BLT Direct - Your One Stop Shop for Light Bulbs and Other Lighting Products
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What IP Rating Is Needed For Outdoor Soffit Lighting?
Thu 11th Jun 2026
Outdoor soffit lighting should have a minimum IP rating of IP44 but IP65 is recommended as this will offer better long term protection against the majority of different types of weather. Determining the correct IP rating needs to be determined by how exposed the lighting will be to these different types of weather. Soffit lights are commonly installed underneath roof
Can Bathroom Lights Be Installed Above A Shower?
Thu 11th Jun 2026
Yes they can but the fitting must be specifically designed for bathroom use and will have to comply with the correct electrical safety regulations. Because the area directly above a shower is exposed to moisture, steam, and water spray, not every light fitting will be suitable. Within the UK, bathroom lighting installations are governed by bathroom zones and IP ratings.
What Are the Bathroom Light Zones?
Thu 11th Jun 2026
Bathroom light zones are safety areas as defined by UK electrical regulations that determine what type of lighting and electrical fittings can be installed in different parts of a bathroom. These zones are determined by how likely the fitting is to come into contact with water, steam, or condensation. Because bathrooms are wet environments the risk of electric shock is
Can LED Tubes Be Used in Emergency Fittings?
Wed 10th Jun 2026
LED tubes can be used in emergency lighting fittings but you will need to make sure that they are compatible with your current or chosen lighting system. Choosing the wrong type of LED tube can cause the emergency lighting function to fail. Even if the tube works during everyday operation if it is not compatible with the emergency system it
About BLT Direct
About BLT Direct
BLT Direct is one of the UK's leading online lighting suppliers, helping both domestic and trade customers find the right lighting products quickly, affordably, and with complete confidence. From everyday replacement bulbs to specialist fittings, LED strips, and electrical accessories, we provide an extensive range of lighting solutions for projects of every size. With more than 20,000 products available online and decades of hands-on industry knowledge, we make it easier to source the latest lighting innovations and those harder-to-find products that many suppliers no longer carry.
What makes us different?
What sets BLT Direct apart is our combination of deep lighting expertise and technical knowledge with the convenience of an established, accessible online business. Because we operate online, our customers benefit from broader product access, competitive pricing, and fast nationwide delivery, without the limitations of a traditional branch-led wholesaler model. That reach is supported by strong stockholding across both traditional lines and newer technologies, making it easier for customers to source the right products from a single reliable supplier rather than splitting orders across multiple sources.
That convenience is backed by genuine product knowledge. Our understanding of lighting systems, older specifications, and modern requirements helps us build a range that suits simple replacements, regular maintenance, and more specialist sourcing needs. This means customers can rely on us for everyday purchases as well as the harder-to-find products that many suppliers no longer stock.
What we do
We're proud to supply a complete range of lighting products for domestic, commercial, and specialist applications. Our expansive online range grows weekly and includes a wide selection of light bulbs, fittings, fluorescent tubes, LED strip lights, emergency lighting, electrical accessories, and much more. Whether you're replacing a single bulb at home, sourcing fittings for a renovation, or purchasing maintenance stock for an ongoing commercial contract, we bring together trusted brands and dependable products under one roof.
We're incredibly proud of our unwavering ability to cover the full spectrum of lighting requirements. That means everything from traditional bulbs and specialist lamps that can be difficult to source, right through to low-energy LEDs, architectural fittings, and design-led strip lighting systems.
For more specialist projects, we offer a design-and-build service for LED strip lighting kits. When only a made-to-order strip solution will tick all the right boxes, we can create bespoke kits tailored to the exact size, specification, and application required. This allows installers, businesses, and end users to access practical custom solutions without the hassle of piecing together separate components themselves.
The BLT Direct Story
BLT Direct began with a simple idea: make quality lighting products easier to access. What started as a small shop-front business grew rapidly alongside the rise of e-commerce, allowing us to expand from serving local customers only to supplying homes, businesses, and trade professionals all across the UK - and beyond. By embracing online retail early on in our journey, we were able to extend our reach nationally while continuing to build and develop the technical knowledge and customer-first service that the business was founded on.
As lighting technology has evolved over the years, we have continuously expanded our range to reflect those changes. A collection that once centred on traditional incandescent lamps and fluorescent tubes now features advanced LED systems, creative strip lighting, and modern components that fully align with today's customer tastes. By continuing to expand the range across both long-established and emerging technologies, we ensure customers can source everything from trusted legacy products to the latest lighting innovations, all in one place.
Our mission
Our mission is to make lighting simpler, more accessible, and easier to buy. We strongly believe that lighting should not feel complicated or overwhelming. It shouldn't matter whether you're a homeowner replacing a bulb, a business upgrading to energy-efficient LEDs, or a contractor sourcing products for a large-scale installation - the experience should always be the same: simple, straightforward, and stress-free. We aim to remove the friction customers have faced in the past by combining product choice, technical expertise, and zero-effort online ordering into a single, easy-to-use digital platform.
At the heart of BLT Direct is a simple goal: to make buying lighting easier for everyone. Whether you need a hard-to-find replacement, want to browse all your favourite brands together in one place, or are looking for no-jargon advice on the right product, we focus on taking the complexity out of the process and making the right choice feel simple.
Who we work with
We work with both B2B and B2C customers, ensuring everyone has access to the lighting solutions they need, when they need them. Our customers include homeowners, electricians, facilities teams, local businesses, maintenance professionals, retailers, hospitality venues, public spaces, and specialist commercial sites. We also support trade partnerships with businesses across the country, supplying reliable lighting products for everything from day-to-day maintenance to full project installations.
That mix of trade, commercial, and domestic customers keeps us closely connected to how real-world lighting needs continue to evolve, and many customers return to BLT Direct time and time again because they know they can find the right product, at the right price, with valuable support and guidance from our expert team.
Meet the BLT Direct team
BLT Direct was founded by Steven Ellwood, a qualified electrical engineer who spent years working in electrical contracting before launching the company. Having specialised in lighting products and with long-term experience supporting real-world installations, he built BLT Direct around the kind of product knowledge and practical thinking that only comes from doing the job yourself.
Today, Steven is supported by our fantastic team of industry professionals across the business. The BLT Direct family boasts years of combined experience across lighting, electrical supply, customer support, and trade accounts. So, whether it's a business placing a sizable order or a homeowner sorting out a smaller residential job, our team understands what matters: getting the right product quickly, without hassle. That's a big part of why so many customers stick with BLT Direct, and it's a key reason we're a Google Trusted Store.