Many garages are lit by one batten, tube or bulb on the ceiling. It lights the roof of the car and not much else. The sides of the car, the walls and the bench stay in shadow.
A good garage lighting layout fixes that before you buy anything. This guide shows how to plan one for a single or double garage in Australia or New Zealand: what to measure, where the light should sit, how to work around the door and opener, and which kit sizes fit. Every plan below is drawn to scale. For brightness targets, see our lumens guide linked further down; for install steps, see our install guide.
Typical: only the opener light and one small downlight
With Hex Lights: two grid systems, one either side of the door opener
Jump to: Common problems · What to measure · Where the light goes · Single garage · Double garage · Kit sizes · Buyer reviews · Power and mounting · Send us your details · FAQ
Why do so many garage lighting layouts fall short?
The usual problem is where the light sits, not how bright it is.
- One fitting in the middle. A single light over the centre of the room puts light on the car roof. The doors, wheels and floor beside the car get far less.
- Light blocked by the door. When a sectional door opens, it slides along the ceiling. Lights fitted in its path are hidden, or block the door.
- The opener in the way. In many double garages the opener rail runs down the middle of the ceiling, right where people want to put one big light.
- Dark corners and benches. Workbenches and shelves usually sit along the walls, the part of the room a central light reaches least.
- Bought by size, not by shape. A kit can have the right output and still not fit the clear part of the ceiling.
What should you measure before you plan the layout?
Write these down and draw the floor as seen from above.
| Measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Floor length and width (m) | Gives the floor area in m² and the outline of your plan |
| Ceiling height (m) | How the grid is fixed depends on your ceiling. See Power and mounting below |
| Door type: roller or sectional | A roller door rolls up into a drum at the front. A sectional door slides back along the ceiling |
| Door path, measured with the door fully open | Where you can, keep the grid behind or beside the open door. Any part above the open door is hidden while it is open |
| Opener rail and motor position | Decides whether one large kit fits or two kits either side work better |
| Where each car parks | Light should sit over the bay, so it falls on the sides of the car too |
| Bench, shelves and power points | Shows where you work and where power is available |
Where should the light go in a garage?
Four simple rules cover most garages.
- Light the bay, not the room centre. Centre the grid over where the car parks, or over the space between two cars. Light that comes from a wide area above the bay reaches the doors and wheels, not just the roof.
- Run long kits the same way as the car. In most garages that means front to back. A long kit then covers the bonnet, the doors and the boot in one go.
- Keep the opener clear and check the door path. Keep the grid off the opener rail and motor. Where you can, plan it on the ceiling that stays clear when the door is open. In a double garage with an opener rail down the middle, use two kits, one either side.
- Leave space at the walls, but not too much. The grid should not touch the walls, but benches and shelves need light too. In a narrow garage, a kit that nearly fills the width works well.
Shape matters as much as size. Two kits with similar output can suit very different ceilings. An 8-Grid is close to square (2400 x 2600 mm), while an 8 Long Grid is long and narrow (3780 x 1650 mm). The long one fits beside an opener rail. The square one fits a clear area behind the motor.
What layout works in a single garage?
A typical Australian single garage is about 3 m wide and 6 m deep. Measure yours, because sizes vary. For how parking spaces are sized, see AS/NZS 2890.1 (off-street car parking). With a roller door, the ceiling is usually clear apart from the drum at the front. One kit running front to back is the simplest layout.
In the plan on the left, a 14-Grid (4085 x 2375 mm, turned to run front to back) sits over the car with about 310 mm to each side wall and about 960 mm to the front and back walls. It covers most of the bay from bonnet to boot. If you mainly park and store things, a smaller kit such as a 5-Grid, 8-Grid or 11-Grid in the same position may be enough. If the garage is also a workshop, the larger kit gives more light over the bench and the car.
With a sectional door and an opener, the rail runs down the middle of a single garage. Plan the kit on the clear ceiling behind the motor and check its size against that space, or ask us for a custom layout that works around the rail.
