Under Stair Lighting Solution – Cheap & Easy!

Under stair lighting is virtually non existent in older homes, mainly due to how that space was once used. It was primarily viewed as ‘dead space’ due to the sloped ceiling, but was quickly used to house things like vacuum cleaners, mops, buckets, and ironing boards. A dumping ground of sorts, used to hide away clutter and things that didn’t get used that often.

Fast forward to 2021, and people want to make the most of every bit of space in their homes.

Space in the UK is at a premium and with house prices rocketing, developing and making better use of under stair space is an absolute necessity for most, with lots of people installing shelving and storage for things like towels, coats, jackets, shoes and a whole host of other things that need a permanent place of belonging.

But because of how that space was once viewed, there’ll often be no lighting under the stairs. Which presents problems from a practical and safety standpoint.

If you have no lighting solution under your stairs, worry not because here are 3 quick, easy, cheap solutions to give the space  under your stairs the lighting it needs.

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Your Simple, Under Stair Lighting Solution

If you’re on a tight budget, then the easiest way you are going to provide lighting under your stairs is to use battery powered LED lights that are super simple to install.

Here’s three super simple, cheap but highly effective ways of adding under stair lighting that even Harry Potter would be proud of.

1. Modern LED Ceiling Light (Auto)

Let’s get one thing straight about this under stair light.

I have this in my under stair space, and it’s BRIGHT.

The light is a white light as well, rather than a warmer white that you find in living rooms.

It also looks just like a mains operated light, with a modern circular white designed plate and frosted cover to disperse the 80 LED’s equally across even a large space.

There’s no light switch to flick on and off here like a convential light, simply open your under stair door and as soon as it detects the movement, the light automatically comes on, and then switches off again automatically when it detects no movement.

There’s 2 modes (switch is next to the sensor), mode 1 will allow the light to come on even in lighter conditions, mode 2 will only turn on in darkness.

I’ve had this since Christmas 2020, and it works like a charm. It still has the original batteries that I inserted when I first installed it, so at the time of writing we are looking at 10 months. That being said, the use of our under stair storage space is infrequent, so results could vary, although the manufacturer claims this could do 6 months at 20 activations per day.

I’m dubious about that claim, because that all depends what batteries you use.

This LED light does not come with any batteries, so make sure you order batteries at the same time.

It uses D-Cell batteries, and I use and recommend these ones:

Overall, this is a great peice of kit that is hassle free and ideal for under stair storage spaces. It’s priced attractively, and you can have it set up in under 10 minutes. reading the Amazon reviews, some people have also said this is ideal for garages and porches.

Here’s the links again: LED Motion Sensor Light and Duracell plus Batteries.

2. Mini LED Motion Lights

This is another product I own and comes highly rated both by myself and on Amazon. These are smaller lights that are better suited to being placed on a wall rather than the ceiling in my opinion (they are smaller than the large LED above).

I had two of these as my under stair lighting solution until I eventually purchased the one above. The only reason I replaced these with the one above is that I simply used them in built in wardrobes instead and wanted the look and feel of a more traditional lighting system iunder the stairs. So these are versatile as well – they can be used in any space, including inside wardrobes, cupboards or even in the kitchen.

The good thing about these is they come with a battery built in – rechargeable as well, so as soon as the battery is drained, they can be plugged in via USB and recharged.

Unbelievably at this price point, it also has a remote so you can easily change the brightness and timing settings quickly and easily.

No drilling is required with these lights either, they come with adhesive pads to stick to a surface or you can even stick them to certain surfaces as the rear plates of these lights are magnetic.

These are recommended and are a cheaper and easier to install alternative to the under stair lighting solution above.

Here’s the Amazon link one again: Mini LED Lights 6 Pack

3. Battery Powered Lights – With Flip Switch

Our final choice for a cheap under stair lighting solution is this battery powered LED flip switch light.

If you don’t want motion detection lights, and prefer something you can physically turn on and off when required, then this is perfect.

Flip the hand switch to turn it on, when you’re done, hit the flip hand switch again to turn off.

Installation is a breeze too, simply use the provided adhesive hook and attach to the wall, and hang your light from it (can’t be use on the ceiling). Or, if you have a metal surface, stick it hassle free using the magnets on the back of the lights.

These are really good value lighting for under the stairs (3x AAA batteries required per light)

You will also need:12 AAA batteries, these are a 12 pack and are excellent value.

Here’s the link again to these flip switch lights for under stair storage locations: 4 Pack Flip Switch Lights

FAQ’s – Under Stair Lighting

Here’s some frequently asked questions about the use of under stair lighting.

Will Battery Operated Lights Last?

It all depends on how often you will be using your under stair lighting – and what batteries you put in them.

If you are going for cheap batteries, then expect your lights to run out of battery power pretty quickly.

However, buy some decent batteries (like the Duracell ones on this page), and you’ll be replacing them less – you get what you pay for.

How Much For A Mains Powered Light?

Expect to pay somewhere between £80-£150 for an electrician to come in and install a mains powered light and light switch.

Do Battery Powered LED Lights Get Hot?

No. LED lights remain cool and never heat up like a conventional bulb, so they are safe around children and the fire risk is extremely small.

Are Battery Powered lights Suitable For Other Locations?

Yes. You can literally put these anywhere in your home where you need them.

Just keep them away from water.

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Questions & Comments

As always, we invite any questions or comments about this article below – leave your comment and we will always reply.

Saty Safe and secure.