Beginner's Guide to Recessed Lighting

RECESSED LIGHTING
The Beginner’s Guide to
1-800-392-4818 | © 2016 Pegasus Lighting

RECESSED LIGHT FIXTURES
TRIM
The part you see from below.
The
HOUSING
Concealed inside the ceiling.
The
LIGHT BULB
The
Provides light to the ﬁxture.
have 3 basic parts

RECESSED LIGHTING
an inside view
HOUSING
TRIM
LIGHT BULB
The
The
The

RECESSED LIGHTING
an inside view
HOUSING
First, let’s talk about the
housing.
You have several options to
consider…
Remember, this is the part of
the recessed light that sits
above the ceiling and holds
the trim and the bulb.
TRIM
LIGHT BULB
The
The

NEW
CONSTRUCTION
Use new construction housing when you
don’t need to work around any existing
drywall. The housing attaches to the joists
with adjustable T-Bars.
AIRTIGHT
Airtight housing creates a seal so that no
air escapes. It is very energy-efficient for air-
conditioned spaces.
LOW PROFILE
Use low profile recessed housing if you
don’t have a lot of space in your ceiling
cavity.
REMODEL
Use remodel housing when your ceiling is
already in place. You’ll need to slide the
housing through a small hole and have it
rest on the ceiling.
SLOPED CEILING
Sloped Ceiling housings are designed for a
pitched ceiling so that the light still aims
down and not at an angle.
IC RATED
Use IC Rated housing anytime your fixture
will be in direct contact with insulation.
This is very important to prevent a fire
hazard.
RECESSED HOUSINGS
options
Each type of recessed housing has features that benefit different types of lighting projects. For example…

RECESSED LIGHTING
an inside view
TRIM
Next up, the part that sits
inside the housing and is
what you see when you look
up at the ceiling — the trim.
Just like housing, there
are lots of choices …
HOUSING
LIGHT BULB
The
The

ADJUSTABLE
Use adjustable trims for accent
lighting where you want the light
to aim at a specific object (like art).
These trims rotate, revolve or
swivel.
GLASS
Glass trims are often used to add
color, sparkle or a distinctive ‘light
patterning’ to your space.
RECESSED TRIMS
popular types
BAFFLED
Probably the most popular type,
baffled trims have concentric ridges
are designed to soften the light.
Great in both homes and offices.
PINHOLE
For precision lighting needs, pinhole
trims concentrate the light into a
single beam, like a tiny indoor
spotlight.
REFLECTOR
A smooth shiny cone inside
reflector trims create an intense,
dazzling light, great for kitchens or
industrial spaces that need bright
light.
WALL WASH
The partial opening in wall wash
trims direct light in an
asymmetrical beam onto the wall
or object.
SHOWER
Shower trims have rubber gaskets
to keep moisture out of your fixture
and tempered glass for safety.
SQUARE
Decorative square trims offer a
unique contemporary look to your
recessed lighting fixture.
Recessed trims not only determine how your fixture looks from below, but also how your light shines …

RECESSED LIGHTING
an inside view
LIGHT BULB
Last but not least — the light bulb.
Surprise, surprise …
You have options …
TRIM
HOUSING
The
The

RECESSED LIGHT BULBS
Types, shapes, & sizes
TWIST & LOCK
BIPIN
MEDIUM SCREW
LUMENS
DIMMABLE
COOL WHITE 60 WATTS
WARM WHITE FLUORESCENT
HALOGEN
LEDINCANDESCENT
PARABOLIC ALUMINIZED REFLECTOR?
BULGED REFLECTOR
BR30
R40
PAR38CFL
GU10
MR11
2700K
DAYLIGHT
E26
5000K

Types, shapes, & sizes
Let’s break that down into a few basic recessed light bulb features:
✓ TYPES
✓ SHAPES
✓ BASES
✓ SIZES
✓ PERFORMANCE
Now, let’s review some of the most popular options for each one:

covering the basics
REFLECTOR (R)
Most common. Has a
reflective surface inside that
directs all of the light down.
SHAPE
The shape of a reflector light bulb
determines the direction of the light.
TYPE
Types of light sources.
LED
Durable, cool, dimmable
and the most energy-
efficient light source.
HALOGEN
Crisp, renders colors well.
Tend to get warm.
INCANDESCENT
Least efficient but offers a
pretty, warm glow.
FLUORESCENT
Bright, affordable and longer
lasting than halogen. Contain
mercury.
Focuses more light into
the beam.
BULGED REFLECTOR (BR)
PARABOLIC ALUMINIZED
REFLECTOR (PAR)
Tighter, more controlled
beam of light.
MULTIFACETED
REFLECTOR (MR)
Multiple reflectors shape
and gather the beam.
PERFORMANCE
Measurements for the output and
efficiency of the light bulb.
LUMENS
Describe the amount of light (or
brightness) produced by the
light source.
WATTS
Measure the energy required to
power the light source.
COLOR TEMPERATURE
Measures the color of the light, in
kelvins (K).
BASE
The part of the light bulb that
attaches it to the fixture.
SCREW-IN
BIPIN
TWIST & LOCK
SIZE
The diameter of the light bulb,
measured in 1/8ths of an inch.
for example:
MR16 = 16/8” diameter
PAR30 = 30/8” diameter
BEAM SPREAD
Measures the spread of light from
a reflectorized light source.

THAT’S IT!
Now you know the three basic components of recessed lighting:
the housing, the trim, and light bulb.
Browse recessed lighting at 
https://www.pegasuslighting.com
Ready to get started?
Questions? How can we help?
1-800-392-4818 or support@pegasuslighting.com
Want to know more?
Read in-depth lighting articles, product guides,
infographics and videos at 
https://www.pegasuslighting.com/learn.html
Life of Riley Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginner's Guide to Recessed Lighting

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