Installation Guide · Video
How to Install a Fiber Optic Starlight Ceiling (13 Steps, with Video)
A fiber optic starlight ceiling is installed in 13 steps: prepare the tools, choose a spot for the light engine, plan the pattern at 50–100 fiber points per square metre, drill from below upwards, push the fibers through from the top and fix them only with cold silicone, trim the tips with a sharp cutter in one cut after plaster, joints and paint are finished, then connect the light engine and test in the dark. The 3:35 narrated video below shows every step with diagrams; the full written guide and the video transcript are on this page.
Updated: · Narrated in English, subtitles in 30 languages (CC button)
At a glance
- Video
- 3 min 35 s, English narration
- Density
- 50–100 fiber points per m²
- Fiber diameter
- 0.50–3.00 mm, mixed
- Adhesive
- Cold silicone only
- Extra length
- At least 5–10 cm
- Car power
- Fused ignition line + 12 V relay
What you need
- Cordless drill with thin drill bits
- Sharp fiber cutter / cutting pliers
- Pencil
- Piercing needle (included in the kit)
- Fiber optic cable (0.50–3.00 mm)
- Light engine (LED / pixel ARGB)
- Cold silicone
- Cable clips (included in the kit)
- For cars: 12 V relay and a fused line
Step-by-step starlight ceiling installation
The link next to each step starts the video at that chapter.
1. Prepare the tools and materialsWatch in video (0:33)
Get everything ready before you start: a cordless drill with thin bits, sharp cutting pliers, cold silicone and a pencil. Keep the piercing needle and the cable clips that come with the kit at hand.
2. Choose the mounting surfaceWatch in video (0:42)
Fiber optics can be installed in any surface you can drill and feed a cable through: wood, composite or drywall panels all work. You can also skip the surface entirely and let the fiber tips hang freely.
3. Car headliner preparation and safe wiringWatch in video (0:53)
In a car the logic is the same, only the order differs: remove the headliner, draw the pattern on it and feed the fibers from behind. Place the light engine between the roof and the headliner or in the boot, somewhere you can reach later.
- Take power from the fuse box, from a fused line that is live only with the ignition on, and put a 12 V relay between that line and the device.
- Never connect the device directly to the car battery.
- Do not test with a cordless drill battery or an unstable battery; it wears the device.
- To test outside the car, use a 12 V LED power supply rated 6 A.
4. Choose where the light engine goesWatch in video (1:24)
Pick a dry, ventilated spot that you can reach later; in a closed ceiling leave an access panel. Never cover the cooling holes of the housing.
5. Plan the pattern and densityWatch in video (1:32)
Plan the pattern in advance and count on 50 to 100 fiber points per square metre. Avoid symmetry: scatter the stars randomly with sparse and dense areas instead of a regular grid. If you draw on the back of the board, remember to mirror the pattern.
6. Choose the fiber diameter by ceiling heightWatch in video (1:44)
Choose the fiber diameter according to the ceiling height; the higher the ceiling, the thicker the fiber. Mixing diameters between 0.50 mm and 3.00 mm adds depth and makes the ceiling look like a real night sky.
7. Plan the shooting star effect and measure on siteWatch in video (1:52)
The shooting star (meteor) effect runs on a separate device that lights its outputs one after another. Several fibers can go into each output, and one device can drive several shooting stars in different positions.
- Do not assume the ceiling is square and straight; measure on site. Half a centimetre of deviation is normal.
- On a light-coloured ceiling, badly placed holes show in daylight; a dark ceiling is more forgiving.
8. Drill the holes in the right directionWatch in video (2:13)
The cleanest method is to drill the board on a workbench before mounting it. If you work on a closed ceiling, drill from below upwards; drilling the other way makes drywall burst out at the back.
- Mark the joists and screw points first; a fiber must never run where a screw will go.
- Fix crossing fibers to the board with cable clips.
