Pathway Lighting

Modern outdoor lighting does more than just enhance the appearance of a home or business. It can also enhance the safety and security of the area. Pathway lighting is one of the most direct ways to accomplish this.

Outdoor pathway lighting comes in a variety of different styles and forms. Here, we offer a broad selection of pathway lighting LED fixtures for you to choose from for your outdoor spaces.

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Why Use Pathway Lighting?

Garden pathway lighting is one of the best types of LED outdoor lighting you can install around your home. The unique nature of pathway lighting creates localised pools of light near the ground. This way, it is easy to guide pedestrians along a certain route and can improve upon the overall safety of the area. 

Localised lighting such as this also prevents light from flooding the entire area, which makes it more aesthetically appealing. Decorative pathway lighting elevates the appearance of your garden by casting a soft, warm and indirect glow around the space. Pathway lighting is especially beneficial for those who want to create an inviting outdoor living space after dark.

How Pathway Lighting Improves Safety and Security

LED garden lighting does more of a service to your outdoor space than just brightening it up and beautifying it. Landscape pathway lighting can also provide an extra layer to your home security and general safety of traversing the outdoors. 

With LED pathway outdoor lighting around the entry areas of the home, they become easier to see. Not only does this make it easier for guests to find the front door, but it makes it harder for burglaries to occur. A well-lit entryway leaves fewer hiding places for intruders to sneak up in. 

LED landscape illumination can also make simple traversal and navigation safer. By illuminating any potential holes, tripping hazards or other dangers along the path, you can prevent accidents and lower the risk of injury. 

If you have security cameras on the property, you can also use pathway lighting fixtures to ensure the areas on camera are highly visible. Pathway lighting will make sure there are no areas that go unseen on your camera footage, offering easier surveillance.

Why LED Lighting Is the Best Choice

LED lights have quickly overtaken traditional bulbs such as halogen and incandescent for many reasons. This is true of both indoor and outdoor lighting. 

The main draw of LED bulbs is their energy efficiency. LED bulbs use 80 percent less energy than traditional light bulbs, which means a reduction in electricity usage. Running pathway lights all night can get expensive, but LED bulbs shave down the costs. 

LED bulbs can run for tens of thousands of hours as opposed to the 1,000 or so from typical bulbs. With longer lifespans, you won’t have to replace them as often. This, too, can save you money on your lighting. 

Furthermore, they are also gentler on the environment. Their lessened energy consumption can reduce your carbon footprint, and the need for fewer replacements means you are generating less waste. 

Their versatility is another draw. LED lights come in a huge spectrum of cool and warm colour temperatures so you can stay in total control over the appearance of the lights. Furthermore, the many lumen counts they are available in will give you many choices about the brightness of the lights themselves.

Different Types of Pathway Lights

When you are starting to consider garden pathway lighting ideas, it is important to take into account the various pathway fixture types that are available to you. 

  • BOLLARD LIGHTS. Bollard lights are a style of light that has lights positioned directly on top of a post. Pathway lighting bollards don’t have any shades or other covers on them, allowing them to shine in all directions.
  • SPIKE LIGHTS. Spike lights are similar to bollard lights, but they generally have a pointed top. One type of spike lights has diffusers around the light to soften the glow.
  • IN-GROUND LIGHTS. One of the most popular types of pathway lights is recessed garden path lights. Buried pathway light fixtures give a clean and modern look to your garden with their minimalist appearance and low profile.
  • STEP LIGHTS. If you have any steps in the garden path, you can light them up with lights that fit on the stairs. You could also position them on either side of the steps to shine lights along the entire length.
  • LED LIGHTS. Most contemporary pathway lighting uses LED bulbs. LED lights are long-lasting, low voltage pathway lighting options that come in a variety of fixture styles so you can customise the look of your outdoor space.
  • SOLAR LIGHTS. Solar pathway lighting is one of the most eco-friendly garden lights you can choose. This light charges up in the sunlight during the day and then emits light at night. Oftentimes, they come in the form of ground post lights that you can line paths with.
  • SMART LIGHTING. Smart garden lighting gives you the ability to control the lights with greater ease. Connect them to your smart home, apps or other devices to set timers, control them with your voice and more.

Advice When Buying Solar Pathway Lighting Fixtures

Solar powered garden lights are an energy-efficient and diverse way to light up your outdoor garden space. Before making your final decision, there are a few things you should consider:

