Picking the Best Lighting for Your Residential Deck
There is nothing quite as glorious as adding a deck to your home. It provides you and your loved ones with an outdoor living space, a place to enjoy the great outdoors and somewhere to make memories that will last a lifetime. In fact, for many homeowners in Binghamton, this ends up finally affording you the space needed to even host parties.
One of the essentials for having a deck is making sure that you have adequate lighting. Without this, it limits the amount of time you can spend on your deck, or creates a higher risk of a slip and fall incident, without proper illumination in place. Set yourself up to be able to maximize your enjoyment, as well as the amount of time you get to spend at your outdoor living space, by including lights. So then the next step is making certain that you know about the variety of options that you have for your outdoor lighting systems. Keep in mind, even if you have landscape lighting or security lighting, that is not enough coverage for your deck. You can certainly use that to help, but still need lighting specifically for the deck.
What Will Be Right For You?
There is more than meets the eye, when it comes to picking the right deck lighting. To help get you started, here are some things that you should know:
As with any type of lighting, there is a wide variety of choices to select from. For example, there are three main styles of lights for decking: downlights, spotlights and floodlights. For each one, the names are self-explanatory.
To start with, there are downlights which get their name because they shine the light down from above. The point of this is to provide adequate lighting without worrying about harsh lighting or direct light from bulbs. Even though this is ambient lighting, it will still offer illumination that provides a level of safety and security. Do not use directly over shiny surfaces as this placement can result in a harsh glare.
Spotlights are commonly used for both general landscaping and outdoor living spaces. Traditionally, they are used in places to highlight a feature intended to become a focal point. However, they are also ideal for use in areas that need extra illumination, such as a change in levels or where steps begin.
Floodlights are good for sweeping a large area, but are not ideal for creating an ambient seating area. Use sparingly or place where you will only need them to be turned on for a purpose, like walking the dog, and turned off when relaxing on the deck.
These are just the basics. Using lights on steps or opting for recessed lights along the sides, these are other smart choices. Before getting started, take note of the dark areas that already exist so you make good choices for light placement.
Work with your expert to find out about the options you have and make important decisions for your unique needs. This is an important step in transforming your current deck into a well-lit space to enjoy long into the night.
Get Started Today!
Local homeowners have made American Deck Builders the preferred choice for deck systems, including lighting, for decades now. Although our reputable carpentry business began in 1982, our focus on decking started in 1998. The bottom line is that we are dedicated to ensuring the satisfaction of all of our local clients.
We take decks seriously and know that there are a number of steps involved to creating the perfect outdoor living area. The lights are a vital step towards enhancing the beauty, as well as the functionality.
We are known for providing the latest in cutting edge technologies, as well as partner with top-of-the-line manufacturers for the products we offer. The bottom line is that we genuinely care about the customer we work with and providing them with first-rate results.