Landscape Lighting is a Bright Idea
Melissa Gootee |
EXIT REALTY NEXUS |
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Installing Landscape LightingWhat you'll need: edger, screw driver, shovel, trowel, wire cutterStep 1: layout your project Determine which areas of your landscape you want to highlight with outdoor lighting. Locate an outdoor electrical outlet, and measure the distance required to run wiring from your electrical source (outlet) to each area where you will install a light, from the first to the last one. Step 2: choose the lighting Consider color, shape and material. Once you find a style and price you are comfortable with, determine what types of lighting you will use for each area. Flood lights can be used to highlight a tree or several trees. Tier lighting, which looks like mini lamp posts, can be used to light various areas of the landscape. Well lights can be used to highlight a structure or a wall. There are also special lights to illuminate driveways and walkways, as well as mounting lights for decks. Step 3: finalize the purchase Once you have settled on the style and types of lighting you wish to install, you can purchase the power pack (transformer) and cable. You'll need to add up the total wattage of your lighting, and purchase a transformer that meets or exceeds that total. Be sure to purchase cable that is weather-resistant and that s recommended for use with outdoor lighting. Step 4: begin the installation Installing the lighting is easy, and can be done in a day with light according to the manufacturer's directions, and placing it in its approximate location in the landscape. Step 5: install the power supply Start with the outdoor electrical outlet you've identified as your power source for the lighting (step 1). Next, determine where you will mount the transformer (read and follow manufacturer's directions carefully). For safety reasons, it needs to be off the ground, so be sure you mount it off the ground and close enough to be able to plug it in to the outlet. Next, connect the cable to the transformer according to the manufacturer's directions. Once you have the cable connected, you can mount the transformer. Do NOT plug it in yet. Step 6: lay the cable Run the cable from the transformer to each lighting location, and continue until you reach the last light. For now, you will simply lay the cable on the ground. As you lay the cable, be sure and leave a foot or two at each light so that it will be easy to move them in case you wish to change the layout. Next, use your shovel to dig a trench along the layout where you wish to bury the cable - 23 inches deep is sufficient. Don't cover it with the soil yet. Wait until you are satisfied with each lighting location. Step 7: connect the lights Place the cable in one half of the connector, lay the wire for the lights in the other half of the same connector, and clamp it together with screws. Inside the connectors are small, brass "stabs" which pierce the wires' coatings in order to make a proper electrical connection. Make sure the wire is aligned so the stabs pierce the center of the wires, and not the outside edges. Step 8: finish the project Plug the transformer into the electrical outlet and turn it on. Check to see if all the lights are illuminated. If you see some lights on and some off, then recheck your connections. Once all the lights are illuminated, wait until the evening to check the lighting. You may need to reposition some lights to achieve the look you want (which is where the extra wire comes in). Once you have all the lights in their desired locations, bury the cable and connectors in the trench and cover it with soil. Check to make sure the cable is completely buried to avoid any accidents. |
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Landscape Lighting Tips
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The Trivia BlockWhat is the world's tallest monument, designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen?The stainless steel Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, completed in 1965. |
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