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Bathroom Lighting

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Phillysun 
#1 ·
We are remodeling our bathroom and are unsure of lighting. We are putting a recessed light in the tub/shower, above the toilet, above each sink and in front of each sink. There will also be a fan with a light. We are unsure what to do with the medicine cabinet---light or no light???? I've also read about a night light along the bottom of the cabinets. Has anyone tried these???? Any other ideas or thoughts?
 
#4 ·
With bathrooms there are three distinct needs, task lighting for when you are cutting your nails or putting on makeup, ambient lighting for general use, and a light with a fan for the shower. This is best handled with 3 circuits and 3 switches with the one for the shower fan/light incorporating a timer for auto shutoff.

For ambient light recessed cans work fine but they should be the type designed for use in a damp environment and ones that will not leak moisture into your attic space.

ForOne way to accomplish this is with a soffit that provides an enclosed space for the can lights.

For the task lighting a soffit that provides an enclosed space for the can lights complemented with a couple of wall mounted sconce style lights at or slightly above head height works well.

For cutting the holes in the ceiling and soffit a great tool is one of the adjustable hole cutters with a shield like the ones from www.holepro.com. They adjust to the exact size hole needed (and at last count I found more than 20 different cutout sizes for the different halogen, PAR, CFL, and tungsten light cans being sold), the shield keeps the dust out of your eyes and ears, and the shield keeps the hole straight so trim rings sit flush and they can be adjusted to cut only 5/8" deep so you cut the sheetrock as intended but do not cut something you did not plan to cut.
 
#5 ·
Yea, for someone mentioning ambient light. Task, great, overhead convenient, ambient is beauty. No need for light on a fan with all that canned stuff. Sconces around the vanity area or whatever sink/mirror set ups you have. The style of the bath is not reflected in a canned light only.
 
#6 ·
bath fan with light

Whether to have a bath fan with light really depends on the bathroom. I have a small guest bath and a 1/2 bath and both have fans without lights. For the master bath with its large walk-in shower I have a combination fan and light as the fan is best placed directly over the enclosed shower area and yet there is no need for a separate sealed and moisture proof recessed light in this area. Cheaper and more effective to use a combo unit with a fan and a light fixture designed for use in this type of environment.

The wrong fixture or an incorrect installation can let moisture from the bath room make its way into the attic space which in turn can lead to mold problems and dry rot fungus and expensive repairs. The recent increase in mold claims (to the point where home insurers have stopped covering claims entirely) is due to poor construction techniques and the use of products that are not suited for moist environments, especially bathrooms. This is one part of the house where the DIYer needs to exercise some caution and do some research.
 
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