When it comes to LED strip lights, there are many questions that come up. One of the most common is if they need a channel or not. This article will answer this question and more!
So do LED strip lights need a channel? In a word, Yes! here are some of the main reasons why led strip lights need a channel;
- Channels Help To Make Perfect Linear Lighting Installation
- Channels Help To Make Perfect Linear Lighting Installation
- Channels Help You To Angle You Lights
- Heat Management
- Channels Make The Led Strip Lights Waterproof
- Channels Help To Achieve Perfect Contours
- Channels Are Great When There Is No Projection Point
- Adds To The Aesthetics Of The Led Strip Light Fixture
- Channels Are Versatile
- Channels Are Easy To Install And Remove
- Channels Are Easy To Cut Into
Below are the details on why you may need a channel for your led strip lights.
Details On Why Do LED Strip Lights Need A Channel
1. Channels Help To Make Perfect Linear Lighting Installation
While LED lighting strips do not have to be installed in a straight line and can follow the contours of any surface to create beautiful linear lighting effects, when you want to achieve the most accurate line, it is best to install them in a channel.
This is because the channel keeps the strip lights from waving all over the place.
After being cut and having the adhesive removed, LED strip lights end up with a defeatured cut that does not hold itself into place. That’s when it’s time to install the channel.
By installing your LED strip lights in a channel, you can make sure that they are as accurate and straight as possible no matter if you’re going for a straight line or a more curved look.
2. Channels Help You To Angle You Lights
LED strip lights can be angled in a variety of ways. One way is to get a “channel’. This is because channels come in various angles such as 30, 45, and 90 degrees.
By using channels for your LED strip lights you can angle them in a variety of ways to create unique lighting effects.
This also helps with the functionality and performance of your LED strip lights. So if you’re wondering if channels are worth it here’s another thing you would want to consider.
3. Heat Management
Led strip lights today produce very little to no heat at all, but in some cases when you have several strip lights installed close together or if there is a lot of ambient heat around the installation site it can cause the strip lights to heat up.
Heat is one of the arch enemies of LED strip lights, which is why it’s important to make sure that they are installed in a channel or on some other type of heat management system.
By installing your strips in a channel, the airflow around the strip lights is increased which in turn will help to dissipate any heat that may be created.
Also, the led strip lights direct contact with the channel body especially if it is aluminum can help to quickly transfer the heat from the strip lights to the channel.
This allows your led strip lights to remain cool at all times and it will also ensure that the strip lights are always operational.
4. Channels Make The Led Strip Lights Waterproof
It’s that simple. Without the right channels, you will have exposed wires and water damage in no time.
Of course, any outdoor installation would require your LEDs to be protected from rain or snow by some kind of weatherproofing.
There are many different types of LED Strip light channels, but the most popular is a flexible plastic channel. The Flexible Plastic Channel has two parts that work together to protect your LEDs from water damage and other outdoor elements.
They both have to be weatherproof on their own, which makes them ideal for any situation where you would need protection from rain or snow.
A Flexible Plastic Channel is composed of two different pieces that work together to protect your LEDs from water damage and other outdoor elements.
The first part is called the base, which holds both ends of your strip lights in place while protecting them at all angles with its weatherproofing. The second part is called the cover, which covers and holds your strip lights in place with its weatherproofing.
5. Channels Help To Achieve Perfect Contours
A channel is also very helpful when you want to achieve perfect contours on your installation. For example, if you would like for the strip lights to follow the contours of your deck, you can easily create this look when they are installed in a channel.
Without the strip lights being contained in a channel, they would most likely just lay flat on the surface without following any of the contours.
This is because the strip lights are held in place by the adhesive that attaches them to the channels. If you do not have any channels, your strip lights would just be loose and not follow the contours as perfectly as you would have wanted them to.
6. Channels Are Great When There Is No Projection Point
We can all admit exposed led strip lights are ugly that is why we often hide them so we could have them projected. For example behind a Tv, under the sofa, under kitchen cabinets, on a wall, on a ceiling and so many other places.
In simple terms various projection points where the led strip lights themselves are not seen. However, there are instances where you might not have anywhere to hide the led strip lights in order to get the kind of projection that gives you the right ambiance lighting.
This is where the channel comes into play. Channels are great when there is no projection point. The led strip lights will go on the surface and project outwards. Perfect for those places where you need to have led strip lights project outwards and there is no point of projection.
7. Channels Helps To Prevent Hot Spots In The Lighting
This is great because it helps prevent hot spots in the lighting. If you are getting led strip lights to do some kind of task where there is a particular area that needs to have more lighting, you will want the strip lights to be as uniform and evenly distributed as possible.
