A loggia or balcony in an apartment is a wonderful opportunity to expand the usable area. Thanks to high-quality repairs and landscaping, an uncomfortable, open space turns into:
- to a magnificent study;
- a cozy corner for rest and relaxation with a stunning view outside the window;
- quiet, secluded study;
- dining room or branch kitchen;
- a small playroom or bedroom;
- comfortable dressing room.
There are a great many options for the practical use of an ennobled loggia. It all depends on the flight of fancy of the owners and practical necessity.
However, high-quality insulation and beautiful, carefully thought-out finishing are not all that is required for the comfortable operation of a balcony. It is necessary to provide sufficient lighting in case of cloudy days and at night. At the same time, one single light bulb with a lampshade under the ceiling is clearly not enough.
Before you begin work on landscaping your balcony, you need to draw up a plan. Carefully consider the lighting concept and decide on the types of lamps. And only after that start purchasing equipment, lighting fixtures, consumables and repair work.
How to properly install and install lighting on a balcony or loggia? Which lamps to choose? We'll tell you.
No. 1. Selecting a connection point
In some houses, already at the time of their construction, lighting of balconies and loggias is provided, and even the simplest lamps can be installed. It is clear that they will have to be changed, but these are all trifles compared to the fact that most will have to organize the wiring on the balcony.
three main sources for connecting a balcony to electricity
- apartment shield . This is the most difficult option, because the wiring will have to be pulled through the entire apartment, and this is a labor-intensive process, and it is only appropriate when renovations are taking place throughout the entire house. The advantage of this option is the ability to connect household appliances on the balcony, and if you plan to make an office here or heat the room using electric heaters, then this method is the most suitable;
- next room . The most reasonable option in most cases. You will need to find a junction box in the wall and draw a new line from it. But there are some pitfalls here: if the cable cores have a small diameter or the wiring is old, then it may not be able to withstand an additional source of electricity consumption;
- socket in the next room. This option is very similar to the previous one, and is called a loop connection. This is the best way if the installation box is located far from the balcony and you don’t want to run wiring across the entire room.
Video instructions and advice from experts
Cable outlet (from the junction box) for sconces on the loggia:
How to connect a chandelier:
Connection diagram for 1-key switch:
Connecting spotlights:
Ideas for balcony lighting can be borrowed from interior designers and lighting manufacturers. However, the last word belongs to the apartment owners. You can choose one of the standard options and do everything yourself, or choose an interesting design solution by turning to professionals.
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No. 2. In what order should the work be performed?
If all the work on supplying electricity to the balcony and lighting it is carried out independently, then you should adhere to a clear action plan . It is approximately the same for all the options described above and is as follows :
- power outage in the apartment;
- calculation and preparation of the required amount of cable;
- marking walls for further gating;
- creating grooves from the connection point to future sockets, switches and installation locations for lamps. They are made using a wall chaser or chisel. Since the cable is routed to the balcony through the wall, you will need to make a hole in it with a hammer drill;
- place the cable in the grooves and secure it with alabaster every 20 cm, it sets very quickly;
- connect the elements into one circuit;
- ring with a multimeter and seal the grooves with a solution;
- connect to the circuit breaker at the input.
Do not forget that all lighting lines must be protected from moisture, which may be present on the balcony, even if it is glazed. It is better to select copper wires with a cross-section of 1.5 mm2 and connect them with terminals rather than twisting them.
No. 3. Hidden or external wiring?
Arranging lighting for a glazed and insulated balcony can be quite aesthetically pleasing and simple. The wiring cable can be laid between the insulation layer and the finishing layer. If plywood or drywall is used as the latter, it is better to cut out places for switches and sockets in advance. Since the ceilings on balconies are also insulated, it is convenient to connect spotlights and create a cozy interior. In any case, it is better to lay the wires in a casing to minimize the consequences of unforeseen situations.
If the balcony is not glazed , and the walls and ceiling are a concrete or brick monolith, then they resort to wall gating , which is often used for glazed insulated balconies. This is an ideal option, since after all stages of finishing work the wires will not be noticeable, and the interior will only benefit from this, but the process of preparing the groove is quite labor-intensive.
The second option is external wiring . All work on its arrangement takes a minimum of time, and the cable is attached to special insulators. External sockets and switches are used, and the cable must be placed in a corrugated pipe to protect it from external influences. Today on the construction market you can find interesting decorative boxes to successfully hide wiring and add zest to the interior.
