Lighting

How Many Footcandles Do I Need?

May 6, 2022

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One of the most important parts of planning any lighting, whether it’s new construction or a remodel, is making sure that the space is properly lit. To do this, you have to know how many footcandles you need. But what are footcandles? You may have noticed us mention them from time to time in past blog posts. In this post, we will take a deeper dive into what footcandles are and how many you’ll need for your lighting project.

What are footcandles?

Footcandles (or fc) are a common unit of measurement for determining light intensity. Before there was electricity, candles provided the majority of light. To determine a standard guideline for how much light was needed for a space, a candle was set one foot away from a one square foot surface. The light used to properly illuminate that one square foot of space became known as a footcandle. Today, footcandles are commonly referred to as lumens. One footcandle is equal to 1 lumen per square foot.

1 fc = 1 lumen/ft2

We can’t talk about footcandles without mentioning lux (lx). Lux is the metric system equivalent to footcandles. It is the same general idea as footcandles, but the area being lit is one square meter. One lux equals 1 lumen per square meter.

1 lx – 1 lumen/m2

Converting footcandles to lux is very simple. One footcandle is equal to approximately 10 lux (or 10.76 lx).

1 fc = 10 lx

So if you have 50 fc, you will have around 500 lux (50 x 10). Alternately, if you 1,000 lux then, you would have around 10 fc (1,000 ÷ 10).

Note: By multiplying or dividing by 10 lx, you are getting a general estimate. For the exact number of lux, you will need to use 10.76.

Why are footcandles important?

Footcandles and lux are the two most important measurements when it comes to planning any lighting. Without them, we would have no way to measure the amount of light being produced by a fixture. We also wouldn’t be able to tell how much light is needed to properly illuminate a space at comfortable levels. In fact, light levels are so important that there are state and local guidelines to ensure buildings have adequate light. Depending on the industry, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has mandatory light levels. These regulations are in place to ensure work sites are well lit and safe for employees and customers.

How many footcandles do I need for my space?

Recommended footcandle amounts will vary based on a variety of factors, including the size and planned use of the space being lit. You must also follow any state and local regulations that dictate the amount of lighting needed for certain areas. As mentioned earlier, this is for safety reasons.

So, how many footcandles do you need? The tables below have average footcandle and corresponding estimated lux amounts for a wide range of commercial and residential applications. Keep in mind that these are estimates and should only be used as a reference or starting point. You should always refer to a lighting designer to determine the correct amount needed for any project.

Manufacturing & Warehouse Facilities
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Warehouse – Inactive Area	5 – 10	50 – 100
Warehouse – Active Area w/ Small Items	30	300
Warehouse – Active Area w/ Large Items	10	100
Warehouse w/ Aisles	10 – 30	100 – 300
Warehouse w/ Open Floor	10 – 30	100 – 300
Shipping/Receiving	5 – 30	50 – 300
Maintenance/Shop	50	500
Picking Stock	20 – 50	200 – 500
Cold Storage	10 – 30	100 – 300
Assembly – Simple	20 – 50	200 – 500
Assembly – Difficult to Complicated	100 – 300	1,000 – 3,000
Wrapping/Packing/Labeling	20 – 50	20 – 50
Loading Dock	10 – 30	100 – 300
Processing – Coarse Materials	10	100
Processing – Medium Materials	30	300
Processing – Fine to Extra Fine Materials	50 – 100	500 – 1,000

Work Shops
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
General Work or Storage	30	200
Production – Detailed Tasks	50	500
Production – Fine Detailed Tasks	70 – 90	700 – 900

Garages & Garage Workshops
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
General Hobby Work	30	300
Work – Detailed Tasks	30 – 50	300 – 500
Work – Fine Detailed Tasks	70	700

Airplane Hangers
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
General Work or Storage	30	300
Maintenance – Detailed Tasks	30 – 50	300 – 900
Maintenance – Fine Detailed Tasks	70 – 90	700 – 900
Manufacturing – Drilling, Riveting, Screw Fastening	75	750
Manufacturing – Welding	50	500
Manufacturing – Final Assembly	100	1,000
Manufacturing – Inspection	50 – 200	500 – 2,000

Offices
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Lobbies/Reception/Breakrooms	10 – 30	100 – 300
Open Office/Cubicle Space	30 – 50	300 – 500
Private Offices	50 – 100	500 – 1,000
Conference Rooms	20 – 70	200 – 700
Accounting Room	50 – 100	500 – 1,000
Hallways/Stairwells	20	200
Restrooms	7.5 – 30	75 – 300

Schools
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Hallways	10 – 40	100 – 400
Classrooms	30 – 75	300 – 750
Lecture Halls	50 – 100	500 – 1,000
Small Gymnasiums	30 – 50	300 – 500
Large Gymnasiums	50 – 100	500 – 1,000
Cafeteria	20 – 30	200 – 300
Auditorium – Social Activities	3 – 10	30 – 100
Auditorium – Assembly Only	10 – 20	100 – 200
Auditorium – Exhibitions	10 – 50	100 – 500
Dormitories	20 – 30	200 – 300

Hospitals & Medical Facilities
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Lobby	5	50
Waiting Areas	10	100
Hallways	10	100
Stairs	10	100
Nurse Stations	30	300
Record Rooms	50	500
Patient Rooms	10 – 30	100 – 300
Operating Rooms	100 – 200	1,000 – 2,000

Convention Centers, Exhibition Halls, & Venues
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Main Areas	30 – 90	300 – 900
Meeting Rooms	30 – 50	300 – 500
Restrooms	5	50
Stairways	5	50

Parking Garages
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
General Parking Garage	1	10
Parking Garage Ramps	1 – 2	10 – 20
Vehicle Storage	2 – 5	20 – 50
Entrance Areas	50	500
Stairways	2	20

Outdoor & Exterior Lighting
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Entrances	5	500
Safety	0.5 – 2	5 – 20
Open Parking Lots	2 – 5	20 – 50
Parking Lots – Grocery & Supermarkets	25 – 100	250 – 1,000
Gas Stations	10 – 15	100 – 150

Football Fields
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
College	70 – 100	700 – 1,000
College – Televised	80 – 150	800 – 1,500
Large High School	50 – 70	500 – 700
Small High School	30 – 50	300 – 500
Pop Warner	30 – 50	300 – 500
Recreational	20 – 40	200 – 400

Baseball & Softball Fields
Location	Infield Footcandles (fc)	Infield Lux (lx)	Outfield Footcandles (fc)	Outfield Lux (lx)
College	70	700	50	500
College – Televised	100	1,000	70	700
High School	50	500	30	300
Little League	50	500	30	300
Recreational	30	300	20	200

Residential Spaces
Location	Footcandles (fc)	Lux (lx)
Living Room	10 – 20	100 – 200
Kitchen – General	30 – 40	300 – 400
Kitchen – Stove	70 – 80	700 – 800
Kitchen – Sink	70 – 80	700 – 800
Dining Room	30 – 40	300 – 400
Bed Room	10 – 20	100 – 200
Hallway	5 – 10	50 – 100
Bathroom	70 – 80	700 – 800

Again, these are simply average footcandles. Every installation is different and will require its own set of footcandles. These are simply to give you a general idea of what you will need. If you have further questions about footcandles or need help finding a fixture that meets the footcandle requirements of your project, speak with one of our US-based lighting experts at 1-800-624-4488.

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