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Different Types of Pathway Lighting

Pathway lighting usually consists of low-to-the-ground fixtures that cast light onto the sidewalk or path, but not elsewhere in the yard. There are different types you can consider using.

  • Step Lighting: Using light to accent steps pays dividends in beauty and safety, allowing visitors to navigate with ease. Fixtures can be recessed into step risers, underneath railings, and as surface lights on vertical posts.

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  • Spread Lighting:Spread lighting is a technique commonly used for pathway lighting. It has a very nice effect and lights up a wide area such as a pathway
  • Lamp PostsIf you don’t want to place countless fixtures along your pathway, try using lampposts as an alternative pathway lighting method. This is a much more subtle way to illuminate a pathway. Use one or several, depending on the length of the path.

Get The Perfect Placement

A common question people often ask is, “How far apart should pathway lighting fixtures be?” This is a great question, and is dependent on a few things. For residential purposes, 5 to 8 feet apart is generally a good rule for placing the average lights. However, if your pathway lighting fixture is brighter than average, use your own judgment and test a few different distances out. It’s okay to experiment! Alternating the side of the path for the fixtures is a popular technique. It will prevent you from the tendency to over-illuminate the path, and it gives a more attractive and balanced effect. For commercial areas, 4 to 6 feet apart for the pathway lighting is a good guideline to follow.

Be careful not to over illuminate your pathway. The light emitted from each fixture should not be overlapping. A little bit of overlap will naturally happen, but try to avoid too much of it. We’ve all seen that house that staggers the fixtures 6 inches away from each other—and it can look, well, a little ridiculous. Less is often more with pathway lighting.

If you’re wondering where to place the pathway lighting fixtures in the yard, there are several great locations. First, the path from the sidewalk to your front door is the most obvious element to be illuminated. However, if you don’t have a pathway in your yard, take advantage of using your driveway as a pathway and illuminate it. Last, we would highly recommend illuminating the walkway around your pool. It will beautify the water, and keep the kids (or your guests) from accidently falling in. Pathway lighting can make a big difference in both your front yard and back yard.

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