Mall with strip lights installed in elevator, escalator, and in recessed areas.
March 17, 2025 32 min read

Using Strip Lights in Commercial and Industrial Applications

Poor lighting can negatively affect a business. Utilizing versatile strip lights in commercial and industrial settings helps provide proficient task lighting leading to better employee focus, increased visibility for customers, and decorative lighting to enhance architectural designs and artwork. Strip lights come in various styles, IP ratings, prices, and control options to provide a solution for many applications.   

This blog explains how strip lights can be utilized in numerous commercial and industrial applications and highlights their benefits.

Factors of Strip Lights for Commercial and Industrial Spaces   

  • Extensive IP Ratings: Strip lights have a wide range of IP ratings, from IP20 to IP68. This ensures compatible products are available, whether installed in a retail store or a spa. 

  • Customization: You can modify LED strip lights for multiple applications by cutting them along the cut points to the needed size. Strip lights also come in various styles, including high-intensity, flexible neon, side-emitting, outdoor, and COB strips.

  • Durability: Commercial-grade LED light strips are dependable, sturdy solutions. These flexible lights are well-suited and can withstand various environments. 

  • Cost-Efficiency: LED strip lights are more cost-effective than traditional light fixtures. They emit less heat and require little maintenance, resulting in lower electricity bills and replacement costs. 

  • Dimmable Options: Most LED light strips are dimmable, allowing adjustments based on lighting needs and increasing energy efficiency.  

  • Seamless Controllability: Strip lights are easy to control with smartphones, RF or IR remotes, and some home assistant systems. With specific setups, you can control multiple fixtures simultaneously or schedule your lights to turn on/off at designated times. For example, we have controllers with a biorhythm setting to adjust color temperature and brightness based on the time of day. These can be operated with a remote, or smartphone/tablet if using a smartphone app controller.

  • Motion Sensor Compatibility:  Installing strip lights with motion sensors reduces energy. This mini motion sensor works with LED strip lights and has a built-in timer to shut lights off after a selected wait time.

  • Accessories: A multitude of accessories are available to mount the strip lights, including connectors, aluminum channels, power adapters, junction boxes, wires, power supplies, and more. KLUS aluminum channels designed to reach an IP67 rating are also available to protect the strips from water or debris.

How to Utilize Light Strips For Industrial and Commercial Use?

Movie Theaters

Movie theater with blue strip lights along the steps. Movie theater with blue strip lights along the steps.
Strip lights along the ceiling and steps in movie theater. Strip lights along the ceiling and steps in movie theater.
Movie theater lobby with strip lights under the counter. Movie theater lobby with strip lights under the counter.

 

In movie theaters, add commercial strip lights along steps for safety when going up the stairs and increased visibility when finding seats or along the ceiling for overhead lighting. In the theater lobby, strips under the counters create decorative lighting to create the desired atmosphere and attract customers. 

How to Recreate:

Restaurants

Collage showing strip lights in restaurants under bars, accentuate architectural features, and in recessed ceiling areas. Collage showing strip lights in restaurants under bars, accentuate architectural features, and in recessed ceiling areas.

Strip lights can be installed under bar tops or as toe-kick lighting around the bar. Warm-white strip lights can be placed around the seating area to create decorative ambient lighting. Outside, they provide additional lighting on patios, pergolas, or columns. 

How to Recreate:

5m White COB LED Strip Light - High CRI - 24V - IP20
5m Single Color LED Strip Light - Eco™ Series Tape Light - 12V/24V - IP20
PDS-NK Aluminum Channel - Recessed - For Strips Up To 14mm - 1m / 2m

Hotels

White strip lights installed in recessed areas of a hotel lobby ceiling. White strip lights installed in recessed areas of a hotel lobby ceiling.
Bed with white strip lights installed along headboard. Bed with white strip lights installed along headboard.
Yellow strip lights installed under a bed to shine light from underneath. Yellow strip lights installed under a bed to shine light from underneath.

