Schools often use fluorescent lighting because it is fast, cheap, and easy to install. But this type of lighting may negatively impact students and could even lead to poor learning performance – not to mention the impact it can have on teaching. If you can’t have natural light in your classroom, you can reduce the harsh glare by installing a light filter. Fluorescent light filters go directly over existing light fixtures, are made of flame-retardant material, and are easy to install.
We found the best classroom light filters that fit full light fixtures to help mediate artificial light and promote a positive learning environment.
Best Classroom Light Filters Reviews
1. Educational Insights – Best Overall
This light filter is a best seller for a reason. It leads the classroom light filters in benefits and has the best reviews for light filters. These fluorescent light filters are one of the first light filters on the market. The classroom light filters come in a four-pack, and you can choose from tranquil blue or whisper white. Each sets a different tone in your classroom, but the light filters lessen the harshness of the fluorescent lights, creating a more calming environment no matter where you are. Some of the light filters’ key features are that the filters stop glare and flickering that can cause eyestrain, tension, anxiety, headaches, and more. It mainly provides relief for those with sensory difficulties.
These classroom light filters are full fabric panels easy to install with little experience necessary and fit over the standard dimensions for ceiling fixtures. There are strong, with sewn-in magnets that will stick to existing standard ceiling fixtures easily and be uninstalled just as quickly. They are heat resistant, flame retardant, and certified safe to use in any space, as it includes a certificate of conformance for flame retardancy, so be sure to save this for your records.
While there are many pros, there are some downsides to the Educational Insights full-light panels. Some customers report that there aren’t enough magnets, so the fluorescent light filters drop-down, causing an untidy or unprofessional look. The blue can be dark – dimming the lighting more than you expected but still preventing glare, so be sure to be aware of how much natural sunlight or other light sources may provide additional illumination before purchasing. Indirect sunlight may impact how bright classrooms can be.
The Educational Insights classroom light filters are highly rated and one of Amazon’s choices regarding light filters for fluorescent lights. Overall, it is a good choice for your classroom, office, or home that will help stop glare to prevent headaches and migraines, creating the ideal atmosphere for reading, learning, and more.
2. GlareShade – Best Value
Similar benefits as other light filters, including stopping glare, while being a better value for your money. This fluorescent light filter is highly reviewed on Amazon and comes in 5 packs. The filters have ten strong magnets to ensure a great fit on all standard fluorescent lights (2ft x 4ft dimensions) and are easy to install without experience.
The light covers are made of a flame-retardant material to meet fire safety standards. Each package includes a safety certificate to back up their claim, so save it. This material is washable, so you can pop the full fluorescent light covers in the wash when they get a little dusty for a fresh filter free of dust and allergens.
These classroom filters come in bigger packs, making them a better value than others. Too, if you aren’t comfortable with how these light filters reduce glare and flickering in your classrooms, there is a 100% money-back guarantee on the product, so there is little risk to trying.
3. ShadeMAGIC – Choose Different Designs
If you can’t be under the natural light, being under the blue sky and clouds is the next best thing. These light covers are fun and beneficial. These fluorescent light covers come in a 2-pack or a 4-pack. The classroom light filters feature cloud images that enhance the filter, reduce the harsh glare, and add a fun flair to your classroom for everyone to enjoy. It simulates being outside under the sunlight, so if you can’t teach under the sun, at least you can be under the color and the light of the clouds!
This light covers’ full dimensions are 4 feet by 2 feet and are made of flame-retardant polyester material that makes the filters durable and long-lasting. It includes ten high-strength magnets to connect to your fixtures with ease. All you need to do is grab a ladder and attach it to the outer edge of any standard-size fluorescent light.
When you first take the covers out of the package, they may contain wrinkles. They are heat resistant, so iron them to straighten the light filter before hanging them. What sets this apart from similar covers is that it features ten magnets, while others only include six. This means that with more magnets, it will sit more flush with the light, meaning it won’t sag and will look more professional while stopping glare.