To find the gap on each side, use this simple sum: gap to each side wall = (room width minus kit width) divided by 2. The same sum works front to back with the room depth and kit length.
What layout works in a double garage?
A typical double garage is about 6 x 6 m. Many have a sectional door and an opener rail down the centre. For this layout we recommend two 8 Long Grid kits, one over each car bay.
In the plan on the right above, each 8 Long Grid (3780 x 1650 mm, turned to run front to back) is centred over a bay. That leaves a 1,350 mm gap in the middle for the rail and motor, 675 mm to each side wall and about 1,110 mm to the front and back walls. Each bay gets its own light along the length of the car.
With a sectional door, the open door lies along the front part of the ceiling. In a 6 m deep garage it will usually sit under the front of each kit, so that part is hidden while the door is open. Check where the panels stop when you measure. If you want the whole grid in view with the door open, ask us for a layout that fits behind the door.
If your double garage has a roller door and a clear ceiling, one large kit centred over both bays also works. The plan below shows a 23-Grid (4200 x 3900 mm) in a 6 x 6 m garage, with about 900 mm to each side wall and 1,050 mm to the front and back.
One large kit or two smaller kits?
| Layout | Works best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Two 8 Long Grid kits, one per bay | An opener rail runs down the middle | Check where the open door panels stop |
| One 23-Grid or 39-Grid, centred | Roller door, clear ceiling, one statement look | Needs a large clear area with the door open |
| Two kits from the 5-Grid to 14-Grid range | Odd shapes, a bench on one side, or a car bay and a gym or work bay | Plan both kits together so the look stays even |
How much light does each layout give?
| Layout | Floor area | Rated output (approx.) | Per m² of floor (HexSpace design guidance) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single garage, one 5-Grid | 18 m² | 15,840 to 17,280 lm | 880 to 960 lm/m² |
| Single garage, one 14-Grid | 18 m² | 37,620 to 41,040 lm | 2,090 to 2,280 lm/m² |
| Double garage, two 8 Long Grid kits | 36 m² | 48,840 to 53,280 lm | 1,357 to 1,480 lm/m² |
| Double garage, one 23-Grid | 36 m² | 58,080 to 63,360 lm | 1,613 to 1,760 lm/m² |
For how much light a parking, workshop or detailing garage needs, see our guide to how many lumens a garage needs. For the general principles of interior lighting in Australia and New Zealand, see AS/NZS 1680.1.
Which HexSpace kit sizes fit common garages?
These are the Standard hexagon kits that suit most single and double garages. The number in each kit's name is how many hexagons it has, so a 14-Grid has 14. Sizes come from our product specifications, and our hexagon kits are SAA and RCM certified.
| Kit | Size (mm) | Price from (AUD) | Best layout fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Grid | 2360 x 1650 | $369 | Small single garage, behind an opener motor |
| 8-Grid | 2400 x 2600 | $629 | Close-to-square clear area in a single garage |
| 8 Long Grid | 3780 x 1650 | $629 | One per bay in a double garage with an opener |
| 11-Grid | 3275 x 2375 | $729 | Single garage with parking and a bench |
| 14-Grid | 4085 x 2375 | $929 | Single garage with a clear ceiling, front to back |
| 23-Grid | 4200 x 3900 | $1,299 | Double garage with a roller door |
| 39-Grid | 5300 x 5000 | $2,599 | Double garage with a clear ceiling, for the most light |
Prices are for the 6500K Daylight option, checked on our product pages on 3 November 2026.
Colour temperature is measured in kelvin (K), and a higher number gives a cooler, whiter light. 6500K Daylight suits most garages used for car work or as a workshop. 5000K Cool White suits a garage that is mostly for parking or doubles as living space. Each colour temperature is a separate kit, not a setting you change later. If you also train in the garage, our guide to lighting a garage gym covers zones for the rack and mirror.
