Summary
- Lighting of staircases improves safety and aesthetics
- Installing an LED strip is easy and requires no major modifications.
- The whole project can be completed for less than €600
- LED strips are easy to install with no major changes needed.
- The result is stylish and the lighting is dimmable
Indoor staircases are often left poorly lit, making additional lighting necessary later on. If there are no wall or ceiling light points, investing in step lighting is an effective solution.
A LedStore customer quickly completed their own staircase lighting project and was very satisfied with the step lighting result. Typically, no modifications are needed for wooden stairs and installing the LED strip is straightforward. To attach the profile, you only need to screw in two screws per step, on the underside of each tread.
If there's already a power socket available for the driver, the entire project can be done as a DIY. The total cost of materials for this renovation was under €600. With 12 meters of LED strip, the setup provides 86W of LED power and around 4,800 lumens for the staircase.
Components and steps of staircase lighting
For the step lighting, we used HELMI LED strip with a power rating of 24V, 7.2 W/m, and a brightness of 500 lumens per meter. The chosen light color was 4000K neutral white. For the profile, we selected a low surface-mounted 8x17x2500 mm profile in brushed aluminum. The power supply was a 24V DC 100W RF driver suitable for wireless control, and the dimmer switches were single-button models from the VaLO series.
Installation steps summarized:
- Cutting the aluminum profiles to the correct lengths.
- Cutting the LED strips to fit the profiles.
- Soldering connection wires to the LED strips.
- Attaching the LED strips to the profiles.
- Performance testing.
- Mounting the LED profiles in place.
- Soldering the main line to the driver.
- Connecting the driver and pairing the wireless switches.
- Mounting the switches in the desired location.
- Ready to use!
Cutting the aluminum profiles and soldering the LED strips
The aluminum profiles were cut to the correct length using a table saw. If a table saw isn't available, aluminum can also be cut with a hacksaw. The profiles can be cut with the plastic cover in place. After cutting, any metal shavings must be cleaned out of the profile to ensure the LED strip can be attached to a clean metal surface.
When working with LED strips, it's important to pay attention to the designated cutting points, which occur every 5 cm on a 7.2 W/m strip. These points can be identified by the copper pads, which also serve as soldering points. Low-voltage soldering can be done by the user, even without electrical certification. The surface of the LED strip is coated with a transparent, thin, non-yellowing layer of silicone, so you'll need to carefully strip the silicone at the soldering point using a sharp knife. The silicone isn't bonded to the strip, so it peels off cleanly.
The LED strip and cable are lightweight, so it's helpful to secure one of them in place while soldering. Taping one component to the work surface makes it easier to align the soldering points accurately.
Installing the LED profiles in place
"Once the wires were connected to the LED strips, each individual step light was tested by connecting them to the transformer one at a time. Since the widths of the curved stairs varied, the step light profiles were numbered to ensure they could be easily installed in the correct order.
LED profile installation order
"During the mounting phase, the correct order of the profiles was double-checked. The included plastic clips were used for installation. The clips were screwed in at approximately half-meter intervals, and the profiles fit into them neatly. The LED profiles with wiring are lightweight, so the attachment is very secure even with just two clips per step.
Soldering the wires
A two-core low-voltage cable was used as the connection wire, and the wires from all the LED channels were soldered to it. This is the most labor-intensive part of the project, as the soldering must be done in place—between or underneath the stairs. Once the soldering was completed, the connections were insulated with electrical tape and covered with a white cable duct.
Connectiong the driver
Why it's worth investing in step lighting
Investing in step lighting is worthwhile because it adds a stylish touch to the staircase. It also significantly improves the overall light level in the stairwell. The light reflects off the steps and the side wall. In the photo, the lights are at full brightness. Depending on the mood and need, the lighting can be dimmed smoothly using the button. The driver has a built-in memory, so the lights turn back on at the same brightness level they were at when last switched off.
The end result turned out very successful and stylish. The lights don't cause glare, even when viewed from below, as the LED channels are hidden behind the front overhang of the steps.
If you're interested in lighting your stairs with LED channels, feel free to contact us through our website at ledstore.fi or by calling our showroom at +358 45 251 4510. There are always at least two lighting professionals available to assist you. Our showroom, which also houses our warehouse, is located in Koivuhaka, Vantaa, at Mesikukantie 16, 01300 Vantaa. At LedStore's LedPaja, we create installation-ready LED strips.
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