What does the IP20 rating mean?
Key takeaways:
- An IP20 light fixture is an indoor fixture protected against access to hazardous parts with the fingers and against solid objects larger than 12.5 mm, but not against water.
- It is the most common rating for pendant lights and ceiling lights in dry rooms (living room, bedroom, office, hallway), whereas a bathroom requires a minimum rating of IP44.
- The installation and connection of a pendant light or ceiling light should be entrusted to a qualified electrician, and maintenance is done with the power off, using a soft, dry cloth.
Understanding the IP protection rating
An IP20 light fixture is an indoor fixture whose protection rating indicates that it is protected against access to hazardous parts with the fingers and against solid objects larger than 12.5 mm, but that it offers no particular protection against water or dust.
This Lustria collection brings together our IP20 pendant lights and ceiling lights, designed for the dry rooms of the home: glass globes, LED ceiling lights, rattan pendant lights, gold compositions and more sculptural models. To see all of our models, browse our light fixture collection.
What is an IP protection rating?
The protection rating comes from an international standard, adopted as a European standard and defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission, sometimes abbreviated as the "IEC standard". It indicates the level of protection of an electrical or electronic device against the intrusion of solid objects and liquids.
The rating consists of two digits: the first represents protection against solid objects, such as dust, and the second protection against water and liquids, depending on the type of spray. One of them may be replaced by the letter X when that level has not been tested. In indoor lighting as in LED lighting, this measure is essential to know whether the device is protected under its intended conditions of use, and therefore to choose the right light fixture for the room.
What does IP20 mean in practice?
The IP20 rating means that the device is protected against the intrusion of solid objects with a diameter greater than 12.5 millimeters, but that it has no protection against water, moisture or infiltration from a jet or spray. This level is therefore suitable for the dry rooms of a home, and not for a damp room or a bathroom.
It corresponds to common indoor use, such as in the living room, the bedroom or the entryway. When properly installed, an IP20 light fixture is generally enough to last a long time, but this rating protects it neither from a damp environment nor from outdoor use.
When is an IP20 light fixture enough?
In most cases, an IP20 light fixture is enough for the general lighting of a home. It can be installed in a bedroom, a living room, an entryway, a resting corner or a kitchen, provided that the location is exposed neither to steam nor to a direct water source.
This level of protection suits light or moderate indoor use in a stable environment, and it is also the usual rating for recessed spotlights, LED panels and indoor wall sconces. In a bathroom or outdoors, on the other hand, a higher rating is preferable, wherever moisture resistance needs to be greater.
Where to install an IP20 light fixture
IP20 is the most common rating for indoor light fixtures. It suits dry rooms: living room, dining room, bedroom, office, hallway or entryway. In a kitchen, it can be installed away from water points and from cooking areas that produce steam.
The rooms where an IP20 light fixture is recommended
An IP20 light fixture naturally finds its place in the bedroom, the living room or the entryway, since these spaces are exposed neither to infiltration nor to water splashes. The choice of model then depends on the type of light and the luminous flux you are looking for: for a soft light, integrated LED is ideal, as on our living room light fixtures. Our bedroom light fixtures also favor calm lighting.
In a kitchen that is not damp, this light fixture is permitted, and many models take a bulb with a standard base, which is easy to replace. It is a very widespread type of lighting in modern interiors, to be found among our kitchen light fixtures. At Lustria, each model is chosen for its design and its light output.
Where it should not be installed
An IP20 light fixture is not suitable for outdoors, even under a shelter, nor for locations exposed to water, splashes or steam. In a bathroom, where water arrives under pressure or in splashes, the NF C 15-100 standard defines zones, called volumes, with precise requirements depending on the distance to water points, and the IP44 rating is the minimum there. Have a qualified electrician check which rating is required at the intended location, and choose, from our bathroom light fixtures, a model whose IP rating shown on the product page matches it.
