Garage

The Hexeli rule is approximately 1 hexagon per 16 sq ft (1.5 m²) of ceiling, or 1 hexagon per 20 sq ft (0.55 per m²) in a garage. This works out to 11 hexagons for 215 sq ft (20 m²), 17 for 325 sq ft (30 m²), and 28 for 540 sq ft (50 m²). For ceilings over 10 ft (3 m) high, add 50%.

No, because the light isn't concentrated in one spot. It's spread across the whole grid, which removes the “spotlight” effect and harsh shadows. If the garage doubles as a living space, plan a separate circuit so you can light only part of the grid in the evening.

Mounting the grid, yes: the panels screw to the ceiling and link together with connectors. Allow about 1.5 hours for a typical garage, with two people. The connection to the electrical panel is a job for an electrician — which is also what keeps the installation insurable.

The grid adapts: we follow the shape of the room instead of forcing a rectangle. On a low ceiling, we never lower the panels, we widen the grid. Around a beam, we go around it rather than interrupting it.

An LED grid uses far less than fluorescent lighting of equivalent output. The right habit is to compare lumens, not watts: since the switch to LED, watts no longer tell you how much light you get.

Neutral white 6,500 K for working: it renders colors without distorting them. RGB is an ambient add-on for the edges of the room or a wall — never the main lighting of a space where you work.

Yes, as long as you stay with the same series. Two different series never give exactly the same tint, and on a ceiling it shows immediately. The simplest approach: order one more panel than you need and keep it.

It's replaced individually, without touching the rest of the grid. That's the advantage of a modular installation over a one-piece fixture.