How do I estimate how many high bay lights I need?

Start with square footage and target foot-candles, divide the required lumens by the delivered lumens per fixture, then adjust for mounting height, beam angle, racks, shadows, and wiring layout.

Is fixture spacing the same as ceiling height?

Ceiling height is a useful starting point for spacing, but beam angle, lens choice, task brightness, and rack layout can push fixtures closer together or farther apart.

Should I use 100W or 150W LED high bays?

Many 14 to 20 foot spaces use 100W to 150W UFO high bays, but the better choice depends on the light level needed at the floor and whether dimming will be used.

When should I get a lighting layout?

Use a lighting layout when the space has safety requirements, detailed work, tall racks, inspection tasks, or code-driven light levels.

How Many High Bay Lights Do I Need For My Warehouse

Posted by Dara Greaney on 9/4/2016 to LED Lights

Quick Answer

Estimate warehouse high bay fixture count with this sequence: square footage x target foot-candles = total lumens, then divide by delivered lumens per fixture and adjust for mounting height, beam angle, rack layout, and shadow control. As a rough starting point, many 15-20 foot warehouses use 100W to 150W LED UFO high bays spaced about 12 to 18 feet apart. Final layouts should be checked with a lighting plan when safety, detailed work, or code compliance matters.

How many light fixtures do I need for my warehouse?

We get this question every week, and the right answer depends on ceiling height, fixture output, beam angle, work type, rack layout, and wiring. The examples below show how we think through real warehouse and shop requests without pretending there is one universal fixture count.

Quick Guide to How Many Warehouse Lighting Fixtures You Need

Here are some quick rules of thumb for choosing the right brightness and spacing for your LED high bay lights:

Brightness: The brightness of the LED high bay lights depends on the height of the ceiling and the beam angle of the light. The higher the ceiling, the higher the lumen output you need. The narrower the beam angle, the more concentrated the light. Here are some examples of brightness levels for different ceiling heights and beam angles:

• 14,000 lumens at 120 degrees from 10 to 15 feet

• 21,000 lumens at 120 degrees from 14 to 20 feet

• 35,000 lumens at 120 degrees from 20 to 30 feet

• 42,000+ lumens at 30+ feet but with a 60, 90, or 120 degree lens

Spacing: The spacing of the LED high bay lights depends on the height of the ceiling and the coverage area of the light. A general rule is to space them out at the same distance as the height of the ceiling. For example, if your ceiling is 10 feet high, space them out every 10 feet. If your ceiling is 15 feet high, space them out every 15 feet. However, this rule may vary depending on the shape and size of your space and the beam angle of your light. For example, if your ceiling is above 25 feet high, you may need to space them out closer, go brighter or use a different lens to get enough light. You can also call us for a free lighting layout to calculate the optimal spacing for your space.

Here are some recent examples

Here is the email:

I have a 40x70 warehouse that I will be working on and detailing cars. I want to convert from old lighting to led primarily for brighter lighting and lower energy costs. The lights are currently at 17 feet above floor. I was looking at your 150 watt High Bay UFO lights and your 100 watt High Bay UFO lights. Would this be appropriate? How many would I need and how far apart etc. thank you. Bob

Here is our first answer:

Bob,

Thanks for reaching out. Those fixtures are a reasonable starting point for this layout. At 17 feet high you can go 100 watts or 150 with a 120 wide angle. That is the angle the light comes out at. I usually do not recommend 150 watts until we get closer to 18 feet high and up. You are right at the cut off.

1. Use the 150 watt high bay lights and use 120 wide which is standard. 14-20 feet we recommend the 150 watts. At 17 feet you can go wider angle and still get good light to the ground. So the 6x3 pattern would give you good coverage. 7x3 for 21 lights for higher brightness.

If you can run additional wiring, we can also do all of this with dimmable high bay light versions so you can go a bit brighter and adjust down to save energy. You can create a few sections. Maybe dim down half of the warehouse where it's just parked cars and leave the rest full brightness. See our knowledge base and video on 0-10v dimming for more info on these.

2. Use 100 watt High Bay lights and space them out every 8-14 feet (8 for high brightness, 14 for adequate). A 6x3 pattern for example is 18 lights for basic lighting, or go 7x3 (or 6x4/8x3 depending on wiring) for 21-24 lights to get a medium brightness level. 8x4 for 32 would be very high brightness. So that’s just an estimate. Somewhere in there.

