How many uplights do I need?
How to Calculate the Number of Uplights You Need
To determine how many uplights you’ll need for your event we’ll show you three of our favorite ways. We’ve listed them from most accurate (Method #1 ~80%) to least accurate (Method #3 ~60%).
Before and after uplighting. Always think of specific room features like columns that may need more lights.
Method #1: Exact Room Dimensions
Many venues will provide you the exact dimensions of a space usually given in ft x ft. With this calculation we use the following method to determine how many uplights you’ll need. This method determines the number of lights based on placing a light every given number of feet in a room. For this method use the following formula.
(Room Length + Room Length) + (Room Width + Room Width) / Desired Lighting Effect Numbers Method #2 = Numbers of Uplights You Need
Desired Lighting Effect Numbers (Method #1)
- 10ft – Washes of color on the walls throughout the entire space. Full coverage of the walls in a space
- 15ft – More pillars or punches of color in a space. Nice warm uplighting effect to the room.
- 20ft – More accents of color in the space. Enough light to create punches of color in a space.
Example 1: You have a community center or bland hotel ballroom that you need to transform the look of the walls and want washes of color throughout the entire room. The room dimensions are 50ftx60ft. ((50 + 50) + (60 + 60)) / 10 = 22 uplights
Example 2: You have a large hotel ballroom and you want to have uplighting around the room and want to mix in some of the wall lighting and overhead lighting in the space. You want flexibility in the overall lighting design of the space, the room dimensions are 80ftx100ft. ((80 + 80) + (100 + 100)) / 15 = 24 uplights
Example of washes of light throughout a space. More uplights.
Example 3: You have a medium sized ballroom that you want to add punches of color. You don’t want to overwhelm the room with color but more want accents of color and light in the background to pull together the design elements without being to strong. The room size is 70ftx80ft. ((70 + 70) + (80 + 80)) / 20 = 15 uplights
Method #2: Total Square Footage
Most event spaces will be able to give you room dimensions or at the very least the total square footage of a space. Based off the square footage you can get an approximation of how many uplights you’ll need using the following formula. This method is fairly accurate but does not account for specific room features you might want to highlight like columns, alcoves, stages, or other architectural elements you might need to highlight.
Total Square Footage of Space to Uplight / Desired Lighting Effect Number = Number of Uplights You Need
Desired Lighting Effect Number (Method #2)
- 150 – Washes of color on the walls throughout the entire space. Full coverage of the walls in a space
- 250 – More pillars or punches of color in a space. Nice warm uplighting effect to the room.
- 400 – More accents of color in the space. Enough light to create punches of color in a space.
Saturated washes of color. The most uplights in a space.
Example 1: You have a community center or bland hotel ballroom that you need to transform the look of the walls and want washes of color throughout the entire room. The size of the space is 3000sq/ft. 3000 / 150 = 20 uplights
Example 2: You have a large hotel ballroom and you want to have uplighting around the room and want to mix in some of the wall lighting and overhead lighting in the space. You want flexibility in the overall lighting design of the space, the size of the room is 8000 sq/ft. 8000 / 250 = 32 uplights
Example 3: You have a medium sized ballroom that you want to add punches of color. You don’t want to overwhelm the room with color but more want accents of color and light in the background to pull together the design elements without being to strong. The room size is 5600 sq/ft. 5600 / 400 = 14 uplights
Method #3: Number of Guests
Sometimes you don’t always know the exact venue or you are just trying to get an approximate idea of how much everything will cost. This method is the least accurate but will give you a general idea of how many uplights you need based on the number of guests you’ll be having. This assumes you’ll only need lighting for the main reception space. Instead of a formula we’ll use a table. Estimate less lights for smaller events or more punches of color, estimate more for more lights or complex venues.
Medium washes of color in a space.
Uplight Table
- Washes of color on the walls throughout the entire space. Full coverage of the walls in a space
- 50 – 100 guests = 6 lights – 18 uplights
- 100 – 200 guests = 18 lights – 32 uplights
- 200 guests - 300 guests = 24-48 lights
Other Elements to Consider
There are differences in each way of determining the number of lights needed for a space. Every space is unique and ultimately we can help you figure out exactly what you need. These lights are a good fit for the lighting fixtures that we rent, every model of light is different but these are good general numbers to use.
Think about the space you’ll be in. Look for photos of the space online or take photos on your visits to the space.
- Are there columns in the room?
- Are there alcoves or other abnormalities that might need more lights to make the room feel balanced?
- Are there multiple levels to the space?
- Are there stage areas or bumpouts in the room that would need more lighting?
- Do you want lighting for an exit, under table lighting, or other focal areas you want uplighting?
- Are there multiple rooms you need to light?
- Can you move or reuse lights between spaces?
Punches of color in a room. Multi-level spaces need more lights to cover both levels to make the room feel larger and bring your eye up in the space.
Columns were designed for uplights and should always be considered. When uplighting columns generally you’ll need one uplight for smaller columns (columns you can hug) or columns up against a wall. You’ll need 2-4 lights for columns you can half hug or for larger columns you’ll need 4 or more uplights. This is because columns are round and multiple sides are exposed to guests. To get an even look around the column you might need to have lights on either side of a column or all around the entire column. These are over and above your number you determine using any of the three methods detailed above.
Conclusion
Using the methods above you should be able to get a good idea of the number of lights you’ll need for your event and the approximate cost of uplighting. Contact us using the form on the right to get in touch about specifics of your space and what types of uplighting might be a good fit for your event.
Glass – Black and White