9. Lay the meteor (shooting star) line firstWatch in video (2:30)
If you combine meteors with stars, lay the meteor line first and draw its path with a pencil. The spacing is not standard; it depends on the length of the line and the number of fibers. Example: split a 1 m line into 10 cm zones, place 10 fibers 1 cm apart in each zone and connect each zone to one output of the device.
10. Feed the fibers and fix them with cold siliconeWatch in video (2:46)
Push each fiber through from the top downwards and leave at least 5–10 cm extra on the visible side. Route short fibers to the holes near the light engine and long ones to the far corners.
- Use cold silicone only: super glue makes the fiber brittle, hot glue melts it and solvent-based adhesives break it.
- Do not pull fibers tight or bend them sharply; keep curves wide. A broken fiber carries no light, and you only notice after the ceiling is closed.
11. Plaster, joints and paint first; cut lastWatch in video (3:08)
Do not trim the fibers straight away. Cut them after plastering, jointing and painting are finished. If you paint with the fibers in place, the tips take paint and cannot be recovered.
12. Trim the tips in one cutWatch in video (3:15)
Cut with sharp cutting pliers in a single motion; a clean cut face decides how bright the tip is. You can cut flush with the surface, or leave different lengths to make the ceiling look deeper.
13. Connect the light engine and test in the darkWatch in video (3:24)
Connect the fiber bundle to the light engine, darken the room and check for tips that do not light. Push the bundle only halfway into the socket; pushing too hard makes some tips go dark.
Most common mistakes
- Connecting the device directly to the car battery or testing it with a drill battery.
- Using super glue, hot glue or solvent-based adhesive instead of cold silicone.
- Drilling a closed ceiling from the top down: drywall bursts out at the back.
- Running a fiber over a joist or where a screw will go.
- Pulling fibers tight or bending them sharply: a broken fiber carries no light.
- Trimming the tips before painting: they take paint and cannot be recovered.
- Pushing the bundle all the way into the socket: some tips go dark.
- Covering the cooling holes of the light engine.
Frequently asked questions
How many fiber points per square metre does a starlight ceiling need?
Plan 50 to 100 points per square metre. Scatter them randomly with sparse and dense areas instead of a grid so the ceiling looks like a real sky.
What fiber optic diameter should I use for a star ceiling?
Choose by ceiling height: the higher the ceiling, the thicker the fiber. Mixing diameters between 0.50 mm and 3.00 mm adds depth.
What adhesive fixes fiber optic strands in a ceiling?
Cold silicone only. Super glue makes the fiber brittle, hot glue melts it and solvent-based adhesives break it.
Where do I take power for a starlight headliner in a car?
From the fuse box, using a fused line that is live only with the ignition on, with a 12 V relay between the line and the device. Do not connect directly to the battery. To test outside the car, use a 12 V, 6 A LED power supply.
Can I install a starlight ceiling in drywall?
Yes. Fiber optics work in any surface you can drill and feed a cable through, including wood, composite and drywall. The cleanest result comes from drilling the board on a workbench before mounting; on a closed ceiling, drill from below upwards and stay clear of joists and screw lines.
When and how should the fiber tips be trimmed?
After plaster, joints and paint are finished, with sharp cutting pliers in one cut. Cut flush or leave varied lengths; varied lengths make the ceiling look deeper.
How do I make a shooting star (meteor) effect?
The shooting star runs on a separate device that lights its outputs in sequence. Lay the meteor line before the stars: for example, split a 1 m line into 10 cm zones, place 10 fibers 1 cm apart per zone and connect each zone to one output.
Where should the light engine be installed?
In a dry, ventilated place you can reach later, with an access panel in closed ceilings. Keep the cooling holes free. In a car, put it between the roof and the headliner or in the boot.
Some fiber tips do not light up when testing. What should I do?
Check that the bundle is pushed only halfway into the socket; pushing too hard makes some tips go dark. A fiber that was bent sharply or pulled tight may be broken; a broken fiber carries no light.
Video transcript
Transcript of the English narration.
