Building a house, 12' ceiling...lights to install?

ericyow

ericyow

WPA Masse World Champion
Silver Member
I searched for answers but have found none. My question is this: I'm building a house and have just got it dried in. My electrician asked me what lights I need over the pool table and I didn't know what to tell him. The room is adjacent to the great room with a wide open-air feel, so I don't want a hanging light. So, he suggested 4 recessed 'spotlight' type lights with 6' overlapping reaches of light to cover the table. I told him I need to BLAST the table with light, to get my point across, and he said this would do it.

What's your opinion? I'm on a budget but lighting over the table is one thing I must get right. Obviously. :D

Thanks!
 
Well I've got 2 4 ft Fluorescents with 4 blubs each over my table and it's bright as can be only cost about 120 bucks at home depot .


Also just look around on the net for different lighting fixtures .
 
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As a masse expert, I'm sure you've thought about cue butt clearance above the table.

I would assume that recessed lighting would be much friendlier to your shots and much more out of the way.
 
You probably film a lot of your trickshots at home. If so, you might want to consider running twice the amount of light as you'd normally want, spread out over two separate switches.

When you're playing normally, you can turn one switch on and have adequate light. Then when filming, you turn both switches on for an extra boost in light (the camera needs far more light to create a clean picture).

As for lighting types, go with something soft. Dont use hard bulbs unless they're diffused through some sort of frosted fixture. This will make the shadows under the balls and rails softer, which will make the game easier on your eyes, as well as look better in the camera.

Hope that helps.
 
ericyow said:
I searched for answers but have found none. My question is this: I'm building a house and have just got it dried in. My electrician asked me what lights I need over the pool table and I didn't know what to tell him. The room is adjacent to the great room with a wide open-air feel, so I don't want a hanging light. So, he suggested 4 recessed 'spotlight' type lights with 6' overlapping reaches of light to cover the table. I told him I need to BLAST the table with light, to get my point across, and he said this would do it.

What's your opinion? I'm on a budget but lighting over the table is one thing I must get right. Obviously. :D

Thanks!
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With a ceiling that high, a couple things are going to happen. One it'll obviously take more energy to light the table, the second and often overlooked thing is the shadows under the rails. Lights that high make the bottom of the rail almost look black. It can mess with the balls a little too sometimes creating almost a sideways halfmoon effect. The main problem is that things will just look different than what you might be used to.

12' is really high. Your electrician might be right with the power and fixture count. These new energy efficient bulbs kick out a lot more light without all the heat so maybe you're okay.

If it doesn't work, you could always find a cool fixture to hang because you'll have the power in the ceiling already anyways.

Good luck!
 
dave sutton said:
8 foot fluor should work. you can get them arounf 40$ at home depot
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No disrespect meant Dave, but come on......Eric is building a NEW house, not a shed.

Eric, if you use can lights make sure that you use more than you think that you need. You can always use ultiple switches to adjust them and you can put them on dimmers.

Best,

Russ.....
 
ericyow said:
I searched for answers but have found none. My question is this: I'm building a house and have just got it dried in. My electrician asked me what lights I need over the pool table and I didn't know what to tell him. The room is adjacent to the great room with a wide open-air feel, so I don't want a hanging light. So, he suggested 4 recessed 'spotlight' type lights with 6' overlapping reaches of light to cover the table. I told him I need to BLAST the table with light, to get my point across, and he said this would do it.

What's your opinion? I'm on a budget but lighting over the table is one thing I must get right. Obviously. :D

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Have a switch activated outlet installed around where you want the light to be. Then you can just hang a light and plug it in. You don't really want any kind of permeant installation. That is what I did over my table. It worked out because I have experimented with lights over the years and it was cheap and easy.
 
Light Meter

To make sure the light will be right take a reading with a light meter on the bed of a table you think has sufficient lighting and tell that reading to lighting professional. They should then be able tell you the watts needed to attain that reading on your table from a 12 foot ceiling.
 
poolhustler said:
No disrespect meant Dave, but come on......Eric is building a NEW house, not a shed.

Eric, if you use can lights make sure that you use more than you think that you need. You can always use ultiple switches to adjust them and you can put them on dimmers.

Best,

Russ.....
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i mean to build a box to go around the light. sry i wasnt too clear. i was listening to this amazing flute player so i wasnt focused

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1809286#post1809286
 
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Tiddler said:
To make sure the light will be right take a reading with a light meter on the bed of a table you think has sufficient lighting and tell that reading to lighting professional. They should then be able tell you the watts needed to attain that reading on your table from a 12 foot ceiling.
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But would that help w/the shadows? I have no idea... just wondering how the 12' will cause shadows. I have 6, 8' flourescent's over my Diamond but they are only about 4' above.

Tom.... are you going to be visiting this summer?
 
Eric,

I have a couple of ideas, but I'm no lighting professional, so . . .

