Even SpacingHow to space recessed lights
A common rule of thumb sets the distance between recessed lights at half the ceiling height. Use it as the widest gap you allow, then find how many lights fill the row with equal gaps.
Worked example
A length of 192 in needs 4 lights with gaps of 33.6 in.
(192 − 4 × 6) ÷ 5 = 33.6 in
Try your own length
4 lights, with gaps of 33.6 in.
(192 − 4 × 6) ÷ 5 = 33.6 in
Center each light at these distances from the start:
- Mark 1: 36.6 in
- Mark 2: 76.2 in
- Mark 3: 115.8 in
No fit. At this length the lights cannot sit with gaps of 42 in or less. Try a longer length.
Type a length in inches, for example 48 or 48.5.
The divide by 2 rule of thumb
Divide the ceiling height by 2. The answer is the distance from the center of one light to the center of the next. An 8 foot ceiling gives 4 feet.
This is a rule of thumb, not a building code. No code sets this spacing. Beam angle, light output, room use and the look you want all change the best layout. Treat the number as a starting point.
The method
- Measure the length of the row, in inches.
- Divide the ceiling height by 2 for the center-to-center distance. Take away the width of one light to get the widest gap.
- Find the smallest number of lights whose gaps are no wider than that.
- Divide what is left after the lights by the number of gaps. A gap sits at each end, so there is one more gap than lights.
This page uses 6 inch lights and an 8 foot ceiling. The widest gap is 42 inches. A common layout also puts the first light about half the spacing from the wall. The app spaces the end gaps like every other gap.