What Kinds Of Deck Lighting Can You Use

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If you are looking to enhance your outdoor entertainment areas the lighting is one of the first things you can consider. Subtle lighting can increase the time spent outside as the evening come in. Deck lighting can add to the appeal of porches, railings, steps, decks and pool surrounds. Lights can be placed to highlight some features- putting lights on the stairs can increase the safety aspects of the stairs. Pathway lighting can make it safer for your guests to find their way about after dark. Most deck lighting is available as 12V low voltage lighting making is easier to install and safer to have around than the normal lights.

The uses of outside deck lighting usually include recessed lights, pathway lights, hanging lights and post top lights. These types of lighting systems are available in low voltage, using LEDs rather than incandescent bulbs. There are advantages to low voltage deck lighting in that the LEDs last an awful lot longer than the bulbs. Low voltage deck lighting is also safer than mains lighting. Popular brands of LED deck lighting include Highpoint and Aurora. Pathway lights can also be found using solar power. Solar deck lighting systems are great as there are no wires to be laid, you can just put the lights wherever you would like and as long as they get sun the lights come on as it gets dark.

Recessed Deck Lighting

This is where the lights are attached to the flat surface of the floor typically, but can be the wall or the stair. The lights are positioned not to interfere with the normal daytime activities, but come the night, they can be turned on to show the way to go, or where the steps are. There are a variety of styles and sizes available- even ones that are the size if bricks to be mounted in the walls.

Pathway Lighting

These lights are usually to draw attention to the path to allow visitors to safely navigate their way through in the dark. There are two sorts of pathway lights- free standing and fixed. Free standing pathway lights are often solar powered and have points to enable them to be easily pushed into the ground. They can be repositioned if necessary and only need to sun to operate. Fixed pathway lights are usually recessed lights placed in the deck to guide the way.

Hanging Lights

This can cover any kind of light hanging on the wall- from wall sconces to candle lanterns. Lamp posts fall into this category as do porch lights.

Deck Post Lights

These are the lights that fit onto the top of any posts on the deck, stairs, railings, or around the pool. They usually replace the decorative post caps by adding lights to them. The direction of the light can be chosen to focus down or out to the side. There are many different styles of deck post lights including those using Tiffany glass themes. Most common are the ones with metal tops as they withstand the weather and children so well.

There are many ways to enhance your deck area - lighting is just one of them, but if you choose outdoor deck lights you will not be disappointed with the results. Deck lighting can add style to your outdoor space and make it a whole lot safer too.