Stair lighting

[Jude1234]

I was wondering about putting some small led lights up the stairs to add a bit of a Wow feature.  Has anybody done it, was it relatively easy?  What lights did you use, Led downlights? Any pictures greatly appreciated

[Temp]

There are loads of special small LED lights for this so no need to use 50mm downlights. Try Amazon or Google for "LED Stair Lights" for examples.

[Barney12]

I just couldn’t find a stair light design that I liked so in the end went for plaster moulded units from these guys:

 

https://tornado.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=111&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxoC88ri-2wIV7Z3tCh36JQi4EAQYBSABEgJ2nfD_BwE

 

Installation needs to be before skimming ideally. 

I actually retro fitted which is not a job for the feint hearted ! 

 

Still not  decorated but I’ll try and remember to take a photo of them installed.

 

[Onoff]

Really such lights need to come on one by one as you walk up the stairs and go off once past. By running up and down really fast you can pretend you're in an episode of Knight Rider.

 

[Bitpipe]

We put a LED strip in a routed recess (done by manufacturer) in the underside of the handrail, which is fixed to the wall. Sparky made provision for this at 1st fix with a low voltage cable placed behind the wall and the connection to the transformer made in ceiling behind a downlight.

 

Only challenge has been how to control it - currently on a lux but that is not sensitive enough and is on all night. Going to switch to a PIR at some stage.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Bitpipe

[Hecateh]

37 minutes ago, Bitpipe said:

We put a LED strip in a routed recess (done by manufacturer) in the underside of the handrail, which is fixed to the wall. Sparky made provision for this at 1st fix with a low voltage cable placed behind the wall and the connection to the transformer made in ceiling behind a downlight.

 

Only challenge has been how to control it - currently on a lux but that is not sensitive enough and is on all night. Going to switch to a PIR at some stage.

 

I'd like something like this but it is probably beyond my budget.  

[Onoff]

14 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

 

I'd like something like this but it is probably beyond my budget.  

 

Not at all. Discrete occupancy switches top and bottom could switch the light strip. Then there are various aluminium channels to contain LED light strips that could be recessed, eg:

 

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Meter-Aluminium-Channel-for-LED-Strip-Light-with-Cover-PVC-Profile-5050-3528/202024985968?

 

Unfinished of course but I'm doing it cheap as along the bath pocket:

 

 

 

 

 

Tiles are just resting at an angle but you get the idea:

 

 

[Mr Punter]

We just added a capping of MDF architrave to the top of the stair strings and installed LED strip underneath.

[Moira Niedzwiecka]

We are planning to have a stainless steel wire balustrade with an oak handrail.

We are going to rout out a groove on the bottom of the handrail & put in an LED strip with a diffuser.

[ProDave]

4 minutes ago, Moira Niedzwiecka said:

We are planning to have a stainless steel wire balustrade with an oak handrail.

We are going to rout out a groove on the bottom of the handrail & put in an LED strip with a diffuser.

Best of luck with that.

 

I have seen that on Grand Designs, and on one house up here. Both failed building control. Both inserted tacky looking bits of clear plastic to pass building control. I assume both lots of plastic are now removed and they ended up with what they wanted.

[Bitpipe]

2 hours ago, Hecateh said:

 

I'd like something like this but it is probably beyond my budget.  

 

Was cheap to do - had handrail company route a groove and sparky installed an alu channel, LED strip and diffuser.

 

Main challenge was remembering where the cable was hidden behind wall - wasn’t able to fish it out neatly so needed to cut a small disc out of wall, fish cable and make good. 

[Moira Niedzwiecka]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

Best of luck with that.

 

I have seen that on Grand Designs, and on one house up here. Both failed building control. Both inserted tacky looking bits of clear plastic to pass building control. I assume both lots of plastic are now removed and they ended up with what they wanted.

Bugger.

I better check that out before we go down that route.

I saw it on the Aalco stand at HB&R in March.

They had it on a stainless steel handrail & use it largely for outside use on bridges or restaurant terraces etc.

I thought I could just adapt it for internal stair use.

[Mr Punter]

9 minutes ago, Moira Niedzwiecka said:

Bugger.

I better check that out before we go down that route.

I saw it on the Aalco stand at HB&R in March.

They had it on a stainless steel handrail & use it largely for outside use on bridges or restaurant terraces etc.

 I thought I could just adapt it for internal stair use.

 

It needs to be designed so a 100mm sphere cannot pass through.

[Moira Niedzwiecka]

1 hour ago, Mr Punter said:

 

It needs to be designed so a 100mm sphere cannot pass through. 

The balustrade design is not a problem, already discussed with BC & they are happy with it. Lots of examples on the net.

I thought Dave meant the lighting.

 

[Mr Punter]

1 hour ago, Moira Niedzwiecka said:

The balustrade design is not a problem, already discussed with BC & they are happy with it. Lots of examples on the net.

I thought Dave meant the lighting.

 

 

No, your lights will be fine.

[JanetE]

I was researching this when we were building and was horrified at how expensive this type of light was, in the end I found these;

https://www.ledkia.com/uk/buy-apliques-b/464-randy-led-step-light-with-a-white-finish.html

Which now we have them installed I love, they give off enough light that we hardly ever need to have the main ones on.

[D Walter]

Here is another alternative which looks good and similar price (just under £10 per unit):

9641.pdf

Edited July 24, 2019 by D Walter
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