How To Hide LED Light Strips? [8 Hidden Tricks]

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Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are an important part of decoration in our homes, office spaces or even commercial places. It is the most cost effective way to light up. LED strips contribute a prime role in decorative illumination. However, it is equally useful to know how to hide LED light strips to get its best effect.

Typically, an LED light strip is half an inch (10-12 mm) in width, and in length as needed. Along the cutlines located every 1-2 inches, 16 feet (5 meters) or more long LED strips can be cut to specific lengths using just a pair of scissors.

The strip has individual LEDs mounted along the length typically 18-36 LEDs per foot (60-120 per meter). The overall light color and quality of the LED strip is determined by the light color  and quality of individual LEDs mounted on the strip.

The LED light strip is made up of LEDs which is surface mounted with adhesive backing. It is also called LED tape or LED ribbon. It can be easily attached to almost anything, as the circuit board is designed to be flexible. Tiny LED light bulbs may also be attached to tape, metal stripes or enclosed in plastic casing. 

To get the best decorative effect, the types of surface mounted LEDs depend upon color, shapes, size and power level. As the stripe is flexible between LED light, portable and easy to install, it can be used in both indoor as well as outdoor. Addressable LED strips can be programmed to get excellent effects.

You’ll need to think about the best placement to get the best effect from your LED lights on the strip. Effective use of drop ceilings, coving and cornices, plinths and kickboards, and kitchen/bathroom cabinets can be done to create best lighting effect.

The thickness of the LED strip is 1.6mm so that it is easily hidden anywhere. This factor gives an attractive glowing effect, tidiness, and hazard free look to location. 

Benefits of LED Light Bulbs

Before moving towards hiding LED light strips, let’s learn briefly about benefits of LED light bulbs.

There are many benefits of LED lights. We have found top 4 benefits of lights for your perfect mood:-

  1. Long Life
  2. Energy Efficient
  3. High Brightness
  4. Perfectly Reliable
Benefits of led lights

Long Life

This is the important benefit of LED lights. It allows you enjoy the perfect lighting conditions of any LED light bulb.

Energy Efficient

Energy efficiency of lights helps to save your overall energy costs and therefore lowering your excessive electricity costs.

High Brightness

Usually, LED light bulbs have at least 200 lumen brightness to fill your room with fresh white light.

Perfectly Reliable

Reliability helps to easily carry the light bulb at your desired location and start enjoying the perfect lights.

You can read our buying guide to choose perfect light bulbs for indoor equipment

How To Hide LED Light Strips?

  1. Drop ceilings: LED strip can be fixed on top of drop ceiling horizontally, facing the ceiling or on the support member of drop ceiling vertically, facing the open side of drop ceiling. However, use of drop ceiling lip is necessary to get the desired light effect. For horizontal mounting, the strip should be located close to the drop ceiling lip. Similar locations can be followed for coving & cornices. Good tip for positioning LED tape with a coving lip is to fix it as far from the back wall as possible (close to the lip).
  1. Plinth and kickboard: Fixing the LED strip on the bottom of the kickboard horizontally, facing the floor close to the lip of the kickboard will give the required light effect.
  1. Kitchen cabinets: LED strips may be fixed on the bottom of the cabinet horizontally, close to the lip. In absence of lip, the LED strip should be fixed deep enough, approximately at the middle of the under cabinet.
  1. Hide by panel end cap and double sided wall tape: The standard size of the panel is 8 feet. The length and number panel required depend upon the bend numbers in the wall and measure of each angle. Use the three quarter inch double sided wall tape at the back of the panel. Pill out the other side cover of the tap and stick it on the wall. With the help of a protector or leveler, one can measure the slope against the wall. The LED light strip fits inside the panel.
  1. Hide by plastic molding and wooden tray: For plastic molding, mold the corner edges of plastic to fit the LED light strip which gives the gap in between the strip run to ground. In the wooden tray case, cut the wooden tray according to the wall. Pre-drill the molds to avoid accidental drill while wall mounting. After mounting the mold on the wall, pass the LED light strip from both the ends.
  1. Hide by glue gun: Cut the LED light strip as per size of tray on the wall. The glue is applied on the tray and the LED light strip can be fixed on it.
  1. Hide by Hizze Plate: Hizze plate having clips and holes around it is used to hide the LED light strip. 
  1. Hide by wire nails: The wire nails come with different sizes which are used to attach LED light strips to the wall or cabinet.

15 Places To Hide LED Light Strip

LED light strips do not have an attractive look, but have excellent glowing effects. For tidiness at the event venue, it is required to hide the LED light strip. For such purpose, places to hide the LED light strip that can be explored are listed below:

  • At the bottom and sides of the room: For the attractive glowing effect, one can hide the LED light strips at the bottom in the room. For cooking and baking in the kitchen, the extra brightness is required. So the LED light strip is attached at the sidewalls of the kitchen.
  • On the top of floor trim molding: The LED light strips can be attached to skirting board edges with the help of wood glue. In this way, the wall will light up by hiding the LED light strip above the skirting board which fit behind the floor molding.
  • Around the sides of Mirror: For the better illumination effect, the LED light strip can be attached at the sides of  the mirror.
  • At the back of entertainment devices: One should hide the LED light strip at the back of entertainment devices like television, music player, etc. for backlit effect. This backlit effect enhances the mood when the device is on.
  • At the bottom of the bed: The LED light strip can be installed at the bottom of the bed for the calm and relaxing aspect in the bedroom. 
  • Around the bottom of the coffee Table/ glass Table: The LED light strip can hide at the bottom of the coffee table or the sides of the glass table for a modern look.
  • On the frame of doors: The LED light strip can be stuck on the frame of the door to make it attractive.
  • Behind seating: The LED light strip behind the seating creates a beautiful ambiance by highlighting the seating.
  • On the sides of the staircase: The LED light strip attached along the sides of the staircase gives a modern look. For night wandering, it is a very practical way.
  • Under the stone treads of the front doorstep: The LED light strip can be placed under the stone treads of the front doorstep to make a stylish look.
  • Attached at the corners of artwork: The artwork can be made more attractive by attaching the LED light strip at the corners of the artwork, paintings, etc.
  • Around the edges of lawn: The edges of lawn attached with waterproof LED light strips to illuminate the area at night time. 
  • In coffee shops and Bars: The color and color temperature can easily change with the help of LED light strips. The LED light strip can be attached at the bottom of furniture of coffee shops or bars which create a different atmosphere.  
  • Used in Car and truck: The car or truck’s engine can very easily power the LED light strip and it is very safe to use. The installation of LED light strips inside and outside the vehicle gives it a very attractive look.  
  • Halloween Costume Design: The LED light strip can be used on the clothes, shoes, hand or even eyes to enhance the effect of Halloween costume.

Want to learn more? This is the how-to guide to hide LED light strips.

Conclusion

LED strips are the first choice for achieving the best glowing effect. They are available in different lengths, illumination (power) and color and are very cost effective. However, LED strips create a mess in the room and affect tidiness, if proper care is not taken while it’s mounting. Hiding the LED light strip is necessary to get the best ambience effect and tidiness.

Various tricks adopted on how to hide the LED light strip, make it suitable for best use.

Proper placement, use of lip for drop ceiling, coving and cornices, plinth and kickboards, kitchen/bathroom cabinets, with or without lip, can create the best effect from your LED lights on the strip.

Life expectancy of an LED light strip is high, and may be about 40000+ hours. Hence, no frequent maintenance is needed, once installed.

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