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Recessed Wall Lights

Recessed outdoor wall lights are one of the easiest ways to add visibility and a moody atmosphere to your outdoor living space. They are versatile, durable, and perfect for exterior spaces of any kind.

Ultra Beam Lighting specializes in stylish, hard wearing exterior recessed wall lights. Shop our wide variety of inset outdoor wall lights for your residential and commercial applications alike.

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What Are Recessed Outdoor Wall Lights?

External recessed wall lights are light fixtures designed to be recessed into the exterior walls of buildings. They sit flush with the line of the wall, eliminating any protrusions that might get in the way. This is especially useful for low level recessed outdoor wall lights along footpaths.

Why Use Recessed Wall Lighting Outdoors?

When deciding on which kind of wall light to use, you may be debating between standard wall-mounted fixtures and a recessed exterior wall light, for example. There are a few things to think about when determining if exterior recessed wall lamps are right for your space.

Space Saving Design

If you have a small patio or porch and don’t want to clutter it with bulky lights, a small recessed outdoor wall light may be best for you. They have a discreet design and low profile that stops them from extruding and becoming an issue in tight spaces.

Better Visibility and Safety

Especially along pathways, recessed garden wall lights make it safer and easier to navigate. With ample lighting and no tripping hazards from fixtures, moving along paths and up and down stairs at night becomes much safer. 

Versatility in Design

Exterior recessed wall light fixtures come in a number of styles and light types for you to choose from. From mini outdoor recessed wall light fixtures that stay out of the way to outdoor round recessed wall lights that give modern flair, there is a wide variety to choose from.

Recessed low level outdoor wall lights also come in a spectrum of colour temperatures and lumen counts, making it easier to personalise your outdoor space. Use them for either task or ambient lighting depending on the intensity of illumination that you choose.

Common Errors When Installing Exterior Recessed Wall Lighting

Much like their interior counterparts, recessed exterior LED wall lights can be installed improperly if not careful. Below, you’ll find some of the most common lighting mistakes you can make with external recessed wall lights, so you’ll know what to avoid.

  • IMPROPER IP RATINGS. IP ratings are crucial when it comes to LED recessed wall lights outdoors. They are responsible for indicating how well a light resists damages from moisture and debris. Choosing garden wall recessed lights under IP65 rated lights for external use runs the risk of it getting permanently damaged.
  • POOR SPACING. Not placing outdoor wall recessed lights evenly along the walls can lead to dark spots or overly bright glares. On pathways, space the lights around one to 1.5 meters apart. On walls in gardens, wider spacing of 2 metres or greater is recommended.
  • NEGLECTING BRIGHTNESS AND BEAM ANGLES. Recessed garden wall lights come in a variety of lumen counts and beam angles. Keep them in mind when lighting your exterior space to ensure adequate illumination is being given.
  • NOT PLANNING FOR MAINTENANCE. It can be tempting to recess lights into certain nooks outdoors, but if you place them too out-of-reach, you will struggle to maintain them regularly.

How to Integrate Recessed Exterior Wall Lights with Other Exterior Lighting

Exterior lighting design schemes do not work well with solitary lights here and there. Just like indoor lighting design, it is important that you layer your inset garden wall lights to create a cohesive and well-balanced look.

There are three main layers to a layered lighting scheme: ambient, accent and task lights. Ambient lighting provides the main foundation for your area, while task lights give more focused lighting for activities like dining. Finally, you have accent lighting for things like highlighting architecture and creating focal points.

When layering outdoor recessed wall light fixtures together, be mindful to choose lights in a similar style and finish. This ensures a visually balanced look throughout the outdoor space. 

Ambient Light

To create the main layer of illumination, you will want a brighter, broader light. Think overhead lighting or even bright wall lights.

Task Lights

To make it easier to dine, relax with friends or navigate paths, task lighting is important. One of the most common types of accent lighting outdoors are outdoor stair riser recessed outdoor wall light fixtures. These illuminate individual steps to make navigation simpler.

Accent Lights

Exterior recessed wall light fixtures are an excellent choice for accent lighting. Whether you want to wash a wall with illumination for decorative appeal or use directional lighting to highlight an element outdoors, external recessed wall lights are the answer.

How to Use Recessed Exterior LED Wall Lights in Commercial Applications

A well-lit commercial space is crucial, whether it is a shop or a hotel. Being able to see clearly outdoors makes customers, employees and guests feel safer approaching the building at night. Such lighting also beautifies the building, which can attract attention from passersby on the road.

Hotel Lighting

In terms of practicality and safety, include recessed outdoor wall lights in your exterior commercial lighting design. Step lights will give people confidence when navigating the unfamiliar landscape of your commercial space–both in terms of visibility and in terms of avoiding obstacles.

You can also install recessed concrete wall lights along the entryway and facade. This will brighten the building to make it more visible from the road. It will also provide an overall brighter outdoor space that guests feel comfortable approaching at night.

Corporate and Office Buildings

By lighting entrance ramps and other disabled access areas, you can make it safer and more comfortable for those with limited mobility to access their job sites.

Restaurant and Retail

When you want to attract customers, lighting is key. Use recessed low level outdoor wall lights to highlight the storefront, outdoor dining areas or even signage to make it clearly visible.

Outdoor recessed wall light fixtures mix practicality, style and versatility into one convenient package. They are especially useful when added to areas surrounding pathways and walkways.

Having the paths be well-lit reduces the risk of accidents, like trips or falls, by increasing overall visibility. This makes them quite beneficial for use on and around stairwells as well. Exterior recessed wall lamps are one of the most common use cases for this style of light.

When it comes to focusing more on style with outdoor LED wall lights, recessed outdoor wall light versions go well on porches and near front doors. They can add a soft glow around the entrance without distracting too heavily from the decor.

Garden walls can also benefit from outdoor recessed LED wall lights, drawing attention to garden beds and other features. Choosing warm, soft lighting can help you create focal points and accent walls to enhance the architecture and design of the space.

Maintaining your garden wall recessed lights is an important task that should not be overlooked. By performing regular maintenance, you can find problems before they worsen and ensure that your lights look and function at their best.

About every three to six months, you should do a walkaround on the property and dust off any debris. Use a soft brush or microfiber cloth to remove surface debris and keep the light shining brightly. If there is stubborn debris clinging, lightly dampen a cloth to clean it away.

You should also be checking for seal integrity and water damage during these inspections. Seek out any cracks, condensation or other indicators that the lights have taken in water. You can also pre-emptively apply a silicone sealant to fortify the lights against water damages in the future.

Examine the electrical components every so often to ensure the wiring is still intact and not fraying anywhere. It is important to first turn off the power to all of the lights in the area to remove the risk of electric shock. If you notice any issues with the wiring, seek out a qualified electrician to come and handle it for you.

Wall recessed lights outdoors are constantly exposed to the elements–even lights that are under partial cover, such as on a porch. For this reason, IP ratings are crucial.

IP ratings indicate a light fixture’s ability to resist moisture and debris damage. The first digit indicates its resistance to debris, while the second digit indicates its resistance to moisture.

For many outdoor lights, it is best to have an IP65 rating or higher. This makes it functionally waterproof, so you won’t have to worry about rain damaging the fixture. It can also keep out soil and other debris that it might be exposed to outdoors.

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