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Let's decorate your gazebo
with lights so you
can play outdoors long after sunset.
You have tons of options --
everything from candles and lanterns to solar and
low-voltage.
 Outdoor lighting gives you security and
function. It adds to the overall visual impact and sets
the mood like magic!
They simply are a must-have easy outdoor decor
accessory.
So
get ready to make your light dreams come
true with this 11-part article that explores
your gazebo lighting and fixture options.
Be inspired with lighting ideas and crafty make-it-yourself
gazebo lighting projects.
And get prepared with information on lighting
techniques, types of lights, lighting placement, and
installation tips.
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Your gazebo is so
much more than a structure in your garden. It's a vacation destination
-- especially in summer when the days are long and the nights
are warm.
How do you use your
gazebo? Relaxing after work, playing catch-up with family,
wining and dining friends?
Make the most of your gazebo lifestyle.
Choose gazebo lights that enhance all of your outdoor
activities.
Gazebo lights should serve several needs.
Lighting for safety lets you to
walk around after dark without tripping over that fabulous chair
with the overstuffed pillows.
You'll
see that the burgers on the grill are
ready with task lighting.
Security lighting breaks up the inky
blackness in the distance.
And accent lighting helps you with safety,
task, and security lighting!
Let's start by
dividing gazebo lights into 3 purposes:
General Gazebo
Lights
General lighting is your responsible, low-voltage
gazebo lights option.
Gazebo paths and stairs are both high
traffic areas.
Generally speaking, use low-voltage, general-purpose gazebo lights
to highlight your gazebo pathways.
Low-voltage lights are
safe, inexpensive, easy
to install, and consume less energy, so you can count on saving
money.
And
low-voltage light manufacturers comply with government guidelines
ensuring these fixtures don't contribute to "dark sky"
pollution.
These lights are so safe
and easy to install, you'll
save tons of money and have lots of fun
by using do-it-yourself lighting kits.
Cheap, poor quality hardware and inferior
installation makes for a gazebo lighting disaster.
So make your yard shine with high
quality fixtures and careful installation! Your low-voltage
system will look fabulous, perform reliably, and be easy to
change if your needs change.
Low-voltage lights use transformers
to reduce the 120 volts normally found in wall outlets to
a safer 12 volts. Hence the term low-voltage! How easy is
that?
With only 12 volts, the cables can
be covered with just a few inches of soil, mulch, or ground
cover instead of being buried way underground.
That's why they're so easy to move around.
But if there is a possibility of an edger or lawnmower
damaging the cables, just
bury them about 6 inches deep. They'll still be easy to
move.
We might plug a power strip into a wall
socket and have any number of things plugged into the power
strip.
Low-voltage circuits are different.
The power-reducing transformer restricts the
electrical output. So you can't power lots and lots of
lights with only one low-voltage circuit.
More than 100 feet between a fixture and a
transformer creates line loss. That's a reduction in
power caused by resistance in the wire. And line loss
limits the amount of power that can reach a
distant fixture. Which in turn causes that fixture
to cast a dim light.
Overcoming this power limitation is uber
easy!
Just use a quality transformer that outputs a little more
than 12 volts -- like one that outputs 13, 14, or 15
volts.
That
way, the entire circuit gets just above 12 volts. And
by the time the power reaches the farthest gazebo lights fixture,
there's still more than 11 volts in the line to power
it.
Task Gazebo
Lights
You'll need task
lighting for close work like at the wet bar, reading,
crafting, or making snacks.
Use small table
lamps in your gazebo to read by, work on craft projects or
crossword puzzles, and to play board games while listening to
music late into the night.
Get recessed
fixtures that use compact halogen bulbs for cook station
lighting.
Accent Gazebo
Lights
Accent lights won't
give you good overall illumination -- but that's okay.
In exchange, you
get versatility, drama and ambiance!
Instead of flooding your outdoor space with simulated sunlight,
accent lights integrate easily
with posts, railings, stair risers, and other
gazebo elements to create a magical after dark atmosphere.
Set the mood for conversation and alfresco dining with candles and soft lights.
Or hide accent
lighting fixtures in the foliage, and get your uplighting
and backlighting noticed.
Take advantage of the sheer variety of
accent lights available, and you'll create a nightscape
that illuminates edges, highlights areas and elevations, and defines pathways and
destinations.
Recessed lights are
a good example of an accent light. They're also the easiest to
conceal during daylight hours. And they're perfect for
accenting gazebo stairs without looking overdone.
They use either LED
or incandescent bulbs. And both bulb types will give you a
different effect.
The best recessed
accent lights have round backs regardless of how the fixture
looks from the viewing side. That's because the cutout is
made with a round drill bit. And a round back fixture fits
neatly in the round cutout.
Holes
for fixtures with rectangular or
square backs are more difficult to make and to
conceal. You need a reciprocating saw or jigsaw to
make the hole. And the smallest imperfection in the
cutout could make your installation look crooked.
Lighting
stairs is one way recessed accents lights are used. But
lighting stairs is tricky business so be very careful.
Poorly lit stairs can be more dangerous than stairs with no
lighting at all!
