you use what is called step lights or in-wall lights. Can you add an overhead light in the stairwell? or are you trying to not hire an electrician?

https://www.ledlightings.cn/product-details/5w-titanium-aluminium-step-eyelid-light-outdoor/

cant get pictures to load scroll the image on the left.

Hi RL. Thanks so much for responding and for the link. I assume that's what you suggest for a type of light to use. I think it would work well. 

I'm not trying to avoid an electrician. I like mine. And I am planning a lot of remodeling to help us age in place. I am just trying to figure out the best plan for this dangerous part of the house. I am interested in motion sensing so I can use my hands to grip the banister instead of turning on lights. There are ceiling lights at both ends of the stairs, and I hope to link them to the same switch if possible. I've also thought a decorative pendant might be nice mid-flight. I've always been sensitive to overhead light, but that's ok if it is diffuse, so I try to choose overheads with up-lighting shades, if I'm saying that right. 

So, with the step lights, should they be at every step? I see pictures at every other step and wonder if someone is trying to save money and not as safety oriented as me right now. Or if it's actually better to have them at every other step.

Thanks again for responding. I have a lot of lighting questions for every room and would love to hire a lighting specialist for the whole house as we complete our plans. But I don't know one locally and am postponing a lot of things until the pandemic calms down again.

I am interested in motion-sensing so I can use my hands to grip the banister instead of turning on lights.

the switch you currently use can be converted to motion, sometimes that does get annoying however if it comes on even as you walk by the stairs. however it can be done.

So, with the step lights, should they be at every step? I see pictures at every other step and wonder if someone is trying to save money and not as safety oriented as me right now. Or if it's actually better to have them at every other step.

No you do not need them on every step, otherwise, you will have over light, as you see int the picture there is plenty of light there.

hanks again for responding. I have a lot of lighting questions for every room and would love to hire a lighting specialist for the whole house as we complete our plans. But I don't know one locally and am postponing a lot of things until the pandemic calms down again.

there is a lot of great help on here, if you post pictures, and ask questions.

Step lights require that a hole be cut in the drywall adjacent to the staircase for every fixture and wires to be run within the wall that connect the lights together.

An alternative is to attach an LED strip light to the wall (example, example) or under the bannister (example). Wiring would be required only at one end of the strip light and you could theoretically connect it to the same circuit as the ceiling lights. I'd embed the strip lights in a channel (example) attached to the wall or bannister.

You can use occupancy sensors (aka motion sensors) to turn on the stair lights.

strip lighting goes dead in the center of the run and you are replacing the whole run. also not so sure how you attach it to a banister.. glue tape? does that stay stuck? and where is the wire? is that to code?

@RL Relocation LLC: "strip lighting goes dead in the center of the run"

I don't know what this means. Dead?

@RL Relocation LLC: "not so sure how you attach it to a banister"

I suggested placing the LED strip in a channel. Depending on a bannister's material, the channel could be glued or screwed to it.

@RL Relocation LLC:; "does that stay stuck?"

My channel is glued to the underside of my metal staircase support. Yes, it's still stuck there.

@RL Relocation LLC: "where is the wire"

The wire extends from the end of the LED strip.

@RL Relocation LLC: "is that to code?"

LEDs are low voltage, typically 12 volts. The 120-to-12-volt transformer can be placed in a convenient location. Mine is plugged into an outlet in a closet and the low-voltage wire runs from there to the LED strip.

Oh dear...over lighting... I should have thought of that. I have long been sensitive to too much light and glare. Thanks for reminding me. How do I calculate how much is too much?

Nice to know any switch can be made motion sensitive. I had no idea that was possible. I will mull over that option 

The idea of an led channel might also be appealing, but that brings me to my current issue of guests grabbing the banister in the wrong place. With a channel the entire length, could that reduce an unstable person's grip? Maybe I'm not imaginative enough. Have you a picture or diagram?

Did I also miss the nuance of another comment that I should consider instead an overhead light? Did I mention I have traditional decor? Would an overhead light be more decoratively appropriate?

And, are there limitations to having two banisters? Does a stairwell have to be a certain width to accommodate them? Do they look stupid? I am learning towards them to maintain equal muscle strength on both legs as I age. Also, my husband has big feet, and I am afraid he will miss the tread as he ages.

I am so grateful to all of you for responses. The topic might not be as exciting as some others, but home safety is important to me. And I still want my home to look like a home, not an institution.

"Oh dear...over lighting..."

Just put the lights on a dimmer. There are combination motion sensor/dimmers such as the Lutron MSCL-OP153MH.

"guests grabbing the banister in the wrong place"

It depends on the shape of the railing. For example, if you had a flat-bottom railing you could attach an LED channel to its underside.

"I should consider instead an overhead light"

You'd probably need several to avoid shadows. For example, you wouldn't want just one at the top of the stairs. An LED strip light could run the entire length of the staircase and not cast any shadows.

"are there limitations to having two banisters?"

New staircases are to be 36" wide BETWEEN railings. Adding a second railing to an old staircase can result in clear space between the railings that's very narrow.

please leave me alone. wdcruise, i have had enough of your constant trolling my posts.

I would add an overhead light that came on with a motion sensor that is truly the easiest resolve. call an electrician and have them give you an estimate.

If you follow IRC you may have 27" clear between handrails which are on both sides of the stair.

I would be curious to see an example of a handrail that has a continuous lighted strip underneath. One that doesn't have to stop or interfere with the handrail brackets, hides the wire where it crosses over the 1 1/2" gap back to the wall, and doesn't break the bank with customization. And also can light above the handrail either directly or indirectly.

@RL Relocation LLC: "is that to code?"

