Learn why backlighting with Light Tape is the way to go, and how we are different than LEDs.
Getting Started
Backlighting doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Stick with us, and we’ll remove the stress. It doesn’t matter if this is your first project or your thousandth, we’ll happily walk you through the process of backlighting your stone or surface step by step from start to finish.
Two easy steps:
-Pick your surface.
-Send us your design (See the below file for what we need).
We have plenty of experience working with homeowners, designers, and contractors. Ask us any question- we can help.
The most crucial aspect is the translucency of the surface. While every supplier claims their material is translucent and can be lit up, the reality can differ. Translucency exists on a spectrum; even stones from the same source can vary significantly. Some materials may exhibit changes in translucency across the same surface, resulting in areas that do not transmit light.
We recommend thoroughly testing your surface to assess its light responsiveness. Ideally, inspect the slab before purchase and obtain a sample in advance. Material variations can be substantial, so it’s wise to verify firsthand.
We always recommend purchasing a sample of our Light Tape ahead of time to test your surface with for translucency.
The ultimate goal is to achieve a uniformly illuminated surface. Uneven brightness—such as bright edges and a dim center, or patchy illumination with pronounced cold and hot spots—is undesirable. A surface that’s only 50% translucent, where only parts are illuminated, is likely not preferred. Moreover, greater translucency reveals disparities in illumination more prominently.
These factors in surface composition determine the optimal lighting technology for achieving uniform illumination.
We strongly recommend purchasing a backlighting sample from the shop section of our website. Alternatively, you can easily test the material yourself using your phone flashlight.
Begin by placing the light directly behind the surface. If you observe a dot with a gentle halo around it, resembling Saturn, this indicates good translucency. Moving your phone away from the surface should increase the halo, suggesting the material will evenly distribute light and produce a beautiful glow. If you can see the entire phone through the surface, it’s nearly transparent, and further testing may not be necessary. Light Tape is the ideal solution for either of these surfaces.
Conversely, if you notice only a small illuminated dot with minimal halo, the surface may not be sufficiently translucent. Moving the light away about six inches, does the dot dim significantly, barely visible without a noticeable halo? If so, achieving even illumination across the entire surface will be challenging, requiring numerous light sources. This is where an LED backlight would be better.
Light Tape® stands out as the most uniform light source available today, evenly illuminating the entire surface with phosphors. It’s ideal for applications where the surface ranges from translucent to transparent, such as glass. We manufacture Light Tape® to match the exact size and shape of your surface, ensuring light coverage under every square inch. If the surface allows light to pass through, Light Tape® will deliver consistent illumination.
In contrast, LEDs function as point light sources. The main challenge lies in creating a uniform appearance from multiple light bulbs, often requiring extensive diffusion. LEDs are better suited for less transparent surfaces where uneven light sources can be diffused. While many LEDs boast advanced light scattering technology, their edge-mounted placement limits the effectiveness of these features, resulting in uneven lighting—especially on irregularly shaped or wide surfaces, or around cutouts like sinks. However, dense surfaces can act as natural diffusers, aiding in achieving more uniform illumination.
For translucent to transparent surfaces, Light Tape® is recommended. For opaque to very dense surfaces, LEDs may offer a better solution. Test the material or reach out to us for advice—we strive to ensure our lighting solutions meet your satisfaction.
We make the process effortless for you. Our laser-cutting machine ensures precise fitting for standard surfaces like islands and wet bars. All you need is a basic sub-surface such as plywood or acrylic to lay the Light Tape® on before applying the final surface.
Using just one panel and connection, we can illuminate surfaces up to 13 feet long and 24 inches wide. If your countertop exceeds 24 inches in width, that’s no issue—we can overlap panels seamlessly, thanks to Light Tape®’s ultra-thin profile. Installation is quick and straightforward; we even pre-cut openings for sinks and faucets. Enjoy consistent, even lighting without concerns about diffusion.
Imagine Light Tape® as a long roll of illuminated material, akin to poster board. What’s more, one power supply can operate multiple Light Tape® panels, reducing electrical requirements.
