Deck lighting is a great way to illuminate your outdoor areas. Making your deck look comfortable and modern is just as important as the rest of your home, but the products you’ll use to get there are a bit different to withstand outdoor conditions.
The basics of Deck Lighting
Voltage
Most products, including those you’re most likely to use in your deck lighting project, are low voltage products. That means they run on 12VDC or 24VDC. This is for a few reasons. First, wire size. It’s much easier to run low voltage stranded wire in small places and keep it hidden than it would be to run regular solid Romex for a 110VAC connection. The second reason is that it’s simply safer to use low voltage in areas that are going to get wet.
LED Life Span
One major previous trouble spot with deck lighting was bulb life. People had to replace incandescent bulbs constantly, and they were always a unique (and not readily available) bulb type. The advent of LED lighting has solved this problem – aspectLED products are rated for a 50,000 hour life expectancy, which means you’re not going to have to worry about replacing them for decades to come.
Outdoor use
Most light fixtures are not designed for use outside. aspectLED recommends only using fully waterproof fixtures in deck and outdoor settings, which typically means your fixtures should be rated for IP67 or higher. Many aspectLED fixtures are IP67 or IP68 rated. You can check your specific fixtures by looking in the specifications section on the product page.
Retrofit or new construction?
Your installation will likely vary in difficulty based on whether you’re lighting a new or existing deck. New construction tends to allow for more leeway in mounting and concealing, whereas existing structures are a little more difficult. Despite this, one of the biggest benefits of LED lighting is the ability to use it in tight spaces. We’re sure we’ve got something that will fit your needs and look fantastic.
