Intro to how to Make Your Own LED Strip Light Diffuser
If you’ve ever seen LED strip lights installed in someone’s home or office and thought to yourself, “I wonder how they did that?” – this blog post is for you. LEDs are a great way to add some extra light to any room, and with a little bit of know-how, you can create your own diffuser to lessen the harshness that can come with led lights.
As LED setups can kind of have hot spots due to their extreme output relative to their size, we need to find a way to spread that light out. And that is exactly what a diffuser is for. You might be saying… you can get a diffuser at the store.. yes… but you can make one for less money and customize it to exactly what you need by following these simple steps:
What you’ll need/ Materials
Gather your materials. For this project, you’ll need some clear plastic tubing (we like to use 3/4″ ID tubing), a sharp knife, scissors, a hot glue gun, glue sticks, and of course, your LED strip lights. You’ll also need something to mount your diffuser – we like to use small zip ties or adhesive strips.
Steps to making your diffuser
- Cut your tubing to length. Depending on the size of the area you’re trying to cover with light, you may want to cut your tubing into shorter sections. It’s always better to err on the side of too short than too long, as you can always trim off any excess later on. Pro tip: if you’re using zip ties to mount your diffuser, leave a few extra inches of tubing so that you have room to thread the zip tie through later on.
- Make your cuts. Once you have your tubing cut to length, it’s time to make the cuts that will actually diffuse the light. We like to start by making two opposing cuts at a 45-degree angle, about an inch from each end of the tubing piece. From there, make 1/2″ cuts every inch or so along the length of the tubing – be sure not to go all the way through so that your diffuser remains intact!
- Trim any excess plastic away from your cuts. Depending on how sharp your knife is, you may find some sharp edges left behind after making your cuts. To avoid getting scratched later on , take a moment now to trim away any excess plastic with scissors until everything is smooth.
- Time for assembly! Before we get started putting everything together, double-check that all of your pieces are still present and accounted for -diffuser tube,LED strip light , and mounting supplies. When you’re ready, thread one end of the diffuser tube over the end of the LED strip light – it should be a snug fit. If it’s not snug enough, try rotating the diffuser tube 90 degrees and trying again – if it’s still loose, give us a call and we’ll walk you through some troubleshooting steps! Once the tube is in place, Thread the other end of the Tube over The Top part of The connector. At this point , your Tube should be covering The entire LED Strip Light.if not, pull the tube down until it’s snug against The LEDS .
You don’t want any gaps between The Tube And The LEDs because That Will Allow Light To Escape! If everything looks good so far , grab your hot glue gun and squeeze A dot of hot glue onto one end of the connector. Quickly push the end of the diffuser tube Onto The Hot Glue Before It dries. Now you can repeat this step to the other end of the connector. And that’s it! You’ve Now Successfully made your own DIY LED Strip Light Diffuser! - Now that everything is put together,it’s time to decide where you’d like to mount your new diffuser.we like to use small ZIP Ties Or Adhesive Strips To attach our diffusers to corners or under cabinets, but get creative -the possibilities are endless! Just be sure that wherever you mount it ,the surface is flat and smooth so that your diffuser will lie flush against it . If you Have any any curves or bumps ,your diffuser may not fit as snugly as we’d like and some light may escape through any gaps
Conclusion
With just a few supplies and a little bit of know-how, you can easily make your own LED strip light diffuser! Not only is this project relatively inexpensive, but it’s also quick and easy – perfect for anyone looking for a weekend DIY project. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