  • DIFFERENT SOLAR PLATES. There are three solar panel types. Amorphous lights are thin, flexible and lightweight. Polycrystalline lights are budget friendly, but they are rigid and heavy. Monocrystalline panels are made up of one solar cell and are the most efficient when producing electricity and therefore light.
  • CONSIDER YOUR CLIMATE. Solar lights rely on natural light to charge up. If you live somewhere that does not get a lot of sunlight, the lights may not burn as brightly as you want them to.
  • RUNTIME AND RECHARGE RATES. Be familiar with how long the lights will run after a full charge during the day. You should also know how long it takes to charge them up and use this information alongside the sun levels at home to determine which ones are best for you.
  • BRIGHTNESS. Similarly, you should be familiar with the lumen counts of the solar lights. Lumens indicate the maximum brightness of a light. If you are using them for security lighting, higher lumen counts are going to be best. If you are more interested in using them as atmospheric lighting, you can get away with lower lumen levels.
  • IP RATING. IP ratings, or ingress protection ratings, indicate how well a light is protected against debris and moisture. Since your lights will be exposed to the elements, it’s a good idea to get lights with a waterproof IP rating. Anything IP65 or above will do.
  • COLOUR TEMPERATURE. Colour temperature is a way to tell a light’s warmth or coolness. Warmer colour temperatures are preferred for settings that you want to make atmospheric and inviting. Conversely, cooler lights are better for security lighting since they tend to provide better visibility. 

Be sure that your pathway lights are always looking and running their best by regularly maintaining them. 

Every so often, you should do a walk around the pathways and check the functionality of all of the lights. Loose bulbs, wiring or cracks should be taken care of quickly to ensure that the path looks its best. 

If you see any branches or other growth around the lights, be sure that you trim them. Getting rid of these can stop any obstructions that might otherwise get in the way of the light. 

Cleaning the lights off will help in a similar way. Remove obstructive dirt and debris by wiping it down with a soft cloth. If debris is caked on, try a damp cloth with a non-abrasive cleaning liquid to pat it off. 

If you want to take your pathway lights to the next level, you can get creative and include some pathway lighting effects. 

Uplighting

As the name suggests, uplighting is shining light upwards. Usually, this is done on trees and sculptures in the garden. It is also seen on textured walls. Uplight any features near the path to illuminate it while including unique visual effects. 

Downlighting

In a similar vein, shining light downwards can create a beautiful visual effect. Downlighting shines light from above which is good at highlighting textures. Use it on any garden walls near the path. You can also achieve downlighting using post lights that shine light down onto the ground.

Moonlighting

Recreate the way that moonlight filters through trees with an effect known as moonlighting. This means adding a light over the trees or inside of the canopy to shine a light down into the foliage. Doing so will leave behind a shadow of the leaves on the pathway. 

Silhouetting

Placing light between a plant and a wall will show its silhouette against it. This provides a nice indirect glow on the pathway while also adding visual interest to the area itself. 

There are many pathway lighting ideas you can incorporate into your garden space. Keep reading to get inspired for your outdoor lighting project. 

Wall Lights

Wall lights attached to walls near sidewalks and other paths provide a decorative wash of light along the ground. You can install downlights for a more dramatic effect while also decorating the wall itself. 

Downlighting Posts 

Downlighting posts feature shades that help cast directional lighting downwards onto the path. This creates little splashes of light along the path that can elevate the visual interest in the garden. 

Light the Shrubs

If you have plants along the paths, you can nestle lights inside of them. Doing so incorporates the lighting in a subtle way and mostly hides the fixtures as well.

Illuminate the Trees

Similarly, you can attach landscape uplighting to the trees. This will enhance the natural beauty of the garden while also providing indirect pathway lighting. 

Ornate Solar Lights

If you want a more whimsical looking garden, consider solar lights. Oftentimes, solar lights come in floral shapes, stars, colourful globes and other unique designs that can bring personality and illumination to your garden in equal measure. 

Moonlighting 

Moonlighting refers to the process of shining light downwards through the trees to give the effect of moonlight coming through the leaves. This can be a more subtle way to highlight pathways while enhancing the overall aesthetics of the space.

There are a few things to keep in mind as you design your pathway lighting. Here are a few dos and don’ts to consider.

DO:

  • DO get familiar with your pathway. You’ll need to know the length, layout and various features of your pathway before planning the lights. This will help you plan for any elevation changes, obstacles or various landscape elements to install the lights around.
  • DO develop a plan. Figure out the lights you want to use and how you want to position them before committing to installation.
  • DO use all weather pathway lights. Since your pathway lights will be exposed to the elements, choosing lights that are capable of withstanding weather of all kinds is crucial.
  • DO incorporate lighting effects. There are many ways to approach lighting. Incorporate downlights, uplights and crosslights to create a visually interesting pathway.
  • DO keep colour temperature in mind. If you’re more interested in creating a pleasant, atmospheric walkway, such as by a patio, stick to warm temperatures. If visibility and security are the top priority, opt for cool temperatures.
  • DO place motion sensors with care. Be sure they are located in such a place that false triggers like tree branches won’t turn them on.

DON’T:

  • DON’T use poor quality lights. Since the lights will be exposed to harsher conditions, it is important to choose a durable light that won’t easily rust or corrode.
  • DON’T over-light the space. Adding too many lights will create an unattractive glare and can wash out the garden.
  • DON’T allow shadows. Be sure you are placing enough lights so that there are no dark shadows where the path cannot be clearly seen.

DON’T mix colour temperatures. Mixing cool and warm colours will create a visual clash. Pick one or the other and then stick to it.

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