1) Contact some of the people who put on professional events that are televised. Those tables are bright and they don't have hanging lights over them. If you are going to video shots done on this table their advice will be particularly valuable. Make sure you get the lighting guy, as others may say they know what you need, but might not.

2) You could build a mechanism to raise and lower an overhead light into/out of position, so it would be in optimal position when you're playing, and raised up to the ceiling when you're not.

3) The light meter advice was excellent, as it gives you and your lighting people something objective to work with. Remember to take readings from different spots on the table.

4) Light from many sources vs from only a few will help a lot with the shadows problem under the rails. Softer lighting will probably help with the ball shadows, as was previously mentioned. Along this line, there are many new high intensity LEDs out now that you might be able to use. Each would throw way too little light, but with lots of them you may get exactly what you want. They won't be cheap, but they throw minimal heat and use minimal electricity. And they last a very long time too.

5) As you no doubt have thought already, this will be a PITA to fix if you don't get it right the first time. Maybe some of the pool hall owners here on AZ who put on pro tournaments can give you some tips and/or put you in touch with someone who can help.

Best of luck to you with your lighting project. I've enjoyed your videos tremendously. Hope I've been helpful.
 
Lights

I did this exact thing when I built my last house. 12' ceiling and all. I used 8 recessed spot lights like the electrician is recommending,I never was happy with the results. I even tried several different bulbs. I was glad I had an outlet installed over the table, as I ended up hanging a normal pool table light.

ps I was happy with the recessed lighting for the room, just not for playing pool. Also do not forget to run the speaker wires for sound even if you do not plan on using them at this time as it will add value to the house in excess of what it costs IMO
 
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Take a look at this article on Seasonal Affective Disorders (SAD).

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/light-therapy/MY00195

You (and others) can derive much benefit from these lights. Brunswick recommends this type of light. For about $1,900.00.

http://www.brunswickbilliards.com/brunswick_collection/furniture/lights/gold_crown_table_light.html

However, you can build your own with full spectrum lights for about $100.00 with materials obtained from Home Depot. Screw two 2 X 4s together and mount the fixtures to the 2 X 4s. Use ¼” paneling to dress up the outside. I like duct tape on the sides of the lights for the manly affect. It’s a guy thing, women don’t understand.

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Given your masse prediliction and to hang em high, I would probably place four of these fixtures (side by side as well as end to end) at some height above the table that would allow your high cue stick.

Note -- full spectrum lights are not SAD lights but you get the idea.
 
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ericyow said:
I searched for answers but have found none. My question is this: I'm building a house and have just got it dried in. My electrician asked me what lights I need over the pool table and I didn't know what to tell him. The room is adjacent to the great room with a wide open-air feel, so I don't want a hanging light. So, he suggested 4 recessed 'spotlight' type lights with 6' overlapping reaches of light to cover the table. I told him I need to BLAST the table with light, to get my point across, and he said this would do it.

What's your opinion? I'm on a budget but lighting over the table is one thing I must get right. Obviously. :D

Thanks!
Click to expand...


i had lights made to replicate playing in tv conditions in snooker tournament they have lighting boxes like in joew pic above, hung very high over the table except much bigger with about 80 or 100 individual fluro's white fluro tubes. and then they also have alot of spotlights spread around but actually they are not good as when you look in that direction they hurt your eyes but they need them to have not one spot with a shadow because of tv. i would definalty only have one light above table just make sure it is strong enough, if you want great lighting to play with id stick with this.

i had around 40 or 50 fluro's in a lighting box close to the ceiling this was for a 12 foot table with 10 foot ceilings. because your going 12 foot ceilings you need alot of wattage, obviously not as much as i did cause i went over board lol.

id probably have prob 8 x twin 4 footers so 4 twins at each end also if your on a budget you can make the recessed section big enough for more, use a light difuser on the under side so you cant see in and only put in half at start to see how it looks fitting fluro's aint hard and if its not bright enough get elec back to put in more just dont put in less with no room to add more with out cutting plaster etc

once you have strong lighting and head to a pool room you realise how good it is to have it
 
Lighting - need more suggestions posted here

Good thread; but how about some more input for lighting suggestions.

RL
 
The ceiling over my table is 11 feet. I have 6 (3 on each side) recessed lights. This give plenty of light for regular play. However my ceiling is vaulted so that helps with the light distribution. I figure you would need at least 8 for what you want and possibly 11. 4 on each side with 3 down the middle that way you can focus the light properly. Go to a lighting supplier or electrical supply house that has a lighting showroom. They should have some books on recessed lighting, progress or juno would be good. In the back is information on how to figure for your lighting distribution. Recess light are fairly cheap, 6" or 5" cans cost about $20 max each with lamps and the better trim rings which you will need. You want your light focused around your table and not wash out over the rails. Hope this helps.
 
Modern track lights are a option if aesthetics are a concern?
You can aim fancy halogen heads(great for Video recording) and/ or hang pendent style lights from track they are in style now!
They should be on a dimmer for better flexibility!

The best light is a fluorescent light suspended over the table!
good rolls!
 
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