Staircase lighting methods - lamps and sensors

Stairs in two-story houses are most often installed in places where there is no natural light, therefore, for safety, it is recommended to illuminate the steps. On different types of stairs - glass, wood, concrete, stone - lamps should be installed, first of all, based on the degree of flammability of the material, then design and economy.

Types of stairs and optimal lighting for them

By design, several types of stairs can be distinguished - spiral, marching, bolt. For each type, you can choose the right luminaires - built-in or pendant. Based on the design and materials for the manufacture of stairs, it is necessary to take into account the electrical conductivity and combustibility, as well as the degree of necessary lighting in a given place. Perhaps the steps are near the window, so lighting is needed only in the dark, then there is no need to install powerful devices. In another case, when the steps are located in a dark place in the house, it is better to equip two types - full lighting of the stairs in a private house on the second floor and partial, in order to be able to save money.

Screw, marching, bolt types

Screw designs save space in small two-story houses. For convenience, they are assigned a corner space, where it is quite easy to equip additional light. It can be located on the central post to which the steps are attached or on the wall from top to bottom.

The marching type is the most common. Allows you to install various types of lighting - under steps, in the wall, on the ceiling.

Stairs on the bolts - externally look airy or suspended. In fact, these are solid structures in which the steps are attached simultaneously to the wall and bolts, or only to the metal frame under them. The spaces between the steps are wide enough for light to penetrate through them.

Wooden and metal

Wood is still the most used material in home construction, but it has the highest degree of flammability, therefore it is treated with flame retardants and coated with solutions that reduce the risk of ignition. It is important that the wires are well insulated. For lighting, low-current systems are selected with a type of lamp that does not produce much heat.

Metal is less commonly used due to the high cost and high weight of forged products. To prevent metal steps from slipping, overlays made of wood or other material are made on them. Metal is a conductor of electricity, so the wiring is additionally insulated by placing it in a corrugation. If the metal is supplemented with plastic or wood elements, they create a fire hazard, and the plastic, when exposed to high temperatures, can melt and release vapors that are hazardous to health.

For forged stairs, the best lighting option is wall sconces or pendant chandeliers, which look harmonious in the interior and are safer at a distance than near combustible materials.

Stairs with transparent steps and railings

You can create a feeling of lightness with the help of impact-resistant glass, using it to arrange a transparent staircase. Not only steps, but also handrails can be transparent. This design is absolutely safe, despite the apparent fragility. This design makes it possible not to use backlighting at all, or to be limited to spotlights at the level of the steps.

Concrete stairs

Concrete is the most suitable material for creating high-strength indoor structures. Its peculiarity is that after pouring and hardening, the concrete staircase cannot be disassembled, therefore the illumination of the staircase steps is planned and designed in advance, since the wiring for lighting equipment will be mounted in concrete. In this case, you cannot choose cheap materials, since they deteriorate faster and the entire structure will need to be dismantled in order to get to the wires and replace them.

Staircase lighting methods

The main problem is to organize light control from several points - from the first and second floors. There are several ways to do this - a timer, a motion sensor, a pass-through switch. There can be several switches: on the first floor, on the second and, for example, at the entrance to the house. Automatic illumination requires a ceiling-mounted detector with a full view. For the timer, you need to set a program that will turn on and off the lamps at a certain time, for example, in the evening.

Automatic backlight

Automatic lighting is made up of several luminaires that are built into the wall as switches. The advantage of this system is that the sensors are triggered at night if movement is detected. During the day, the motion detector does not work.

It is enough to install such a luminaire on every fourth stage, which saves money. The duration depends on the model - approximately 30 - 50 seconds. The lighting of the stairs on the steps with a motion sensor can be wireless or work from a network.

Lamps in such systems are economical and do not generate heat, therefore they are safe for wood and plastic linings.

Arrangement of wireless and conventional network lighting

Wireless systems operate on alternative power sources. This allows you to safely move around the house in the absence of electricity. Low-power systems can run on conventional batteries. The lamps can be installed by a person who has no experience with electrical equipment, since the mechanism does not have a life-threatening voltage.

Ignition is impossible with such systems, since weak lamps are used that do not produce heat. Wireless manufacturers offer their own power supplies that last for a year, which translates into significant energy savings.

Making electrical wiring without special knowledge on your own is life-threatening. In addition, it is possible to make mistakes and the fixtures will not work as planned. It should be borne in mind that in addition to wires, sensors, power supplies, relays, controllers will have to be built into the general circuit.

The network lighting of the stairs is planned in advance, since in some luminaires the electrical unit is mounted before laying drywall and plaster. In this case, it may be necessary to chisel the walls and lay a corrugated tube with wires, after which the wall is concreted and leveled.

