Outdoor Lighting

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"children":[{"type":"text","value":"How to choose outdoor lighting"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Outdoor fixtures are chosen on protection rating first and looks second. IP44 covers a fixture against splashing from any direction and is enough under a porch roof or a deep eave. IP65 is sealed against low-pressure water jets and is what you want anywhere rain hits the fixture directly or a hose might. In-ground and submerged fittings need IP67 or higher. In the United States the equivalent listing is damp location for sheltered spots and wet location for full exposure."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Then plan the layers. Wall lights at the door handle the entry, path and bollard lights mark routes, post lights carry driveways and gateposts, and spots or wash lights pick out a tree or a facade. Do not try to solve all four with one bright fixture; a single high-output floodlight creates glare and hard shadows that make the garden harder to read at night."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Keep the light warm and modest. 2700K to 3000K suits planting and brick, and lower output aimed carefully beats high output aimed anywhere. Shielded fixtures that throw light downward keep it on your property and out of a neighbor's window."}]},{"type":"heading","level":3,"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Placement"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Path lights: 6 to 8 feet apart along a walkway, set 12 to 18 inches back from the edge of the path."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Entry wall lights: center at about 66 inches above the porch floor, at roughly eye level beside the door."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Post lights on a driveway: 10 to 15 feet apart on posts of 6 to 7 feet. Use IP44 or damp-rated under cover and IP65 or wet-rated in the open."}]},{"type":"heading","level":3,"children":[{"type":"text","value":"FAQ"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"What IP rating do I need?","bold":true}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"IP44 for anything under a solid cover, IP65 for anything exposed to rain, and IP67 for fittings set into the ground or near water."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Should outdoor lights be on a timer?","bold":true}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"A photocell or an astronomical timer is more reliable than a fixed clock, because it follows sunset through the year without adjustment."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Is warm or cool light better outdoors?","bold":true}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"2700K to 3000K flatters planting, wood and brick. Cooler light above 4000K tends to make a garden look flat and clinical."}]}]}