How to Build a Lighting System for a Homemade Grow Box

Most homemade grow boxes are made of wood, although some might have a clear plastic top to allow sunlight in. The boxes are enclosed on all sides except the front, so the plants are still accessible for maintenance. A grow box provides a protected place to start seedlings indoors, but supplying the young plants with enough light is a constant challenge. Constructing an adjustable grow light fixture allows you to provide sufficient lighting without being dependent on the sun.

Aluminum foil
Drill
1-by-2-inch board (optional)
Hooks
Chains
Fluorescent fixture
Light timer

Instructions

- 1
  Cover the back wall of the grow box with aluminum foil, taping or gluing it in place with the shiny side out. The foil reflects the light from the fixture so the seedlings receive sufficient lighting regardless of their location in the box.
- 2
  Drill two holes in the top of the grow box, placing the holes approximately 6 inches in from the sides of the box and near the center of the box top.
- 3
  Screw a hook into each of the drilled holes. If your grow box has a clear plastic top, bolt a 1-by-2 inch board, the same length as the box top, to the top using the drilled holes. Attach the hooks to the wood board.
- 4
  Select a single- or double-tube fluorescent light fixture that is long enough to fit inside your grow box. Attach a chain to each end of the fixture. Most light fixture have hooks on top for installing hanging chains.
- 5
  Attach the other end of the chains to the hooks in the top of the grow box. Adjust the chain length so the fixture sits about 6 inches above the top of the plants. Adjust the height of the fixture as the plants grow to maintain this distance.
- 6
  Plug the light into a timer. Adjust the timer so it remains on for 14 to 16 hours a day, turning off automatically at night.

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