About a year ago my son (11 at the time) got on a “LED strip lights” kick and wanted to line the ceiling in his room with a myriad of lights. Around that time my daughter also wanted to fill her walls with all things sparkly and bright. That’s when I started researching how to hang LED strip lights in the bedroom.
LED lights are a popular choice for bedroom lighting due to their energy efficiency, long lifespan, and versatility. LED lights can come in different types like puck lights and string lights. Today though, I’m talking about LED strip lights. I’ll show you how I hung a few of these LED lights in my kids bedrooms.
Table of Contents
Understanding LED Lights
LED stands for “light-emitting diode,” and these lights work by using a semiconductor to convert electrical energy into light.
One of the main advantages of LED lights is their energy efficiency. They use significantly less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, which can save you money on bills. Also, LED lights have a longer lifespan than traditional bulbs, which means they don’t need to be replaced as often.
LED lights are also available in a variety of colors and styles, making them a versatile choice for any room in the home. Some LED lights even come with remote controls or smartphone apps, allowing you to easily adjust the brightness and color of the lights.
Warm white LED lights are a popular choice for bedrooms, as they create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Cool white LED lights, on the other hand, are better suited for task lighting, such as reading or working.
My 11 year old son (as most pre teen and teenagers today) wanted the strip lights with a remote so he could change the colors whenever he wanted and to whatever color he wanted.
Of course once my son chose to hang strip LED lights, my daughter had to have some. Sadly, the excitement of her strip LED lights didn’t last so we removed them…more on that later.
Brightness of LED Lights for Your Bedroom
Let’s talk about the brightness level of LED lights. LED lights are measured in lumens, and the higher the lumens, the brighter the light. For a bedroom, you’ll want to choose lights that are bright enough to see by, but not so bright that they’re overpowering. A good rule of thumb is to choose lights with around 200-400 lumens.
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Tools Needed to Hang LED Lights the the bedroom
To hang LED lights in the bedroom, you will need a few basic tools. Here are the tools you will need:
- LED lights: Of course, you will need the LED lights themselves. Make sure you choose LED lights that are suitable for indoor use and have a length that fits your bedroom.
- Measuring tape: Before you start hanging the LED lights, you need to measure the length of the area where you want to hang them. This will help you determine how many LED lights you need and how far apart they should be.
- Ladder: Depending on the height of your bedroom ceiling, you may need a ladder to reach the top of the wall where you want to hang the LED lights.
- Adhesive backing (if the lights don’t have sticky backing you can use Mounting putty or mounting tape)
Preparing Your Bedroom for Installation
Before hanging LED lights in your bedroom, it is important to properly prepare the area to ensure a successful installation. This section will cover two important steps to take before installing your LED lights: cleaning the area and planning the layout.
Cleaning the Area
The first step in preparing your bedroom for LED light installation is to clean the area where the lights will be installed. This includes removing any furniture, decorations, or other items that may be in the way. It is important to have a clear and open space to work with in order to avoid any accidents or mistakes during the installation process.
Once the area is clear, it is important to clean the walls where the LED lights will be attached. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the walls and remove any dirt, dust, or debris. This will ensure that the LED lights stick properly to the wall and do not fall off over time. This might seem silly but if you place tape over dust, in time those lights will surely fall.
Planning the Layout
After cleaning the area, the next step is to plan the layout of your LED lights. This includes deciding where you want to place the lights, how many lights you will need, and what type of pattern or design you want to create.
Consider the size and shape of your bedroom when planning your LED light layout. You may want to create a specific pattern or design, such as a border around the room or a starry night sky effect on the ceiling.
Once you have a plan in place, measure the area where the LED lights will be installed and purchase the necessary supplies, such as LED light strips, clips, and connectors.
For my sons room, he wanted the LED strip lights to line the four walls at the top of the wall near the ceiling. I measured this space (with enough extra to account for the length that needs to attach to the outlet) and then purchased the length of lights accordingly.
How to hang LED strip lights in the bedroom: Installation Process
LED Strip lighting:
When I installed my son’s strip LED lights, I started by connecting them to the power source. Since most power outlet’s are normally at the bottom of the wall, I had to start installation at the bottom. I then ran the strip up the wall in order to start installing it around the ceiling. The Strip lights had a sticky back which made it easy to attach to the wall.
