Deck Lighting - Looking at Your Options

You don't build an expansive patio in the backyard just for the purpose of impressing the neighbors. At least, most people don't. If you spend this much money and effort on what amounts to an extension of your house, you want to get the most out of it. That means inviting friends and family over for entertaining, enjoying it in the evenings after work, and maybe even grilling out every now and then. All of this is fine in the waning light of the afternoon, but to bring your enjoyment into dusk and beyond, you'll need to think about your deck lighting options. There are some things to consider.

The Basics

When you're ready to implement deck lighting, you need to first determine a couple of things. Namely, you need to know the size of the area you're trying to illuminate, as well as your primary functional considerations. For instance, you're going to need a different setup if you plan to read out on your patio after dark than you might if you just want enough light to prevent tripping down the stairs. Some people don't even care about lights for functional purposes so much as for decoration.

Options

You'll soon find you have a whole world of illumination to choose from. Some of the more recently popular deck lighting options include using technology like small solar panels or LED pinlights to use less energy and provide a unique method of expression. Some of the newer solar products are surprisingly versatile, even allowing for colored globes and changing patterns. Besides the lights themselves, you can also look into some of the interesting technological options, such as timers and motion sensors.

Budget

You don't need to spend a fortune on deck lighting to come up with solutions you can be happy with for years to come. If you don't have much money to spend, you'll just have to get creative. Some homeowners are satisfied with bringing out standalone lamps in lieu of dedicated, built-in lights. If done right, it doesn't have to look tacky and can instead make it look as though you wanted something to set your scheme apart. If you have time, you can wait until a seller puts their inventory on sale before you commit to a purchase. If you have a fairly large budget, of course, you will have your pick when it comes to deck lighting and you can peruse catalogs dedicated to the best homeowner setups to spark your imagination.