Track lighting for a pitched ceiling?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

We are building a house with a lounge/dining/kitchen area that goes from 2.8m high at external walls to 4.1m high over the kitchen. To protect the ceiling insulation we are considering lights other than downlights and track lights seem possible. Our question though, should the track lights be fitted to the ceiling and so be higher at some points than others, or be suspended so that their height above floor level is consistent? The latter would be considerably more expensive, we think, and cost is an issue. We have never used track lights and would love to hear from others who have used them successfully in a home setting. .

Pic attached is the sort of thing we’d like to do - have a track around the edge of the room with multiple circuits - one for pic light, one for mood lighting and another for task lighting - 3 circuit tracks seem to be readily available and affordable.

TIA

Comments (5)

differentways
3 years ago
I bought black track lighting approx 4yrs ago to suspend over my 2700 x 1200 island, still waiting for my son to find the time. Keep in mind what you use to suspend the track ie: any breeze and you will need ridged struts to avoid any movement.
Susan Clark thanked differentways
PRO
Dr Retro House Calls
3 years ago
I would fix to the ceiling, but use lighting that is fully adjustable for position and direction on the track. Suspended tracks are great for cobwebs and dust, and have the effect of visually reducing the ceiling height. If you run the track(s) at right angles to the slope then they will always be at the same level.

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Sloping ceilings always look good when light is shone up at them, and the ceiling reflects light down - it provides a wonderful soft ambience, rather than having the adjustable lights pointing straight down and being too glarey. Just make sure that you decide early in the building process as once the roof is on and the plasterboard is up you can't change your mind. Had you considered engaging a lighting consultant to help you?

Best of luck,

Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits
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Susan Clark
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Many thanks Dr Retro. A couple of points that have got me thinking. Re a lighting consultant, yes we have thought about that, but we are nervous about cost and being upsold when more basic products could do the job. Like others, our finances have been hammered this year, including our Super. We are building our retirement home and had planned to retire in 18 months but may not be able to that now... and the house still has to be finished and those costs are mostly fixed. How does one find a consultant that can be trusted - we’ve had more bad experienced in the past than good ones, sadly. Happy to be steered in the right direction...
Kath
3 years ago
We put track lighting into a house with curved ceilings we built some years ago. As Dr Retro suggested, we put the tracks at right angles to the curve which worked fine.
Susan Clark thanked Kath
PRO
Dr Retro House Calls
3 years ago
It is crucial in your design that you get the lighting right with your cathedral ceiling. Unlike a normal roof there probably isn't a roof space between the ceiling and the roof for an electrician to make changes if you get it wrong. You only get one chance to get it right which is when the house is designed, unless you remove the roof to access the electrical down the track.

Don't be like these people who wanted to save money on their lighting design for their cathedral ceiling!

Some large lighting retailers offer free lighting design services that is linked to the purchase of their products. If you don't want to be tied to a particular retailer then you need to engage an independent design professional who can read your plans, understand the space and who can understand your retirement lifestyle.

Even so, when I do a lighting design for a client I end up creating the lighting schedules from one or two lighting suppliers that I have worked with before, that I know and trust, and who will stand by their products for any future warrantee claims. I would hope that the person you have engaged to design your home would offer a similar service?

Best of luck with your budget,

Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits
Susan Clark thanked Dr Retro House Calls

Track lighting for a pitched ceiling?

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differentways

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Track lighting for a pitched ceiling?

Comments (5)

differentways

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Susan ClarkOriginal Author

Kath

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Susan Clark
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