What kind of fixtures are better for a bathroom?

On how well this or that room is lighted, depends on the impression of the interior, the mood of the inhabitants, and even their state of health. This is especially important to remember when choosing lamps for rooms in which either there is no natural light at all, or very little. Of course, sometimes windows are made in bathrooms, but still the vast majority of bathrooms in residential buildings are rooms with solid walls. In this article we will talk about what kind of fixtures are better for a bathroom.

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What are the lamps?

There is no general concept of a "bathroom lamp".Lighting devices are very different, they differ by several parameters:

• placement;
• kind of lamps;
• power;
• security.

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Where will it be mounted?

In the place of placement, the fixtures are divided into four main types:

• ceiling;
• wall mounted;
• outdoor;
• for the mirror.

Ceiling

The most popular option when deciding which fixtures is best for a bathroom is a plafond attached to the ceiling. Quite often new apartments are put into operation with this kind of bathroom lighting.

This is due to the mass of positive qualities of such devices:

• security;
• reliability;
• possibility to provide uniform illumination of the whole room;
• good dispersion angle.

Ceiling lamps differ in the location of the lamp. It can be:

• outside;
• inside.

The first option is good for conventional ceilings, since the scattering angle is larger. But if you have a stretch - boldly choose a plafond with a lamp that is inside, it is less heated. This is especially important if you use incandescent lamps. In addition, in this case, the lamp is better protected from moisture.

Wall mounted

Once such lamps were used almost exclusively in living rooms. They are especially popular in the bedrooms. However, nothing prevents using wall-mounted appliances in the bathroom. They are easy to put, they are more accessible for repair, rather than ceiling, besides, they bring modern notes to the interior. But such lamps are also not the same, they are divided into three types:

• wall;
• bras;
• slots.

Wall luminaires are attached directly to the wall surface. Bra and slots are placed on brackets. They differ in that the slot can be adjusted.

Floor standing

Such devices are of two types:

• floor lamps;
• mounted in the floor.

In the bathroom you can use both, but the floor lamps look better in large rooms, but a few lamps mounted in the floor are very decorating the interior of a very small bathroom. But the lamps themselves should be well protected from moisture.

If you prefer a floor lamp with a shade, do not forget that the hood should be made of practical material that is easy to keep clean. Such material can be:

• glass;
• crystal;
• plastic.

Important! Metal is not very desirable. If you really can not do without it, choose one that does not lend itself to corrosion.

For the mirror

Very interesting type of lighting, however, it is necessary to choose the devices especially carefully and accurately. Most importantly, they should not distort the reflection in the mirror. It can be sconce, halogen lamps around the perimeter, LED ribbons and much more.

If you have a rack ceiling

In this case, ceiling lights are preferable, but there should be several, and a small size. In fact, these are just light bulbs that are inserted into the prepared holes. If the installation of other types of luminaires - a fairly common and carefully written in the instructions, then fixing the lamps on the rails has some features.

You need:

• pencil;
• drill;
• wood drill bit;
• sandpaper;
• construction scissors.

Better, of course, make holes, while the rails are not fixed, but the situation in the apartments are different. In any case, it's more convenient to follow this procedure:

1. Draw a sector on the rack that needs to be cut.
2. Draw a few holes from the resulting contour.
3. Insert any construction scissors into any hole.
4. Cut the sector along the contour.
5. Strip the edges.
6. Grind them with sandpaper.

Important! On the suspended ceiling, it is better to mount the fixtures on special suspensions.

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Combined lighting

One of the fashion trends is to use several types of fixtures in the bathrooms. Thus you can achieve different goals - to make the bathroom cozy and modern, as well as zoning the area, which is especially important for large bathrooms. The combinations can be different:

• ceiling and wall;
• floor lamp and a pair of light-mounted lamps in the corners;
• sconces and several outdoor( built-in);
• set of spotlights in different places.

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What to look for?

The assortment of all kinds of fixtures in stores is amazing, but choosing a bathroom lighting system should be careful. Pay special attention to three points:

• appointment;
• security;
• clearance.

Purpose

Lighting in the bathroom allows you to solve several tasks, primarily working and decorative. Think which is more important to you. If the first - you need a good ceiling light. When decorative is a priority - you can invent any combination.

Safety

For bathrooms it is preferable that the lamps with which the lamp is closed. But portable floor lamps or table lamps should not be used, they are dangerous. There are other safety standards that must be adhered to when choosing which fixtures are best for a bathroom:

1. Low voltage devices with a voltage of 12-24V can be used.
2. For halogen lamps, a step-down transformer is needed, which must be located in an adjacent room.
3. The enclosure must be waterproof.
4. When locating outlets, it is necessary to take into account the humidity zones.
5. The cables must be insulated and free of damage.

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Power levels

It is recommended to provide certain levels of illumination in the lighting device. They depend on the type of lamps:

• for energy-saving and luminescent - 2-5 W per 1 sq. M.m;
• for halogen - 10-20 W per square meter.m;
• for incandescent lamps - 20-30 W per square meter.m

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Lamp type

In modern lighting fixtures, including those installed in bathrooms, several types of lamps are used:

• ;
• energy-saving;
• halogen;
• LED light.

Incandescents

Incandescent lamps gradually go out of fashion, but they are still being staged quite often. Their main advantage is a low price. However, they have a couple of significant drawbacks:

• is very hot;
• a lot of "eat."

