How many hexagon lights you need depends on the floor area, the ceiling height and how bright you want the space. As a guide, a feature cluster suits a small area, while a whole garage, gym or workshop usually needs a grid sized to cover the floor evenly. The modular system makes this easy, because you fit the panel count to the room rather than to a fixed fitting. This guide shows you how to work it out, with garage sizing including a two-car garage.
The short answer
There is no one magic number, because rooms differ. What stays true is the goal: cover the area you use with even light and no dark patches. Because the system is modular, you size the panel count to that goal. Get the coverage right and the room works. Under buy and you are left with shadows you cannot fix without adding more.
The one-line version
Size the panels to cover your space evenly, not to a fixed number. A cluster for a feature, a grid for a whole garage, gym or workshop.
How to work out how many you need
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Measure the area to light
Work out the floor area you want covered. In a garage that is usually the whole floor, in a feature space it might be one zone.
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Note the ceiling height
A higher ceiling spreads the light over a bigger area, so it needs more output to land the same brightness where you use it.
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Sketch the shape in panels
Draw hexagons over the footprint you want lit, aiming for even coverage with no big gaps that would leave dark patches.
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Count and check the supply
Count the panels, then check that against what one power supply can run. Plan power injection if the grid is large.
Garage sizing, including a two-car garage
Garages are the most common use, so it is worth spelling out. The bigger the floor, the more coverage you need, and the more likely you are to move from a cluster to a grid, and eventually to a grid with power injection.
| Garage size | Typical approach | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single garage | Large cluster or small grid | Cover the whole floor, not just the centre |
| Two-car (double) garage | Grid | A larger floor, size the grid to reach the corners |
| Triple garage | Large grid, often with injection | Keep every panel bright across a big floor |
| Workshop or shed | Grid to the floor area | Same principle, sized to the space |
For a two-car garage in particular, the thing to avoid is treating it like a single garage. It is a noticeably bigger floor, and a layout that would light a single garage well will leave a double one patchy at the sides and corners, which is exactly where you tend to work on a car.
Panels by room type
| Space | Coverage goal | Typical layout |
|---|---|---|
| Feature wall or accent | One zone | Cluster |
| Home gym | Whole training area | Grid |
| Detailing bay | Over the vehicle | Full grid |
| Garage or workshop | Whole floor | Grid sized to area |
| Media or gaming room | Adjustable mood | Cluster or grid, dimmable |
Why ceiling height matters
Ceiling height is the factor people most often forget. The higher the ceiling, the further the light has to travel and the more it spreads before it reaches where you work. That means a tall garage or workshop needs more total output than a low room of the same floor area to feel equally bright. If your ceiling is high, size up rather than down.
Laying it out evenly
- Spread the panels. Cover the whole area rather than clustering panels in the centre, so the corners you use are lit.
- Plan around the work. In a garage or bay, light over where the car and work actually are, not just the middle of the room.
- Mind the edges. Keep the layout reaching the working corners while leaving neat clearance at the very edges of the ceiling.
- Leave room to grow. If the space or its use might grow, plan to add panels later using the same system.
Worked examples by space
Because exact numbers depend on your room, it helps to see the thinking rather than a single figure. Here is how the logic plays out in a few common spaces, so you can apply the same reasoning to yours.
A single garage is a modest floor with a standard height ceiling. The goal is to cover the whole floor, not just park a cluster over the middle, so a large cluster or a small grid usually does the job, reaching the sides where you actually work.
A two-car garage is a noticeably bigger floor, so the same layout that suited a single garage would leave the outer edges patchy. Here a grid is the right call, sized to reach the corners, and it is the most common garage scenario people size for.
A triple garage or a large workshop is a big area, often with a higher ceiling, so it needs a larger grid and frequently power injection to keep every panel bright and even from one end to the other.
A home gym is sized like a garage, covering the training area evenly, while a feature wall or media zone is the opposite case, where a single cluster over one area is the point rather than whole-room coverage.
Same logic, any room
Whatever the space, the method is the same: cover the area you use with even light, size up for a bigger floor or a higher ceiling, and add power injection when the grid gets large.
