Deck Lighting: Getting Started
Getting Started
If the night is calling you, pull up a lounge chair and enjoy it from your backyard. Your deck can be the setting for many relaxing evenings. The key is to add lighting that casts a nice glow over sitting areas, highlights features and illuminates steps and walks.
Low-voltage systems do this well and they’re safe and easy to work with. Unlike with standard household voltage, the transformer that powers them simply plugs into a receptacle. In this article, we’ll show you how to plan a system for your deck and how to install the transformer and fixtures.
Planning and LayoutDraw Your Deck and Plan the Light Positions
FIG. A LIGHTING PLAN
Click image to enlarge.
Mark the light fixture locations on your deck plan. Locate the transformer next to an electrical receptacle (if necessary, add one). Draw routing lines for the wiring circuits. For our deck, the post lights (green) highlight the main entrance to the house and light the path to the driveway. The step lights (blue) add safety by lighting stairways. The rope lights (red) highlight the planter boxes and add ambient light. The floodlights (orange) highlight the plants and add to the look from the street.
There are several types of low-voltage fixtures, each designed for special uses (lead photo). To decide on which light fixtures to use where, first draw a rough plan of your deck (Fig. A). On the plan, note at least the following key features: stairs, sitting and congregating areas, nice features such as railings and plantings and traffic paths. Also note the location of nearby receptacles that can be used to plug in your transformer.
Take your deck plan to a lighting showroom to select specific fixtures to light each feature. Ask a sales person to help. Mark the selected fixtures on the plan. Note that a single fixture can sometimes handle several tasks. Next position the transformer on the drawing next to an existing receptacle. If no receptacle is nearby, you’ll have to install one. A receptacle controlled by an inside switch is the most convenient setup.
Draw lines to connect the fixtures to the transformer. Minimize the amount of wire you’ll need by connecting multiple fixtures to a single circuit wire. (This may affect the size wire you need. See “Sizing Circuit Cables,”below)
Next, add up the total wattage for all the fixtures (see “Sizing the Transformer,”below). Select a transformer size that provides at least 25 percent excess capacity. Also decide what features you want with the transformer.
Connecting the Power
Running the Wiring
Click image to enlarge.
Each circuit requires a cable that is made up of a pair of
wires. Calculate the total length of cable needed and buy it as one piece. Plan
on cutting specific lengths on the job.
Always try to route wires out of sight. You don’t have to worry about safety. Low-voltage wiring isn’t dangerous. Run the cables under the decking. If a cable must be visible, staple it into a corner or on the least conspicuous surface.
Use insulated staples to fasten the cables to wood members at 2-ft. intervals. The low-voltage wire and the water-proof wire connectors must be buried 6 in. deep into the ground.
Waterproof Wire
Connectors
are ideal for exterior
low-voltage wiring. Strip 3/4 in. of insulation from each wire end. Hold all
the ends flush together and twist on a connector. You can get waterproof
connectors at Home centers, electrical supply houses and irrigation supply
houses. If you need help finding a local dealer, call King Safety Products at
(800) 633-0232, or visit its Web site at www.kingsafety.com.
|
Add the wattage of each fixture to determine the total load. Our deck: |
|
|
4 step lights x 12 watts |
48 watts |
|
3 post lights x 20 watts |
60 watts |
|
60 ft. of rope light x 5.45 watts per foot |
327 watts |
|
2 floodlights x 20 watts |
40 watts |
|
Total |
475 watts |
|
Add 25 percent excess: |
|
|
475 x 1.25 |
594 watts |
The Power Center
Optional features:
-
Timer switch, which automatically turns the lights on and off at preset times.
-
Photo eye, which turns the lights on at dusk and off at dawn.
-
Individually switched circuits, which allow different groups of lights (scenes) to be independently controlled.
Sizing Circuit Cables
(Allows for connecting
fixtures with a maximum total of 150 watts)
|
LENGTH OF CABLE |
WIRE SIZE |
|
0 to 50 ft. |
Use 12-gauge |
|
50 to 100 ft. |
Use 10-gauge |
|
100-plus ft. |
Use 8-gauge |
Stair Lighting
Most step
lightshave to be connected through the back. Drill a hole through
the planter wall behind the fixture and feed the wires through (Photo 1).
