What’s Outdoor Lighting?
Outdoor lighting includes a variety of light fixtures that address and improve exterior home security and safety. Additionally, these outdoor light fixtures highlight landscaping and architecture at night and come in a variety of styles and finishes.
Power and Performance
With options ranging from hard-wired flood lights to plug-in dusk-to-dawn lights and solar motion lights, you can find the perfect outdoor flood lights for your landscape and the exterior of your home. Solar-powered outdoor lighting draws the energy it needs from sunlight to make the lights operate. Though this option can cost more for the initial purchase and setup, you can ultimately save on your energy bill. Be sure to install the solar panels in areas that receive sufficient sunlight and avoid dark and shadowy areas of your home.
Plug-in lights will need to be positioned in an area with access to a power outlet or extension cord. With this option, you’ll have an exposed cord that you may need to secure or conceal.
Hard-wired lights connect directly to the electrical wiring of your home. Installation requires additional safety measures but can be an easy do-it-yourself (DIY) project.
Types of Light Bulbs for Outdoor Lighting
Another factor to consider is what type of light bulbs you want to use for your outdoor lighting. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are a popular option, and while they cost more than other bulbs, they last considerably longer.
Other common options are compact fluorescent (CFL) or halogen bulbs. Both can get hot, but CFLs contain mercury, which can be hazardous if bulbs break.
In addition, you can install high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, which are primarily used for larger spaces. You can use incandescent bulbs outside as long as they’re not exposed to the elements (rain, snow, etc.).
Check out our Light Bulb Buying Guide for a breakdown of the different lighting options available.
Lumens
Lumens are a measure of the light output — or the brightness of the light. The more lumens there are, the brighter the bulb will appear. Lumens differ from wattage in that watts measure the amount of power the bulb consumes — or the energy in the light.
The number of lumens you need for outdoor lighting depends on the area you want to illuminate. When you’re shopping for outdoor light bulbs and looking for brightness, compare the lumens instead of the watts. Standard 100-watt bulbs produce about 1,600 lumens.
For security lights, you can go for a brighter flood-light bulb. Consider using a timer for flood lights as well as a motion sensor. Recommended lumens for security flood lights range from 700 to 1,300.
The Best Color Temperature for Outdoor Lighting
Color temperature for lighting is measured on the Kelvin (K) temperature scale and refers to how cool or warm lighting looks. The Kelvin scale tracks from warmer to cooler. Lower Kelvin numbers are warm with yellow light, and higher Kelvin numbers are cool with blue or white light.
Security and Flood Lights
Security and flood lights are broad-beamed, high-intensity outdoor lights designed to flood large areas with light. As a result, these fixtures are often used as a preventive measure to reduce criminal activity and increase feelings of safety, especially when equipped with a motion sensor that causes the light to turn on when movement is perceived.
Types of Security Lighting
- Dusk-to-dawn lights are a good option for home security, as they turn on and off with the setting and rising of the sun, keeping your home exterior illuminated throughout the night.
- A motion-sensor light activates when the sensors detect movement and can provide a large range of illumination. The lights deactivate if no additional movement triggers the sensor, making a motion-sensor light a good energy-saving option.
- Switch-control security lights are operated with the flip of a switch. You can turn them on at dusk or use as needed.
- Security and flood lights are most effective when correct-wattage bulbs are paired with covers that direct light to a specific area and reduce blinding glare and deep shadows where dangers can hide. Choose a wattage high enough to illuminate the desired area but low enough that light doesn’t creep onto the street or into a neighbor’s yard or window.
For step-by-step instructions on putting up motion lights, check out How to Install Motion Lights. Some motion-sensor lights can be triggered by reflective surfaces. So be careful not to position sensors towards these areas. Spot-checking the lights at night after the install is the best way to avoid accidental activation of your security lights.
Outdoor Wall Lights
Outdoor wall lights mount on virtually any vertical surface and cast an ambient glow. Great for illuminating recessed areas, pathways, walkways and stairways, wall lights help eliminate shadows in recessed areas of architecture or hardscaping, therefore reducing the risk of tripping and accidents. Because these are accent lights, use low-wattage bulbs. Higher wattages create glare and can be harsh at night.
Ceiling-Mount/Pendant Lights
Shining light from above, outdoor hanging lights, such as ceiling-mount and pendant light fixtures, illuminate covered porches, entryways and gazebo areas. Ceiling and pendant fixtures are a wonderful way to showcase dining and seating areas.
When placing pendant lights, make allowances for height and swing radius so the fixture won’t be hit by a screen door, wall or person.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans offer multiple benefits: decorative overhead lighting, cooling and insect deterrence. These are best in covered porches, entryways and gazebos. Just make sure the ceiling fan you intend to install is rated for outdoor use.
Want to hang a ceiling fan yourself? Read our guide Install or Replace a Ceiling Fan.
Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting accents a home’s facade and landscape features. With a variety of fixture types, it’s easy to find a solution that creates all the right highlights. Path and stake lights illuminate walkways to prevent accidents along footpaths. Deck lights attach to the structure to cast ambient light onto the deck for easy navigation. Use on stairways to prevent accidents. Accent lighting helps highlight a home’s architecture and outdoor living spaces by introducing uplights, downlights, well lights and spotlights.
Outdoor Lighting Considerations
The dark-sky movement is a product of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), an organization dedicated to reducing light pollution and minimizing the negative impact of artificial light on nature. You may notice that some outdoor lighting fixtures are categorized as Dark Sky and have a Good Neighbor seal on the packaging.
The IDA is responsible for the Fixture Seal of Approval program that judges the friendliness of lighting fixtures on nature. The group takes into account glare, deep shadows, light trespass (the amount of light that escapes the intended area), sky glow (the amount of unnatural light that floods our skies at night) and impact on the natural world (including sea turtle egg laying, migrating bird confusion and irregular growing cycles).
Smart lighting — or lighting that directs its glow only where it’s needed — is essential as it minimizes the amount of light spilling over into unnecessary spaces. These fixtures are marked with Good Neighbor or IDA seals.
Another way to minimize light pollution is to install dusk-to-dawn fixtures. Using a light sensor, the fixture determines the time of day and operates only in the evening. This is an especially useful feature when used in combination with motion lighting, so you can avoid paying for the electricity used unnecessarily in daylight hours.
If you don’t have motion fixtures or dusk-to-dawn fixtures, consider using a timer for outdoor lighting.