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Deck Lighting Choices and Ideas

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Updated: 12/26/2023
deck lighting

The decking light is probably one of the more popular household items this summer. Decking lights are usually seen in yards and lawns to showcase a particular area of interest. Now, decking lights can also be used to illuminate decks and highlight the wooden platform. Decking lights are gaining popularity as a means to light up a yard, compared to regular yard lights.

Decking lights provide not only illumination to your yard but also give your yard an assurance of safety. Because of this, decking lights allow you to lounge around your yard in the evening time with security. Floodlights, in contrast, simply provide blinding illumination. Many people might be happy with this, but floodlights bring about near zero visibility level, thus keeping you from appreciating the beauty of your yard. Decking lights are better at providing light and highlighting the beauty of the scenery at the same.

There are many sizes and shapes of decking lights available. Consequently, their prices are just as varied. Some of these lights can be put on posts, while other light models can be installed on the floor and can actually be walked on. The stair light fixtures are some of the more popular deck lighting around. There are a lot of benefits that you can derive from using deck light fixtures, and one of their advantages is safety from stumbling or stubbing your own toe during the night.

Deck Lighting Choices

Whether you want a massive or just a minimal deck lighting system, there will always be a unit that is appropriate for your needs. Deck post lights are the usual choices, and they are installed on top of posts and are often found at top corner posts of stairways. The disadvantage of procuring this type of light is the price and buying more than just a pair will set you off a good amount of money. Each deck post light can be as cheap as $35 or as expensive as over $100.

You may also want to use rectangular deck lighting fixtures. Rectangular deck lights can be installed on posts and made to emit a warm, soft, glowing light in a downward direction. These deck lights can likewise be installed on “stair sticks”, also called balusters or stair rail supports. Balusters are posts that attach the railing to the actual stairway. Rectangular deck light fixtures are not exactly cheap either, but there are ways to maximize their efficiency, especially when your deck corners do not have raised end caps.

In-deck lighting disks are yet another choice for your deck lighting. These light fixtures can be installed beneath the ground surface in such a way that they can be stepped on or run over by vehicles. They are most appropriate for use in driveways. These lights are usually equipped with frosted white lens. Like the lighting mentioned above, in-deck lighting disks are not cheap.

When you are contemplating on putting up these types of deck lighting fixtures, you have to know how to work around with electrical tasks. Installation of these lights requires some electrical knowledge. If you are not skillful enough with electricity, you can hire the services of a professional who can do the installation for you. Keep in mind, however, that will mean additional expenses for you.

If you have quite a tight budget, you also have some other lighting options. For one, you have rope lighting. A rope light fixture can be coiled and positioned in your deck in various ways possible, and the cost is relatively cheaper. The required knowledge in electrical wiring in the installation of rope light fixture is not as much as that required in installing the more expensive lighting.

An even cheaper way of lighting up your deck is to use outdoor Christmas lights, and Christmas lights are very inexpensive and flexible. You can put these lights in any way you desire, in the most creative way possible.

If you do not want the ambiance where “icicle” lights seem to be burning all throughout the year, you can get hold of flameless candles. You can simply turn these candles on when you go out to your deck at night to relax.

Whether you use pricey deck lighting fixtures or choose cheaper alternatives, deck lighting will always provide a warm ambiance for your deck in the evening.

LED Deck Lighting

Once you finally make your purchase, you will notice that LED deck lighting fixtures are sold in units with the components necessary for installation, should you decide to put up the lighting without an electrician’s help. You should have by now realized what you intend to achieve and decided on what exact part of the deck you would like to light up. If you want your air space lighted, you can install the lights on railing posts or sconce-style lighting attached to walls will do the trick. These lighting fixtures will make your deck look attractive and almost ethereal. If what you want is just to light the lower areas, you can opt for recessed lighting. It would also be nice to install rail and step LED lighting for safety purposes as well.

You can also actually choose the color of your LED lighting. The more preferred colors are white and blue. These lights may either be wired or solar energy driven. The latter is apparently the more economical of the two. When you pick out the solar variety, think first about the amount of sunshine your deck receives. Most of these solar-powered lights require a 12-hour charging before they function. Some LED deck lighting fixtures have sensors and remote control switches. LED lights are usually sturdy, utilize minimal electricity, and do not produce a lot of heat. These lights are certainly safer than tiki torches.

LED lighting fixtures also come in the form of rope LED lights. These are very flexible lighting systems and are produced in various colors, and these lights add fun and charm to nights of relaxing outdoors.

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