Built in Lighting: Can you install recessed lighting in concrete?
Lighting is essential to the comfort and function of the home. In most homes, you will find options for lighting come in varying sizes and types, from recessed lighting to ceiling fans, pendant lighting, and track lighting. As far as recessed lighting is concerned, it can be installed in many ways to add a unique lighting element to the home in the ceiling, walls and even sometimes in the floor. If you have concrete ceilings and wish to have recessed lighting put in, you may have a bit of trouble. But if you are considering a new build or addition and want to work with concrete, recessed lighting can be added pretty easily from the beginning.
Existing Concrete Ceilings
To install recessed lighting into a ceiling, a circular shape will need to be cut out and then the lighting installed. When dealing with concrete, this is not an easy task. If you to try drill into the material, you could end up doing more damage than good. However, there are solutions. You can install box beams, which are essentially hollow beams that will run from each wall and use the beams to install the lighting element. The recessed fixtures will fit easily into the beams, providing you with a way to have recessed lighting without actually cutting into the concrete, which would cause major damage to the home.
Another option would be to go with a floating ceiling that comes down from the natural concrete ceiling. The panels would then be used to run LED lights or some other lighting element to provide a nice glow.
New Home Construction
When building a new home, you may have a basement area with a concrete ceiling and you wish to have recessed lighting in this area. This decision would need to be made in the planning phase. The contractor would need to be able to know that you want recessed lighting installed and then create a plan to do so while still having the concrete ceiling in place.
This can be a difficult process and may have an added cost that you do not wish to see. Find out how much work is involved as well as the cost and see what other options you may have for lighting within the concrete ceiling. There are options and you need to choose the best one for your needs based on the look you are going for as well as how much money you have in the budget for the project.
Overall, it is important to weigh your options, whether you have an existing concrete ceiling and are installing lighting or are planning a new build. By looking at several lighting plans, you have the ability to find the right look for your home as well as a lighting option that will meet your budget needs. Speak with your contractor and learn your options so that you can weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision on the lighting elements for your home.