This is especially true if you are using the strip lights for lighting up a room. For example, you would not want one area to have more light than another.
The problem with this is that it can be difficult to evenly distribute the led strip lights without having them in channels because they would just lay flat on the surface.
This is where channels come in handy because they help to evenly distribute your led strip lights without allowing them to lay flat on the surface.
8. Adds To The Aesthetics Of The Led Strip Light Fixture
This is great because it adds to the aesthetics of the led strip light fixture. When you have your led strip lights installed in channels, they will be contained in the channels and will not lay flat on the surface.
The great part about this is that it allows you to create various effects for your led strip lights. For example, if you want to create an effect where your led strip lights look like they are recessed in the surface, you can easily achieve this by installing the led strip lights in channels.
It is important to note that this effect cannot be achieved when you have your led strip lights laying flat on the surface.
Adding to the aesthetics of the led strip light fixture, channels can be a better choice than just having your strip lights lay flat on the surface.
Channels are great to use for outdoor led strip lights because they help protect your LED strips from water damage and other elements that can damage them.
As mentioned before, channels are also very helpful when you want to achieve perfect contours on your installation and they help prevent hot spots in the lighting.
Channels are great when there is no point of projection and they also add to the aesthetics of the led strip light fixture.
9. Channels Are Versatile
They can be used in various ways to create different effects with your strip lights.
This means that they come in a variety of colors shapes and installation angles. This is great because it allows you to choose the right channel for your needs.
My personal favorite is the 45-degree angle mount corners. This allows me to get the perfect angles and contours on my led strip light installation.
10. Channels Are Easy To Install And Remove
The installation process is easy, quick, and has a seamless look. This is super cool even if you do to have any experience with installing led strip lights.
You will also be able to remove the channels very easily if you ever need to move them or do some kind of upgrade.
This is a big time saver and it also helps you to save a lot of money in the long run because if you ever need to upgrade or remove your led strip lights, you can do it with ease.
In fact, you can install your led strip lights in channels in less than 30 minutes and still do a fantastic job within that time.
This is great because you can easily install and remove your led strip lights whenever desired.
11. Channels Are Easy To Cut Into
The great part about channels is that they are easy to cut into. The most common material for led strip light channel is aluminum and it is easy to cut into with any cheap saw or blade.
This means that you can customize your led strip lights installation however way you desire without any hassle involved.
How To Install A LED Strip Light Channel
Installing a LED strip light channel is easy and you can start this process by measuring the length of your led strip lights.
This will help you to figure out how long you need your led strip lights.
After that, just measure the length of the channel and cut it into it with a simple saw or blade.
It is important to note that you need a lot of patience when doing this because it will take some time and if you’re working on a larger area, installing the channels on a ceiling will require you to climb up and down, etc.
Take it nice and slow when cutting into your LED strip light channels.
Once you have cut into the led strip light channel, measure, and mark where your LED strips will go.
After that, simply attach your led strip lights into the channel.
This is pretty easy and you do not need any special tools or skills to complete this process.
It is also important to note that you can cut and install your led strip lights in channels at the same time. This will make it easier and it will not take as long.
Here’s a video resource you could use on how to install led strip lights in a channel.
Final Thoughts
There are many different reasons why you should be using channels for your led strip lights and hopefully, this article has helped provide some insight into these benefits.
A few of the highlights of this article are that channels are great to use when you want a good contour on your installation, they add to the aesthetics of the led strip light fixture and lastly, they are easy to cut and install.
Thanks for reading!
FAQ’s
Q: Do led strip lights to come with channels?
A: No, you need to purchase the channel separately. This is often referred to as a “channel set”, or led strip lights accessories. You can buy them usually at the same place you get the led strip lights and they come in a few varieties in terms of size, shape, angle, and color.
Q: What are the different types of channel sets?
A: There are many different types of channel sets available. Some popular ones include the T-bar, corner pieces, and straight pieces. There are also special pieces that are used for specific areas or functions, like under-cabinet lighting.
Q: How do I cut into a channel?
A: You can easily use any saw to cut the led strip light channel. The most common type of saw used is a miter saw due to its accuracy and ability to cut at angles, but it is not necessary. Just use whatever saw you have available to cut the channel into your desired size and shape.
Q: What is the best channel for led strip lights?
A: It depends on your installation and what you want to achieve. The type of led strip light channel you use will depend on the area or space that you want to put it into and how you want your installation to look. For example, if you want to use corner pieces for your installed channel, then that will provide a different layout and aesthetic than using the T-bar channel.