0:00Fiber optic lighting is a type of ambient lighting that works by distributing light from a single fixed light source through fiber optic cables.
0:08Corax light sources are pixel-based. Every output gets its own color. In Rainbow mode, the colors flow across the ceiling, and over a hundred built-in animations, twinkle and shooting star effects are selected from the app.
0:21Installed correctly, a fiber optic star ceiling runs trouble-free for years. Installed wrong, there is no fix short of tearing the ceiling down. Let's go step by step, from prep to testing.
0:33Here's what goes in your bag. A cordless drill with fine bits, cutting pliers, and cold silicone. Set aside the piercing needle and the clips that come with the kit.
0:42Fiber optics can be installed in any surface you can drill and pass a cable through. Wood, composite, drywall, it doesn't matter. Or, without entering the surface at all, you can let the tips hang freely.
0:53In a vehicle, the logic is the same. The order is different. Remove the headliner, draw your pattern on it, and run the cables behind it. Put the light source in the roof cavity or the trunk, somewhere you can reach later.
1:04In a vehicle, the electrical connection is the most sensitive part. Take power from the fuse box, on a filtered circuit that is live with the ignition on, and put a 12-volt relay between that line and the device. Never connect directly to the battery. Never test with a cordless drill or any unregulated battery. If you need to test outside the vehicle, use a 6-amp 12-volt LED driver.
1:24First, choose where the light source goes. Pick a spot that is dry, ventilated, and reachable later. Don't cover the housing's cooling vents.
1:32Plan the pattern ahead of time. Figure 50 to 100 tips per square meter. Avoid symmetry. Let the stars spread in sparse and dense areas. If you're drawing on the back of the panel, don't forget to mirror the pattern.
1:44Choose the cable diameter by ceiling height. The higher the ceiling, the thicker the cable. Mixing different diameters gives the ceiling depth and the feel of a real night sky.
1:52The Shooting Star runs on its own separate device that fires its outputs in sequence. You can connect more than one cable to each output, and with a single device, you can build several Shooting Star effects in different spots.
2:03Don't assume the ceiling is square and true. Measure on site. Half centimeter of variation is normal. On a light-colored ceiling, bad holes show in daylight. A dark ceiling is forgiving.
2:13The cleanest method is to drill the panel on a table before it goes up on the ceiling. If you're working on a closed ceiling, drill the holes from below going up. Drilling the other way blows out the back of the panel.
2:22Mark the ceiling joists and screw points beforehand. Fiber must never sit on a line where a screw will go. Secure crossing cables to the panel with clips.
2:30If you're doing Shooting Stars and stars together, lay the Shooting Star line first. Draw the path in pencil. The spacing is not standard. It is calculated from the length length and the cable count. Divide a one meter line into 10 centimeter zones. Place 10 cables at one centimeter spacing in each zone, and wire each zone to one output on the device.
2:46Push the cable through from above. Leave at least 5 to 10 centimeters extra on the front side. Route the short cables to the holes near the source, and the long ones to the far corners.
2:54Bonding is done with cold silicone only. Super glue makes the cable brittle, hot glue melts it, and solvent-based adhesives break it.
3:00Don't pull the cable tight, and don't bend it sharply. Keep the curves wide. A broken fiber won't carry light, and you'll only find out after the ceiling is closed.
3:08Don't trim the tips right away. Cut after the plaster, joint compound, and paint are done. If you paint the ceiling with the fiber in place, the tips take paint and there is no going back.
3:15Make the cut with sharp cutting pliers in a single stroke. A clean cut is what determines brightness. You can cut the tips flush with the surface. Leaving them at different lengths gives the ceiling more depth.
3:24Connect the light source, darken the room, and look for any tips that aren't lit. Push the bundle halfway into the socket. Pushing too hard puts some tips out. Products and technical details at CoraxAds.com
Products for your installation
Ready-made kits include the light engine, fibers and accessories. Fibers are also sold by the metre or cut to length.