LED backlight: how to do it yourself?
When you need balcony lighting, it is important to use LED strip; there are requirements for equipped balconies and lighting devices placed on them:
- it is necessary that the equipment is protected from dust and moisture;
- The natural temperature difference on a glazed but unheated loggia causes the formation of moisture, and the LED strip has a high degree of protection against it.
Experts recommend using combined lighting and using LED strip as backlight.
LED lights
Positive aspects of using LED strip:
- ease of use and easy installation using the back sticky side;
- Having a power supply and a control controller, you can change the color scheme of the tape glow;
- With this lighting device it is easy to decorate the space;
- the tape can be attached to spherical surfaces, it has excellent flexibility, and many colors to choose from for illumination.
Using an LED strip, you can simply create local lighting on an insulated and glazed balcony, loggia, and beautifully show the boundaries of the room.
No. 4. What kind of lighting should be on the balcony?
The area of a standard balcony is small, so often one light source located on the ceiling or on the wall will be enough. If the space is large enough, then you can provide several functional areas with their own lighting .
The number of light sources also depends on how the balcony will be used . If there will be a corner for reading or handicrafts, then in addition to the main light it is necessary to organize local lighting, not to mention those cases if it is necessary to organize an office or winter garden on the balcony.
If the space allows, you can also provide decorative lighting in the form of an LED strip along the contour of the ceiling, illuminate the floor, and use sconces, for example, to draw attention to a picture or vase. Don't forget about all kinds of garlands, lanterns, candles and other decorating elements.
No. 5. What lamps are suitable?
If the balcony is insulated, then the choice of lamps is unlimited. You can buy any chandeliers, sconces or floor lamps intended for use in an apartment , and the choice is so huge that finding lamps suitable for the interior will not be difficult. Moreover, lamps can be the highlight of the interior.
All lamps can be divided into the following groups:
- ceiling. They are most often used on the balcony and provide maximum light, evenly illuminating the entire space. Can be suspended and built-in. Hanging lamps include the chandeliers we are all familiar with, lampshades in the form of plates, as well as lampshades on rods and cords. The latter look very stylish and allow you to transform general lighting into local lighting if necessary. Recessed lamps can be arranged if you plan to make the ceiling on the balcony from plasterboard, plastic or MDF panels;
- Wall lighting in the form of sconces is also often used on balconies. With its help, you can create a cozy environment conducive to relaxation;
- floor lighting is represented by floor lamps and floor lamps. Great if there is a place for reading on the balcony.
For open-type balconies, choose lamps designed for street lighting. Low temperatures, and in winter the conditions on an uninsulated balcony differ little from those on the street, are well tolerated by lamps designed for outdoor lighting. Their choice, although not as wide as for home use, is also quite decent.
Requirements for balcony light
Based on fire and electrical safety requirements, the following rules apply to the installation of lighting on the balcony:
- A balcony is a place of high humidity, especially if the loggia is not glazed. Choose moisture- and dust-proof light sources for this part of the home.
- Fluorescent lamps are not the best choice of light source for a balcony, since such lamps do not work well at low temperatures.
- For unheated balconies with high humidity, according to GOST regulations, light switches and the distribution box must be moved outside the room.
- When wiring in a hidden way, the cable must be placed in a fire-resistant corrugation to avoid fire in the event of possible faults in the wiring.
No. 6. What lamps can be used?
You can use any type of lamp that currently exists on the balcony, but everyone should analyze their disadvantages and advantages for themselves. The following lamps can be found on sale:
- incandescent lamps . They are familiar to all of us from childhood, familiar and the cheapest, which is why they still remain popular, despite their uneconomical nature. The power ranges from 15 to 300 W, the surface of the lamp can be transparent, matte or mirror. Service life about 1000 hours;
- Fluorescent lamps are more durable and economical, but they also cost more. With the same power, the luminous flux of such a lamp is 7-8 times higher than that of an incandescent lamp, and the service life is about 8000 hours;
- Halogen lamps provide the same luminous flux as incandescent lamps, while consuming half the energy. They are in demand due to their enormous variety. The lamp can be of any shape, the light can be directed or diffused, of different shades. They are often used to create interesting design solutions;
- LED bulbs - the most advanced at the moment. They are the most durable, economical and durable. Having bought such a lamp once, you won’t have to change it for a long time, because the service life is determined by 50,000 hours.
