Recessed extrusions sit within a routed or prepared surface, while surface-mount extrusions attach visibly to the installation area and suit straightforward mounting. In-wall extrusions integrate into drywall or another substrate for a blended line of light, and angled extrusions position the tape light around corners, window frames, display cases, or other pass-through areas.

Aluminum extrusions help hold tape light in place and provide a finished profile, while frosted lenses diffuse light and make individual LEDs less visible for a smoother, more uniform line of light. The thermally conductive aluminum channel assists with heat management by helping dissipate heat from the linear lighting.

Indoor linear lighting extrusions generally support 10- to 12-millimeter-wide tape light, while some fixed-color channels are sized specifically for 10-millimeter tape; outdoor channels fit compatible outdoor fixed-color and RGBW tape light. Profiles are available for surface-mount, recessed or in-wall, corner-mount, and angled installations, with support for configurations such as fixed-color, tunable white, RGBW, and RGBTW lighting when matched to the channel.

For extrusion linear lighting, compare whether the channel is designed for outdoor use or indoor damp and dry locations, along with its aluminum construction, heat-management support, frosted lens, and mounting profile. Then check tape-light width compatibility, field-cuttable lengths, installation method such as surface, recessed, corner, or in-wall mounting, and included hardware such as end caps, mounting clips, and screws.