The Light Tape® is customized to fit your sub-surface, typically plywood, acrylic, or plastic (not metal), with a minimum thickness of 3/8″. The sub-surface serves as the foundation for the Light Tape®, ensuring stability and even illumination. It’s important to note that sub-surface dimensions are typically smaller than the stone top dimensions. We build the Light Tape® panels to fit the sub-surface, not the stone top.
To expedite your order, we prefer simpler shapes such as squares and rectangles for the Light Tape® panels. These shapes can be processed more quickly and cost-effectively.
To get started promptly, we’ll need the dimensions of your sub-surface. Your stone fabricator can provide a template of your kitchen measurements in a scalable file format like .dxf or .dwg, or a detailed PDF or hand-drawn template. If needed, you can send us a paper template of your sub-surface, and we’ll digitize it for our laser cutting process.
Once your dimensions are verified, we cut the Light Tape®, roll it up, and ship it via UPS—no need for crates or cargo shipping.
There are essentially three main options for LED backlighting. The first is small squares, typically around 12 inches in size, with LEDs positioned around the edges. Another option includes larger acrylic panels with perimeter LEDs. The third choice involves rolls of material embedded with spaced-apart LEDs.
An example of the square LED option is SLABlite, which offers 12-inch plastic squares with edge-mounted LEDs. These modular squares are assembled to illuminate specific areas. However, when used to backlight larger surfaces, such as countertops, differences in light intensity and visible dot patterns can become apparent, as seen in images on their website. Covering irregularly shaped surfaces with these squares often results in uneven illumination, as odd shapes distribute light differently. Installation involves numerous connection points, reportedly complicating both installation and maintenance. While initial material costs per square foot may seem economical, these savings are often negated by installation expenses.
Other companies typically offer two main products for backlighting surfaces: edgelit LED acrylic panels or flexible LED sheets. Edgelit panels are suitable for retail and commercial environments with ample natural light, offering a balance between brightness and space efficiency. In contrast, flexible LED sheets provide intense illumination for environments competing against natural light but may be less practical for residential settings, where excessive brightness is unnecessary. These products often ship as large panels via freight, requiring ample space for installation to ensure even lighting and manage heat production. Edgelit panels may struggle with wide surfaces or areas with cutouts, as LED light dots can be visible through highly translucent materials. However, for less transparent surfaces, these panels may present a more suitable option
Light Tape® is versatile and compatible with a variety of stone types. Popular choices include onyx, quartzite, blue agate, and stained glass. We collaborate with reputable suppliers such as Sierra Stone, Harkey Stone and Tile, Cole Brothers Stone and Marble, and Peachtree Renovations, among others.
Picking Out Your Stone
We have extensive experience with various surfaces and can assist you in determining the ideal match for Light Tape®. Optimal results are achieved with highly translucent materials. Unlike traditional LED backlights, Light Tape® benefits from surfaces that allow light to pass through without diffusion. With uniform illumination across the entire surface, the absence of individual bulbs ensures even lighting. For surfaces that are highly opaque and allow minimal light penetration, an LED solution may be more suitable.
Below are some surfaces that pair exceptionally well with Light Tape®:
Cristallo Quartzite
Honey Onyx
Blue Agate
Stained Glass, or any highly transparent material.
-Solid surfaces by Avonite, Corian, 3Form, etc.
The thickness of your stone or surface is also important. For Light Tape® we recommend no more than 2cm thick, especially if it’s natural stone. That being said, very translucent stones can be thicker, such as Cristallo.
How To Test A Surface For Translucency
It is important to understand how transparent your surface is. This will dictate whether Light Tape or LEDs is the best solution for backlighting. All you need is your phone flashlight to determine the relative translucency. Please click below for more information regarding our Backlighting Surface Test™.
First, do the test in normal ambient light or low light. This will replicate the installation conditions. If the test area is too bright, it will not show you an accurate result of how translucent the surface is.
The goal of the Backlighting Surface Test™ is to determine how much light passes through your surface. When placing an LED light source from your phone directly on the back of the surface, you will see how much light passes.
If you just get a little bright dot with no light halo, then you have an opaque surface. If you see a dot with a halo, then you have a more translucent surface. The last step is to slowly back the light away and see if the halo grows. If so, you have a very translucent surface.
Why Is Surface Translucency So Important?
The more translucent your surface, the easier it is for light to pass through, and the less need there is for light diffusion. Remember, it is important to check your surface’s translucency. Not every stone lights the same.