For any other size, enter your measurements in our kit planner. It shows three kits that fit, drawn to scale, from everyday lighting to detailing.
If your garage is long, narrow or L-shaped, or the door leaves an odd clear area, a custom layout quote can work around it. Send us your measurements and we can draw a plan like the ones above for your ceiling.
What do buyers say?
These are from buyer reviews on our store. Helen H. praised the quality of the lights and said the custom service actually delivers. Carter H. said the light is super bright and there are finally no more dark corners in the garage. Robert O. said the kit went together perfectly and neatly, and makes the garage a showroom.
How are the kits powered and mounted?
Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
How the grid is fixed depends on your ceiling, the fixing points and the kit layout. For ceilings above 4 m, a suspension wire kit is available, sold separately. The best install method depends on your space, and our install guide shows the options.
Should you plan for more light later?
In a double garage, you can start with one kit over the bay you use most and add the second later. Leave clear ceiling for it now. In a single garage, choose a kit size that still leaves light over the bench you plan to add. If a bay may become a workshop later, 6500K Daylight is the better choice, because each colour temperature is a separate kit.
So, how should you lay out your garage lighting?
Measure with the door open, mark the opener and the car bays, then put the light over each bay. A single garage usually takes one kit running front to back. A double garage with an opener suits two 8 Long Grid kits, one per bay, while a clear ceiling can take one 23-Grid or 39-Grid. Our hexagon garage lighting range lists every size.
If you are still choosing between hexagon kits and other fittings, our guide to the main types of lights for Australian garages compares them. If the garage doubles as a work space, see our workshop lighting range too.
Want us to plan it? Send us these details
We can suggest a kit size and draw a layout for your garage. Fill in our custom quote form and include:
- The garage's length and width.
- The ceiling height.
- The door type (roller or sectional), and where the opener and any beams sit.
- Where the power points and light switch are.
- What you mainly use the garage for, such as parking, a workshop, a home gym or detailing.
- Photos of the ceiling with the door open. The form doesn't take files, so mention you have photos and we'll ask for them when we reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best lighting layout for a garage?
Put the light over each car bay rather than in the middle of the room, and keep it clear of the opener rail and motor. Long kits should run the same way as the car, usually front to back, so light reaches the doors and wheels as well as the roof.
How should I lay out lights in a double garage?
If an opener rail runs down the middle, use two 8 Long Grid kits, one centred over each bay. In a 6 x 6 m garage this leaves a gap of about 1,350 mm for the rail. With a roller door and a clear ceiling, one 23-Grid centred over both bays also works, or one 39-Grid if you want the most light.
Where should garage lights go with a garage door opener?
Open the door fully and note where the panels stop and where the motor hangs. Keep the grid off the rail and motor, and where you can, plan it on the clear ceiling behind the open door. In a double garage, one kit either side of the rail is usually the neatest layout, even if the open door covers the front of each kit.
What size hexagon kit fits a single garage?
For a single garage, look at the 5-Grid to the 14-Grid. A 14-Grid is 4085 x 2375 mm, so in a garage about 3 m wide it leaves roughly 310 mm to each side wall when it runs front to back. Choose a smaller kit if the ceiling space is limited or the garage is mostly for parking.
Can I plug hexagon lights into a normal power point?
Yes. Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
Plan the right layout for your garage
Browse Garage Lighting Kits Try the Kit Planner Get a Custom Layout QuoteLast updated: 3 November 2026. Kit sizes and output come from our product specifications, and prices from our product pages on that date. Plans are simplified illustrations drawn to those sizes, not lighting measurements. Written by Ben From HexSpace Team. Our team has over 13 years of experience in the lighting industry.
If you spot an error in this guide, contact us and we will correct it. Each time we update this guide, we recheck sizes and prices and note the change here. First published on 3 November 2026. HexSpace designs and supplies hexagon lighting for Australia and New Zealand. Questions? Contact us.