In a kitchen, a device placed too close to a cooking area is exposed to unwanted steam. Outdoors, the light must be durable, watertight and protected against solid objects as well as liquids: only an outdoor light fixture designed for this use is suitable, with its protection rating shown on the product page. The table below serves as a simple guide for remembering the right value, room by room.
Comparing the ratings
The higher the digits of the rating, the greater the protection. For example, an IP44 rating corresponds to protection against water splashes, and an IP65 rating to protection against dust and water jets. None of these ratings means that a light fixture can be immersed: only the use intended in the product page is authoritative.
Where IP20 suits a dry interior, higher ratings are recommended as soon as a device faces more demanding conditions. A floodlight installed outdoors must therefore be protected against water penetration, and a bathroom ceiling light must withstand moisture as well as splashes. Depending on the installation and the intended use, opt for higher protection as soon as the environment is damp, for example with our IP65 light fixtures.
| Rating | Level of protection | Where to install it |
|---|---|---|
| IP20 | Fingers and solid objects larger than 12.5 mm, no protection against water | Dry rooms: living room, dining room, bedroom, office, hallway |
| IP44 | Solid objects larger than 1 mm and water splashes | Bathroom, depending on the volume checked by the electrician |
| IP65 | Dust and water jets | Outdoors, for a model designed for this use |
The different types of IP20 light fixtures
Two main families make up this collection, which other light fixtures can complement:
IP20 pendant lights
The IP20 pendant light is ideal for lighting a dining room table or a living area. Lustria offers many IP20 pendant lights, from modern design to a more classic style.
Above a table, it is lowered to 70 or 80 centimeters from the tabletop, to light the meal without blocking the view. Its installation and wiring fall to a qualified electrician.
IP20 ceiling lights
The IP20 ceiling light, for its part, gives a general light, without shadow zones. It is most often installed in the center of the room, for harmonious lighting: this is the role of our IP20 ceiling lights.
Flat LED ceiling lights give uniform lighting, close to that of a light panel, with a clean and minimalist look, appreciated in modern interiors where a high, well-distributed light is wanted. This equipment is not waterproof, but it is perfectly suited to a dry interior.
IP20 wall sconces, lamps and floor lamps as a complement
Other indoor light fixtures carry the same rating. An IP20 wall sconce provides decorative or directional lighting and creates an ambient effect on a wall or in a passageway. Some versions have integrated LED, and their connection is also entrusted to an electrician.
Freestanding light fixtures, for their part, simply plug into an outlet. An IP20 lamp lights a bedside, a console or a desk. An IP20 floor lamp adds a light point near a sofa or a reading armchair.
Creating an indoor lighting plan
To choose the right device, it is useful to consider each room as a space made up of ambiance zones.
The work zone requires an intense light, the rest zone a lower light, and the circulation zone lighting that is effective but soft. This approach makes it possible to adjust the light output and to achieve true visual harmony.
Putting the lighting plan into practice
Start by observing the part of the room exposed to natural light, then add the suitable LED lighting.
By following this simple guide, it becomes easy to create a balanced plan: this method makes it possible to install the right light fixture in the right place, and to avoid a result that is too intense or too weak.
A concrete example of organization
In a living room, you can install a pendant light for general lighting, an LED spotlight to highlight a piece of furniture and a wall sconce to create a warm ambiance in the evening.
This combination adapts to most rooms and follows everyday habits: you simply change the proportions from one room to another.
Installation and maintenance
A pendant light or ceiling light is connected to the electrical grid: entrust the installation to a qualified electrician. For maintenance, turn off the power, let it cool down and dust with a soft, dry cloth, without water or cleaning products.
Complying with installation rules
The IP rating of a light fixture is defined by the international IEC standard, and the installation conditions permitted in a home, indoors as well as outdoors, fall under the NF C 15-100 standard in France. Complying with them ensures the safety of the installation and the good durability of the equipment over time.
Above all, it is up to you to choose a light fixture whose rating, shown on the product page, matches the room.
