Why the aluminium matters
Two things ruin a bare LED strip: heat and dotting. The extrusion solves both. Aluminium pulls heat out of the diodes, which is the single biggest factor in how long a strip holds its colour, and the diffuser sitting 12–20 mm above the chip smears the individual points into a continuous line. A strip glued straight to plaster gives you a row of dots that fades unevenly in about three years.
The common profiles
| Profile | Section | Rate, fixed | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recessed, plaster-in | 24 × 12 mm | ₹700–1,100 / rft | Ceiling lines, trimless reveals |
| Surface mount | 17 × 8 mm | ₹550–800 / rft | Retrofit, under a beam |
| Corner / 45° | 16 × 16 mm | ₹600–900 / rft | Shelf undersides, skirting wash |
| Wardrobe / shelf slim | 12 × 6 mm | ₹450–700 / rft | Inside joinery, mirror flanks |
| Suspended linear | 50 × 70 mm | ₹1,600–3,400 / rft | Dining tables, workstations |
Where it earns its money
- A trimless recessed line in a ceiling, plastered flush, with no visible fitting at all.
- Vertical reveals flanking a TV panel or a headboard, which make a veneer or stone face read as three-dimensional.
- Under kitchen wall units, where it is the only sensible way to light a worktop without your own shadow in the way.
- Inside a wardrobe, on a PIR sensor, at around ₹2,400 per bay.
Profile versus cove
Cove lighting hides the source in a plaster pocket and lights the slab indirectly — soft, ambient, forgiving of a crooked pocket because you never see the edge. Profile shows a deliberate line, so every millimetre of setting-out is visible. Use cove for atmosphere and profile for geometry; a lot of good ceilings use one of each and nothing else.
The cost gap is real. Profile runs roughly twice a cove per running foot, mostly in the extrusion, the end caps and the labour of getting it dead straight. Budget the driver separately and leave it reachable. See ceiling design and the lighting layout calculator when you plan the layers.
Frequently asked questions
Is profile lighting better than a cove?+
Different jobs. Profile gives a crisp, visible line and needs precise work; a cove gives a soft glow and hides its own imperfections. Profile costs roughly twice as much per running foot. Most rooms benefit from one cove and one or two profile runs, not a building full of either.
Can profile lights be installed without a false ceiling?+
Yes. Surface-mounted profiles screw directly to a slab or wall, and corner profiles tuck under a shelf or a beam. Only the plaster-in trimless type needs a framed ceiling to disappear into.
What wattage should a profile strip be?+
9.6–14.4 W per metre for ambient and joinery light; 19.2–24 W per metre where the line is the main source over a worktop or a dining table. Higher wattage needs a deeper extrusion to stay cool.
How are profile lights joined at corners?+
With mitred extrusion and a corner connector for the strip, or a purpose-made L-piece. A butt joint leaves a dark notch that is impossible to ignore once the light is on, so corners are detailed before the material is ordered.