Outdoor Deck Lights: Plenty of Smart and Exciting Choices
By: Kate Wilkins
Submitted: 2009-03-04 03:55:52 | Word Count: 556
Outdoor deck lights can be lovely and practical additions to your home. Low voltage and solar deck lights that are attached to (or recessed into) walls, posts, ceilings, floors and steps are among the most exciting new trends in deck lighting. They will give you all of the hours of lighting you want at the lowest cost, and some are a snap to install.
Deck post lights (aka cap lights) are some of the most popular new styles available in vinyl, wood, plastic, and aluminum. These light fixtures mount directly onto the top of your deck posts. They come as LED, incandescent or flourescent light fixtures requiring either low voltage or solar power to operate. Each type of bulb produces a different kind of light. LED and flourescent bulbs tend to be cool light, whereas incandescent bulbs have a warm light.
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If you like the idea of lighting your deck without any unnecessary wiring or electrical cost you will like the concept of the solar powered deck lights. Instead of having to be wired to an electrical transformer, they use a photocell. The photocell charges NiCad rechargeable batteries all day to produce light for you at night. The light can last up to 14 hours, in some cases, before they batteries need to be recharged.
Lighting your deck steps can be a challenge. In addition to a large variety of recessed step light fixtures on the market, there is a new idea out there called DecoRiser(TM). This new product consists of an entire riser board with one or several lighting units attached to the back. The riser board comes in a variety of beautifully decorative cutout patterns. These deck stair lights are easy to install using conventional framing methods because they are made from the same material used to make typical deck stair riser boards. And they are low voltage so no need for an electrician.
Another interesting idea for outdoor deck lighting is lighted balusters. You can create any effect you want when you install these balusters to hold up your deck railings. Their LED technology is powered by low voltage wiring so that if you wanted to use lighted balusters for your entire railing that might take some extra effort but the final spectacular and unusual effect might be worth that added effort.
Your beautifully lighted deck can be both a place to have fun and a place to be environmentally friendly. You can install properly angled lights that are designed to reduce light pollution. Many new fixtures that are described as full cut off and semi cut off are accredited with the International Dark Sky Association. Your deck can be illuminated in a manner that is both beautiful and easy on your eyesight, without extending into areas that you would like to remain dark.
When you choose special lighting for your outdoor space, you will have something that is both individual to you and inviting to your guests and neighbors. Your deck can be a relaxing place to entertain your friends as well as a private refuge for you, yourself. With your new outdoor deck lights, you can create a personal space that completely reflects your own unique tastes. Your deck will be the ideal place for you to spend your free time, appreciating the finest qualities of nature in comfort and privacy.
