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In ground garden lights are a versatile addition to any outdoor space. Able to light areas for safety and aesthetic purposes alike, well-placed ground lights for garden areas can transform your outdoor living space into something special. In this article, we’ll take a look at various in ground lighting options, as well as some decorative uplight designs to consider.
What Are The Benefits of Using in Ground Uplights?
In ground uplights can be used in a variety of ways, providing just as many benefits to your outdoor living space. One of these benefits is the ability to extend that space itself.
With an outdoor lighting scheme in place, you can make more of your garden visible and usable after dark. A well-lit garden makes for the perfect outdoor dining experience and can create a welcoming and serene ambience.
You can also use such lighting to decorate the landscape itself. If you have ponds, fountains, flower gardens, shrubbery or trees you want to show off, garden uplights can highlight them all. Statement lights like well-positioned ground lights can draw the eye exactly where you want it.
LED garden uplights may also benefit you in the long run. Garden ground lights can bring focus to the best elements of your outdoor living space. This can impart dimension, depth and dynamic shadows upon the home’s exterior. It can also enhance the kerb appeal at the same time.
With all of the home’s most attractive attributes on display, it may increase your overall property value. Ninety percent of potential homebuyers say they would either want or need landscape lighting installed in a home they purchase, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
How To Use Ground Lights for Outdoor Lighting Around the Home
In ground uplights are versatile in the many ways they can be incorporated into the garden area. Pathway lighting options often include in ground landscape lights to this effect. You can install recessed LED ground lights outdoors along a footpath or driveway to define its borders clearly. This could make it not only safer to navigate but further beautify the garden as well.
Deck and patio ground lights are another common application for outdoor ground lights. Using these lights around the perimeter of these areas can zone them off from the rest of the garden. This will also provide nice indirect lighting for enjoying the area at night.
Wall grazing with outdoor lights is also possible. By placing outdoor landscape lights close to the wall, you can highlight any unique textures that the wall has to offer. This is key when lighting the façade of a building.
How To Use Recessed Ground Up Lights to Light the Façade of a Building
With LED ground lights, outdoor spaces from the garden to the home can get an upgrade. In ground LED lights are especially instrumental for illuminating the façade of a building.
Wall washing and wall grazing are the two most common techniques for lighting façades. These shine a large wash of light across a greater surface area, adequately illuminating the exterior and drawing attention to the walls.
You can achieve wall washing by installing recessed uplighters for garden at a small distance from the house. Doing so will allow you to shine beams of light at specific areas you want to draw attention to. If you want to graze the wall and draw attention to its details, place them closer to the wall. In doing so, you will be able to show off the textures of the wall itself.
Below are the steps to take to install your outdoor ground spotlights to light up your home.
- Plan it out. Determine the areas of the architecture you want to highlight.
- Create a lighting scheme. Design a plan that will include:
- Placement of the lights
- Locations of the lights
- The recessed lights you want to use, including their dimensions
- Dig the holes. Dig where you plan to install the light fixtures and be sure they sit flush with the ground.
- Install the lights, according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Test and adjust. Turn the power on and be sure that the lights are shining where you want them to. Make any changes you deem necessary.
Which is The Best Type: LED, Solar or Halogen?
When considering various outdoor lighting ideas to implement into your space, the type of bulb you choose is important. Modern solar, versatile LED and traditional halogen bulbs are the most common options for outdoor lighting. Take a look at their differences to determine what is best for your landscape plan.
- ENERGY EFFICIENCY – LED lights are incredibly energy efficient, using 80 percent less energy than traditional halogen bulbs. That said, solar lights require no power at all except the natural energy of the sun.
- LIFESPAN – LED lights can last tens of thousands of hours as opposed to the 1,000 hours halogen bulbs last. Solar lights, on the other hand, tend to only last around five years maximum.
- LOW HEAT – LED bulbs give off practically no heat, while halogen bulbs can get so hot they aren’t safe to touch. Due to the low energy usage of solar lights, they hardly get hot at all.
- COLOUR TEMPERATURES – Halogen bulbs are only available in specific colour temperatures, while LED bulbs come in a wide range of them. Solar lights also tend to be limited in their colour temperature options.
- BRIGHTNESS – LED lights are considerably brighter than other types of lights. You can also dictate just how bright they are by choosing different lumen counts. Halogen bulbs indicate their brightness levels through wattage, but it’s hard for them to match the brightness of LEDs.
Solar lights are the dimmest of them all. Since they require the light of the sun to charge, rainy or cloudy days will limit how bright they are able to shine at night.
- DURABILITY – Solar lights tend to be made out of lower quality materials, where LED bulbs are built from durable parts that are less prone to damage. Halogen bulbs can be damaged by impact or vibration due to their fragile makeup.
Ultimately, LED bulbs stand out as the clear winner in these metrics. Still, it comes down to personal choice and preferences, so think about your own needs when choosing.
What Are The Rules For IP Ratings When Using Ground Lights?
