fixtures and cut a cardboard replica. Hold it up for the owner while they sit on a bucket or something at seating height. I bet they agree.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

The only time I vary that height is when the fixtures are next to a fireplace. Standard mantle height is 5 ft., so the fixtures look better a little higher around 6ft.


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## xpertpc (Oct 11, 2012)

Its been a lot of years since I put up mine but if I remember the minimum from a ceiling was 16", other than that it's up to the queer eye.


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

80" = 6'8"

ADA how could you go wrong!

Average persons height it ~ 5'- 10" why would you jeopardize someone's
shoulder or light in a screening room!

*ADA wall sconce mounting height*


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## xpertpc (Oct 11, 2012)

CADPoint said:


> 80" = 6'8"
> 
> ADA how could you go wrong!
> 
> ...


That makes sense when considering them as an obstruction to ambulation, I only looked at it as a fire hazard to ceiling material.

There are a lot more things to consider when designing building infrastructure than it was a few decades ago.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

80" has been a trade standard , as well as seen on architecturals since God wore short pants

The simplicity being, most of us are shorter than 6'8" , and have the light overhead, not in one's eye.

Of course there are exceptions, mostly site specific needs or specific illumination desires 

Now if you've an _artsy fartsy_ customer hot to entertain fashion at the expense of function, have them hire a _'lighting lady' _ who's entire _modus operandi _ after some 40 hr course learning ten dollar terminology will be to turn any logical approach a 2nd yr apprentice would apply on it's  ear. 


If they get a _'gay lighting guy'_, double that effect to the point where 110.3B violations are  pandemic....

Not to totally discount them with caustic levity here, they do pull down some serious $$$'s. :thumbup: Sadly what usually goes unoted, is they're being universes apart from bona fide credentialed entities , most of which do not need to baffle _anyone_ with bs.

To those of you who sense some morning vitriol , i've has a career following up on, and _rewiring_ and _re'luminairing'_ what are truly some high end _'lets do ceiling receptacle & floor lights'_ hack attacks. As well as fielding the usual _'why did the 'lectrician do that'_ fallout....

~CS~


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## xpertpc (Oct 11, 2012)

....


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

A general rule of thumb is 2/3 the height of the ceiling. A 9' ceiling has the sconce at 6' so an 8' ceiling is about 5'4"- 5'6"


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Indirect lighting would be fantastic in a home theatre. I would try to get a sample of the fixture first to see what kind of pattern it throws and mount it as high as possible.

The old tubular quartz sconces were great at throwing uplight but they're probably passé now.


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> 80" has been a trade standard , as well as seen on architecturals since God wore short
> 
> 80" is a horn strobe height....
> 
> ...


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

80" is what 99% of existing sconces are mounted @ Nac

~CS~


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## Ty the electric guy (Feb 16, 2014)

Don't put them on wall opposite of screen, you'll get a reflection


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> 80" is what 99% of existing sconces are mounted @ Nac
> 
> ~CS~


I will agree to disagree.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

NacBooster29 said:


> I will agree to disagree.


And that's you're right to do so Nac

Happy New Year! ~CS~


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