Choosing the right bulb
The LED bulb is today the most widely used in indoor lighting. It offers a light output suited to each type of room, and it can be integrated into the device or replaceable, depending on the base it has. Its use is economical and its maintenance simple, two strengths of our LED light fixtures.
Choose a warm white, from 2700 to 3000 K, for relaxation rooms, and a neutral white, around 4000 K, for an office or a work surface.
Letting the installation evolve over time
A light fixture installed under good conditions can evolve with the room: you can later opt for a different model, change the suspension height or change the luminous flux, to adapt the light to the time of day.
The most flexible solution remains the dimmer, for which our dimmable light fixtures are designed: check that the LED bulb bears the "dimmable" mention, and entrust the installation of the dimmer to a qualified electrician.
Frequently asked questions about IP20 light fixtures
Answers to the most common questions:
What exactly does IP20 mean for an indoor light fixture?
It indicates that the light fixture is protected against the intrusion of solid objects larger than 12.5 mm, such as a finger or a small object, but that it has no protection against water. It is therefore suitable only for dry indoor rooms, without moisture or splashes.
It is one of the most common levels in home lighting, made for everyday living spaces.
Is an IP20 light fixture suitable for a living room or a bedroom?
Yes, it is the standard rating for the dry rooms of the home: the living room, the bedroom, the entryway, the dining room, the office or the hallways, which experience neither high humidity nor significant steam.
It allows great freedom of style, light output and layout there, for a soft ambiance as well as for general or functional light. What matters is that the device is never exposed to water, even accidentally.
Can an IP20 light fixture be installed in a bathroom?
Not near water points, and for the rest it depends on the exact location and on the volumes defined by the NF C 15-100 standard. Above a sink, a bathtub or a shower, moisture and splashes can damage the device and make the installation dangerous.
Have a qualified electrician check the rating required at the intended location: IP44 is the minimum there, and an IP54 or IP65 rating is justified depending on the exposure.
What is the difference between IP20, IP44 and IP65 for LED lighting?
The difference lies in protection against water and dust: IP20 offers none and is reserved for dry rooms, IP44 protects against water splashes, and IP65 against dust and water jets.
IP44 is thus suited to a bathroom or a slightly damp kitchen, and IP65 to the outdoors, where conditions are harsher. These differences guide the choice according to the room and its exposure.
Is an IP20 light fixture protected against dust?
No, the first digit 2 indicates protection against objects larger than 12.5 mm, not against dust. It is therefore suitable for rooms where dust is not a major problem, and not for a dusty or industrial environment.
To judge the protection against solid objects, look at this first digit: the higher it is, the greater the protection.
Where can I find the IP rating of a light fixture?
It is shown on the page of each product, and it also appears, most often, on the label of the device.
Read its two digits separately, the first for solid objects and the second for water, and ask a qualified electrician for advice if in doubt.
What types of IP20 light fixtures can be used indoors?
IP20 suits a wide variety of indoor light fixtures: decorative pendant lights to create a focal point, ceiling lights for general lighting, wall sconces to structure spaces or recessed spotlights for a discreet light.
Each type plays on intensity, style and ambiance. At Lustria, pendant lights and ceiling lights come in many designs, sizes and finishes, to keep an aesthetic consistency from one room to another.
Why should an IP20 light fixture not be exposed to water?
Because it has no protection against water: a simple splash, an infiltration or contact with moisture can damage the device or cause a short circuit, and sometimes represents a real electrical risk.
It is therefore never installed in a damp environment, near the water points of a bathroom or outdoors.
Which LED bulb should I choose for an IP20 light fixture?
An LED bulb whose color temperature and power match the function of the room. A warm light is ideal in a bedroom or a living room, where it creates a soothing ambiance.
A neutral or cool light is better suited to work or passageway spaces. Also check the base compatible with the light fixture, for a simple and lasting installation.
How do I comply with the installation rules for an IP20 light fixture?
By entrusting the installation and connection to a qualified electrician, who applies the electrical safety rules and respects the minimum distances from sources of moisture.
They cut the power supply before any handling and make sure the support can bear the weight of the device.