Whether employed in uplighting techniques for pathways, decorative uplight designs or safety lighting, all outdoor lights are exposed to the elements and weather. To ensure they don’t take on damage from moisture and debris, you need to be sure the lights have the right IP rating.
IP ratings, or Ingress Protection ratings, are a way to understand how well a light fixture can tolerate exposure to wetness and dust. The first digit stands in reference to the resistance against solid matter, while the second indicates the resistance to moisture.
First Digit – SolidsÂ
0 – No protection offered
1 – Offers protection against any objects larger than 50 millimeters
2 – Offers protection against any objects larger than 12.5 millimeters
3 – Offers protection against any objects larger than 2.5 millimeters
4 – Offers protection against any objects larger than one millimeter
5 – Dust Protected offers protection against most entry of dust
6 – Dust Tight offers protection against all entry of dust
Second Digit – Water
0 – No protection offered
1 – Offers protection against vertically dripping water
2 – Offers protection against vertically dripping water from a 15-degree angle
3 – Offers protection against vertical water sprays when tilted at a 60-degree angle
4 – Offers protection against water splashes from any direction
5 – Offers protection against light jets of water
6 – Offers protection against strong jets of water
7 – Offers protection against total immersion up to one meter
8 – Protects against complete immersion at depths beyond one meter
In order to ensure your lights are well protected, it is recommended that you purchase IP67 rated waterproof lights. At the bare minimum, you should choose IP65 but no lower.
How To Use Ground Lights to Illuminate Trees
There are plenty of ways to use uplights to highlight trees. Some tips include:
- Position an outdoor uplights for trees directly beneath narrow trees to give them a more dramatic look.
- Aim uplights right up to the underside of trunks belonging to bushy, large trees. This will make the foliage itself more detailed and distinct.
- Show off the texture of the bark and leaves by aiming a light at an angle of 45 degrees from a small distance away.
- Turn your tree into a focal point with two or more spotlights. Cross their beams of light to reduce shadows. It’s best to do this on taller trees.
- Silhouette the trees near the garden or walls of your home using spotlights to cast their shadows behind them.
How To Maintain Outdoor Ground Lights
LED lights are quite low maintenance. This is owed to their durability and their long lifespans. Occasionally, you will need to go around and take a look at all of the lights.
Check the lights to ensure they have not been covered by dirt or debris. If they have, simply dust them off with a dry cloth, or wipe them off with a damp cloth. You can also check for any burnt-out bulbs or loose wiring that you may need to repair.
What is The Average Lifespan of LED Ground Light Fittings?
LED lights are famous for their incredibly long lifespans. They outlast tens of thousands of hours, providing you with bright and consistent lighting all the while. At a minimum, you’ll find LED lights to last around 20,000 hours. Some of them can last as long as 50,000 hours or longer.
Be sure to check the rating on the products before you purchase them to see how long you can anticipate your LED ground lights to operate without replacement.
How Deep Should You Bury Mains Supply Cables For Outdoor Inground Lights?
In order to ensure proper coverage, you should bury lighting cables around 600 millimeters deep. Typically, the cable will be laid upon a base made of sand and then covered up using road stone. Then, it gets covered with soil.
If you are unsure about any part of the process, you should contact a qualified electrician to handle it for you. This can eliminate risk of injury or improper writing.
Outdoor Uplighting IdeasÂ
With the ODL028 6 Watt 316 Stainless Steel Recessed LED Ground Light, you can light up pathways, trees and garden walls with ease. This light features a stainless steel faceplate that surrounds the clear glass front, which contains the LED bulb. This bulb outputs 430 lumens of 3200k warm white light, making it great for combining with other lights of its kind. The fixture measures a total size of 100 millimeters in diameter and is rated IP67 for safe outdoor use.
Perfect for patios and decks, the ODL047 1 Watt Round Brass Finish LED Ground or Decking Light is a small light that can beautifully outline perimeters. It generates 70 lumens of 3000k warm white light, creating a soft, indirect light. This illumination shines at a 30-degree beam angle. The fixture features a durable build with a polished brass exterior and boasts an IP67 rating. It measures 38 millimeters in diameter by 82 millimeters high, making it small and easy to incorporate almost anywhere.
Enjoy a sleek and modern way to light your garden with the ODL030 12 Watt 316 Stainless Steel Recessed LED Ground Light. This ground light for gardens features a beautiful 316 stainless steel faceplate that houses the glass cover above the LED bulb. The bulb itself generates 900 lumens of 3000k warm white light, making it bright enough for any application. Its IP67 rating makes it completely safe for outdoor use. Overall, it measures 145 millimeters in diameter.
Decorate your outdoor living space with the ODL047A 1 Watt Square Brass Finish LED Ground or Decking Light. This light features a modern square shape and is finished in opulent polished brass. The bulb inside emits a total of 70 lumens of 3000k warm white light that shines at a 30-degree beam angle. It measures only 38 millimeters by 38 millimeters, making it the perfect size for any deck or patio. Thanks to its IP67 rating, it is safe for use in any weather.
