completed simple PVC lightstand

A simple PVC Light stand

Updated: February 20, 2023

Make a simple PVC light stand to grow vegetable, flower, and herb transplants for your garden. The 4-ft. long shop light will illuminate approximately 3.5 sq. ft. of growing area; enough to grow 20-100 transplants depending on spacing and individual cell size.

Materials and cost to build a table-top PVC light stand
(doesn't include a table, soilless media, containers, seeds, etc.)		 Costs are
estimated
All-season shop light fixture for 32 watt T-8 tubes  (ready to use with power cord and pull switch) $20.00
(2) T-8 tubes; 32 watt  $9.50
10-ft. long, 1 ½ in. diameter pvc pipe    $6.00
(2) 1 ½ in. slip Tee  $2.50
(2) 1 ½ in. 90º elbow  $2.00
(4) 1 ½ in. end caps  $3.00
Extra chain and hooks $4.00
Total  $47.00

It will cost about $9 to operate the shop light from March 15 to June 1: 32 watts x 2 bulbs x 16hrs x
70days = 71.7 kw x $.12/kilowatt-hour = $8.60.

  • 10 ft. piece of PCV pipe

    Use a marker to divide 10-ft. pipe into seven pieces: (1) 52 in.; (2) 18 in.; (4) 8 in. There will be no waste. Cut the pipe into the seven pieces with a hacksaw.

  • Seven pieces of building material for the light stand

    Here are the seven pieces plus fittings.

  • light stand PVC elbows

    Build the ends by pushing two 8-in. pieces (feet) and one of the 18-in. pieces (upright) into one of the “T” fittings. (You can use pvc primer and cement to make a permanent light stand or push the pieces for easy takedown.) Repeat to build the other end.

  • light stand PVC elbows

    Insert the elbows on top of the two uprights and place the four end caps over the ends of the “feet

  • connecting the longer piece of PCV pipe into the elbows

    Connect the ends by inserting the 52-in. piece into the elbows.

  • shop lights for the PCV light stand

    This is the shop light box. It came with a power cord and pull chain.

  • box of the light bulbs

    T-8 indoor fluorescent tubes (cool) are a good choice. They produce plenty of light and are more energy efficient than older T-12 tubes.

  • light stand with the light fixture

    T-8 tubes are only 1-in. in diameter; ½-in. slimmer than older T-12 tubes.

  • adjusting chain length

    You can raise and lower your shop light with metal chains and hooks.

Light fixture should be as close as possible to the seed trays
Keep the shop light only 1-2-in. above the tops of your plants. This will make your transplants stocky and strong.
You can raise the temperature and speed germination and growth by covering the light stand with a piece of clear plastic.

Related information

Grow Lights for Starting Seeds Indoors

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