# wall wash lighting



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Sorry but you can't just put in any watt bulb you want in a fluorescent. Besides that the fixture is way too bulky and most people don't want fluorescent. 

I did a job where the builder built a small wooden strip all the way around the room and I attached rope lighting to the front of it. Rope light has a base channel that you would install before the wood goes up and then you would snap the rope into it. Very nice effect. They make them in LED also.


----------



## wirepuller (Nov 29, 2009)

I realize any lamp can't just be thrown into a strip. The fixture can be purchased with a choice of lamps. I was thinking the 18" 15 watt.
The rope lighting sounds nice. I've had a hard time finding something the customer likes and that the supplier has. I'll keep trying. Thanks


----------



## monitormix (Aug 23, 2008)

Here's one option:
http://www.waclighting.com/USA/products/?categoryid=405&productid=2335

There's lots of variables. Ceiling height, color, picture accent?


----------



## redsox98 (Oct 16, 2009)

http://lightingbygregory.com/lighting/product/sg-9498-15.html

Here is another option we have put these up in display cabinets they are low volt and put a good bit of light out. This is by seagull kichler makes something just like it.


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

I don't know how long you have been in the business, but you will be better served if the lighting fixtures are picked out and supplied by the customer. If you do want a piece of the fixture mark-up, give them a catalog.


----------



## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

"Wall wash" is a pretty broad term.

I don't think flourescent strips are in order here. A) they are not dimmable, B) they would throw a crapload \of light up/down in a small 4' area and C) the band of moulding to conceal them would not be inconspicuous.

More detail on the wall in question. Is it a feature wall of some kind? Typically you would conceal the light source at the top of the wall. Rope light gives some accent but not a lot of light.


----------



## egads (Sep 1, 2009)

All good options presented here. But more details on the "program" as architects call it would help. If you cannot post pictures, at least describe the wall surface, ceiling height and other dimensions. The rooms usage also.


----------



## wirepuller (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks for all of the input. The customer does not know what they want for light fixture, only what they want it to do. It is getting to be a headache, I probably should have them find what they want!
However; the application is this. Living room 20 x 12 which then opens up into another open space. Along the 20 foot walls is all windows. The 12 foot short walls are what they are trying to accent. They want the lighting to go up and down the wall at about 8 feet. The walls are 9 feet high and then angle to about 25 feet. Cathedral ceiling with beams that extend across the room about 20 feet long. The beams break up the 12' space every 4'. They were looking at putting something between the beams. So along one wall 4', go over about 8"around beam, another 4' lighting, over 8" around beam, another 4'lighting. Then go across room(hidden) go 4' lighting, go over approx. 6' as a stove will be there and another 4' lighting. 
I'd like to get this roughed in, but they can't make a decision and I'm not sure what the best idea would be. Thanks for the ideas!


----------



## Ima Hack (Aug 31, 2009)

What about a wall sconce? Up / Down lighting in many styles.

I'd lean towards incandescent myself for resi lighting.


----------



## sparky.jp (May 1, 2009)

Based upon your description, a double-fluorescent may work very well for that application, assuming that you can cover it in a pleasing manner (either dark cover to match beams or maybe wall color is even better). I have seen several homes where single-tube fixtures were used behind cover trim, for uplighting near the top of a wall or along the center beam in a family room or den (this was big back in the 60s and 70s I think, maybe even back into the 50s). 

Do the fixtures have to mount directly between the beams on the 12' walls, or can you locate above/below so you can install full 4' long fixtures (the only downside to this is you will get some shadowing from the beams that are on the opposide side of the light--probably not too much if the lights are centered between the beams)?

The reason I am asking is there there are a plethora of tube types for the 4' fixtures that will give you whatever kind of light you want. There are three numbers on the tube packages that you want to look at--lumens (how bright the light is), color temperature (ie 3500K is warm white and 6500K is bright northern sky), and Color Rendering Index or CRI. 

The CRI refers to how the light renders colors accurately. A CRI of 100 (as high as it goes) means that under the light, the colors will look the same as under natural sunlight. The lower the CRI, the narrower the sprectrum of light is given off by the tube. Most shop light tubes have a CRI around 70-72, and the "daylight" or "sunshine" tubes will have a CRI of 90 or above.

If you get a tube with a color temperature between 3000-3500K and a CRI of 85-95, it will look very close to incandescent. In bathrooms and kitchens you want a high CRI so your skin, makeup, and food looks "normal". Those 1940s and 50s bathroom 18" vertical fluorescent fixtures on each side of the mirror make you look like the living dead with low CRI tubes in them! 