21 of the 100 watts in dimmable industrial bay LEDs would probably be my recommendation for bright lighting. (without knowing more)

There is bulk pricing on all of this too. Choice of angle and light color. All inclusive. 5 year Warranty, full liability insurance, USA toll free phone support and no tax outside of CA.

Feel free to give me a call and I can answer any other questions.

Thanks

Bill

LED ufo high-ceiling luminaires installed

Here is a 2nd email:

I have a 30x40 shop and need to know how to light it. The sides are 14ft and the peak is 17ft. What do I use? Jim R

Here is our 2nd answer:

Jim R

Thanks for reaching out. Our standard starting layout for a shop like this is often 2 rows of 2, for 4 lights. Anything from 20-40ft x 20-40ft fits right in there and gets great results. I would recommend 4 of our 150 watt UFO overhead bay fixtures. We usually avoid using fewer than 4 fixtures because light from at least 2 directions reduces shadowing. So even on The 20x20 we go to 4, it's a bit overkill with lumens but the uniformity is more important. See the image above to see what happens when one light is out, lots of heavy shadowing.

Dan

When in Doubt - Talk to an Expert

So you can see there are so many variables in lighting design that you have to think through lots of options. Number of fixtures, brightness, height, light angle, wiring locations, and control zones all matter. There is a whole science called photometrics that does awesome analysis on this. For larger buildings they can do a full design. On something like this it’s just not worth it.

Bob, the car-detailing customer, went with 21 of the 100 watt LED Industrial bay LEDs and emailed us later on to say that they were very pleased.

How to Turn the Examples Into a Real Fixture Count

Use the examples above as starting points, not as a one-size-fits-all answer. A warehouse with open floor space can often use wider spacing than a warehouse with tall racks, detail work, or aisles where shadows matter.

Decide the target light level first: storage, vehicle detailing, packing, inspection, and gym use do not need the same foot-candles.
Use delivered lumens from the fixture, not the old metal-halide wattage, when comparing options.
Check ceiling height, beam angle, row spacing, and whether dimming gives you room to tune the final result.

When the fixture count is close, choose the layout that gives better uniformity and fewer dark pockets. More fixtures at a lower output can be better than fewer fixtures pushed too hard.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I estimate how many high bay lights I need?: Start with square footage and target foot-candles, divide the required lumens by the delivered lumens per fixture, then adjust for mounting height, beam angle, racks, shadows, and wiring layout.

Is fixture spacing the same as ceiling height?: Ceiling height is a useful starting point for spacing, but beam angle, lens choice, task brightness, and rack layout can push fixtures closer together or farther apart.

Should I use 100W or 150W LED high bays?: Many 14 to 20 foot spaces use 100W to 150W UFO high bays, but the better choice depends on the light level needed at the floor and whether dimming will be used.

When should I get a lighting layout?: Use a lighting layout when the space has safety requirements, detailed work, tall racks, inspection tasks, or code-driven light levels.

LED High Bay Lights Guide

LED Warehouse Lights Guide

Calculate High Bay Requirements

Ready to Upgrade Your LED Lighting?

Our lighting specialists can help compare options, confirm light levels, and quote the right products for your project.

Call 800-674-9420 or email [email protected]

Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm PST

About the Author

Dara Greaney

Dara Greaney is founder and CEO of LED Light Expert with deep expertise in commercial LED lighting, retrofits, and photometric planning.

LinkedIn X (Twitter)

Editing by David Peguero

Ezat H

Date 9/6/2017

Hello I have a warehouse of 200' X 80' and the ceiling is 28 feet high, the walls are white and the floor is cement how many High bays do you think I will need or is there a lighting simulation that you can do and tell me how many lux would I have and the Quantity of High bays that I would need. You can call me at 1-514-679-8282 Ezat H. Thanks you

Ron Wenger

Date 11/23/2017

Hello, I would like your recommendation on light spacing and wattage for led fixtures for a building that we are renovating. Dimensions are 48’ x 95’. Fixtures will be at 10’ height. This space will be used for an auto museum. We would like them to be dimmable. Thank you for your help.

