A dark workshop isn't just inconvenient, it's unsafe too. With the right LED lighting in your workshop you see every detail, make fewer mistakes and enjoy working more. In this guide I'll work out with you how much light you need, which lights suit your space and how to get your workbench shadow-free.
In short
- General work: around 300 lux. Tinkering and DIY: 500 lux. Fine work: 750 lux or more.
- Calculate like this: lux × m² ÷ 0.6 = the number of lumens you need.
- Ceiling up to 4 metres: tri-proof or fluorescent-tube fittings. Higher: a UFO high bay.
- Choose 4000K to 6500K and add extra light over your workbench, from the front rather than behind you.
Already know what you're looking for? Jump straight to the right products:
How many lux do you need in a workshop?
Lux is the amount of light that falls on your work surface, in other words lumens per square metre. The more precise the work, the more lux you need.
| Application | Guideline | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Storage, walkways | 100 – 200 lux | Storeroom, passage to the shed |
| General workshop | 300 lux | Garage where you do the odd job |
| Assembly and tinkering | 500 lux | Car or bike maintenance, woodworking |
| Fine work | 750 – 1000 lux | Soldering, model making, paintwork |
Do you work very precisely in one fixed spot? Then bring the whole space up to 300 to 500 lux and add extra light over your workbench. That is more economical and more pleasant than lighting the whole workshop at 1000 lux.
How to calculate how many lights you need
Lumens needed = lux × area (m²) ÷ 0.6
- Choose the lux from the table above.
- Measure the room: length × width in metres.
- Divide by 0.6. This corrects for light lost to height, dark walls and dust. Bright, clean room with a low ceiling: divide by 0.7. Dark or high room: divide by 0.5.
- Divide by the lumens per fitting and you know how many you need.
Want a quick lookup? This table is calculated with a factor of 0.6:
| Room | 300 lux | 500 lux |
|---|---|---|
| Shed 3 × 3 m (9 m²) | 4,500 lm · 1 fitting | 7,500 lm · 2 fittings |
| Garage 3 × 6 m (18 m²) | 9,000 lm · 2 fittings | 15,000 lm · 4 fittings |
| Double garage 6 × 6 m (36 m²) | 18,000 lm · 4 fittings | 30,000 lm · 7 fittings |
| Workshop 8 × 10 m (80 m²) | 40,000 lm · 9 fittings | 66,700 lm · 15 fittings |
Number of fittings calculated with 4500-lumen tri-proof fittings, rounded up. When choosing, look mainly at lumens, not watts. You'll find more explanation in our article on lumens and brightness.
Which LED fittings suit your workshop?
The right fitting depends mainly on your ceiling height and how dusty or damp it is.
🛡️ Tri-proof fittings
Dust- and waterproof (IP65) and impact-resistant. The best choice for most garages and workshops up to about 4 metres high. Linkable, so you can easily hang a whole row of them.
View tri-proof fittings ›🏭 UFO high bays
For high spaces from 4 metres, such as sheds and halls. A single round fitting throws the light powerfully downwards, where tube fittings can no longer cope.
View high bays ›💡 LED tubes
Still have old fluorescent fittings that are in good condition? Then you can often just replace the tube. Read how in our step-by-step guide to replacing fluorescent tubes with LED.
View LED tubes ›🔦 Portable work lights
For jobs under a car, in a corner or outside the workshop. A battery work light goes with you anywhere.
View work lights ›Matching products:
Tri-proof fitting 120 cm, 4000K4500 lumens, IP65, linkableView ›Tri-proof fitting 150 cm, 4000K6300 lumens, IP65, linkableView ›
UFO high bay 150W, 4000K30,750 lumens, adjustable and dimmableView ›
UFO high bay 100W, 5000K20,500 lumens, for ceilings from 4 mView ›
The right light colour and colour rendering
Warm white light (2700–3000K) is cosy at home, but makes details and colours harder to see. Also pay attention to the colour rendering (CRI or Ra): for general work Ra 80 is fine. If you work with paint, varnish, wood or cable colours, choose Ra 90 or higher. You can read more about Kelvin in our article on colour temperature.
Which IP rating do you need?
| Situation | IP rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dry, heated workshop | IP20 | No significant dust or moisture |
| Dusty (sawing, sanding) | IP54 or higher | Dust stays out of the fitting |
| Unheated garage or shed | IP65 | Resistant to condensation and moisture |
| Working with water (washing the car) | IP65 | A jet of water does no harm |
Not sure? Then choose IP65, you'll always be fine with that. More explanation in garage lighting and IP ratings.
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Lighting your workbench without shadows
The most common mistake: a single light directly above or behind you. Then you're standing in your own light.
- Hang the general lighting in rows parallel to the workbench, slightly in front of the edge where you stand.
- Fit an extra light directly above the worktop, for example under a shelf or cupboard.
- Light from two sides, so hands and tools don't cast a hard shadow.
- Choose a matt or shielded cover to prevent glare.
Handy to have alongside:
Tri-proof fitting 60 cm, 4000K2520 lumens, above a workbenchView ›
Tri-proof 150 cm with sensor6000 lumens, switches on when you walk inView ›
18V battery work lightFits Bosch, Makita, Einhell and MetaboView ›
LED inspection lamp with hook5 metre cable, ideal under the carView ›
Example: a double garage of 6 × 6 metres
🚗 The situation
You work on your car and have a workbench along the back wall. Unheated, ceiling 2.7 metres. Goal: 500 lux.
✅ The solution
500 × 36 ÷ 0.6 = 30,000 lumens. That's 5 tri-proof fittings of 150 cm (6300 lm), spread across the room, plus one extra 60 cm fitting above the workbench. IP65 because of the moisture.
Why LED in the workshop?
⚡ Instant full light
Even in frost. Old fluorescent tubes flicker and take minutes to reach full brightness in a cold garage.
💶 Economical
LED uses 50 to 70 percent less power than fluorescent or halogen for the same amount of light.
🔧 Maintenance-free
Lasts for years. No more changing starters or tubes up a ladder.
👁️ Flicker-free
Easier on your eyes and safer around running machinery, such as a lathe or drill press.
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Frequently asked questions
How many lumens do I need for a 20 m² garage?
Is 4000K or 6500K better for a workshop?
Can I keep my existing fluorescent fittings?
How high should I hang the lighting?
Do I need IP65 in the workshop?
What is the advantage of a fitting with a sensor?
Kind regards,
Bas / LEDPLANET.NL