Overall, the ShadeMAGIC Fluorescent Light Cover is a fun alternative to other light filters and will give you similar benefits – it reduces glare to prevent headaches, migraines, anxiety, eyestrain, and more. With the fun cloud images, the natural sky is literally the limit with these filters – all you need is sunlight!
4. Educational Insights – Most Calming Design
Another great heat-resistant product by Educational Insights. The raindrop-like design and color of these fluorescent light filters create a serene environment in your classroom for your children, taking down glare and providing other benefits similar to other classroom light filters on this list. You can’t go wrong. These classroom light filter covers are another great option by Educational Insights. The full light panels are standard dimensions, 2 feet by 4 feet ( 48 x 24 inches), and the tranquil blue has a subtle pattern – almost like raindrops – to help create an atmosphere of serenity without the glare that you can enjoy in your classroom.
Like the original, the full fabric panels fit over standard ceiling lights and stop glare. They are heat-resistant and use magnets that you can easily install by sticking them over the lighting. These are only good for fluorescent light bulbs and not LED lighting, so make sure you are using these on the right type of light panels. You will see a difference in your teaching under these patterned filters and enjoy greater concentration when reading, less strain on your eyes, and fewer headaches and migraines because of the less harsh light transmission.
Because of the blue filter, these light covers do darken the classroom in addition to the less light output. They are less natural in appearance. Customers report they are easy to put up and make a huge difference in their student’s behavior with the strong glare, making this a great alternative for those classrooms and teachers who use fluorescent lighting.
5. Everday Educate – Best Off-White Light Filter
The off-white fluorescent light covers take down the glare to prevent migraines, headaches, and other health conditions associated with fluorescent lights. It is easy to install with no experience needed to provide a more natural and less artificial look for your children. These cozy covers help soften the light in classrooms in a calm, off-white tone. These classroom light filters come in a four-pack, with 48 x 24-inch dimensions, meaning they fit over full standard fixtures and are easy to install – who has time to mess with complex setups high above the floor? The fluorescent light filters connect using ten magnets and fit snugly against the current light, eliminating harsh lighting by distributing fewer light rays and stopping glare.
The light filters are easy to cut to size if you need to fit a different size light, though you would have to reattach the magnets. They are resistant to heat and cover the NFPA 701 requirement. The fluorescent light filters have many of the same benefits as the other filters on the list. It prevents light glare, prevents headaches and migraines, and helps simulate natural, less processed lighting. Customers, including many teachers, report being happy with their performance and that of the children in their class since they install these fluorescent light filters.
Because the classroom filters are easy to install for every teacher, they provide less harsh light and come in two color options; they are one of the best lighting covers. The light filter is great at preventing glare and promoting a great learning environment for children.
Buyer’s Guide
When you are looking to buy a light filter, there are some features that you should keep in mind. Not all filters are created equally, but the right classroom light filters can make all the difference in your school and your classroom and foster a more natural lighting type. This includes helping reduce headaches and migraines by preventing glare, saving your eyes from strain and dryness, and increasing attention span in children, among other benefits that light covers bring to the table. Here are a few things to remember when considering what light covers to purchase. There are many on the market, and following this buying guide can provide fewer options from the beginning, and you will purchase the best fluorescent light covers for your needs.
What Type of Lights
These light covers do not work on LED lighting, so make sure you know what type of lighting you have in your classroom. You can do so by asking if you have LED lighting or if you have fluorescent lighting. Or you can check if the light bulb says LED. Just be careful if checking directly – they may be hot, or you may get something in your eye as you remove the light covers.
How it Fastens
This can make a huge difference in your classrooms. The more magnets, the tighter it will sit against the light fixture. This will impact how much it dims the bright lighting, as well as how it looks. A tighter fit will look more professional in your space and cause fewer distractions, completing its purpose!