Alex

Date 3/30/2018

Spacing Question: Hi, I have a 19 X 65 narrow warehouse X 16' high ceiling. I want it to be like daylight . I can install them in a row right in the middle of the 19 feet. What wattage and spacing do you recommend.? Thanks Alex

John Santos

Date 5/12/2018

I'm designing lighting for a warehouse that's 165Lx50Wx40' ceiling What to use LED Hi-Bay lights how many would I need I was thinking 250W, 4000K LED Hi-bay lights

rich

Date 6/17/2018

I have an area of 25 ft x 60 ft. I have 2 poles 20ft in from each end of the 60 ft . I want to mount 2 led fixtures at 14 ft high on these 2 poles . will 2 400 watt warm white leds do the job Thank you

Alex South

Date 7/14/2018

Hi, I have a 20metre×13metre warehouse with a 5 metre ceiling height. Im thinking I need 6-8 150 watt 120 degree angle low bay lights. A 2x 3 or 2x4 configuration was what I was envisioning. Would this suit a paint shop for detailed painting of trailers etc.? Any help would be appreciated. Thankyou

Edward J Cowl

Date 10/27/2019 2:30:00 AM

E J Technical Services

Monte M

Date 9/3/2018

Hi, I have a old warehouse that I would like to update to LED. Building is 50'x 160' divided into three rooms 14'6" ceilings. Front room 50'x 58' divided evenly by two large I Beams on the ceiling. Used for printing paper and box storage. Middle room 50'x 70' divided by three large I Beams 3 sections 19' spacing 1- 13' space. Used for Machine Shop. Back room 50'x 30' 1 I Beam spaced evenly BUT has a loft on one end 20'x 30' with 6'6" ceiling. Used for printing paper and box storage, old printing equip. Thanks

Luckson

Date 9/20/2018

hello. I have a warehouse of 35m by 16m and the ceiling is 12m high, the walls are white and the floor is cement is there a lighting simulation that you can recommend for me? We will be storing auto spares in this warehouse. Thanks you

Eric Bessarab

Date 10/16/2018

i have an old warehouse that we use for a floor covering business to store and cut flooring products. the building is 200'x 60'. we would like to replace existing florescent lighting with LED lighting. lights will be chain hung at 18' above floor. what would you suggest for fixtures and spacing?

mathew bloor

Date 12/26/2018

hi I have a farm cattle building that is 90ft wide an 160ft long the center of the shed is the highest point that's 35ft high most of the light is need in the center of the building for feeding what would you recommend for a center line of led high bay lights regards matt

Jeromy C. Rutledge

Date 1/24/2019

I have a newly constructed mueller metal building. I need to light the shop portion which is 60' 80'. I want bright light as we will be working on farm equipment at night. Wiring has not yet been done. What would you suggest? What is the total amps pulled by the solution? Also looking for exterior lights. Regards, Jeromy

Greg

Date 2/10/2019

We are building a 30x55 shop with 10 ft ceilings. We need a bright led light set up for fine detail sewing of fabrics. Can you recommend a lighting solution. Spacing and fixtures. No wiring started as of yet.

Bryan R.

Date 2/11/2019 2:10:00 PM

Greg - We definitely have a few options and would like to help you figure out what would work best for your application. Please give us a call for more information at 800-674-9420 or you can reach us via email at [email protected].

David

Date 2/12/2019

We have a 132 by 40 building with scissor trusses that low bottom peak is 17 ft. We like the look of the natural led light. How far should I space them out for good coverage down the center of the barn.

Rick R.

Date 2/13/2019 9:41:00 AM

Spacing depends on a few different factors so we will need a little more information. Please give us a call for more information at 800-674-9420 or you can reach us via email at [email protected].

Dan Hanley

Date 8/2/2019

Building a 50 X 60 beverage warehouse... 10 ceiling. No windows. White walls. I'm thinking 70 Ftc. What do you suggest for fixturing, spacing, etc. LED of course. Thank You

Rick R.

