Landscape lighting is an important addition to your yard for adding security, safety on steps, and beauty. At the least, you'll probably want pathway lights that lead the way to your door. Here are some considerations for using pathway lights on your property.

Decide If You Need Professional Help

While you can buy your lights anywhere you like, you may need help installing them. If you plan to set lights in stairs, you'll probably need a professional, or you might need help setting up a transformer by your outdoor outlet and running wires to the lights. On the other hand, you could put lights at the sides of steps rather than embed them, and that would be an easier DIY project.

The easiest way of all to install pathway lighting is to use solar stake lights. Unfortunately, that isn't always possible if you have trees in the yard or if your house puts the lights in shade most of the day. Also, solar lights tend to have a softer glow because they use less power, and you may prefer lights that you can plug in for increased illumination and that you can set to turn on and off automatically.

If you plan to install lights yourself, be sure to read the installation instructions so you know the choice is suitable. If you plan to hire an electrician to install your lights, then you won't be limited in your choice.

Think About Where To Place The Lights

The purpose of pathway lighting is to light the walkway and steps that lead to your front door. That doesn't mean the lights have to be placed on the walkway. You could put puck lights directly on the pathway or mount lamps along the edge, but there are other options to consider.

The higher the light is from the ground, the more of the path it illuminates. You could place taller lights in plant beds that line your walkway. The lights would accent attractive plants while still illuminating the walkway, and that might have a nicer effect than making the concrete or stone bright while the plants are in darkness.

Another option is to put a light in a tree that shines down on the walkway. This type of light creates a soft pool of illumination that mimics bright moonlight. This is a good choice when you want light but you don't want to clutter the walkway with pucks, lanterns, or lamps.

Visit a landscape lighting store to look at various types of pathway lights so you can see your choices and talk to a professional about lumens, LED color, solar performance, and other questions you might have. There are many choices in lights, so you want to pick the ones that you'll like when it comes to the attractiveness of the light and the illumination it puts off.