You can see where I ran the LED strip lights up the wall and was able to cover them with the curtains so it looks like they are only hung from the ceiling!
Strip LED lights are easy to install because most of them have a sticker backing that peels off. Be careful not to peel it all off at once, but peel it as you place the lights.
If your LED strips don’t have a sticky backing, I would suggest working in sections and adding the mounting putty or the mounting tape a little at a time while placing the lights as you go.
One tip; as you place the LED lights on the wall, place pressure on the lights to make sure they have a good bond to the surface. Especially pay attention to places like corners. The biggest issue I’ve had with my lights not attaching properly is in the corners. Let me show you.
If you look closely you can see where I failed to fully attach it to the corner of the wall and there is a small gap. Learn from my mistakes and don’t do this!
So what happens once you’ve successfully placed your lights around the room and you have extra strips overlapping?
Can you cut LED light strips?
Yes, most LED light strips are designed to be cut. The cutting process will depend on the type of LED light strip you have. They are made up of multiple individual circuits. The designated copper lines mark the end of one circuit and the beginning of another. You should therefore only cut along these lines.
The particular strip lights I purchased did not have specific “cut marks,” but you can clearly see the copper lines that indicate where one circuit stops and another starts.
One thing to note; The part of the strip not attached to the power source will not work anymore once it’s cut.
You can, however, buy connector clips to connect the cut strip back to a power source. This is fairly easy to do.
Attaching a strip connector clip to LED strip wire
Attaching a connector clip to LED strip wire is a fairly simple process. Here are the steps you can follow:
- Cut the LED strip to the desired length using a pair of scissors or a utility knife. Make sure to cut the strip at the designated cutting mark
- Strip the wires at the end of the LED strip using wire strippers to expose about 1/4 inch of wire.
- Insert the exposed wires into the connector clip. Make sure that the positive (+) wire is connected to the positive (+) terminal, and the negative (-) wire is connected to the negative (-) terminal.
- Use a pair of pliers to crimp the connector clip onto the wires. This will ensure a secure connection.
- Repeat the process for the other end of the LED strip if necessary.
- Test the LED strip by connecting it to a power source or controller.
It’s important to note that connector clips may vary in design depending on the type of LED strip you have. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for specific guidance on how to attach connector clips to your LED strip.
Once they are in place, you can safely turn them on and see what they look like!
Do strip LED lights damage the wall when they are removed?
Yes the sticky backing from the LED lights can damage the wall when removed. Removing the lights slowly rather than yanking them off the wall can reduce the amount of damage they cause.
I said earlier that my daughter quickly tired of her LED lights, so we removed them. Did they remove the ceiling paint? Yes. Let me show you.
You can see where I marked my daughters wall where the paint peeled when we removed the LED strip lights. It doesn’t look terrible, but also not terribly ideal.
Like I said, it’s not super noticeable but I hate that it took the paint off.
Womp womp womp. Oh well. It’s not anything I can’t touch up.
That being said, just because this particular brand of LED lights did pull off the paint doesn’t mean every brand will. And every paint job is different.
If you are interested in the LED strip lights we used, I did a full review of the LED strip lights from Amazon. Check out that video with details on what I think of my sons LED strip lights on the wall that we hung in his bedroom. These are the same brand of lights we installed in my daughters bedroom too.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
When hanging LED lights in the bedroom, there are some common issues that may arise. Here are some troubleshooting tips to help you solve these problems:
1. Lights Not Turning On
If your LED lights are not turning on, the first thing to check is the power source. Make sure that the lights are properly plugged in and that the outlet is functioning. If the outlet is not working, try plugging the lights into a different outlet.
2. Lights Flickering
If your LED lights are flickering, it could be due to a few different reasons. One common cause is a loose connection. Check all of the connections to make sure they are secure.
Another cause of flickering lights is a voltage drop. If the lights are connected to a long extension cord, try plugging them directly into an outlet. If this doesn’t solve the problem, consider using a voltage regulator.
Conclusion
Hanging LED lights in your bedroom can be a fun and creative way to add some personality to your living space. With a little bit of planning and some basic tools, you can easily install these lights yourself.
Have I helped you understand how to hang LED strip lights? I hope so because Hanging LED lights in your bedroom is a simple and affordable way to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. With a little bit of creativity, you can transform your space into a relaxing retreat that you’ll love spending time in.