Important! In bathrooms, such lamps can only be used with plafonds, which do not get water - from drops such devices burst.

Halogen and energy-saving

They are economical and relatively low cost. But they can be used only where the power supply system works stably - from power surges such devices quickly fail.

Energy-saving, as the name implies, absorbs little energy and lasts long enough.

Important! Their most significant drawback is that they are difficult to dispose of.

LED

What kind of spotlights are better for a bathroom? Of course, LED - they simply do not have equal. Although such lamps can be placed in the most ordinary ceiling, floor lamps or sconces.

Perhaps, the most popular now kind of lamps. Economical, durable, almost indifferent to power outages and at the same time quite affordable. For bathrooms fit just perfectly.

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Choosing LEDs

Which LED bulbs are better for a bath? There are several criteria that need to be addressed.

• brightness;
• color temperature; ;
• protection indexes;
• type of cap;
• kind of bulb;
• energy-saving class.

Brightness

This parameter has clear and understandable requirements. Usually the European standard ISO 8995 and the standard developed on its basis are applied. The norm for the bathroom is 200 lux. It means that a luminous flux of 200 lumen falls on one square meter of the area.

Important! This illumination can provide a LED lamp with a power of 2-3 watts.

Accordingly - to calculate the number of luminaires, you need to do the following:

1. Determine the area of ​​the bathroom by measuring and multiplying the length and width.
2. Multiply the result by 2.
3. Multiply the area by 100 lumen.

Important! If the bathroom is large, the lamp power should be 2 W more than the calculated one.

Water ratio

Another important parameter is the resistance to moisture. The luminaire has an index of protection IP( Index of Protection).It is denoted by figures after letters. The figures show:

• degree of protection against ingress of solid particles;
• degree of protection against liquids.

Both degrees are expressed by a number from 0 to 8. If you see 0, this means that there is no protection, and then:

• 1 - there is protection from vertical drops;
• 2 - from drops at an angle of not more than 15 degrees
• 3 - from drops at an angle of not more than 60º;
• 4 - from multidirectional spray;
• 5 - from water jets;-
• 6 - from sea waves;
• 7 - can be immersed in water to a depth of 1 m;
• 8 - can be immersed to a greater depth.

For a bathroom, lamps with a degree of protection from 5 to 8 are the most suitable. Some manufacturers display three-digit protection indexes. The third digit denotes protection against blows, but this is more relevant not for the bathroom, but, for example, for the gym.

Important! You will find the markings on the lamp housing or in the certificate.

Color temperature

Be sure to pay attention to the color temperature. It depends on the spectral composition of the lamp.

There are four color temperature ranges:

• cold;
• white;
• is neutral;
• is warm.

This figure is expressed in Kelvin:

• Cold light gives a lamp at 6000 K and more.
• In the range between 4700 K and 6000 K there is a white glow.
• Neutral has a color temperature of 3500-4700 K.
• Warm - 2000-3500 K.

Important! There are no strict limitations in this case, everyone chooses the color of the lamp that he likes best. But devices with a cold glow are usually not used in living quarters.

Color rendering index

You've probably noticed that when you turn on the incandescent lamp, all the items look a little different than in daylight. The degree of distortion depends on the color rendering index. LED lamps do not provide an absolutely accurate color transfer. Their index is in the interval between 80 and 89, and the ideal corresponds to a value of 100. But for other lamps, this index is usually even smaller.

Flow Direction

The light flux from the LED lamp has a certain directivity. The main characteristic is the dispersion angle. The bigger it is, the more uniform the lighting will be.

Important! For a single ceiling light, a lamp with a large angle is usually used. But if you prefer scattered throughout the bathroom luminous points, you need lamps with a small angle of dispersion.

Zones and protection

If you are going to arrange combined lighting of your bathroom, it will be very useful to find out which lamps can be used in what place. The whole room can be divided into zones:

• several meters to the tap - 1 level of moisture protection;
• at a distance of 0, 5 m to the bath or sink - 2-4 degree;
• above the crane - 4-7;
• directly over the shower - 8.

Let's talk about the form

Having decided on the type of lamps and all kinds of indices, think about the design. Everything depends, of course, on the preferences of the owners and the general style of the room. But there are some simple recommendations that can greatly facilitate your life.

1. Try to choose the simplest forms.
2. In a large bathroom, several luminaires are preferred, not one, so that the light intensity can be adjusted.
3. For the ceiling lamp, the shape of the ball or cylinder is suitable.
4. You can use lamps of different types. For example, LED on the contour of the mirror or on the bottom of the bath, and above - halogen or incandescent lamp.

Other parameters

Do not forget another important point. LED lamps differ from each other by the type of cap and the type of bulb. The standard is designated A55.Outwardly it is very similar to an ordinary incandescent lamp. This is the most popular option for ceiling lighting, if there is one luminaire provided.

In any case, the lamp should be chosen with regard to the type of bulb - there should be a gap between the lamp and the bubble. There are other types of LED lamps on sale:

• G45 - ball;With 35 candles.

Transparency

LED lamps can be:

• matt;
• transparent;
• mirror.

In the bathroom, you can use any of the three options. But it should be taken into account that the mirror lamp has the property of changing the direction of the light flux.

Now you can unmistakably choose bathroom fixtures, and be sure that they will not only provide the required level of comfort, but will also be safe.