Types of lamps for lighting stairs

In addition to incandescent lamps, which consume a lot of energy and produce a large amount of heat, the following are used to mount staircase lighting:

• Halogen. They shine brightly, but emit heat, so they are rarely mounted in wooden structures. As additional lighting in combined systems, they are ineffective, since bright light on stairs is usually not needed. Lack of sensitivity to voltage surges, which is why they quickly burn out.
• Neon lamps. They do not shine brightly, they serve for a long time. The case is rather fragile, therefore, protective devices against mechanical damage are needed.
• LED - the most popular, as they have a wide assortment in shape, power, color. They are suitable for installation near wooden structures because they do not generate heat. They serve for a long time.

  

  

  

Economical lamps can be used in large quantities, creating light panels and beams of light on various parts of the staircase.

Types of lighting fixtures and their installation location

The following types of lighting devices are used to illuminate the stairs:

• sconces - wall lamps;
• ceiling chandeliers that are mounted in the clearance of the stairs;
• LED lamps or strips are placed under the railings, under the steps, in a special box on the wall along the stairs;
• spotlights - can be mounted on the walls below or directly into the surface of the steps.

Most often, a combined system is used, where several types of devices are involved. It is convenient and economical in terms of electricity consumption. At the same time, some devices can be connected to an autonomous power system.

The main criteria for choosing a backlight

In order for the staircase lighting to be of high quality and not to cause inconvenience, you need to choose the best option. To do this, you must take into account the criteria:

• How much illumination is needed for this section of the house. If natural light penetrates well, low power systems with few lamps can be used.
• Efficiency of lamps, since the stairs will have to be used often. Even in the presence of motion sensors, they will be triggered constantly.
• Safe movement on stairs, which in the absence of electricity can create a problem, especially if some part of the stairs is not fenced. It is important that some lamps work from an independent power source.
• The brightness of the lighting should not be inconvenient, that is, the lamps should be installed so that the light is not directed at the person's face.
• If you plan to independently install staircase lighting, you need to take into account your own knowledge and capabilities in terms of working with electrical networks and equipment.
  
• In terms of design, electrical appliances should be combined with the interior of the house and specifically with the appearance of the stairs.
• The budget that can be spent on the purchase of consumables, fixtures and equipment to control light sources.

Taking into account the above wishes, you can start choosing the lighting scheme for the stairs.

Step-by-step installation instructions

Considering the complexity of the system to be mounted on the stairs, it is recommended to sketch an approximate layout of the devices. This will help you correctly calculate the amount of consumables and intermediate devices, as well as establish the estimated amount of work.

Lighting scheme selection

The choice of lighting scheme depends on the design of the staircase, its location in the house, and the degree of natural light. For self-installation, it is recommended to use simpler methods of light control, for example, pass-through switches. More complex systems with timers and sensors require the connection of additional devices and special settings.

The location of lighting fixtures and their number depends only on the wishes of the residents. If it is impossible to carry out planning on your own, it is better to entrust the work to specialists.

Calculation of materials

The optimal amount of light on the stairs is calculated based on its length, width, lamp power. If the goal is to save money, it is necessary to choose durable low-power systems, for example, LED strips. Before buying materials, you need to calculate the total length to which the tape will be mounted, and add a small margin. In the store, LED strips are sold per meter or in rolls of 250 or 500 meters.

You will need to buy additional equipment to control the light - a microcontroller, an LED driver or something similar in functionality, touch sensors, phototransistors to turn on the backlight only in the dark. To control all devices, you need a 12 volt power supply.

For in-wall wiring, you will need to measure the total length. To do this, at the stage of rough repair, electricians outline the lines where the wire will pass. Inside the wall, the wiring must be in a protective corrugation so that the natural deformation of the structure does not damage the wires.

Installation and connection

The first step is to assemble and test the control module - this is the hardest part of the job. If everything works, you can proceed with the installation. The LED strip is connected to the wires and glued under the steps or under the railings (where it is planned). Before this, the surface is degreased with acetone.

For lamps, you will have to make square holes in the wall with a puncher and grooves for wiring, so this work is more convenient to do at the repair stage. After laying the wires and socket boxes of the lamps, the holes in the walls are covered with cement. The sensors are installed in the same way on the upper and lower steps.

Now you need to connect the wires to the correct controller connectors on the board. The last stage is connecting the power supply to the electrical network.

The controller connects to a computer and is configured thanks to a program that you can write yourself or download a ready-made one. The system is tested in all operating modes, in the course of the test, malfunctions and inaccuracies are eliminated. After that, the control board is closed in a durable case, which is desirable to be installed in a place where it is convenient to carry out repairs.

Safety engineering

Safety applies not only to the use of high-quality wiring and accessories, but also to the combination of different types of lamps and staircase materials. Depending on the decorative style, materials are selected - stone, wood, plastic, glass and their various combinations. For built-in luminaires, the type of lamp is selected based on the degree of flammability of the material that must be treated with fire-fighting solutions. Metal parts should not come into contact with the insulation of the wiring, which could theoretically melt, therefore, the wire bundles must be additionally insulated with a corrugated tube.