Proper lighting of the stairs in the house or on the street can solve many problems. Among them, the most important are safety and ease of use, improving aesthetic qualities. In both the first and second cases, it is necessary to correctly select the level of illumination, its type, as well as the basic concept of the interior or facade.
Rules for organizing step lighting
Local stair lighting is the most common option, using different types of lighting fixtures. They can be:
- external (overhead);
- embedded in the railing;
- embedded in steps.
The popularity of the local illumination of the stairs is due to a large number of advantages:
- ease of installation, wiring (there is not always a need for aesthetic design, for example, when a lamplocated under the step);
- correctly selected type of lighting and arrangement of lamps to illuminate the steps of the stairs allows you to give the interior status and elegance;
- lighting a small staircase can visually increase the size of the structure;
- Reduce injury risk as fixtures can highlight the beginning and end of stairs, reducing the risk of stumbling.
Rules for choosing fixtures
Features of the use of the stairs itself impose certain requirements on the fixtures. When choosing, you need to pay attention to:
- type of lamp (halogen or LED lamps are recommended for lighting steps, the second option is easier to install and has a wider range of action);
- strength and wear resistance (the case must be metal or durable plastic);
- impact resistance (during the ascent or descent, falls are possible, which should not affect the functionality of the stairwell lights);
- the strength of the luminous flux (it should not exceed the norm, and also harmoniously fit into the interior design).
Recessed lights
This type of stair tread lighting fits perfectly into any interior design. They are characterized by the absence of a visible part of the body, that is, the entire structure is part of a step or railing. Recessed luminaires are classified by:
- shape (may be round, square, oval, etc.);
- material(plastic, metal);
- presence of finishes (decorative parts can be made of glass, metal, sprayed or not at all);
- type of lighting (with an accentuated flow of light, used for local lighting of certain objects, or a general type that creates a diffused flow of light, thereby improving the quality of lighting in spacious rooms);
- design type (fixed and rotary).
The advantage of such illumination of stairs (recessed lights) is the possibility of using different lamps (incandescent, halogen, fluorescent) and location in any part of the stairs. Most often they are used for space zoning.
Surface fixtures
Overhead stair tread lights have limited uses. Most often they are installed on the wall in close proximity to the steps or mounted under them, if the design of the stairs allows it. The advantage of this type of luminaire is a larger beam angle and brighter light.
There are also drawbacks to such lighting for stairs. Overhead lights are much more expensive than other types of lighting. This is due to increased requirements for strength and impact resistance, since their body protrudes beyond the wall (in the case of installation near steps), which means there is a risk of damageincreasing.
There are also some restrictions in the choice of lamps. Unlike built-in lights for illuminating stairs, in this case it is recommended to use LED lamps, but they may have an unpleasant spectrum of light for the eye (there is no such drawback in the case of LED strips).
LED strips
This type of luminaire is a complex of diodes. Their principle of operation is based on mixing radiation from crystals. In addition to ease of use and bright lighting, LED strips have other advantages:
- no heating during operation;
- possibility of mounting on any surface (neither the shape nor the material is important, since the tape can be bent);
- adjustable size;
- emission of bright diffused light;
- wide range of colors;
- long service life (the service life exceeds not only incandescent lamps, but also fluorescent economical lamps).
You can install such lamps to illuminate the steps of the stairs (LED strips) yourself. To do this, it is enough to remove dust, dirt from the surface of the steps, then it must be degreased and left to dry. After some time, you can begin to install the tape, for which you need to remove the protective film from it, and then simply glue the lamp to the step.
If desired, the LED strip can be included in the smart lighting system.
Systemsmart lighting. Features of using motion sensors
The smart lighting system using motion sensors is a kind of “know-how” in the field of modern electronics. Popularity due to a large number of advantages:
- lower energy bills as lights only work when there is stair traffic;
- no need for manual activation, which can be problematic at night;
- possibility of safe movement on the stairs with busy hands, since there is no need for a switch;
- wide color gamut (LED lamps are most often used for the smart lighting system).
Helpful tips
Lighting stairs can be one of the ways to decorate the interior of a private house or apartment. In this case, it is recommended to follow some rules:
- when installing the backlight, you need to take into account the material from which the staircase is made, for example, for wooden steps it is better to choose yellow lamps, and if more non-standard materials were chosen for the high-tech or modern interior, then cold lighting is also suitable;
- to illuminate a spiral staircase, it is recommended to install ceiling lights in combination with step lighting (the lamps should not be too powerful), motion sensors will also be useful;
- in order to create additional comfort, you need to install spotlights to illuminate the steps of the stairs,which emit diffused light, and to emphasize the classic style of the interior, it is better to choose designs with directional (but not bright) light.
The correct selection of lighting for the steps of the stairs, as well as the competent installation of fixtures, will not only emphasize the status of the structure, but also make it safe. A wide range of fixtures allows you to choose the product in accordance with the interior design.
