Plan the spot, check the ceiling, then assemble the kit on the floor with its snap-lock connectors and check that it's right before it goes up. Surface mount it on ceilings up to about 13 ft, or hang it on suspension wires above that. Smaller grid kits plug into a standard grounded outlet. Larger kits ship with hardwire cables, and a licensed electrician connects those and handles any old fixture wires.
In this guide
These six steps cover installing grid lights on a garage ceiling, in a shop or in a studio, for every one of our ceiling grid lights.
A grid kit is a set of straight LED tubes joined by connectors into one fixed design, such as a frame, a square grid or a diamond lattice. It's not one of the troffers that sit in a drop ceiling's metal grid. For the basics, see what a ceiling grid lighting system is. This guide is for owners putting a kit up themselves. It covers the install, not choosing a size, which our ceiling grid light sizes guide handles. It leaves two jobs to a licensed electrician, hardwire connections and old fixture wires.
Lighting tubes, connectors, power cables, mounting hardware and an installation manual. Keep the manual for your kit open as you work.
1. Plan the Spot and Measure
Start with the kit's outer size, the width and depth of the whole design, which is in every product title. The three Linear Frame kits all measure 15.7 x 7.9 ft, for instance. Star and diamond designs don't fill their outer rectangle, but they still reach its full width and depth, so plan for all of it.
Pick the spot, mark the outer corners on the ceiling and note where power will come from (step 6). Then look for anything in the way, such as a garage door opener, an attic hatch, a ceiling fan, a beam or the box left by an old fixture. Our team has spent over 13 years in the lighting industry, and we recommend planning around those on paper first. A grid kit is one fixed design, so you shift the whole kit until each obstacle sits outside it or inside an open space. A 2 Frame Linear Frame, for example, can be fitted around a door opener.
2. Check the Ceiling Height and Surface
Measure from the floor to the ceiling. That one number picks the mounting method. Up to about 13 ft, the kit surface mounts, fixed flat to the ceiling. Above that, it hangs on suspension wires.
Then check what the mounting points will go into, whether that's drywall, concrete, open steel framing or a drop ceiling. Each can need a different kind of fastener, so if you're not sure the hardware in the box suits your ceiling, ask us before you start. In a garage, open the door and make sure the door and its track clear your marks.
Grid kits are rated IP54, dust and splash resistant, and they're made for indoor use only. In the IP code, the 5 means dust protected, though not dust tight, and the 4 means water splashing from any direction has no harmful effect.
3. Lay the Kit Out on the Floor First
Put the kit together on the floor before anything goes up. You'll need a clear area at least as big as its outer size, so a Gridline 100 Tile at 19.7 x 19.7 ft usually means moving the cars out of a two-car garage.
The floor is where mistakes are cheap. Check three things there.
- The shape matches the manual.
- Every tube end is fully seated in its connector.
- The kit's size matches the marks on your ceiling.
With a plug-in kit, plug it in, check that every tube lights, then unplug it. A hardwire kit has no plug, so your electrician tests it once it's connected. If a tube stays dark, reseat it, and contact us if it still won't light. Grid kits carry a 4-year warranty for home use and 2 years for commercial use.
4. Assemble With the Snap-Lock Connectors
Grid kits use the same tubes as our hexagon kits. The difference is the connectors, which turn straight tubes into a frame, a grid, a lattice or a star, so build from the manual and put each connector where it shows.
Each connector is a grounded 3-pin design that tube ends snap into and lock. If a tube won't seat smoothly, check the connector instead of forcing it. Our installation guide shows the same snap-lock assembly on a hexagon kit.
5. Surface Mount or Hang the Grid
Up to about 13 ft, fix the kit flat to the ceiling with the mounting hardware from the box, following the manual. Above that, hang it on our suspension kit, which uses 3.3 ft or 9.8 ft cables, depending on the ceiling height and how low you want the grid.
A long frame is awkward for one person. Work from a stable ladder or scaffold and have a second person hold the far end while you secure it. OSHA's Portable Ladder Safety QuickCard calls for three points of contact while you climb, which is far easier when someone else is holding the kit.
6. Power It, Plug-In or Hardwire
There are no dimmable grid kits, so power comes down to size, and smaller grid kits ship with a plug-in cord for a standard grounded outlet. Larger kits ship with hardwire cables and have more than one power input, and a licensed electrician connects those. Not sure which yours is? Ask our team before you order.
Every HEXLED grid kit has a fuse and an anti-shock design at the power input, and flame-retardant cable and housing materials. Input is 100-240 V AC. Our guide to plug-in vs hardwired garage lights covers when each setup makes sense.
What to Do With the Old Light Wires
Leave them to a licensed electrician. Taking an old fixture down means disconnecting it, and its wires, its junction box and any hardwiring are electrical work, not part of the grid install.
It's easy to assume the new light has to connect where the old one did, but that depends on the kit.
- Plug-in kit. The grid runs from a grounded outlet, not the old wires, and the electrician deals with the old fixture and its box.
- Hardwire kit. The electrician connects the kit's hardwire cables. Larger kits have more than one power input, so share the manual and your layout before the visit.
Either way, mark the old box on your plan so the grid doesn't cover it before the electrician's visit.
The 7-Point Grid Install Checklist
| Step | What to check | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Outer size marked, obstacles cleared, power source settled | You |
| Ceiling | Height, fasteners, door and track clearance | You |
| Floor test | Shape matches the manual, tubes seated, plug-in kits light up | You and a helper |
| Assemble | Each connector where the manual shows it | You |
| Mount | Flat up to about 13 ft, on suspension wires above that | You and a helper |
| Power | Plug-in cord or hardwire cables | You (plug-in) or a licensed electrician (hardwire) |
| Old wires | Old fixture, junction box and wires | A licensed electrician |
Next Steps
A grid install comes down to a solid plan, a floor check and the right person for the power. Still choosing a design? Compare outer sizes across our grid lighting for garages and shops, or send our team your ceiling size for layout help.
About this article, . It covers how to install ceiling grid lights. The specs come from our product pages, and the mounting heights follow our team's guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a ceiling grid light myself?
Yes, if it's a plug-in kit. Smaller grid kits plug into a standard grounded outlet, so you can assemble and mount them with a helper. Larger kits ship with hardwire cables for a licensed electrician to connect.
What should I do with the old light wires?
Leave them to a licensed electrician. The old fixture's wires, its junction box and any hardwiring are electrical work, not part of the grid install.
How high a ceiling can a grid light be surface mounted on?
Up to about 13 ft. Higher ceilings hang the kit on suspension wires, which come in 3.3 ft and 9.8 ft lengths.
Do grid lights connect to hexagon lights?
No. They use the same tubes, but grid kits and hexagon kits are separate systems with their own connectors.
What if one tube doesn't light?
The rest stay on, because every tube has its own driver, the small power supply that runs its LEDs. Reseat that tube, then swap it if it still stays dark.