As the sun sets, it becomes more difficult to properly see the surface and texture of the objects you’re about to paint. Trust me, as a professional house painter, I’ve made the mistake of not using the proper lighting, and the finished object looked absolutely crappy, so I had to redo it.
If you want to paint walls or ceilings in your home, then you’ll need to use the best light available. So what is the best light for painting walls, be it woodworking or flat surfaces like walls and ceilings?
Natural sunlight is the best light when painting walls, but if that isn’t available, then you should use a portable LED work light.
But why should it be LED, and why portable? I’ll discuss that and more in this article, so keep on reading!
Choosing the best light source when painting walls or ceilings
If you’re just going to repaint a wall without doing any prep work, like spackling, then your normal lighting will probably be enough. But when the surface has been spackled, especially if the whole surface has been spackled, then you need a stronger light.
This is where the LED light comes in.
When I have sanded and primed a wall I then set the LED light at the end of the wall so it shines over the surface, mimicking daylight from a window. This way, you will then be able to see every little detail so you can spackle remaining irregularities that might be.
I usually also grab the LED light and move it around to find remaining spots that might need adjustments. That’s why it helps that it’s portable.
This method will also show if the finished paint surface is uneven and needs another coating. But it needs to be bright enough. LED lamps have different brightness, and that is measured in Lumen.
So what’s a Lumen?
The intensity of a light is measured by the lumens rating. More lumens means it is a brighter light, while fewer lumens make it a more subdued light.
How many Lumens do I need in a work light for painting?
If the light is not strong enough it will be harder to spot the irregularities, so I would recommend at least 4000 Lumen when painting walls or ceilings.
The bigger the room, the brighter or more Lumen the LED light needs to have, or you can just move it along with you while you paint. With standard-sized rooms, 4000 Lumen should be enough.
LED lights can be pricier than halogen or lamps with lightbulbs, but they last a lot longer and they are shock resistant. They use up to 90% less power compared to other solutions like halogen and incandescent light bulbs. And they don’t get that hot, so it’s a no-brainer for me when it comes to choosing what light source to use when I paint.
Most models are even IP-rated (Ingress Protection). This standard defines levels of sealing effectiveness.
I recommend this portable LED work light. It has 5000 Lumen with 6500 Kelvin and its IP66 rated, which means it’s dust and waterproof.
And if 5000 Lumen isn’t enough for you then the work lights shown below will light up your space even more and they are also battery powered which means you don’t have to worry about cables. You can even charge your phone since it also functions as a power bank.
What does IP rating in lighting mean?
The IP rating, which stands for Ingress Protection rating, is a standard that defines the levels of sealing effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from foreign bodies such as dust, insects, liquids, moisture, etc.
The rating is represented by the letters ‘IP’, followed by two numbers. The first digit (ranging from 0 to 6) signifies the level of protection against solid objects or materials, with 6 indicating complete protection against dust.
The second digit (ranging from 0 to 8) represents the level of protection against liquid ingress, with 8 indicating protection against immersion in water under specified conditions.
For example, a light with an IP rating of IP68 is dust tight and can be immersed in water. This rating is crucial when choosing lighting for environments where exposure to water and dust is a concern, such as construction sites, outdoor settings, or industrial environments.
What color light is best for painting?
The best light for painting walls should ideally be natural sunlight as it provides the most accurate color rendering and allows for more vibrant colors.
When that isn’t available, then a LED light with 5000K-6500K (Kelvin) and at least 90CRI (Color Rendering Index) will mimic daylight the best.
Kelvin, or K, is a measure of color temperature. The lower on the scale it is, the warmer and yellow the light is. And the higher number will give a more blue light. A light between 4000-7500K gives more of a white light.
Then what is CRI?
CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measurement that indicates how well an object’s color is reproduced by the light source. The higher the number, the more true-to-life the colors will appear. Different light sources have different ratings on the scale of 0-100.
What color paint reflects the most light?
Different colors reflect different amounts of light. White paint colors reflect the most light since other colors absorb at least some portion of the light spectrum.
That’s why ceilings and windows with their different parts are most often painted white since this will lighten up the room more.
This is measured in LRV.
What is LRV?
A light reflectance value (LRV) is a measure of the intensity of reflected light from the surface of a material. LRVs are usually measured on a scale from 0 to 100 with white having an LRV of 100 and black having an LRV of 0.
How do you choose a work light?
When choosing your LED work light you should take into consideration:
- If it needs to be portable, stationary or mountable, some models can be temporarily fastened to the wall/ceiling or on a stand.
- Cable length, if you’re going to be moving it around a lot a longer cable is helpful.
- Connectivity, some models have outlets that let you connect power tools, built-in phone charger, etc.
- Lumen, so it’s bright enough for your needs.
- Kelvin, so you have the right light color.
- CRI, with a CRI of +90 you get the colors you have chosen seen as in natural light.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with the LED lights I recommended above when you’re about to renovate your home. If you don’t want to buy one you could always borrow it from a friend or neighbor.
But they aren’t that expensive, they last long and you can use them for other things, like when you’re working on your car and even outside.