General Lighting With Track Lighting

The nature of general lighting is to provide an area with overall illumination. Aiming track lights downward into the space of a room can create unpleasant brightness to those underneath the light. When used as uplighting, however, the light reflected off the ceiling can produce nice ambient lighting.

General lighting can also be provided by track fixtures aimed at the wall (light reflected off the wall into the room) or by spill light from fixtures used for accent lighting or wall washing.

A reflector light bulb should be used to produce a softer light or a parabolic reflector light bulb should be used to produce a brighter white light (certain track fixtures may only accept a specific light bulb).

Task Lighting With Track Lighting

As an addition source of light to help you perform specific tasks, track lighting can be functional, by aiming the track head towards the direction of the task. This is not the best way for lighting a task area as track lighting used in this manner may produce distracting glares and shadows.

Accent Lighting With Track Lighting

Track lighting is most commonly used for lighting objects on a wall, the wall itself, or any vertical surface, position the track and the fixtures as shown in the picture at the right. A reflector light bulb should be used to produce a softer light or a parabolic reflector light bulb should be used to produce a brighter white light (certain track fixtures may only accept a specific light bulb).

Three Methods Of Accent Lighting With Track Lighting:

Lighting an object, such as a portrait, can easily be done with track lighting following these guidlines. Generally, fixtures should be aimed at a 30 degree angle from the vertical to prevent light from shining in anyone's eyes and to avoid disturbing reflections on the surface of the object. Usually, one fixture is required for each object being accented.

For the best placement, measure the distance from the wall at the ceiling to the object being lighted on the wall. Distance "B" to "C" as shown in the accent lighting diagram on the right.

Following the track lighting table below, mount your track at given "A to B Location" on the ceiling away from the wall.

Track Lighting Table
A to B Location	B to C Distance
13"	2 feet
20"	3 feet
27"	4 feet
34"	5 feet
41"	6 feet

Wall washing can be done with a non-textured surfaces, mount the track 2 to 3 feet from the wall, on ceilings up to 9 feet high. Mount between 3 and 4 feet on ceilings between 9 feet and 11 feet high. Space the fixtures the same distance apart as the track is from the wall.

Wall grazing can be done to produce dramatic shadows on textured surfaces (such as draperies, stone, or brick) by mounting the track 6 to 12 inches from the wall, with the fixtures the same distance apart and aimed downward for a grazing effect.