Room size to coverage: a comparison table
The quickest way to see what a space needs is to line rooms up side by side. The table below shows a typical floor area, a sensible target light level in lux, the total lumens you are aiming to deliver across the floor, and the style of hexagon layout that usually suits. The lux targets follow the interior lighting bands set out in the Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS 1680, so a storage space sits lower and a work or training space sits higher.
| Space | Typical floor area | Target light level (lux) | Total lumens to deliver (guide) | Suggested hexagon system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small single garage | Around 15 sq m (2.7m x 5.4m) | 150 to 200 lux | Around 3,000 lm | Large cluster or small grid |
| Double (two-car) garage | Around 27 sq m (4.9m x 5.6m) | 250 to 300 lux | Around 8,000 lm | Full grid to the corners |
| Workshop or large shed | Around 42 sq m (6m x 7m) | 300 to 400 lux | Around 17,000 lm | Large grid, often with power injection |
| Home gym | Around 20 sq m (4m x 5m) | 300 to 500 lux | Around 9,000 lm | Grid, with extra panels over the weights |
| Living room | Around 20 sq m (4m x 5m) | 150 to 250 lux | Around 4,000 lm | Feature cluster, plus lamps for task light |
The lumen figures are a planning guide at floor level, worked out by multiplying the floor area in square metres by the target lux. Real rooms lose some of that light to mounting height and wall colour, so for dark walls or a ceiling above about 3 metres, size up by roughly 30 to 50 percent and spread the panels across the whole ceiling rather than clustering them in one spot. That even coverage is exactly what AS/NZS 1680 is asking for, and it is where a hexagon grid does its best work.
Two of these spaces reward a closer look. For a training space, our home gym and garage gym sizing guide sets out the higher lux targets for free weights and mirror walls. If you are buying specifically for a garage, our garage hexagon lights buyer's guide covers what to look for on brightness, colour and compliance.
How to size your system
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Start from coverage, not a number
Decide what area you want lit evenly, and let that set the panel count.
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Size up slightly and dim
It is better to have a little more and dim than to under-light and live with dark patches.
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Check the power plan
Stay within the supply limit or add power injection so a large grid stays even.
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Ask the supplier to help
Give a good supplier your room size and ceiling height for a suggested layout and panel count.
Expert tips
A few sizing tips from planning countless hexagon layouts, so you get even light and no regrets.
- Measure before you shop. Know your floor area and ceiling height first. Guessing the panel count is how rooms end up patchy.
- Plan around where you work. In a garage or bay, light over the car and the work zone, not just the centre of the room.
- Size up for a bigger floor. A two-car garage is not a single garage with a bit extra. Step up to a grid sized to reach the corners.
- Allow for ceiling height. A tall garage needs more output than a low room of the same floor area to feel equally bright.
- Plan power for large grids. Beyond a certain panel count you need power injection to keep every panel bright and even.
- Buy a little extra rather than too little. Sizing up and dimming beats under-lighting and living with dark corners.
- Leave room to expand. If the space or its use might grow, plan a layout you can add matching panels to later.
Do not buy to a number, buy to a coverage. Light the area you actually use, evenly, and size up rather than down.
HEXA Lighting
Quick summary
Size hexagon panels to cover your space evenly, based on floor area and ceiling height. A cluster for a feature, a grid for a garage, gym or workshop, and a larger grid with power injection for a two-car or triple garage.
Why HEXA is Australia's choice
HEXA is Australia's original hexagon lighting specialist, and the reason so many Australians choose HEXA comes down to range, compliance and support you can rely on.
- Australia's original hexagon specialist. HEXA designs its own hexagon systems, not generic dropship products, so the range, fit and support are built around Australian homes and trade.
- The largest hexagon range in Australia. From a single cluster to full custom grids, HEXA offers the widest choice of hexagon systems in the country.
- Compliant as complete systems. Every HEXA system is certified as a whole system to Australian standards, not just from individually rated parts, so an electrician can install with confidence.
- Backed and supported locally. A 7-year warranty on our compliant systems and a local Australian team behind every order.
7-Year Warranty
Frequently asked questions
How many hexagon lights do I need?
It depends on the floor area, the ceiling height and how bright you want the space. As a guide, a feature cluster suits a small area, while a whole garage or gym usually needs a grid. Size the panels to cover the space evenly rather than to a fixed number.