Date 8/2/2019 11:14:00 AM

There is a few options on this. With that ceiling height the lights are likely to be closer to 9 foot probably want to come down to something more like our 50 Watt Orion Series Linear lights, but you could go with a dimmable 100 watt Corvus Series UFO High Bay Lights and dim them down to a level you are happy with. Depending on the ceiling type, there is some other options like strip lights, panel/troffer lights that might also be a better option. Please give us a call at 800-674-9420 so we can figure out the best light plan for your needs.

pareshsandhansive

Date 4/24/2020

for our chemical plant we require Highbay, street and flood light different rating. pl.support . plant mfg in all ms structure . 1) 1st floor plant size 6.8 mtr lengthX 13.5 mtr ( Width)X 6 .3 mtr height. 2) 2nd floor plant size 6.8 mtr lengthX 13.5 mtr ( Width)X 4 mtr height. 3) 3rd floor plant size 6.8 mtr lengthX 13.5 mtr ( Width)X 2.5 mtr height. open type chemical plant. side stair case also lamp require. a)what is lamp suitable for this plant ? b)what is lumen intensity require .? c) what is total load per floor? send me email urgently pl.support urgently. kind regards! Paresh sandhansive - Pune India

Rick R.

Date 4/24/2020 9:09:48 AM

A lot of questions here and a big project from the looks of it with all different kinds of lighting needs. It would be highly recommended that you give us a call and get in contact with one of our lighting experts to help figure out your lighting plan. A chemical plant will likely need hazardous location lighting due to fire hazards and safety requirements. You can reach us at 800-674-9420 or email us at [email protected].

Ken Thacker

Date 2/5/2021

I have a 30x60 shop but only need light in the center, one side has 30x30 mezzanine and the other is open for (boat) storage. The middle is 30 x 30 with 14 wall to 20 peek so the lights will be 17ft high. I have (4) 2 bulb 8ft flour mounted on the pitch and they are way too dim but the wiring is all done with EMT and 12 gage wires. I work on cars and do a lot of up-close looking (needing glasses and lots of light) I was looking at using 4 of the 4 foot LED high bay linear light 220 watt Orion II. 4ft because that would disperse or spread the main light out of the fixture. I care about cost but more importantly I need to see :) so even Lumens Ha! I saw that I could email you for some help thats where I'm at. Ken

James

Date 11/24/2021

Have warehouse of cladding steel walling size 20ft (length) by 10ft (width) x 4ft (height) what be the high bay lighting fittings to use and at what height.

Juan

Date 11/24/2021 8:41:35 AM

We reached out directly to you to help you with this project. Please reach out if you have any other questions.

karl s

Date 6/15/2022

How many amps does your 100W and 150 W led lights require? How many lights in a 50x60 hanger at 18 fy

Jason

Date 6/15/2022 2:28:08 PM

"Thanks for reaching out, we have sent you an email response. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at 800-674-9420 or sales@LLE for pricing/quotes or product info at any time."

Rick Crumley

Date 8/6/2022

I have a 30 x 60 x 12 metal building. I want so good lights. I need to see good at night. My vision ain’t what it used to be dammitt. Some help would be great. Thank you

John Hoestenbach

Date 10/29/2022

What LED light fixtures do you recommend for a 42'x30' metal building with 12' ceiling? Also need to know how many lumens and any other advice you can give.

Samson Ogunsusi

Date 1/27/2023

I have an art gallery of 31.68ft height, 72.9ft width and 99ft lenght, can I use the 150watt and at what spacing for the.light

Jason

Date 1/28/2023 9:40:04 AM

Thanks for reaching out, we have sent you an email response. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at 800-674-9420 or [email protected] for pricing/quotes or product info at any time

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How Many High Bay Lights Do I Need For My Warehouse

How many light fixtures do I need for my warehouse?

Quick Guide to How Many Warehouse Lighting Fixtures You Need

Here are some recent examples

When in Doubt - Talk to an Expert

How to Turn the Examples Into a Real Fixture Count

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Articles

Tagged Products

21 Comments

Ezat H

Ron Wenger

Alex

John Santos

rich

Alex South

Edward J Cowl

Monte M

Luckson

Eric Bessarab

mathew bloor

Jeromy C. Rutledge

Greg

Bryan R.

David

Rick R.

Dan Hanley

Rick R.

pareshsandhansive

Rick R.

Ken Thacker

James

Juan

karl s

Jason

Rick Crumley

John Hoestenbach

Samson Ogunsusi

Jason

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