Measuring light intensity is essential when establishing a room’s lighting or prepping for a photograph. Each room demands a distinct type of light, as does the kind of work that will be completed in that room.
The lumen technique, the most generally used light output formula, can calculate the overall light output requirements for your room. If you don’t know how to measure lumens, we may be able to help. This post will go over the many types of lighting and a few basic concepts relating to lumens.
What are Lumens?
The amount of light a bulb provides is measured in lumens. A greater lumen count means a brighter light, and a lower lumen count means a dimmer light. It is the SI unit for luminous flux, which measures a source’s total amount of visible light emitted per unit of time.
The difference between radiant flux and luminosity is that radiant flux includes all electromagnetic waves emitted. In contrast, luminance is weighted based on a model of the human eye’s sensitivity to various wavelengths. The lux unit of measurement is one lumen per square meter.
What is Lux?
Lux is just the unit of measurement used to indicate the number of lumens falling on a surface per square foot (footcandles) or square meter (lux).
To maintain a given “standard” of illumination, one should assess light intensity. It makes a significant difference in a surgical theater or other indoor areas such as workplaces for a photographer (whose job is primarily focused on light).
How To Measure Lumens
To determine the correct number of lumens for your LED lights, multiply the square footage of your space by the recommended number of lumens below:
- Living room – 15 lm
- Dining room – 35 lm
- Bedroom – 15 lm
- Bathroom – 15 lm
- Kitchen – 35 lm
- Kitchen task – 75 lm
- Hallway – 10 lm
Consider a living room measuring 20 ft by 30 ft (20 ft x 30 ft) x 15 lm = 9000 lumens. This equates to one ceiling fixture emitting 8000 lm, two table lamps emitting 400 lm each, and one-floor lamp emitting 200 lm. Of course, your space doesn’t have to look exactly like that, as long as your illumination totals 9000 lumens.
Read more: How to Measure Lumens With iPhone
Type Of Lighting
A good lighting setup mixes several types of illumination to create a welcoming environment in which you can work or relax effortlessly. To do this, you should layer three primary forms of lighting in a room:
- Ambient or general lighting
- Accent lighting
- Task lighting
Let’s have a look at them
Ambient/general lighting
General lighting, or ambient lighting, is crucial for any successful lighting strategy since it provides a consistent color to the environment. Ambient lighting creates an ambiance for the space while also providing enough light to see and move around comfortably. In some cases, it could also be used as task lighting.
Overhead fixtures such as recessed pot lights, track lights, chandeliers, other ceiling lamps, and stand-alone fixtures such as floor and table lamps are commonly used to generate ambient lighting. Choose LEDs with a warmer color temperature for a more friendly appearance.
Accent lighting
Accent lighting, by design, produces a focal point. It can be employed to bring attention to a feature, such as a work of art or a plant, or to emphasize a unique design aspect, such as wall texture or ornamental coving, by giving dimension to the room’s ambient lighting.
This lighting gives the impression of more space. As a general rule, good accent lighting necessitates three times the amount of light that ambient lighting supplies on the focal point.
Task lighting
Task lighting is intended to help you complete a task. This sort of illumination is localized and can be delivered by various sources, allowing you to modify the lighting for a workspace or selected region and brighten or darken it to meet your needs.
Adequate task lighting should eliminate glare and be bright enough to avoid eye strain, making it perfect for reading, cooking, crafts, hobbies, studying, and working. Various light sources can provide task lighting, including overhead sources such as inset or track lighting and desk or work lights.
Task lamps must be adjustable or tilted downward to keep the light focused on the task at hand and out of your eyes. They should also be positioned to the side of your work to prevent glare and shadows.
Instruments for Measuring Light
The best way to measure lumen is to purchase a light meter/lux meter; the two terms are frequently used interchangeably. Light meters have a sensor that converts light energy into an electrical charge that the user can read. They are often tiny enough to be held in one’s hand and easily carried around.
It is simple to use the light meter. Simply remove the sensor’s cap and position it on a surface where work is performed, such as the desk’s center. The sensor must be placed on the surface since that’s where the light is reflected into the user’s eye and indicates the accurate level of light they receive. Holding the light meter above the surface may result in erroneous results. You should then show the lux reading on the screen.
Comparing Lumens and Watts
Examine the box to see how LED bulbs differ from other light bulbs. You’ll know the number of lumens produced and the bulb’s wattage. Compare the lumen figures to check if the light bulbs deliver a comparable amount of light, then look at the wattage needed to see how much energy each bulb consumes.
Using these two values, you may determine how intense the light will be and how much energy it will consume. To locate the most energy-efficient bulb for your needs, look for the ones with the light output you require, then choose the one with the lowest wattage.
Also read: How Many Lumens for Living Room
Conclusion
You’ll need approximately 5,000 lumens for a 250-square-foot room (20 lumens x 250 square feet) as your primary light source. You’ll want roughly 30 lumens per square foot on your dining table in your dining room.
But keep in mind that these figures are used in every average condition. If your walls and furniture are particularly dark or utilizing bulbs with shades, you’ll need an extra 10 lumens per square foot. We hope that you now understand how to measure lumens, and this post has provided you with sufficient knowledge.