Connect the wires with waterproof wire connectors and push the wires back into
the hole. Fasten the back plate to the siding (Photo 2) and then install the
cover (Photo 3).
Wiring a Post Light
Click image to enlarge.
The wires for thepost cap lightscome from below. Again, try to find
a hidden route. In our case, we drilled partially through the length of the
existing rail post (Photos
4 – 6). After feeding the wire through the rail post, we
drilled through the center of an additional post section (Photo 4) and screwed
it to the top rail (Photo 7).
New-Post Technique
For the new posts, we first cut them in
half lengthwise with a circular saw, then cut a groove for the wire and reglued
the halves together with urethane glue. Feed the circuit wires
through the post before connecting the fixture (Photo 8). Dig a
hole 18 to 24 in. deep with a posthole digger to set the post. Adjust the
length of the post to the hole’s depth.
Rope Lighting
Rope lighting is unique. It’s a
flexible, solid plastic rod with a series of tiny bulbs embedded in it.
Calculate the total length needed, add 10 percent and buy one long piece
(it’s available in 250-ft. rolls) and cut it on the job.
Attach a power connector to one end of the rope lighting (Photo 9). The cord on the power connector then attaches to the circuit wire with twist connectors. You can connect multiple pieces of rope light with straight and 90-degree connectors, but it’s quite flexible and we were able to bend it around 90-degree corners without the 90-degree connector.
While you can install the rope with clips that mount every foot or so, the best system is a plastic rope light track. Cut the track to length and then mount it with nails or screws. We found that predrilling the back of the track and fastening with 3/4-in. corrosion-resistant screws worked best (Photo 10).
Round up a helper and stretch the rope light along the installed track, then cut it to length (Photo 11) atone of the cutting marks. Start with the end with the connected power cord and push it into the track, working to the other end (Photo 12).
Connecting the Floodlights
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Floodlights provide a wash that
highlights features. Be careful not to direct the light into people’s
eyes when they’re on the deck. Some floodlights come with a hood to
reduce glare. A ground stake attached to the bottom of the fixture makes
installation a snap(Photo
13). Bury the wire 6 in. deep.
Buyer’s Guide
Here is one manufacturer of high-quality
12-volt rope light. Call if you need help finding a local dealer.WAC: (800) 526-2588.
www.waclighting.com. Catalog available on-line.
Step by Step Instructions and Photos
1. Bore a
1-1/2 in. hole from the front side and pull a loop of the cable through. Cut
the cable and rejoin the ends along with the light fixture leads with
waterproof wire connectors.
Click image to enlarge.
2. Push the
wires back through the hole and screw the back plate to the planter siding.
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
3. Install the
cover plate and tighten the set screws. Staple the wires somewhere on the
backside to anchor them.
4. Bore a
1-in. hole down the center of the rail post. Drill deep enough to get below the
second horizontal rail.
5. Drill a
1/2-in. hole from below the rail. Angle up to intercept the 1-in. hole bored in
Photo 4.
6. Feed a
heavy wire or electrician’s fish tape through the holes in the post. Tape
the circuit cable to the wire and pull it back through the holes. Connect the
cable to the post cap light’s feed wires with twist connectors.
7. Screw the post
light assembly to the
rail. Use four corrosion-resistant wood screws, one near each corner.
8. Feed the
circuit wires through the post, connect them to the fixture wires with the wire
connectors, and push the wire back into the post. Screw the post light to the
top of the post, and drop the post into the hole. Partially fill the hole with
dirt, plumb the post with a carpenter’s level and tamp the dirt around
the post. Continue adding dirt, checking for plumb and tamping until the hole
is completely filled. Cover the circuit wires with 6 in. of dirt.
Click image to enlarge.
9. Connect the
power cord to the end of the rope light by inserting the contact pins with
pliers. Then assemble the rest of the connector.
10. Drive
3/4-in. No. 4 stainless steel screws through predrilled holes in the mounting
track. Space the screws 2 ft. apart. Fasten the track within 3 in. of its ends.
11. Cut the
rope light to length with a scissors at a marked cutting point; these are
spaced every 6 in.
12. Push the
rope light into the channel. A hammer handle or a piece of wood works well as a
push tool and is easier on the fingers. Slide on an end cap.
13. Install
the floodlight by pushing the stake into the ground. Cover the wire and
waterproof connectors with 6 in. Of dirt.
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