How to light a car detailing bay
A detailing bay needs daylight white, true colour and even light over the whole car. Here is how to size an ULTRABEAM™ kit for your bay.
The short version
- Daylight white at 6500K with a CRI of 85 shows paint as it really is.
- Size the light at least as long as the car, so the bonnet and boot sit under it.
- Many tubes across the ceiling light each panel from several angles, with no hard shadows.
- Keep a handheld light for the lower doors, sills and wheels.
- Every kit ships complete and plugs into a power point.
Step 01: Start with daylight white and true colour
Paint looks different under warm light, cool light and daylight. You want it to look the way its owner sees it outside.
- 6500K is daylight white, close to average daylight outdoors.
- CRI 85 means colours show close to how they look in daylight.
- Every ULTRABEAM kit ships in 6500K daylight white.
- Old fluoros flicker and hum as they age. LED tubes use about 60% less power.
Pro tip
More on colour in our colour temperature guide.
Step 02: Light the whole car from above
A single strip over the roof lights the roof well and the sides poorly. A grid wider and longer than the car lights each panel from several angles.
- Measure the car you detail most, nose to tail.
- Choose a light at least as long as the car, so the bonnet and boot sit under it.
- A light wider than the car sends light down the doors from an angle.
- Centre the light over where the car parks, not over the middle of the room.
- A ute or a van can run past 5 m, so pick the longest light that fits.
Pro tip
Mark the car's outline on the floor with tape. Then measure the ceiling above it.
Sizes
Find the kit for your detailing bay
Each light's size and output, with the bay it suits.
One car, framed in light
A wide bay or a studio
| Kit | Light size | Output | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One car, framed in light | 15-Grid D, lit border | 4.8 x 2.4 m | 552 W, about 63,000 lumens |
| One car, a long bay | 17-Grid C | 4.9 x 2.4 m | 408 W, about 47,000 lumens |
| A wide bay or a studio | 25-Grid A, lit border | 4.6 x 4.1 m | 792 W, about 91,000 lumens |
Swipe to compare
Step 03: Why a lit border suits a detailing bay
A lit border runs a frame of long tubes around the hexagons. It adds light at the edge of the grid, where the car's sides sit.
- The 15-Grid D kit with a lit border puts out about 63,000 lumens.
- The 17-Grid C kit comes without a border too. It puts out about 47,000 lumens.
- The border is Cool Daylight white.
Step 04: Make it bright enough to work by
Light output is measured in lumens. A pair of old fluoro battens gives about 6,000. The 15-Grid D with a lit border gives about 63,000.
- The light is spread across dozens of tubes, so there is no single glaring point to squint at.
- A higher ceiling lands less light on the car. From 3 m, a kit lands about a third less than from 2.4 m.
- Over a high ceiling, hang the light lower on the suspension cables in the kit.
Step 05: Plan for the lower panels
Ceiling light falls best on the bonnet, roof and boot. Doors, sills and wheels face sideways, so they catch less of it.
- A wider light reaches further down the doors.
- Light walls and a light floor bounce more light onto the lower panels.
- Keep a handheld or stand light for close work on the lower panels.
Pro tip
A light grey floor helps too. Sleek Space sells garage floor tiles, so the floor and the light can come in one order.
Two cars or a studio
A studio that works on two cars at once has two good layouts.
- One 25-Grid A kit with a lit border over both cars, at 4.6 x 4.1 m.
- A 15-Grid D kit with a lit border over each car, so each bay lights on its own.
- Two kits come with two plugs, so each bay switches at its own power point.
Built for a working bay
The lights run for long days in a working bay, so build quality matters.
- 50,000 hour LEDs in an aircraft-grade aluminium frame.
- Every tube has its own driver.
- Spare parts on hand. Replacement tubes, connectors and the power cord are stocked individually.
- Certified for Australia, with a 5-year warranty on the LEDs and every electrical part.
Pro tip
Lighting the workshop as well? See workshop lighting.
Put it up in an afternoon
Lay the kit out on the floor, click it together and test it. Then lift it with a helper and mount it.
- You need a drill, a screwdriver and a ladder.
- Mount it flush to the ceiling or hang it lower on the suspension cables.
- It plugs into a power point on a 1.5 m lead.
Pro tip
Every step is in our install guide.
Detailing bay questions
Daylight white at 6500K, close to average daylight outdoors. Every ULTRABEAM kit ships in 6500K.
The higher the CRI, the closer colours look to daylight. ULTRABEAM is CRI 85, so paint shows as it really is.
Yes, on gloss. A glossy panel mirrors whatever is above it, so the grid shows in the paint. Check close polishing work under a handheld light too.
At least as long as the car. The 15-Grid D kit with a lit border is 4.8 x 2.4 m.
See the 15-Grid D, lit borderNo, but it helps. A border adds light at the edge of the grid, where the car's sides sit.
Yes. The 25-Grid A kit with a lit border is 4.6 x 4.1 m. For two separate bays, fit a 15-Grid D with a lit border over each.
See the 25-Grid A, lit borderFlush on a 2.4 m ceiling. On a higher ceiling, hang it lower on the suspension cables in the kit.
Yes. Wrap and tint work needs the same even, daylight white light. Size it the same way, at least as long as the car.
No. It plugs into a power point on a 1.5 m lead. A new power point or a wall switch is a job for a licensed electrician.
Yes. Use one of our designs or create your own, at any size. Spare parts are stocked individually.
See the spare partsULTRABEAM kits are sold online by Sleek Space. They are in stock in Melbourne and sent in 1 to 2 business days.
See the lighting kitsLight your detailing bay
Pick a kit sized for the car or draw your own in the designer. You can also send us the bay size and we will help you choose.