|
[ back ]
Outdoor lighting enables you to create an outdoor living area that requires no architectural additions and allows you to enjoy your space well after the sun goes down. And best of all, if you use one of the many 12 volt lighting kits that are now available in hardware stores you can easily do-it-yourself.
Warm spoke to HPM Industries, one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of DIY outdoor lighting. According to HPM’s Garden Lighting Product Manager, the possibilities for your garden are only limited by your imagination. Here are some tips.
[ back ]
Creating a lighting plan
1. Keep it simple
Simple and understated is the key – excess lighting and incorrectly positioned lighting can create a glare filled environment. The transition from indoors to outdoors may become disjointed rather than a smooth journey.
2. Observe nature
Take a walk around your garden, observing the different lighting effects created by late afternoon sun and even the moon on your home and landscaping. Imagine how you can recreate these effects using basic lighting techniques.
3. Draw out a plan
Do a rough sketch of your house and garden, including landscaping, walkways, ornamental features, water features etc. Sketch in the desired fixtures and light patterns.
4. Select a transformer and cable
All you need now is to work out number of lights and wattages, to select your transformer and you are ready to install. A transformer is required to reduce the 240V mains voltage to the Extra Low Voltage (12V).
Transformer selection is simple – just add up the total wattage of the garden lights purchased and choose the next highest rating for your transformer.
For example, 10W light + 10W light + 20W light + 10W light = 50W. So, if you are installing 50W of lights, then use a transformer with minimum 60VA rating.
5. Install and perfect it
Once the lights are installed, check the desired lighting effect. You can re-arrange or expand your lighting plan as needed to achieve the look you want.
[ back ]
How to get the look you want
Accenting a garden
Add a warm, inviting glow to your garden with uplights.
Lighting a pathway
Border a pathway with mushroom lights for soft downlighting without upward glare.
Highlighting a home
Accent masonry wall textures, eaves, cornices etc. with backlighting from spotlights.
Bordering a driveway or walkway
Line a driveway with bollard walklights to create a downlighting effect for safety and convenience, or a pathway for a safe, inviting passage.
Highlighting landscaping
Use uplights to show off your favourite ornamental tree, and spotlights to create a dazzling display of light, colour and shadows.
[ back ]
Creating an entryway
Combine downlighting of a step with backlighting of bushes to create an elegant entryway that welcomes visitors.
[ back ]
Transformer tips
- Don’t overload a transformer with more lights than it can handle – buying a larger transformer than you require will give you more flexibility to add more lights at a later date.
- Buying a transformer with a built-in timer allows you to set your garden lights to switch on and off at the times set by you.
- Use several transformers for a large garden area as the voltage output, and therefore the brightness, will be reduced if using many lights, or alternatively you can install two cable runs from your transformer.
- Remember to turn off the power when connecting, cleaning or dismantling lights.
[ back ]
Outdoor lighting glossary
Path lighting
This is primarily used to define paths and to add safety, security and visibility at night. It can also be used along garden edges or to illuminate groundcover, ornaments and decorative mulches.
Downlighting
Subtly lighting a feature from above gives a warm circular glow to highlight ground cover, plants or walkways. You can create different moods and effects to light flower beds, groundcover and rockeries.
Spotlighting
Unusual plants, old growth trees, or man-made features can be spotlighted with a focused beam of light to highlight them after dark. Best results are achieved when the beam is directed upwards.
Silhouetting
This effect is achieved by placing a hidden spotlight behind an object and pointing it at a wall or façade. The object is silhouetted whilst becoming more visible.
Shadowing
Another spotlighting technique that creates a shadow on a vertical surface. Place a fixture, such as a tree or shrub, directly in front of the subject then direct the light through it. To create a larger shadow, move the light closer to the fixture and vice versa for a smaller shadow.
Crosslighting
This is a soft lighting effect, which adds depth and dimension, achieved by crossing two spotlights from two different points or angles.
Uplighting
Light is directed upwards onto these objects whilst giving peripheral light to surrounding areas.
Grazing
Grazing is achieved by placing an uplight about 15-20cm away from a façade and aiming the light beam up at 90 degrees vertically so it only "grazes" the feature’s surface. This is extremely effective in gardens containing textured stone or brick walls, fences and any other area where shadow and light may enhance the surface quality.
Tree lighting
This technique uses uplights at the base of a tree to highlight its unusual features, producing an attractive security feature.
[ back ]
Safety first
Just before you go and test out new-found knowledge on your garden, we cannot stress strongly enough that this article refers to Extra Low Voltage (12 volt). Extra Low Voltage garden lighting does not need to be installed by a licensed electrician. If you require an outdoor power point to plug the transformer into, you will need to have a licensed electrical contractor install this for you.
Likewise, should you require 240 volt outdoor lighting or need any fixed wire products installed such as switches or powerpoints you will need to use a licensed electrical contractor.
Finally, if you are in any doubt on any of these points contact a licensed electrical contractor.
[ back ]
|
