Now flexible LED aluminum channel is gradually taking over the home and commercial architectural lighting field with its ability to bend and make special shapes. We usually think of LED aluminum channels as straight, linear and rigid. However, after being processed, aluminum LED channels are fully capable of bending. Today’s article takes a look at what flexible aluminum LED channel is and how it fits into home and commercial lighting environments.
What’s an Aluminum Flexible LED Channel?
Aluminum flexible LED channel can be bent and shaped to customize the shape of the light line to meet LED strip lighting design needs, providing great decorative and design flexibility for architecture lighting. Designed for LED strip lights, aluminum flexible LED light channel is made of high-quality 6063-T5 aluminum alloy.
The use of 6063-T5 aluminum makes the flexible LED aluminum profile lightweight with moderate strength and hardness, and easy to machine and form into a variety of shapes to accommodate different LED strip light applications. Aluminum flexible LED strip channels are resistant to oxidation and corrosion and have good heat dissipation to help maintain the appearance and performance of the LED strip lighting system.
Flexible LED aluminum extrusion comes with a bendable PC or silicone light diffuser to even out the LED output. This uniform optical system provides a smooth, soft light distribution. This is important for architectural lighting to avoid uneven light and glare and to improve lighting effect and comfort.
Types of Flexible LED Aluminum Channel
- Trimless Recessed Flexible LED Aluminum Channel: simple shape, adapts to the vast majority of recessed LED strip applications, easy installation; allows the lighting system to blend into the installation environment without destroying the overall decorative effect; makes LED strip lighting system look pure and minimalist.
- Plaster-in Flexible LED Aluminum Channel: a common lighting fixture in architectural and interior design, firmly integrated into the building structure; embedded in drywalls or drywall ceilings and covered with a plaster that is the same or similar to the surrounding material.
- Tile Flexible LED Aluminum Channel: a lighting solution with LED strip light channels integrated into tiles for walls, ceilings, floors, etc.
- Surface Mount Flexible LED Aluminum Channel: easy to install and eliminates the need for deep wall or ceiling embedment.
Flexible Aluminum LED Channel vs Flexible Silicone LED Channel
In terms of protecting LED strip and evening out the light output, flexible LED channels can also be flexible LED silicone channels (also known as flexible LED neon tubes) in addition to flexible LED aluminum channels. Both types of LED channels are designed for LED strips and both have the ability to be bent, but are slightly different in application.
| Type | Flexible Aluminum LED Channel | Flexible Silicone LED Channel |
| Material | 6063-T5 aluminum alloy | Food-grade silicone |
| Bendability | Moderate bending | High bending performance |
| Protection | Provides some mechanical protection | Good waterproof performance |
| Heat Dissipation | Good heat dissipation | Relatively poor |
| Cuttable | Yes (requires specialized tools) | Yes |
| Sold Length | 1m, 2m, 3m | 1-5m (customizable) |
| Applications | Lines for architectural lighting, mostly used for indoor lighting, commercial places | Favors decorative lighting, can be used both indoors and outdoors |
How are Flexible Aluminum LED Channels made?
Take our best-selling 1212 Series and 7030 Series flexible LED aluminum channels as examples. 1212 Series is a cleanly constructed recessed channel presenting a U-shaped cross-section without unnecessary trim; 7030 Series is a plaster-in channel that is embedded into gypsum wallboard or drywall ceilings.
1212LR and 1212UD are products from which 1212R has been machined by cutting off some sections of the straight 1212R aluminum extrusion, making it bendable. 7030LR and 7030UD are also products from which 7030 has been machined and cut. So each flexible LED aluminum channel has a minimum bending diameter limit.
Difference Between LR Series and UD Series Flexible LED Channels
Our LR Series Curved LED Tape Tracks are designed to bend light lines on the same horizontal plane, such as ceilings or walls, common lighting applications are curved ceiling lighting, curved ceiling edge wall wash lighting, curved stair step lighting.
UD Series Bendable LED Strip Tracks, on the other hand, refers to these flexible LED aluminum channels curved inward and outward with the light emitting surface as a reference, which are generally used for arcade lighting, curved wall waistline lighting, curved ceiling wall lighting.
How to bend Flexible LED Strip Light Aluminum Channel?
Mark the bending area on the installation surface, and plan the position of the flexible LED diffuser channel according to the shape and direction of the bend.
Use a professional cutting tool to cut the flexible LED light diffuser extrusion, make sure the cut line is straight and neat enough to splice multiple channels to fit the overall bending length.
Before the actual bending, you can gently pre-bend the flexible aluminum extrusion led strip by hand or with a suitable tool, place the extrusion channel in the marked area, and gradually bend it according to the desired shape.
How to Install Light Strip in Flexible LED Aluminum Channel?
The placement of LED light strips for flexible LED aluminum channels changes depending on how the extrusion profile bends.
Due to the S-shaped serpentine bend of the LR Series Curved LED Tape Tracks, if the light strip is affixed to the bottom of the channel, you will need to have a led ribbon strip that can accommodate the S-shaped bend, such as an S-shaped led strip;
If you use standard flexible LED light tape, you can only stick the light tape on the side of the channel. Therefore, when choosing the LR series Curved LED Tape Tracks, special attention needs to be paid to the size of the side.
The UD Series Bendable LED Strip Tracks has no special requirements for the installation of LED strip lights, the led strip just sticks to the bottom of the channel.
- First mark the mounting position of the LED strip and the flexible LED aluminum channel in the mounting area.
- Determine the length of the light strip required according to the curved length of the aluminum profile.
- Stick the light strip in the proper position inside the channel, avoiding excessive pulling or twisting of the LED light strip to avoid damaging the beads or conductive wires.
- Finally, just cover the PC or silicone light diffuser cover.
Flexible Aluminum LED Channel Applications
Flexible aluminum LED strip channel extrusions show diverse uses in different application scenarios, and according to their classification, they can meet various indoor lighting and decoration needs.
- Recessed Lighting: Trimless recessed flexible LED aluminum channels embedded in any material where you want a special lighting shape, such as furniture, are widely available and are especially suitable for those interiors where modernity and purity are important.
- Drywall and Drywall Ceiling Lighting: Plaster-in flexible LED aluminum channels create an even, soft, and discreet lighting effect in the interior. Channel shapes can be customized to fit different curves and shapes, adapting to the design needs of different spaces, such as rounded, corner or curved walls.
- Tile Lighting: Flexible LED aluminum channel for tiles allows LED strips to easily blend into the structure of tiles to form patterns, borders, or lines, enhancing the design creativity of the space.
- Curved Step Lighting: exclusive LED lighting fixtures created for curved steps, which can well adapt to the curvature of the steps.
- Curved Internal and External Corner Lighting: For corner areas in building structures. By installing flexible LED strip lights aluminum channels in these curved corner structures, the lines and shapes of the space can be emphasized.
- Arcade Lighting: Installing flexible LED aluminum channels inside or along the surface of the arcade creates a fascinating lighting effect for the entire space, emphasizing the beauty of the arcade structure.
- Indoor Wall Washing Lighting: install flexible LED strip aluminum channel along the edge of the wall or the edge of the ceiling, so that the light produces a visual extension effect, to enhance the overall interior design feeling.