LED strip lights are flexible, self adhesive ribbons of tiny LEDs that you stick along a surface to add light where a normal fitting cannot go. In an Irish home they are the easy way to light under kitchen cabinets, behind a television or headboard, along a stair or a shelf, and even outside under a soffit if the rating is right. To choose well you only need to get four things right: how bright the strip is, whether you want plain white or colour changing light, the IP rating for where it will live, and a power supply that matches the run. Get those right and a strip kit fits in an afternoon with no rewiring. This guide walks through each choice, shows where strip lights work best, and picks three kits we would happily fit ourselves.
In this article
- What are LED strip lights and where do you use them?
- What types of LED strip lights can you buy?
- How do you choose the right LED strip light?
- What IP rating do you need in Ireland?
- How do you install LED strip lights?
- FAQ
What are LED strip lights and where do you use them?
A strip light is a long, bendable circuit board dotted with LEDs, backed with adhesive tape so you can press it into place. It runs on low voltage from a small plug in driver, so the ribbon itself stays cool and safe to touch. Because it is thin and flexible, it lights the spots a bulb or a spot cannot reach.
The most popular jobs in an Irish home are under cabinet lighting in the kitchen, a warm glow behind a wall mounted television, accent light along a shelf, a plinth or a stair, and a soft wash behind a bathroom mirror or a bed. Outdoors, a properly rated strip lights a soffit, a pergola or a decked step. The strip does the same thing everywhere, throw a clean line of light along an edge, so the trick is matching the brightness, the colour and the weather rating to the room.
What types of LED strip lights can you buy?
Strip lights split into two families, plain white strips for everyday task and accent light, and colour changing strips for mood and effect. The kits below cover both, and all three run from a plug in supply so you can fit them yourself. Pick the type by the job you want done.
Single colour white strips for task and accent light
When you want dependable working light, a white strip is the right call. A warm white gives a cosy glow for a living room shelf or a bedroom, while a cool white gives a crisp, clean light that suits a kitchen worktop. The kit below is rated IP65, so the same reel handles a splashy kitchen, a bathroom zone or a sheltered spot outside.
A 5 metre white strip rated IP65 for damp and splashy spots, ideal for under cabinet, worktop or bathroom accent light. Choose warm white for a cosy glow or cool white for a crisp kitchen finish.
RGB colour changing kits for mood and effect
If you want the light to change colour, an RGB kit is the fun option. One reel mixes red, green and blue to give any shade you like, set from a small controller, so the same strip behind a television or a headboard can be a warm amber one evening and a deep blue the next. Kits like this arrive with the driver and controller in the box, ready to plug in.
A complete 5 metre RGB kit with the driver and controller included, so you can set any colour behind a television, a bar or a bedroom headboard. Everything you need in one box to plug in and go.
Coloured strips with a remote for easy control
For colour with the least fuss, a coloured strip that ships with a remote lets you change shade, brightness and effect from the sofa. It is the tidiest choice for a room where you want to switch the mood without getting up, and it fits the same way as any other strip, peel, stick and plug in.
A 5 metre coloured strip with a handheld remote for colour, brightness and effects, controlled from across the room. A simple way to add a splash of colour to a shelf, a plinth or a feature wall.
How do you choose the right LED strip light?
Four specs decide whether a strip light does its job well. Cheap reels tend to fall down on exactly these, so this is where a few minutes of checking pays off. Here is what each one means and how to pick.
| What to check | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | Sets whether it is task light or a soft glow | A stated lumen figure, more for a worktop, less for accent |
| Colour | Decides the mood and how the room feels | Warm white for cosy, cool white for crisp, RGB for changing colour |
| IP rating | Whether it survives damp, splashes or rain | Match the rating to the room, see the table below |
| Power supply | An undersized driver dims the strip or fails early | A driver rated above the total watts of your run |
One more practical point, strips can be shortened at the marked cut lines every few centimetres, so measure the run first and buy a reel a little longer than you need. A 5 metre reel covers most kitchens and living rooms with a little to spare.
What IP rating do you need in Ireland?
IP stands for Ingress Protection, and the second digit tells you how well the strip keeps water out. In a dry living room it barely matters, but in a kitchen, a bathroom or outside it decides whether the strip lasts. Match the rating to how wet the spot gets.
| Rating | Protects against | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| IP20 | Nothing wet, dry indoor use only | Behind a television, along a shelf or a dry stair |
| IP65 | Splashes, steam and the odd wipe down | Kitchen worktops, bathroom zones and sheltered outdoor spots |
| IP67 | Heavy rain and brief immersion | Fully exposed outdoor runs and anywhere water can pool |
For coastal homes there is one extra thought. Salt air is hard on connectors and adhesive, so near the sea choose a higher rating than you think you need and seal the joins well, because a strip that would last years inland can lift and corrode faster in salty wind.
How do you install LED strip lights?
Most strip kits are a genuine plug in job. You measure the run, clean the surface so the tape grips, peel and press the strip into place, cut to length at a marked line if needed, then plug the driver into a nearby socket. No reel that runs from a plug in driver needs an electrician, which is most of what a homeowner buys.
The exception is a strip you want wired permanently into the mains, for example fed from a switched spur behind a cabinet with no visible plug. That is mains work, and in Ireland any wiring into the mains must be carried out by a Registered Electrical Contractor under the Safe Electric scheme, who issues a Completion Certificate when the job is done. Plug in strips carry no such rule, which is part of why they are so popular.
Frequently asked questions
Are LED strip lights bright enough to light a room?
On their own they are accent and task light rather than a main ceiling light. A strip is superb for a worktop, a shelf or a glow behind a television, but for lighting a whole room you still want a ceiling fitting, with the strip adding warmth and layers underneath. For a bright worktop, choose a strip with a higher lumen figure.
Can you cut LED strip lights to length?
Yes. Strips have marked cut lines every few centimetres, usually shown by a little scissors symbol and a pair of copper pads. Cut only on those lines with a sharp scissors, measure your run first, and buy a reel slightly longer than you need so you have room to spare.
Can LED strip lights be used outdoors in Ireland?
Yes, as long as the rating suits the spot. Use IP65 for a sheltered soffit or pergola and IP67 for a fully exposed run, seal the joins, and keep the driver somewhere dry. An indoor IP20 strip will fail quickly outside in our wet weather, so match the rating to the position.
Do LED strip lights use a lot of electricity?
No. A 5 metre strip typically draws a small number of watts, far less than old halogen or filament lighting, so running it costs only a few euro a year even used daily. LED strips are one of the cheapest ways to add light and mood to a room.
Do I need an electrician to fit LED strip lights?
Not for a plug in kit. If the strip runs from a driver that plugs into a socket, you can fit it yourself. You only need a registered electrician when the strip is wired directly into your mains, which the law requires to be done under the Safe Electric scheme.
Related reading: lighting the outside of your home too? See our outdoor lights buying guide for Ireland. Planning lighting for a party or event? Our guide to outdoor electrical supplies for events in Ireland covers festoon strings and power safely.
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