How many lumens for a 8 × 12 ft garage?
Total light needed
4,800lumens
96 ft² × 50 foot-candles
| Room area | 96ft² |
|---|---|
| Target light levelIES guidance for a garage | 50foot-candles |
| Total lumens | 4,800lm |
| Colour temperaturecool white for detail work | 4000–5000K |
| Bulbs (800 lm each) | 6bulbs |
| Recessed cans (4 ft spacing)800 lm each | 6fixtures |
Notes
- Foot-candles are lumens per square foot at the work surface. Ceilings above 9 ft, dark walls or dark flooring all eat light — add roughly 10% per extra foot of ceiling height.
- Spread the total across several fixtures rather than one bright source. One 4,800 lm fixture and 6 smaller ones add up the same but look completely different.
Where 4,800 lumens comes from
Lighting is specified in foot-candles — lumens landing on each square foot of the surface you care about. A garage is worked to 50 foot-candles. Across 96 ft² that is 4,800 lumens in total.
Split it up
One fixture putting out 4,800 lumens and 6 fixtures adding up to the same number light a room very differently. A single source throws hard shadows and glare; several spread the light and make the room feel larger. Aim for layers — ambient, task, and something low for the evening.
Color temperature
4000–5000K suits this room. Warmer light reads as relaxed and is what you want where people wind down; cooler light keeps edges and colors crisp, which matters where there is work to do.
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