Shallow Square Aluminium Profile

An aluminium profile is the channel that LED strip lighting sits in. Strip on its own is a bare adhesive tape stuck to a surface; in a profile it becomes a piece of the building, with a straight edge, a finished face and a diffused line of light instead of a row of visible dots.

Why strip lighting belongs in a profile

The most important reason is heat. Strip stuck directly to plasterboard or timber has nowhere to send it, and heat is what ages LEDs. Aluminium draws it away along the extrusion, which keeps output steadier for longer.

The second is appearance: a diffuser turns a row of separate bright points into one continuous line, which is what makes strip lighting read as architectural rather than as a strip of tape.

The third is protection – in a channel the strip is shielded from knocks, dust and cleaning.

Choosing and installing it

Check the width of your LED strip against the channel before ordering. Strip that is too wide will not seat properly, and it is the profile that has to suit the strip rather than the other way round.

Profiles are cut to length on site with a mitre saw and a fine-tooth blade. Plan where the joins fall before cutting.

Leave yourself a way to get power in. The cable has to enter somewhere, and a run that has been fixed, diffused and capped with no thought given to where the driver sits is a run that has to come apart again.

Diffusers and end caps to suit are listed separately, so the finish can be chosen to match the room rather than being fixed by the channel.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a profile for LED strip?

Strip will run without one, but it will run hotter and show every individual LED. A profile draws heat away and, with a diffuser, turns the run into a continuous line.

Does it come with the strip or a driver?

No. The profile is the channel only. The LED strip and the driver that powers it are separate.

What size strip fits?

Check the width of your strip against the channel before ordering – the profile has to suit the strip.

Can I cut it to length?

Yes. Profiles are cut on site with a mitre saw and a fine-tooth blade. Plan where the joins fall before cutting.

Are the diffuser and end caps included?

They are listed separately, which lets the finish be chosen to suit the room. Check what your run needs before ordering.

Can it go outside?

No. At IP20 it is for indoor, dry locations only.