Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
LED lights work because of two things. The LED lights themselves and the power supply that gives them…power. To keep costs down, many manufactures make trade offs in both areas. Either LEDs may produce less light over time or the power supplies can be more prone to failure from heat and age.
If you want something you can build and fix if either the LEDs or the power supply stop working, it's much easier than you may think. On top of that, you can customize the brightness, layout and coverage.
The great thing is that LED strips have adhesive on the back, so they can be attached directly to a ceiling. In my set up, I lap jointed furring strips to create a 4 foot by 5 and a 1/2 foot panel. Cost me about $12 in all. Instead of just attaching them to the strips, I mounted mine in aluminum channels to help dissipate heat and extend their lifespan.
And then it was connecting wires and adding staples to hold them down. Now I did solder my connections, but you don't have to go that route. They make solder-less connectors...but I've got to admit the soldering was very easy.
For around $130, and that includes the frame, aluminum channels, LEDs, power supply and wiring, I built the entire system. And because I built it, repair is easy down the road.
Like step by step projects? Check out the second channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
D. Lundman
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
LED lights work because of two things. The LED lights themselves and the power supply that gives them…power. To keep costs down, many manufactures make trade offs in both areas. Either LEDs may produce less light over time or the power supplies can be more prone to failure from heat and age.
If you want something you can build and fix if either the LEDs or the power supply stop working, it's much easier than you may think. On top of that, you can customize the brightness, layout and coverage.
The great thing is that LED strips have adhesive on the back, so they can be attached directly to a ceiling. In my set up, I lap jointed furring strips to create a 4 foot by 5 and a 1/2 foot panel. Cost me about $12 in all. Instead of just attaching them to the strips, I mounted mine in aluminum channels to help dissipate heat and extend their lifespan.
And then it was connecting wires and adding staples to hold them down. Now I did solder my connections, but you don't have to go that route. They make solder-less connectors...but I've got to admit the soldering was very easy.
For around $130, and that includes the frame, aluminum channels, LEDs, power supply and wiring, I built the entire system. And because I built it, repair is easy down the road.
Like step by step projects? Check out the second channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
D. Lundman
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