If you get into the oddball lengths of fluorescent tubes, the number of options (as far as the parameters mentioned above) drop dramatically. Most home centers and big box stores carry at least 3 or 4 different types of 4' tubes.

And they do have dimmable ballasts now also--we have them at my workplace in the conference rooms.

HTH!


----------



## wirepuller (Nov 29, 2009)

That does help thanks! The customer is not 100% decided on the height of the fixtures. We need to discuss options.
If he decides to go with the fluorescents is there any issue with the lamps being so close to the wood finished walls or behind a wooden trim board?


----------



## sparky.jp (May 1, 2009)

Fluorescent lamps don't build up that much heat as opposed to incandescent (personal opinion after this point) so it's not a huge worry, but I'd want to leave about 3/4" between the tube and the surfaces on each side. If the fixture housing was mounted on standoffs or spacers on the wall, say with a 1/4" gap between fixture body (not the lamp) and the wall, that will allow convective airflow which will keep everything even cooler--the same applies on the cover side. Also couldn't hurt to use sheet metal inside cover and on wall adjacent to the tubes--may be overkill, and also will help reflect more light out.

Now we're getting into an area of suitable use, an area that others here have much more experience than I do (so this will be the extent of my opinion sharing). For example, using a fixture in a way that it is not intended, say, taking a lamp fixture designed for use on a ceiling and installing it on a wall. It will still work, but it is not being used as intended. In incandescent lamp fixtures the potential issue is overheating of the fixture or the wiring in the fixture due to improper mounting. Not as much of an issue with fluorescent due to the reduced heat output.

It's one thing for a DIY'er to build something like this for their own home, but quite another when an electrician as part of his/her business is installing the same thing. Intended use, UL-listing, code compliance, liability, are all issues that must be considered. Did I mention that I'm just sharing my own personal opinion here?


----------



## egads (Sep 1, 2009)

While a fluorescent has it's advantages both in heat and spread, being able to dim the light will be important. I have no experience with dimming fluorescent ballasts, the few I've seen are not really that smooth. Has this improved? 

Considering this is a custom home and it sounds like the owner is designing, a trip to a lighting showroom to check out different sources, cost, and qualities of light would be in order. 

If you must rough in now, without knowing exactly what the light source will be, I'd run conduit (flex probably) to a central location that can either be connected to a j-box or a transformer later.


----------



## genie (Jan 14, 2010)

I don't know whether it could help or not, but I do really know a profession suuplier of wall wash lights. You can consult her, she is very warm-hearted girl.

Here is her email:[email protected]
Mob: +86-15084831957
Their link: http://www.freewtc.com/products/led-wall-wash-36w-67372311-49767.htm

Hope this could help.


----------



## jbrookers (Dec 7, 2008)

Why not use recessed lights? That would eliminate the need for something to hid it. If the budget is reasonable, WAC makes a track Xenon strip that is cut to order. Its super bright, LV, and dimmable. Search WAC Flexible Track Lights.


----------



## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

> Why not use recessed lights?


Recessed lighting on sloped ceilings don't work well for wall washing. The angle of the ceiling points away from the target wall. It can be somewhat accomplished with sloped cans and/or regressed eyeball trims but it's not ideal.


----------



## Film Tech (Jan 14, 2010)

In my opinion, flouros are an absoluetly horrible quality of light. Not to mention down the road all those ballasts are gonna need to be replaced which may be a PITA.

There are much better choices depending on budget.

Linestra bulbs are an incandescent tubular bulb that is suitable for cove lighting and recessed nooks for indirect illumination. They are used as direct sources as well.

http://www.lightingsupply.com/incan...nestra®.aspx?gclid=CNfb2MfIp58CFdA65QodUyb-1A

Color Kinetics IW cove is another line voltage LED option. More pricey but it has been argued they pay for themselves in lamp life and operating cost. They are dimmable as well.

http://www.colorkinetics.com/ls/intelliwhite/iwcovep/

Again, it all comes down to budget and if all they want to spring for is the flouros, then so be it.

I hate the color temperature of all commercially available flouro bulbs. And I hate the look when they are mixed with incandescents and natural sunlight. Just my opinion ofcourse


----------



## nez (Jan 16, 2010)

search cold cathode lighting. it is pretty expensive.


----------



## ElectricBill (Aug 14, 2009)

I like the kichler task linear lights http://www.virtualonlinepubs.com/publication/?i=28212. Similar to the system in post #5. They have multi-directional fixtures as well which might help. I would consider dropping 12-2 lead from each wall segment to a common location where you could hide a transformer ( basement ??) instead of daisy chaining from segment to segment.


----------

