Outdoor areas are for socializing, events and can even add value to your home. Adding a patio or decking area to your home in terms of building and installation. Whether it's a patio or decked area they are both going to have similar uses, space and lighting requirements. For patio areas there is going to be three types of lighting general, ambient and task. The most optimal way in lighting an outdoor area is to layer it using these 3 types in the required ratio accustomed to how you need.

How The Decking Is Used?

Entertainment Lighting

Entertainment lighting can come from a range of lighting options. When it comes to entertainment areas all 3 types of lighting will be used, it just depends on the ratio and how each one is applied. For entertainment areas general lighting will be the main illumination followed by ambient then task lighting. When it comes to brightness a decking area isn’t going to need as much brightness as indoors.

Entertainment outdoor decking need strategic lighting. Up/down lighting along the edges of the area would create a border and also accent light the edge of the area. Creating a general illumination with a relaxing effect. Using floodlights as up lights on a border of a decking area is a great way in highlighting the area and outlining where the histing area is, while creating an atmosphere. Have RGB floodlights in order to change color and have more versatile wall washing effects.

How To Light Entertainment Areas

When applying floodlights to an entertainment area the first idea seems to just use them to flood the area with light but this isn’t the best way. Just outputting light into an open space will actually make the yard look smaller and less appealing. Use the hardscape and borders around it to enhance the yard's look.

How Many Lumens for Decking Areas?

Due to the fact your decking area will be using a combination of lights, determining the amount of lumens can be tricky as a total. But we can use an estimation and range. The key to outdoor lighting is low level layered lighting. So, the decking area is going to have a higher number of lights with lower wattage and lumens.

Ground Lights: These will come in the form of step lights or recessed can lights that fit into the ground. Their light output should be low level between 100-200 lumens each unit, depending on the size of the decking area. Average LED step lights output around 100 lumens and this is very low-level light so for the flooring of a decking area would need one every 10-20cm. So to cover an average decking area of 16m² you’d be using between 6000-8000umens across the floor, subject to how much light you prefer.

Up lighting: Up lighting will depend on the size of the hardscape you are trying to highlight. However, in the yard, fences, walls, etc. may be over 6ft high, meaning if you want to highlight them high or near to the top, a 20W outdoor floodlight would be the absolute minimum. Due to the efficiency of LED floodlights a 30W should be able to emit 3000 lumens and highlight a high wall, fountain or hardscape.

Safety Lighting

Outdoor lighting needs balance, aesthetics and a consideration for new visitors who’ve never been there. This means the lighting not only needs to be eye-pleasing, it needs some form of practicality to ensure people know where the edges are and prevents accidents. The uplights will draw out the edges of the area, the ground lights will show where to walk and somewall sconces on hardscapes such as steps, walls, ledges will be fundamental. The key in ensuring the safety for new visitors and for general safety is to direct the lights only at the surface they are supposed to be illuminating. If there is no glare or light interference in open space, the steps, walls objects will be easily outlined.

What Is The Best Light For Outdoor Decking?

SGLEDs 30W RGB Floodlight is a great outdoor decking light. This light can produce 16 colors are various modes including strobe, flash and constant illumination. With the light’s lightweight body and bright beam, it can be used to up light, illuminate and highlight features and hardscapes around the yard. The best applications for this light when it comes to decking area lighting would be up lighting/downlighting on walls, edges, features.

Why Is SGLEDs 30W Floodlight Different?

This light is different due to its lightweight design and superior heat dissipation. The body of the light is hollow allowing for natural air convection to flow through the body of the light. Resulting in a cooler running light. Heat is the biggest reducer in an LED's life, so if we can reduce LED chip's exposure to heat, the longer they will last!

COC Patented Technology: The use of ceramic heat sinks means these lights have no internal fans and no extra pieces. The chips are directly attached to the heat sink meaning while these lights are outdoors, they will be running a far lower temperatures than other LED lights. This is due to that fact that their hollow body will allow the cool air to enter the body of the light and with less pieces internally, the light will be producing bright light at a very efficient running temperature. Leading to an overall more cost-effective light.

If you have an outdoor patio or decking area and need landscape and hardscapes In the yard aesthetically illuminated, SGLEDs 30W RGB Floodlight is the most cost-effective on the current market.