Garage & workshop · Our pick
How many shop lights do I need?
Multiply the floor area by 50 to get the lumens you need: about 12,000 for a 1-car, 20,000 for a 2-car and at least 30,000 for a 3-car garage.1, 2 That is 2, 2 and 3 Barrina BS84 lights. Hykolity’s own coverage rule asks for 3, 4 and 6 of its lights.3, 4
Our picks
Easiest to count and to plug in
Barrina BS84 4 ft LED shop light, 84W
10,000 lumens in a 4 ft strip with a plug-in cord, so a 1-, 2- and 3-car garage need 2, 2 and 3.3
$35.99 on Amazon
Same count in an 8 ft strip
Barrina BAX72 8 ft LED shop light, 72W (6-pack)
Also 10,000 lumens, so the same 2, 2 and 3 lights, in an 8 ft strip that links up to 4.5
$142.49 on Amazon
Brightest 4 ft strip, and the only maker rule
hykolity 4 ft 120W LED shop light, 13,000 lm
13,000 lumens each; by the maker’s own rule you need 3, 4 and 6 for the same three garages.4
$34.19 on Amazon
Fewest fixtures for 12 to 16 ft
Sunco 150W UFO LED high bay, plug-in
19,500 lumens each, so 1, 2 and 2 lights at 50 foot-candles, for ceilings of 12 to 16 feet.6
$31.99 on AmazonHow many of each light for a 1-, 2- and 3-car garage
Each cell shows lights for a 1-car, 2-car and 3-car garage. We divided the lumens needed by each maker’s rated lumens and rounded up. Real output on the floor is lower than rated, so round up again if you can.
| Product | Rated lumens | At 50 fc (1 / 2 / 3-car) | Dimmer, 30 fc | Brighter, 75 fc | Link limit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrina BS84 4 ft LED shop light, 84W3 | 10,000 | 2 / 2 / 3 | 1 / 2 / 2 | 2 / 3 / 5 | Up to 3 | $35.99 |
| Barrina BAX72 8 ft LED shop light, 72W (6-pack)5 | 10,000 | 2 / 2 / 3 | 1 / 2 / 2 | 2 / 3 / 5 | Up to 4 | $142.496-pack, $23.75 each |
| hykolity 4 ft 120W LED shop light, 13,000 lm4 | 13,000 | 1 / 2 / 3 | 1 / 1 / 2 | 2 / 3 / 4 | Up to 3 | $34.19 |
| Sunco 150W UFO LED high bay, plug-in6 | 19,500 | 1 / 2 / 2 | 1 / 1 / 1 | 1 / 2 / 3 | Not listed | $31.99 |
 Sunco Prisma 4 ft wraparound, 72W, 8,500 lm (2-pack)7 | 8,500 | 2 / 3 / 4 | 1 / 2 / 3 | 3 / 4 / 6 | Up to 8 | $116.992-pack, $58.49 each |
Prices on Amazon, November 2, 2026.8
How many lumens does my garage need?
A former utility lighting engineer, writing in Fine Woodworking, suggests about 50 foot-candles for a workshop.1 One foot-candle is one lumen on each square foot of floor. So multiply your floor area in square feet by 50.
Typical sizes are 12 by 20 feet for a 1-car garage (240 square feet) and 20 by 20 feet for a 2-car garage (400 square feet).2 Reolink lists 3-car garages at 600 to 864 square feet, and we used the 600 low end. A 3-car garage of that size needs 30,000 lumens.2
How many shop lights for a 1-car, 2-car and 3-car garage?
These counts are our arithmetic from each maker’s rated lumens and the floor area. Rated lumens are not what reaches the floor, so round up. At 50 foot-candles, 10,000-lumen lights give 2, 2 and 3 for the three garage sizes.3
Of the makers we read, only hykolity gives its own coverage rule: one 13,000-lumen light per 10 by 10 feet when mounted at 8 to 10 feet.4 That is 130 lumens per square foot, about 2.6 times the 50 foot-candle target, so it asks for 3, 4 and 6 lights. Use the lower count for the target level and hykolity’s count for a brighter room.