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Easy Outdoor Decor
Tip...Light colored stairs or stairs
with risers and treads with contrasting colors don't need
as much light as dark stairs. And if you install fixtures
on both sides of the staircase, make sure the
light beams overlap -- avoid shadows.
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Too much light
can blind someone trying to climb the gazebo stairs. And
too little light or light misdirected can create shadows causing
unsure footing.
Avoid being
distracted by the light when going up the stairs by choosing
shaded or louvered fixtures. These fixtures direct the
light down instead of straight out.
And if you mount a
fixture on stair stringers or near the bottom
of railings, think about the position of the light in
relation to the stair treads. If you have enough space,
position the fixture higher. It will cast light over a wider
area.
Solar Gazebo
Lights
Go green and skip
the power bills too with solar lighting!
This lighting
option is not only economical, it's also a good alternative if
your gazebo isn't near a power source.
Solar lighting
cells charge a battery during the day when the sun's shining.
The lights turn on automatically using the stored power when
it gets dark.
You can get about
8-10 hours of night light if your solar gazebo lights get a
good amount of direct sunlight during the day.
Get The Gazebo Lights Fixture
That's Right For You!
Look for lighting
fixtures that coordinate with your house or gazebo's
style.
Create traditional
looks with brass, copper and wrought iron.
Go modern with
stainless steal, nickel and chrome.
Satin and antique
finishes are the most popular, but polished finishes are just
as easy to find.
The most durable
fixtures are marine-grade alloy aluminum, die-cast brass, and
solid copper.
Most standard
applications use cast-aluminum.
Gazebo Lights
Safety
UL listings are
safety ratings for electrical devices.
"Damp Location" UL
rated fixtures can be used safely in high humidity areas.
Don't let these fixtures come into direct contact with
rain.
Fixtures that have
a "Wet Location" UL rating can be operated safely in the rain.
But these can't be submerged in water.
Light
Bulbs
Incandescent, LED,
or CFL
gazebo lights?
Incandescent bulbs and LED's dominate
the world of exterior accent lighting.
Incandescent is economical, the technology is
established, and they are available in any shape,
size or wattage. They cast a soft and warm light. But
their lifespan is relatively short -- relatively.
LED's last the longest. But they cost
more, too. We're paying for the housing and the circuitry --
not just the bulb. But LED's don't just all of a sudden
burn out. They fade out over time.
Using Energy-efficient, Compact
Fluorescent Lights (CFL's) makes good sense. They're cheaper
to run and they last longer than incandescent. And
CFL's with a porcelain base make quick work of replacing
bulbs.
Light
Switches
Connect your gazebo
lights to solar timers. They'll automatically turn on the
lights as day turns to night.
Check out gazebos
that have columns supported on a good size pedestal base if
you want conveniently located outdoor light switches and
electrical outlets.
Install a light
switch in the house that controls your outdoor lighting
without you actually having to go outdoors.
Lighting
Techniques
Light your outdoor
room like a pro by creating patches of light and shadow
instead of overall illumination.
Go for maximum
visual impact by playing mix and match with fixtures that
produce different light intensities, patterns and angles.
Play with shadow
and light by highlighting the shapes of your gazebo, trees,
and bushes with uplighting and backlighting.
Use broad and
narrow casting spotlights to call attention to your water
feature or your favorite garden ornaments like a
bird
bath or garden fountain .
Gazebo Lighting
Decorating Ideas
Just because lights
are practical, doesn't mean they can't be beautiful,
too.
Brightly colored
paper lanterns with graphic prints are fabulous in a gazebo.
These lanterns are either battery-powered or the come with
wire kits. And they look great -- lit or not.
Accessorize your
gazebo's roof, floor and eaves with stay-cool, long lasting,
flexible LED strand lights.
Hang Moravian stars
from your gazebos ceiling to create your own celestial
lighting.
Or suspend oriental
candle lanterns from the roof stiles.
Create a special
mood with candles and oil lamps -- but be careful!
Make your water
feature sparkle! Train lights on it from the pond's
edge.
Quick, Crafty MIY
Gazebo Lighting Projects
Re-purpose canning or juice jars.
Fill them half way up with tumbled glass pieces and tuck a tea
light in the center. Use these to cast light on your gazebo
dinner table, or as fun pathway lighting.
Use flowerpots as gazebo lighting.
Find small pots in fun shapes. Secure a light inside the pot,
and route the wiring through the drain hole in the
bottom.
Make custom shades for inexpensive
outdoor fixtures. Get galvanized roof flashing from your local
home center and cut it to size with tin snips. Leave enough
flashing to cover the fixture and to also wrap 1/2 inch around
back on each side. On poster board, draw a pretty pattern with
a dotted line. Cover the flashing with your pattern. Use
scissors, a screwdriver, or a woodworking awl to punch your
pattern through the poster board and the flashing. Secure the
flashing to the fixture.
Put natural soy candles and play
sand in the bottom of hurricane jars, vases or candle keepers.
Use them to define the garden path, or as a table
accent.
Go for something chic and set
colorful tea lights in lots of Oriental dipping saucers. Then
arrange them on a lacquered sushi serving tray.
Trees need jewelry, too. Dress low hanging
branches with lots of colored glass votive holders. Hang them
in your trees with hardly-visible fishing line and watch them
twinkle like stars.
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