How We're Different From LEDs
Light Tape is coated over a surface with phosphors that is a meter wide. These phosphors glow with electricity and the entire surface lights evenly. Like a long continuous giant poster board that glows.
LEDs are single point sources of light. Phosphors are coated on the tip of the LED module. The LEDS are then spread out on a ribbon at different spacings. 
The real challenge with LEDs is making 100 light bulbs appear to be just one. This usually requires a lot of light diffusion and ‘scattering’ technology. Light Tape® is different in this way because each panel is like one bulb. LEDs are better for surfaces that are not very transparent or translucent, and where the surface can act to diffuse the uneven light source.
If your surface is translucent to transparent, use Light Tape®. If your surface is very opaque to very dense, LEDs may be the better option. Test the material and give us a ring if you want our opinion, we don’t want to offer a light that doesn’t make our customers happy. We’ll let you know upfront if we think your surface may be too dense for Light Tape®
How Much Does It Cost To Backlight Your Solid Surface?
As a rule of thumb, the cost per square foot to backlight a counter is approximately $125. Light Tape, for instance, is higher in cost per square foot because the entire surface serves as a lamp. It’s straightforward to install—simply roll it out, requiring minimal installation expenses.
When using LEDs, the primary cost is not in the light source itself, as LED bulbs are inexpensive. Instead, costs primarily involve plastic light diffusing sheets. For smaller squares, there’s a significant amount of wiring and fitting involved, while larger panels require multiple installers and can be costly to ship.
Who Are Some LED Backlighting Suppliers?
There are basically three different LED options for backlighting. The first are sold as squares which are usually 12”x12″ in size with LED bulbs around the edge. The second are larger acyclic panels with LEDs also around the edge. And the third are rolls of material that have LEDs embedded into sheets and spaced apart. They all use the same LEDs, just in different configurations.
SLABlite is a popular example of a company that offer 12”x12″ rigid plastic squares with LEDs around the edges. They are assembled modularly to illuminate an area, so lots of small panels cover the surface. Cutting them into odd shapes to fit your surface makes each square carry light differently. When illuminating a larger surface, there are clear differences in light intensity and visible dots. By the end, you have dozens of connections points and wires to hide making the installation and maintenance very tedious. While you may save a little on square foot pricing for materials, those savings are significantly offset after installation costs.
Other companies tend to have two main products for backlighting surfaces. These include rigid edgelit LED acrylic panels, and flexible LED sheets. For retail and commercial applications, if you are competing against natural light, you might need the high intensity brightness of an LED. Generally with commercial backlighting, often installation space is less restricted, giving plenty of room to diffuse the light. For home use, this system is more cumbersome, and you probably don’t need a product so high in brightness like you would in a casino or mall. There are adverse effects with too much light.
Don't Sweat The Installation
If you’re collaborating with a stone fabricator, electrician, or contractor, they should have a template for your project. We can illuminate any shape, though we prefer simpler shapes like squares and rectangles for Light Tape® panels.
All you need to provide is the sub-surface, typically plywood, onto which the Light Tape® will be applied before the final surface is installed. We’ll require a template of this sub-surface beneath the countertop to ensure precise fitting of the panels.
With a single panel and connection, we can light up to a 13-foot surface at 24 inches wide. For larger or wider surfaces exceeding 24 inches, overlapping panels is feasible due to Light Tape®’s ultra-thin profile.
We pre-cut all necessary openings for sinks, faucet holes, taps, and outlets, facilitating a straightforward installation process. Simply lay down the Light Tape® and you’re done. There’s no need to worry about spacing for bulky diffusion boxes between the stone and Light Tape® since it produces no heat and doesn’t require a heat sink. It seamlessly integrates into your existing plans with minimal effort.
Imagine a material similar to laminated construction paper that illuminates and comes in a continuous roll—that’s Light Tape®. A single power supply can handle multiple Light Tape® panels, reducing electrical demands.
Typically, your contractor or electrician will install our Light Tape® panels. If they have any questions, they are welcome to contact us directly.
Contractors, electricians, or stone fabricators can find our installation manual below. If you have further inquiries not addressed here, please feel free to reach out—we’re here to assist you every step of the way.
