Linear COB LED lighting

Definitely on trend, giving plenty of light - and stylish to boot.

Conservation officers may not give consent for ceiling-penetrating recessed downlighters. In this particular Grade II listed apartment, we were also on the top floor and conscious of condensation forming on the lights. So we decided to try flush, plastered-in, recessed, linear, chip on board (COB) LED lights.

The kit comprises an aluminium extruded channel, the LED driver, LED strip, connectors and diffuser. The extrusion is recessed 10mm into the plasterboard, before the ceiling is skimmed to a flush finish. The COB LED itself looks continuous to the naked eye, and connectors ensure lighting is continuous with no dark spots in the corners.

LED technology has come on markedly over the years and, despite the contemporary appearance, the warm white colour option gives a cosy feel to the space. The lighting effect is excellent, and gives good spread over the area. You can read more about this in our Apartment Renovation project.

Installing linear COB LEDs

There were two key installation issues to watch out for:

To be careful when plastering up to the edge of the extrusion. If there was any plaster overhanging the aluminium, small shards would inevitably chip off when the diffuser was pressed into place. The electrician had to clean these out a few times. Not a massive problem, but one that could be avoided.
To fill the small cable holes leading into the channel from above. One day we saw several spiders chasing each other round the track. They were removed and the holes filled.

We were so impressed with the lighting quality, we now install linear COB LEDs in alcove units and plinths. Compared with standard LED tape and strip with the characteristic dots, it is a significant improvement aesthetically. One of our clients commented that we’ve effectively removed the disco lights he once had in his bathroom.