 

Strip lights can accentuate architectural features in lobbies. Install toe-kick lighting under beds or above headboards to outline room features. We recommend natural and cool white strip lights for hotel lobbies and guest bathrooms. Warm white is recommended for bedrooms. 

How to Recreate:

Office Spaces

Collage showing uses of strip lights in office spaces under desks, under shelves, or as cove lighting. Collage showing uses of strip lights in office spaces under desks, under shelves, or as cove lighting.

Install strip lights around the edge of the desk or under overhead cabinets. These light strips act as task lighting to help you see your workspace better. Offices with ceiling recessed can utilize strip lights for cove lighting. 

How to Recreate:

Retail Stores

Clothing store with white strip lights installed under shelving for additional lighting. Clothing store with white strip lights installed under shelving for additional lighting.
Retail store with white strip lights installed underneath shelves showcasing boots for accent lighting. Retail store with white strip lights installed underneath shelves showcasing boots for accent lighting.
Yellow strip lights installed around shelves holding wine to highlight products. Yellow strip lights installed around shelves holding wine to highlight products.

 

Use strip lights to accentuate and highlight products. 98 CRI strip lights are available to accurately depict the natural color of products in jewelry, cosmetic, and clothing stores and showrooms, making them more appealing to consumers. 

How to Recreate:

Gas Stations

Green LED strip lights installed along the canopy of a gas station. Green LED strip lights installed along the canopy of a gas station.
Gas station at night lit up with green strip lights installed along the perimeter of the canopy. Gas station at night lit up with green strip lights installed along the perimeter of the canopy.

 

Installing colorful strip lights under the canopy over the gas pumps can draw attention to your location. Verify the strips are approved for outdoor use, preferably weatherproof (at least an IP64 rating).   

How to Recreate:

Television Lighting Consistency Index  

White TLCI strip lights installed along the circular ceiling structure of a broadcast studio with cameras ready for filming. White TLCI strip lights installed along the circular ceiling structure of a broadcast studio with cameras ready for filming.
Room used for filming with yellow TLCI LED strip lights installed along the walls perimeter.  Room used for filming with yellow TLCI LED strip lights installed along the walls perimeter.

 

The Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI) calculates the accuracy of how an artificial light depicts color on camera. TLCI uses a measurement scale of 1-100. This strip light has a 99 TLCI rating and a 98 CRI, ensuring high visual quality in filming locations. 

For more information about the TLCI, check out this blog on our affiliate website, Super Bright LEDs. 

How to Recreate: 

Outdoor Business Lighting 

Collage showing strip lights behind sign letters and around windows for businesses to bring attention to a business at night. Collage showing strip lights behind sign letters and around windows for businesses to bring attention to a business at night.

Use strip lights to outline any edges or recessed areas of a building's exterior. Strip lights or LED light sheets installed under signs can display light through and around the sign. 

Disclaimer: For outdoor strip lights, you need waterproof strips with at least an IP64 rating and IP65 rating for power supplies and controllers. 

How to Recreate: 

Additional Applications

Strip lights are adaptable lighting technologies that fit various other applications, including:

  • Warehouses

  • Factories

  • Concert Venues

  • Commercial Boats

  • Art Galleries

Read this blog from our affiliate, SBL, for more information on choosing lighting for an art gallery. 

Start Now 

Industrial Commercial Lighting has the solutions needed to improve lighting in a variety of business and warehouse settings. Shop online now or call our product support specialist at 888-249-8166 for more information. 


Why Choose Industrial Commercial Lighting?

When you shop with ICL, you can feel confident in knowing you’re getting the highest-quality lights on the market. Our in-house test lab rigorously tests all of the products we carry. Additionally, we provide all of our customers with before and after the sale support from our call center located at our headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. And we do all of this while still offering some of the best prices in the industry.

*Warranty is subject to change. Please see the product page for a product's warranty.

Place your order Monday through Friday and get same-day shipping before 3 PM CT.

ICL is a Super Bright LEDs Company. 


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