Which recessed lighting over pool table?

Hi All

New question, I have a 10 foot ceiling and I want to put recessed lights over a 8 ft by 4 ft pool table. Should I use two small lights or will one big honkin one work? Is there a formula pros use for such questions?

Thanks for any and all advice.

Beary

two lights, not just one

but we don't know yet what else you have in this room.

more sources of light are always better. With dimmers.

david

Well, there are two small recessed eyeball lights five feet away for the fireplace and two small recessed lights 10 ft on the other side of the pool table over a bar. There is nothing in the middle of the room over the pool table. I have to turn the dimmers to full on both sets of ligths to get any kind of light over the table. A light, or lights, over the table would reduce the light required from the other recessed lights.

There is a ceiling fan about over one corner of the table that doesn't have a light, but I think it did at one time because I found a switch wired for it. I traced a 12/3 wire to the fan. My plan is to tap into the unused red wire that is attached to the switch. Aesthetically, a recessed light would look better than a light on the fan.

Beary

My "other question" is ... whatcha gonna do when you or the next home owner decides to chunk the pool table? Will it look goofy if there is no pool table? Do you need such a plan B?

Randyj said:

My "other question" is ... whatcha gonna do when you or the next home owner decides to chunk the pool table? Will it look goofy if there is no pool table? Do you need such a plan B?

Click to expand...

I like your kind of thinking! We just bought the house and plan to live in it for a long time. But I know, best laid plans and all that. So I have two thoughts on your question. First, the light is actually almost in the center of the room, so no it won't look goofy. Second, it seems I'm getting a lot of practice in sheet rock patching from other minor remodel projects, so I have no trouble with the idea of patching the hole.

Its funny how one thing leads to another. I used to be afraid of such projects, but then you go out and get flat screen TV. Turns out that TV's today aren't what they use to be. Now you need a receiver, DVD player, surround sound, cable box and who knows what to make the fancy flat screen look its best. You find the dangling cords and equipment look pretty ugly, so it is decided to hide the equipment in the bar cabnet just 10 feet away. It's just adding a couple of new AC outlets and running cable in the wall, how much can that cost. Turns out a lot. A pro wants $1100 dollars to do all that and I'm one of those guys that can buy a lot of new tools for $1100 dollars. So now I'm in the remodeling business.

Anyway a long story short, patching sheetrock is no big deal to me if it came to that.

I think I'm safe however, my wife is really picky about such things and she likes the idea as well.

Thanks for the reply.

Beary

Yep... that's about how I got into all of this business I do... I was too broke to hire anyone to do anything and usually for a whole lot less money I could just buy the tools and do it myself... over the years I've polished my skills and my work is pretty neat now.... I guess I'm a pro since I get paid for it and it's my "pro"fession......

lights

Even with a 10' ceiling, I would question whether two smaller lights might create uneven lighting on the table's surface.

Which recessed lighting over pool table

My thought would be light it up . If it were me I'd like to be able to see when the 8-ball drops in the pocket...
Don't worry about the next owner if you're going to be there for awhile, make it comfortable for your self & or family. The next owner may come in & do a complete remodel or even tear it down.

Would be easier to get a Pool Table light that has a plug on it. You can get something like this http://www.budshop.com/budshop/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemNumber=N12307PRR&effdate=12%2f23%2f2006&dept=645&subdept=751 or if that is too gaudy for you, you can go with a Downward shining Chandelier, which your local Lowes or Home Depot would have a selection available. Check your area for a Specialty Lighting center also.

bubba... that link didn't take me to a light fixture... musta been outafix???

You have to input your B-day in order to go to the Budshop.

Beary said:

Hi All

New question, I have a 10 foot ceiling and I want to put recessed lights over a 8 ft by 4 ft pool table. Should I use two small lights or will one big honkin one work? Is there a formula pros use for such questions?

Thanks for any and all advice.

Beary

Click to expand...

You need to consider the uniformity of light distribution over the table, and shadows. You might want to Google 'pool table lights' for some ideas.
http://www.pooltablesandbilliardsgames.com/pool-table-lights.aspx

A long fluorescent would probably do the job nicely but that may clash with your decorating scheme.

Thanks everyone for the great replies. The problem is the ceiling fan that is hanging just off one corner of the table. I am considering the idea of the pool table light, but we also have a flat screen TV on one of the walls and the light might get in the way. Still, I am going test it all out. I going to try and rig up a spot light and see how that looks. I am also going to a local light store to buy/borrow a pool table style hanging light and see if I can rig that up to see how high I can get it before it looks silly or doesn't provide the correct light.

My play hasn't been too good lately, I think light is the problem. Yep, that's the problem, I'm convinced. I still have to finish the Flat Screen equipment installation first.

Beary

Maybe have take a wide angle picture of where the pool table sits, from various directions, and take into the lighting center in your area, to see what they say. That may be better, then purchasing something, and if returned, having to pay a restocking fee.

what about moving the fan to center and using a fan/lighting arrangement.

personally, i'd scrap the fan and do hanging lights - the cone type halogens or something that goes with the pool table. but i don't have much taste.

or can u center the fan or will that look odd in the room? may need pictures

Perhaps, a little research is in order. Just visit all of the local pool halls and bars with pool tables. Examine the lighting and play a few games of pool to see what you think. Just tell the wife that you are going out to research lighting.