I’m finishing off a section of the basement for a workshop. My basement is a 12 course basement which gives me 8 ft from the floor to the bottom of the floor joists. At some point I may finish the ceiling so figure it would be a little lower then that.

I’m not sure what type of lights to put in. I have some existing fluorescent lights I could use but these are old and flicker when turned on. I could buy new ones if need be. My other thought is why not put in recessed lighting like you see in kitchens/living areas.

When you see most workshops they have the florescent lights. Is there a reason for this? In this area I will be doing woodworking and also general repair on bikes, lawnmowers etc. This area will also be an assembly area for anything else that I need to build so I would like a room that is well light.

Thoughts?

I think florescent lights do not cast shadows like incandescent lighting. Might be due to the longer tubes, and/or because of the different color temperature of the lights. I dunno, but I have always preferred fluorescent lighting for a workshop.

You'll not have this problem in your basement (hopefully), but in a garage, in the cold winter months, standard fluorescent lighting may not work very well. You can buy cold-temperature fixtures and tubes that solve this problem.

+1 to what Al said. Incandescents in any type fixture are going to cast shadows. Florescent fixtures are inexpensive and easy to hang. I'd use them plentifully in a workshop.

In my basement shop I used four 8' high-output dual-tube fluorescent fixtures with daylight tubes. The fixtures were $50 each at Lowe's and the tubes came from another local source. I couldn't be happier with the lighting. When I built the shop in my mid-30's it was bordering on too bright. Now that I'm in my late 40's I really appreciate the level.

I also painted the floor with a 2-part epoxy, off-white paint. That makes almost as much difference as the type of lighting you choose. If your walls are masonry, paint those too - with a waterproofing paint. I lined my shop with stud walls, pine plywood sheathing, and 20A outlets every 8 feet (separate circuit for each wall).

Note that some fluorescent fixtures will flicker imperceptibly and give a strobe effect - causing things like spinning saw blades appear to not be spinning. I've never experienced this, maybe because I've got 4 fixtures that flicker out of phase - I'm not sure. But if you only have 1 or 2 fixtures, it might be a good idea to include 1 good incandescent in the mix for that reason.

Mike brings up a good point.

You can always supplant the florescent lighting with a few incandescent spot fixtures. I have a magnetic base shop light that I use for things like spotlighting the drill press and band saw.

Flickering fluorescent lights typically occur at start up in a cold environment. If they continue to flicker, either the buld and/or the ballast is failing. But as Al mentioned, you shouldn't experience flickering with new fluorescent lights installed indoors (your basement). You could purchase either 4-foot or 8-foot strip fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts and T12 high output bulbs just to be safe though. Don't let anyone talk you into T8 (or out of T12) or other fluorescent fixtures; T12 fixtures aren't going anywhere soon!

Why not use T8 bulbs? They’re slightly brighter, use slightly less power, and last slightly longer?

For me, it was the availability of 8 foot fixtures and/or bulbs. I found more of a selection [on both] with T12's. Plus some are claiming that T12's are not going to be available soon/don't purchase them. I'm just saying to not let that be a big concern. But you are correct, in the same wattage (ex. 32W, 40W), the T8's are more efficient. However, that comparison/difference is less if the T12 fixture is equipped with an electronic ballast like the T8 lights require. Difference in brightness wasn't that noticeable to me from the side by side comparison that I saw though.

Ok so fluorescent lights win. I haven't heard of T12 and everyone seems to push T8. Have no clue between the difference. Basement is typically 50's-60's for temp so no worries there.

Now the next question is the small fixtures where you have the bulbs and that's it or go with the type you see in office areas where everything is recessed?

The industry is slowly shifting towards the T8 due to their efficiency. As D-Rod mentioned, the T8 bulbs/lights are more efficient (not as big of an efficiency difference if compared to a T12 with an electronic ballast) and the T8 bulbs are slightly brighter. T8 bulbs require a fixture with an electronic ballast and wont run (properly/efficiently) in a fixture with a regular ballast. The T8 bulbs are approximately 1" in diameter and a T12 bulb is approximately 1 1/2" in diameter. Pricing for both are comparable.

T8 and T12 will both be around for a very long time. T12 can be converted to electronic easily if for some reason that needs to be done, though I don't know why it would if they're indoors. Also be aware that some electronic ballasts can generate RF noise that can interfere with some kinds of electronic equipment (it's unlikely you'd encounter that though). I'd go with whichever one is easiest to find/cheapest/etc.

I mounted mine up between the floor joists so that the tubes are just slightly recessed. That way the joists don't block any light but the tubes aren't unnecessarily exposed to physical damage.

I would recommend 8' four lamp T-8 tandem strips, that will give you 4-4' lamps. New electronic ballast start some where down near 0 deg., so cold weather should be a non issue. Like Mike said, T-8 electronic ballast can interfere with radios, but ballast rated for residential use only, can be had to eliminate that problem. They are a little more money, but if you like listening to a radio while you work, they are worth the money. I would stay away from high output. A few years ago they were the fixture of choice, but a new T-8 will pretty much equal the light output with less energy, lower initial cost, lower lamp cost, and there was talk of the HO lamp being phased out. I don't think T-12's are as bright as T-8.
Most lamps are sized in 1/8". First letter designates lamp type, the number is diameter. So a T-12 is a tube lamp, 1 1/2". T-8 = tube, 1" in dia. Your standard 60 or 100W lamp would be an A19.
If you decide to go with T-8 and can't find residential ballast, let me know. I could always swap with you.

I'm gonna ask you a real stupid question-

Can you easily get 8' lamps into your basement after it's finished?

Got a means to get 8' lamps home from the store?


Ok, two stupid questions.

So I couldn't tell you a darn thing about weather a t8 or a t12 is better or preferred than a flashlight, but I can say I have covered the ceiling with floresent fixtures and there was a couple of the single bulb type already on my garage ceiling when I started to build my shop. They are all still there.
My suggestion is to recess them and get a lens over em!
When wood working is the chore sawdust goes everywhere. Any exposed surface will soon become lightly covered and just hanging a fixture or even a bare bulb exposed to the stuff and it quickly is reduced to less light and more cleaning jobs.
I turned the basement of my first home into a wood shop and never heard the end of it. With a gas forced air furnace as the heat source for the house and wood working tending to be a winter time hobby i was always in trouble. The furnace would gather the sawdust out of the air and distribute it thru out the house.
I now have a three car garage. I walled off one bay and hung a reznor heater. Ran a separate electric panel and wired for all the tools including a few 220v plugs. That keeps the dust where it belongs, and anytime I overload a circuit the other half hardly notices! Now all she sees is my best projects and I don't leave her in the dust!
Guess thats why today is our 46th anniversary. I try not to give her any reason to be mad!

I think the 8' is two 4' lamps. I don't think I've ever seen 8' flourescent bulbs. Do they exist?