Quote Originally Posted by aggies09 View Post
Eric thanks for the detailed explanation. I had been contemplating a similar layout, but thought about using 8' units instead of 4'. Did you give any consideration to different types of lighting or just hone in on the florescent strips?
Focus from the start was florescent strips, but we toyed with some other kinds. To construct my "bus barn," we added 40' x 56' on to a 30' x 56' structure I already had. In my old barn, I had eight foot florescent tubes (two bulbs per fixture) in a similar pattern, with plain florescent bulbs. So in the bus barn that we just finished mid-May this year, I followed similar plan but went with four foot fixtures. While at Lowes, I saw the daylight bulbs which looked a lot brighter than regular florescents so I bought those.

We briefly considered other kinds of lighting, like what might find in Home Depot store ceiling, or basketball gym, or parking garage. But I have always been happy with what I had in my old barn, so I added lots more of them, in different configurations (walls, not just ceilings), used daylight bulbs, and called it a day. So far have been very happy. We did buy what I think Lowe's called "commercial grade" fixtures, for what that's worth. When we need a light focused somewhere, I pick one up and carry it there. Gives us maximum flexibility and is probably cheapest. I wouldn't have been able to predict every place I'd need a light, but I have lots of plugs and lots of extension cords.

From the other posts on this topic, lots of other folks have had good experiences with other methods, locations, types, backups which will be very helpful as you figure out what you want to do. By the way, we also have a pit and are extremely happy we do. If you can have one, have one (our opinion).

eric faires
huntsville, TN