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Honeycomb LED lights: the pattern, sizes and wiring

HexaLuma · · Updated

Rendering of the AluCore ZTC202 honeycomb grid over a car showroom

A honeycomb is hexagons tiled edge to edge, like the inside of a hive. It is the pattern most people mean by “hex lights,” and its geometry explains why it suits a working ceiling.

Why the hexagon

Of all the shapes that tile a flat surface, the regular hexagon divides it into equal cells with the least total edge length. On a ceiling, that means a honeycomb covers a given area with less total bar length than a grid of squares or triangles with the same cell area. Because the bars run in three directions rather than one, light reaches a work surface from several angles.

Honeycomb vs. rows of shop lights

  • Spread: rows of fixtures light the floor in bands; a honeycomb’s bars cross in three directions, so light reaches the floor from several angles.
  • Wiring: a honeycomb runs from one driver on one switch; rows of shop lights need a chain of cords or a circuit of fixtures.
  • Appearance: a honeycomb is a designed ceiling; shop lights are utility fixtures.

The sizes it comes in

Honeycomb scales cleanly because the pattern extends cell by cell. Ours runs from 80 sq ft to 357 sq ft of ceiling: ZTC204 (11′9″ × 6′10″ / 3.58 × 2.08 m) at the small end, ZT1028 (15′10″ × 8′0″ / 4.84 × 2.43 m · 552 W) as the one-bay classic, and ZTC202 (23′3″ × 15′4″ / 7.09 × 4.68 m) filling a showroom. For a workbench, the compact collection has single hexagons such as ZLA001 (4′4″ × 3′10″ / 1.32 × 1.18 m · 117 W).

One-car garage hexagon kit

AluCore ZT1028

One-car garage · 15′10″ × 8′0″

USD $675per complete kit

What to check on any honeycomb kit

The same four checks apply as for any hexagon system: real dimensions, watts × efficacy, a CRI above 85, and selectable color temperature. For a honeycomb, also consider cell size. Small cells, about 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m) across, read busy and technical; large cells read calm and architectural. Each product page shows the drawing to scale beside the overall size, so the cell size can be judged against it. See every honeycomb design →

Questions people ask

What is a honeycomb light?
A honeycomb light is a grid of LED bars forming hexagons tiled edge to edge, like a beehive. The bars run in three directions, so light reaches the floor from several angles.
Honeycomb vs. hexagon lights: is there a difference?
Honeycomb is one pattern within hexagon lighting: hexagons tiled edge to edge. Hexagon systems also come as separate hexagons, diamond lattices, chevrons, framed borders and starbursts, all built from straight light bars and connectors.

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