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[tunnie]

With winter starting to set in i really need to improve the lighting in the garage, only got a single 60w light bulb in there, got a portable fluorescent one that helps, but light is still poor in general.

Need some decent light to work on the bike / cars when the weather really turns, so wondering if its best to get a few banks of spot lights like these:



Or get 3/4 of these:



Guessing Spot lights will not be suitable cause i need a large space illuminated?

[Marks DTM Calib]

No brainer.....florry lights

[RobG]

Fluorescent is the way to go (with diffusers fitted)

[tunnie]

Fluorescent is the way to go (with diffusers fitted)

Cheers guys!

Diffusers being the reflective parts that scatter the light?

[Marks DTM Calib]

No, the passive parts that scatter the light! 

[tunnie]

No, the passive parts that scatter the light! 

Still looks reflective   

Thanks for the correction 

[Marks DTM Calib]

No, the passive parts that scatter the light! 

Still looks reflective   

Thanks for the correction 

Lol, if it was reflective, no light would get out 

[HolyCount]

Reflective bit is the shiney bit behind a light, Tunnie. The diffuser is the translucent panel / cover in front of it to ...erm ... diffuse the light 

[mantahatch]

Also a good idea to fit a couple very low down (floor level) or have a couple of 4 ft ones on flying leads you can use under or along the side of the car. Most useful when doing brakes etc.

[Chris_H]

No, the passive parts that scatter the light! 

Still looks reflective   

Thanks for the correction 

Actually refractive.

One big benefit of strip lights (not necessarily flourescent) is that they radiate over a wide distance making shadows very out-of-focus.  The diffuser helps to spread the light in a second direction and also reduces the intensity of the glare when they are in-vision.  (They also act as fly-traps )

I have two 6ft ones in a 'T' on the ceiling, but a box a la:

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would be better if you have the dosh.

Benefit of flourescent mainly lack of heat output but usually better colour temperature too.  I was at a friend's house last night and one of their armchairs was smoking when we entered the lounge because a halogen/dichroic lamp was left 3inches above it.  Burnt a lovely hole and made the damp cloth they quenched it with sizzle nicely!

[Kevin Wood]

Another thing, which I have been thinking about doing but can't face removing all the cr@p from my garage, is to paint the walls white to make the best use of the light you have.

Kevin

[tunnie]

Another thing, which I have been thinking about doing but can't face removing all the cr@p from my garage, is to paint the walls white to make the best use of the light you have.

Kevin

Yeah thats an idea, and paint the floor and seal it.... floor is out of the question, but the walls could be done.

Will need, a LOT of paint though, and i doubt a roller would be any good 

[Kevin Wood]

Another thing, which I have been thinking about doing but can't face removing all the cr@p from my garage, is to paint the walls white to make the best use of the light you have.

Kevin

Yeah thats an idea, and paint the floor and seal it.... floor is out of the question, but the walls could be done.

Will need, a LOT of paint though, and i doubt a roller would be any good 

Nope. Bare brick / breezeblock will be a bit too absorbent. Probably a HVLP sprayer would be the best plan. Just so happens I came across one a couple of years ago. One day I'll get round to it.

Floor painting - do it properly or don't bother. Especially if you drive cars in out of the wet! DPO put cheap floor paint on my garage floor (or didn't do the prep properly) and it's flaking off. 

Old carpet is probably just as good for avoiding concrete dust, more comfortable to work on and when it gets too oily / damp and manky just lob it out and get some more.

Kevin

[ENFIELD_MV6]

pure white masonry paint is good for brickwork and breezeblocks covers very well (painted the outside of my mums pub and mst of that was bricks)

[Pitchfork]

My garage walls were given a coat of watered down PVA to seal them, then 2 coats of white emulsion applied with a 4" brush to ensure every nook & cranny was painted. It takes time & is messy but you can easily spot the spiders now.
On the floor, after thorough vaccuming with a VAX, I sealed again with PVA then gave 2 coats of concrete paint. I applied a third coat after a couple of months just to be sure.