What if I want it brighter or dimmer?
The same article gives 50 to 100 foot-candles for a woodshop. It says the lower end suits workers under 40 doing plain work and the higher end suits workers over 40 or hard-to-see work.1 The table shows 75 as a brighter option. It also shows 30 as a dimmer option, which is below the article’s range, so use it only for a space where you do little close work.
A 2-car garage at 30 foot-candles needs 12,000 lumens. At 75 it needs 30,000.
Does ceiling height change the count?
The lumen math does not change with height, but where the lights hang does. Hykolity gives 8 to 10 feet for its 4 ft light.4 Sunco gives 12 to 16 feet for its 150W UFO.9
How many can I link on one plug?
Barrina’s BAX72 page says up to 4, and its BS84 page says up to 3. Hykolity says up to 3, and Sunco’s Prisma links up to 8.3–5, 7 We did not add up the electrical load, so check the plug and your circuit before you chain a long run.
Questions people ask
How many lumens do I need for a garage?
About 50 lumens per square foot, which is 50 foot-candles. That is 12,000 for a 1-car, 20,000 for a 2-car and at least 30,000 for a 3-car garage.1, 2
How many 4 ft shop lights for a 2-car garage?
Two Barrina BS84 lights (10,000 lumens each) by our math. Hykolity’s own coverage rule asks for 4 of its 13,000-lumen lights.3, 4
Is 50 foot-candles too bright for a garage?
It is the lower end of the range a former utility lighting engineer gives for a workshop in Fine Woodworking.1 For a dimmer garage, the table also shows 30 foot-candles.
Why should I buy more lights than the math says?
Rated lumens are what the light makes. Some of that light lands on walls and shelves instead of the floor, so round up.
Turn off the breaker before you hardwire any light, set up a stable ladder, and hire a licensed electrician if you are not sure.
Sources
- Lighting for the Workshop, Fine Woodworking #154 (by Jack L. Lindsey, a former Southern California Edison lighting engineer), read November 1, 2026. Quote: “A woodshop should be lit uniformly to a level of 50 fc to 100 fc.”
- Reolink: Standard Garage Size, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “The most common one-car garage dimensions are 12 feet wide by 20 feet deep, which equals 240 square feet. ... The most typical dimensions for a two-car garage are 20 feet wide by 20 feet deep, equaling 400 square feet.”
- Barrina 84W LED Shop Lights 4FT 5000K 10000LM | BS84, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “Plug in with a 59" power cord. You can hang LED garage lights with the included hanging chain or mount it directly to the ceiling with the included mounting screws ... ETL certified”
- Hykolity 4FT 120W LED Shop Light Linkable, 13000lm, 5000K, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “Each light will cover 10ftx10ft area when installed at 8-10ft ... Operating Temperature 14°F-104°F”
- Barrina T8 72W LED Shop Lights 8FT 5000K 10000LM | BAX72, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “Power: 72W | Lumen: 10000LM | Color Temperature: 5000K | Color Rendering Index(CRI): 85 | Input Voltage: AC100~277V”
- Sunco UFO High Bay 150W Plug & Play LED Fixture, 19500 Lumens, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “Lumens 19500 | Operating Temperature -40°F - 113°F | CRI 80+ | Beam Angle 110° | Certifications UL, FCC | 110° beam angle for wide area coverage”
- Sunco LED Prisma Wraparound, 72W, 4ft x 11in, 8500 Lumens, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “Daisy chain up to 8. Direct mount to ceiling ... Operating Temperature -4°F - 104°F | CRI 80+ | Beam Angle 110° ... Certifications: ETL, FCC, RoHS”
- Prices and photos: Amazon product data, read November 2, 2026.
- Sunco: How to choose the best high bay lights for your space, read November 1, 2026. Quote: “ideal for ceilings between 12 and 16 feet”