The Color
Do you want a blue-lighting look in your classroom or a dimmer lighting look? Something that mirrors natural light? Or do you prefer more fun options? How will it reduce glare? These are all things you need to consider but start with the color. They provide a different ambiance in the school, so you will need to decide based on your preference.
The Design
The fluorescent light filters come in a solid color, but they also have design options. What tone do you want to set in your classroom? Natural? More fun? The solid colors are purposeful, but the fun designs add a little flair to your classroom. They both may reduce glare, but they may also be distracting.
Material Used
The material can have a huge impact on the light filter. Is it plastic? Polyester? Micro-fiber? Different fabric types can be used in classroom light filters, impacting the filter color, natural appearance, glare reduction, health benefits (like reducing migraines), and more. It can also impact if it is up to the building code.
Flame Retardant
If you are using fluorescent light covers in a classroom or office, they need to be fire-resistant to be compliant with the fire code. This is a must as the fabric is pressed directly against the full light panels when you install them, and the bulbs and fluorescent light fixtures can get hot. If they are not resistant to heat and cannot prove it with the panel package certificate, you will be asked to take them down by the fire marshal during fire drills, by another teacher, or by other people in power. These filters do not work and should not be used with LED lighting.
Features
You will want to ensure that the classroom light filters have the features you want when choosing. They should reduce harsh glare on the eyes, prevent headaches and migraines, and more. They should be easy to install and not take a lot of time. The fluorescent light filters should also be the right color, dimming the light enough to take away the harsh fluorescent light and mimic sunlight’s effects. These are all important things the light filter should do – it’s more than just sticking a piece of fabric over a light!
Frequently Asked Questions
You may still have questions about why fluorescent lighting is bad for you and what the wrong type and color of lighting can cause your children. Natural light may not always be possible, but there are ways to get around it, including setting up a light cover. Below are some questions and answers that may help you make up your mind and foster a great installation experience for the filters to recreate a natural experience. There are many filters to choose from, including different colors, and you will see the difference it will have, not just on your classrooms’ performance but also on your performance both at work and home.
What Impact does Lighting Make?
For decades, researchers have been studying the impact of lighting on performance. Time after time, children exposed to lighting that mirrors sunlights experience less stress and anxiety and improved behavior, health, attendance, and overall academic performance. Filters in a classroom also prevent glare and flickering.
What Are Some Common Issues that Develop After too Much Exposure to Fluorescent Lights?
There are impacts on your physical and mental well-being and overall experience when exposed to too many fluorescent lights without any filters in the classroom. You may get more headaches, including migraines, cluster headaches, and tension headaches. Your eyes may face increased light sensitivity, causing your eyes to be tired, dry, or sore – or worse, causing degeneration. Your skin may also be damaged based on the coating on the light akin to UV damage.
Mentally, it may increase stress levels because fluorescent lighting can inhibit natural cortisol production, impacting how your body deals with common stressors – for the worse. It can disrupt your sleep cycle, causing you to be overtired. Prolonged exposure can also reduce your ability to concentrate and focus, causing you to be easily distracted, irritable, and more.
Why Should Teachers Use Fluorescent Light Filters in Their Classroom?
Light covers are a great way to simulate sunlight, reducing the harsh glare and flickering from fluorescent light fixtures. This will allow your classroom to be more inviting and create better lighting and the best experience for your class children. Not only does it improve your attention span, but it also reduces headaches, and migraines, saves your eyes, and has other positive effects. These claims have been backed up by scientific research, so while fluorescent lights are fast, cheap, and easy to install, it’s not the most beneficial lighting for children in classrooms.
How to Install the Classroom Light Filters
Installing light filters is an easy experience. All you need to do to install it is grab a ladder and position it under the light you want to cover. Step on the ladder and place the filter over the light. The sewn-in magnets will stick to the light fixture. All panels should fit over full standard ceiling lights, which reduces the high light transmission for a more positive classroom environment for all, including the teacher, the children, and everyone in the school! You can not use these light filters on the LED light, so make sure to install them.
