Replacement for ceiling fixtures in kitchen?

last year

What would you replace these overhead ceiling fixtures with, without breaking the bank?

Situation: I have 3 overhead fluorescent lighting fixtures in my kitchen (original to my 1980's era house) that I'd like to replace. They are recessed between the joists. **I'm not looking to undertake some big project that involves re-doing the entire ceiling. **

Does anyone have any recommendation for a type of fixture that could be installed in its place? Would like something simple and plain and unobtrusive. I prefer something that just blends in, rather than drawing attention to itself.

The rough opening is 11 9/16" wide by 48 1/4" long, with a finish opening of 11 9/16" X 48 1/4" , so there's a lip running around the opening that a plastic sheet is supposed to fit into, but they always break when I try to place them in the opening (hence why I want to replace the fixtures.) Sheesh, I would just settle for finding some plastic sheet covers that don't break, if anyone has had this problem and found a solution.

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

John Liu
last year
Plenty of 4” LED lightbars on Amazon etc. Dimmable and temperature-adjustable from a remote. You can install them inside the current opening, or drywall over that opening and surface mount or hang the lightbars. Come in black or white. Will put out more light than what you have.
m d thanked John Liu
w0lley32
last year
Or you can replace the tubes in the existing fixtures with LED tubes. They last much longer than fluorescents, are available in many colour temperatures and most are direct replacements, you don't even have to remove the ballast.
m d thanked w0lley32
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Dave
last year
The easiest and cheapest would be to either replace the florescent ballasts with led drivers and led tubes if theyre T8 and shunted (youd need to rewire the tombstones if theyre non shunted T12), or put line voltage to the tombstones and use correct leds.

Its an not a big undertaking either way. Id opt for drivers and tubes as the plug n play tubes are easier to source.

Sure, you could replace only the tubes, but once those old ballasts start to fail they wont light up.
m d thanked Dave
wdccruise
last year
- Fluorolite fluorescent light cover replacements