Choosing and Installing Track Lighting

Tips for Designing a Track Lighting Installation

Pick a Track Standard The foundation of any track lighting system is the track itself. The track is the part that attaches to the ceiling or wall and it's what the light fixtures are affixed to. It's important to keep in mind that not all track lights (fixtures) fit all track types. There are 3 standards and a bunch of proprietary systems. The three standards were developed by the early manufacturers of track lighting (Halo, Juno and Lightolier).  Each track is referred to by the first letter of each company's name: H, J and L. There are other track methods out there that are not compatible with the above standards; these tend to be the cheap systems of flimsy construction that are carried by the home improvement chains. Besides the low quality of the manufacturing, these track lighting systems defeat the purpose of track lighting by taking away the elasticity: once you buy a proprietary system, you are forever restricted to track light fixtures made by the same company. To avoid problems, it is recommended that you pick one of the standards, H, J, or L, and stick with it. You will ALWAYS need to buy fixtures and accessories that are of the same standard.