How many hexagon lights for a two-car garage?
A double or two-car garage is a larger floor to cover evenly, so it usually calls for a grid rather than a single cluster. The exact panel count depends on the size and ceiling height, which is why a modular system that sizes to the room works so well.
How many hexagon lights for a single garage?
A single garage needs less coverage than a double, but still benefits from a grid or a large cluster to light the whole floor evenly rather than just the centre.
How many hexagon lights for a triple garage?
A triple garage is a big floor, so it needs a larger grid, often with power injection to keep every panel bright and even across the space.
How do I work out how many panels I need?
Start with the area you want to light and the ceiling height, sketch the shape in panels over that footprint, and count them. Aim for even coverage with no big dark gaps.
Does ceiling height change how many I need?
Yes. A higher ceiling spreads the light over a bigger area, so a taller space needs more output to land the same brightness where you use it.
Is it better to have too many or too few?
Slightly too many, then dim. Under-lighting leaves dark patches you cannot fix, while a dimmable system that is sized up can always be turned down.
Can I start small and add more panels later?
Yes. Modular systems let you start with the main area and add matching panels over time, within the power supply limit or with added power injection.
How many hexagon lights for a home gym?
Enough to light the training area brightly and evenly. Like a garage, it is about covering the floor, so size the grid to the space rather than a fixed number.
What happens if I do not use enough panels?
You get dark patches and uneven light, which is the most common complaint with a poorly sized layout. Cover the whole working area evenly to avoid it.
Do more panels use a lot more power?
More panels use a little more power in total, but each is efficient, so even a large grid draws modest power for the light it produces.
How many panels can one power supply run?
A set number, depending on the system and supply. Beyond that you add power injection to keep a large grid even. A supplier will tell you the limit for your layout.
Should I light the whole ceiling or just a zone?
Light the area you actually use. In a garage that is usually the whole floor, in a detailing bay it is over the car, and in a feature space it might be one zone.
How many hexagon lights for a shed or workshop?
Size the grid to the floor area and ceiling height, the same as a garage, so the whole working space is covered evenly.
Is a cluster enough for a garage?
A small cluster is usually a feature rather than full lighting for a garage. Most garages need a grid to cover the whole floor evenly.
Can a supplier help me size my layout?
Yes. Give a good supplier your room size and ceiling height and they can suggest a panel count and layout that lights the space evenly.
Does furniture or storage change the layout?
Plan the light around where you actually work and move, so shelving or a car does not cast the working area into shadow.
How do I avoid dark corners?
Spread the panels across the whole area rather than clustering them in the centre, and keep the layout sized to reach the corners you use.
How many hexagon panels are in a typical grid?
It varies with the space, since you size the grid to the floor area and ceiling height. A feature cluster uses a handful of panels, while a double garage grid uses noticeably more. Size to coverage rather than a fixed count.
Can I mix a cluster and a grid in one space?
Yes. You can run a main grid for general light and add a feature cluster elsewhere, as long as each layout is powered correctly within its supply limit or with power injection.
What if my garage is an unusual shape?
The modular panels are forgiving, so you shape the layout to the room. Plan the coverage around where you work, and a supplier can help you fit an even layout to an awkward space.
How many hexagon lights for a four-car or large garage?
A large garage is a big floor, often with a higher ceiling, so it needs a large grid and usually power injection to keep every panel bright across the whole space. Size to the area and height, and ask a supplier to help plan it.
Should I light the whole garage or just the workbench?
For a garage most people light the whole floor, because you work all over it. A bench or a car spot can have extra coverage, but a grid over the whole area avoids dark patches wherever you move.
How do I know if I have enough light before I buy?
Sketch your layout over the floor plan and check it covers the whole area with no big gaps, then confirm it against the ceiling height. A good supplier will sanity-check the panel count for your room.
Does a lighter coloured garage need fewer panels?
A little. Light, reflective walls and floors bounce light around, so a bright room can feel well lit with slightly less output than a dark one of the same size. Size for the space you actually have.
Size the right hexagon layout for your space
Explore HEXA garage and hexagon systems you can size to any room, all backed by our 7-year warranty on compliant systems, or ask us to plan a layout for your garage.
