Planning And Using Outdoor Recessed Lighting

The use of outdoor recessed lighting can really enhance the look of your outdoors.

Not only are they tucked away and out of sight, but they will help focus people's attention to the desired object or space without distraction.

Pre-Planning

Before beginning any outdoor lighting project it is important to plan your lighting scheme.

Especially with recessed lighting, you want to make sure that you've planned well. Designing an effective layout is critical since recessed lights are not easily moved once in position.

Be mindful of the surrounding space in which you wish to install your recessed lights. Any space that requires constant maintenance should be considered a high traffic area.

A lawn or walkway area should also be considered high traffic especially with kids around. You may want to include recessed lighting in your outdoor landscape lighting design.

Bulb Adjustment

The main thing to be aware of with recessed lighting is bulb adjustment. You must be sure that you can adjust the angle of the bulb to your desired angle.

Outdoor recessed lights are limited in their ability to pivot largely due to the fact that recessed lighting fixtures typically stay put and cannot be easily moved.

The internal lamp therefore is limited in the degree to which you can adjust its angle.

Installation

If installing recessed lighting in a driveway, installing a grid that fits on top of the fixture's lens to prevent it from breaking under intense pressure is a good idea.

It is always advised to test you soil before installing recessed lighting in ground. Soils with high levels of ground salts will easily corrode the fixture's housing.

Proper Drainage

If you live in an area that experiences regular flooding, you do not want to install recessed lighting.

If you still insist on using outdoor recessed lighting, you may find that fixtures rated for underwater use may better suit your needs. Always check the manufacturer's recommendation and professional advice before going this route.

Drainage is so important to recessed lighting that without it your fixtures would malfunction every time it rained.

When installing your fixtures in ground, dig a hole twice the depth of the fixture's recessed depth. Fill half of the hole with gravel for proper drainage and install the fixture on top.

Fixture Finishes

Some of the best recessed outdoor lighting fixtures are made of brass. Brass fixtures are much more immune to corrosion but are more costly than aluminum or steel fixtures.

Powder coated fixtures are a less expensive alternative to brass and still hold up very well in outdoor environments. It is best to still protect these fixtures' recessed parts with a non corrosive paint.

Compare different recessed fixtures that are available on the market. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each and compare.

5 Advantages To Recessed Lighting

• They are a neat, clean, and un-obtrusive alternative to other lighting fixtures available.

• They can eliminate a possible trip hazard.

• They make operating heavy machinery easy such as a lawn mower by not having to move around prodruding ground fixtures.

• They are easily hidden from plain sight and do not draw unwanted attention to themselves.

• They can be used for virtually any outdoor lighting application and come in a variety of shapes, colors and finishes.

5 Disadvantages To Recessed Lighting

• They can easily become covered by falling leaves and debris.

• Condensation may form internally without a proper seal.

• They have a limited angle range for bulb adjustment.

• They are more costly than spike mounted lights.

• Improper lenses can melt or get too hot for decks or high traffic areas.

5 Creative Uses For Recessed Lighting

Use outdoor recessed lighting to highlight the parts of your decor that you wish to draw attention to through outdoor accent lighting. Eliminate the possibility of a lighting fixture taking away from the finished look you desire.

1) Recessed Step Lighting

Installing recessed lights adjacent to steps is a good way to way to eliminate a potential trip hazard. Using recessed outdoor step lighting fixtures keeps your outdoor lamps nicely tucked away in high traffic areas.

2) Recessed Deck Lighting

How about installing it in your deck's floor panels? Recessed fixtures in your deck lighting setup can help to accentuate your deck's natural beauty along with giving you the option of focusing attention to your favorite outdoor decor.

3) Recessed Patio Lighting

Many people spend lots of time on their outdoor patio and prefer not to have to worry about their recessed lights getting in the way of things when entertaining. Recessed outdoor patio lighting can keep your lighting safe and out of the way.

4) Recessed Wall Lighting

Learn more how recessed lighting can be used in outdoor wall lighting to create magnificent effects to dress up your outdoors.

5) Recessed Outdoor Wedding Lighting

Incorporating outdoor recessed lighting is important to the final look of your outdoor environment. The same holds true when lighting an outdoor wedding party.

Most importantly be creative and try new things. Outdoor recessed lighting can be used in so many ways to really make your outdoors stand out.