What Are The Best Lighting Options for a Deck, Patio, or Gazebo – see here!
When you’ve installed a deck, patio, gazebo, pergola, or terrace on a property, lighting’s an important presentation element. Improperly lit decks can ruin an evening’s pleasure outdoors. High-quality lighting gives safety, security, and style. It’s like an invite to all those inside and outside to gather at the deck. Here are some of the best lighting options for decks.
Downlights
Downlights are lights anchored to walls, trees, or patio roofs. They shine downwards. They are primarily used as security lights but they also add a presentation element. If you want to see outwards from the deck and spaces leading up to it, these are a recommended investment.
Uplights
Uplights are a dramatic way to light a deck or patio. They shine upwards and are used for pathways, to highlight the forms of a pergola or gazebo, or to attract the eye to plants or conversation pieces on the deck.
LED strip lights
LED strip lights are more affordable than other deck lighting options. LED strip lighting is most commonly used for outlines around small deck spaces as well as stairways. Tough-to-navigate areas or dark paths around the deck can be illuminated with strip lights at ground level.
Baluster lighting
Baluster lighting assigns light along a deck or patio’s vertical railings. They can be used for illuminating shapes or simply to provide light around these railings. This type of deck lighting emphasizes the size and limits of the space, clarifying where the outdoor gathering area begins and ends.
Post caps and rail lights
On your posts and rail caps, decorative lighting fixtures are often located. These don’t inherently serve a functional purpose however they do add atmosphere. There are many contemporary, architecture-friendly lighting designs for posts and rails. Consult with your deck construction contractor to determine what sort of lighting configuration may be best for your property.
Main space lighting
Everything we’ve discussed so far is fixated around the smaller areas of a deck or in a deck’s periphery. Throughout the center of a deck or where you want the focus to be, several lighting options exist. You won’t automatically want a lot of light in this area. You want lighting to create the atmosphere or mood you want. This is where you can get most creative in lighting configurations.
Light strings
There are rustic, vintage light strings for decks that can provide intimacy without modern-influenced elements. These can be as large as vintage lightbulbs on a wire or small LEDs. These are perfect for cottages, small residential decks, or when you desire something that more ‘country’ than ‘city’. The difficult part here is trying to find a way to hang light strings. A deck without a roof can prove a challenge.
Underneath or underwater lighting
In building residential and commercial decks and patios, we occasionally see lighting placed underwater. This is often done to light a stream or river stones. Subsequently, some decks use underneath lighting as an alternative to downlights. If you have a deck slightly raised a foot or somewhere around this length off the ground, lighting from the ground as opposed to from the deck elevates a property’s look in some very luxurious ways.
Best Quality Deck Material Choices