LEDs are low voltage, typically 12 volts. The 120-to-12-volt transformer can be placed in a convenient location. Mine is plugged into an outlet in a closet and the low-voltage wire runs from there to the LED strip.

NOT TO CODE PERIOD . PUTTING A LIGHT FIXTURE ATTACHED TO A HANDRAIL IS HAZARDOUS. ADA WOULD BE ALL OVER THAT, AS WELL AS ANY HOME INSPECTION.

NOT ONLY WOULD IT IMPEDE YOUR GRIP, BUT IT WOULD ALSO BE A FIRE HAZARD, AND FRANKLY NOT APPROVED. IF IT WAS A LEGAL WAY T LIGHT A HAND RAIL YOU WOULD SEE IT USED IN MANY SPACES.

@3onthetree: "I would be curious to see an example of a handrail that has a continuous lighted strip underneath."

@RL Relocation LLC: "YOU WOULD SEE IT USED IN MANY SPACES"

• How about Images of LED Under Staircase Railing ?

@RL Relocation LLC: "HAZARDOUS!" "ADA!" "IMPEDE YOUR GRIP!" "FIRE HAZARD!" "NOT APPROVED!" Right.

@wdccruise Yes, there are many images of under-handrail lighting, however some are illegal handgrip size and the rest are architectural products ("breaking the bank"). I was referring to seeing a DIY setup on an existing handrail, which for 9 out of 10 houses in middle America, will look just like this, but probably without the returns at the ends:

For my own learning, I'd like to see how a retrofit example is done without being hokey with the wire crossing over, passing through drywall holes on both sides of the wall to get to a driver plugged in an outlet. And fastened securely, without gapping over the bracket, or interfering with a sliding thumb being cut by the tape edge. Then continuing to light the landings and providing enough indirect light for the wall/ceilings. Have you done this and have a pic of your setup?

@3onthetree: "I was referring to seeing a DIY setup on an existing handrail"

You'll have to investigate DIY yourself; the OP did not state that she would be installing the lighting. Here are two companies that offer illuminated staircase railings.

• illunox
• lumorail

I have an LED strip light in a channel attached to the underside support of an open-riser staircase. The OP said she had a "fully-enclosed staircase" so she could not do something like this but could attach the LED strip to the underside of the railing instead.

don't waste your time with him, he is very defensive.

Wow...and I thought this topic would be too boring for anyone to respond to. I am learning a lot. My stairwell is 36" wide without the hand rails. My current handrail comes out 4", leaving me 32". A second one the same size would leave me 28". My current hand rail gives me a good grip...my hands are the smaller of us two. My big-foot husband also has big hands. I assume we'd have to temporarily remove one or both if we needed to move furniture up or down stairs. 

I'm sorry I did not provide enough information in the beginning. There is a light in the hall at the top of the stairs controlled by switches at either top or bottom of stairs. There is a light in the hall at the bottom of the stairs, controlled only by a switch at the bottom of the stairs. Both halls are perpendicular to the stairs. Both lights are centered to line up with the stairs.

One change I should make is to change the switches so either light can be controlled by switches at either the top or bottom of the stairs. I think...do you agree? Does anyone disagree?

With both lights on, there is enough light to clearly see. If I do incorporate an overhead light, I'm guessing you all would advise one that sends light upward to bounce off the ceiling so I am getting diffused, reflected light to reduce shadows. But I'm thinking now that maybe I don't need one. Does anyone disagree?

The reason we like the motion sensor lights is it allows us to go up and down stairs without using the switches. We also like that they are dim, because it allows one of us to use the stairs without getting bright light in the eyes of the one watching TV, or to wake the other if one is sleeping upstairs. The hall light shines under the door, and we are both light sleepers.

Am I correct that it's possible to add a dimmer switch to both the light switches? Is it also possible to connect both switches to two motion sensors at the top and bottom of the stairs? That sounds pretty fancy.

If I can't connect motion sensors to the existing hall lights all fancied up with the rewired switches and dimmers, I might still be looking at motion-sensor LEDs. There seems to be some concern about lighting the rail. I wonder if I could run an led strip through a chanel that would be just under a piece of new trim board placed slightly above and parallel to the board that currently goes up the stairs. That is IF I don't go ahead with the half-closed eyes. That's what they look like to me. I'm guessing they would have to be hard-wired. Thoughts?

Thanks so much for commenting and sharing your thoughts. You've already helped me so much!

Oh, in case you are wondering, there is construction at the bottom of the stairs, main floor. We're changing our powder room into a laundry closet so we can change our laundry room into a full bath on the main floor to allow us to age in place longer.

"There is a light in the hall at the top of the stairs controlled by switches at either top or bottom of stairs. There is a light in the hall at the bottom of the stairs, controlled only by a switch at the bottom of the stairs."

The top light is controlled by a pair of 3-way switches. Connect the wires from the bottom light to the bottom 3-way switch. Now both lights will be controlled by the 3-way switches.

"Am I correct that it's possible to add a dimmer switch to both the light switches?"

Yes, you can do this but it isn't necessary. You can pair a dimmer switch with a regular switch and just control the brightness with the dimmer.

"Is it also possible to connect both switches to two motion sensors at the top and bottom of the stairs?"

I haven't found any way to do this. The motion sensors I've seen can only be paired with a dimmer or regular switch, not a second motion sensor.

"I wonder if I could run an led strip through a channel that would be just under a piece of new trim board placed slightly above and parallel to the board that currently goes up the stairs."

I'd consider embedding the LED channel in the trim board for a neater appearance.

Thanks, all. I think the rewiring of switches so I can turn on/off the two lights from the top or bottom of the stairs is all I need.