What do I use step lights for?

Step lights brighten up landscaping projects and cast light on potential trip hazards on your property. Step lights commonly use shields, grills, inset lamp housings or hoods to protect pedestrians from glare and to hide the light from overhead view.

What different types of step lights are there?

Step lights are available in surface mount and recessed types. Surface mounted step lights easily installed to the surface of a step using screws. Recessed step lights are set into a hole in the mounting surface. Your decision will primarily depend on the location and the amount of labor you are willing to put into the project.

What material is best for step lights?

If you are purchasing step lights for outdoor use, be sure to purchase lights that are safe for wet locations. Step lights come in a variety of finishes, ranging from copper to white, so you can choose a light that complements your exterior design scheme. If you are installing the lights in harsh weather conditions, get a material that will hold up to the weather conditions.

What light bulbs are available to me?

Step lights are available with a number of small but powerful light bulb options. LED light bulbs are growing in popularity for their long life, energy efficiency and low temperatures, but step lights are also available in incandescent, xenon, fluorescent and halogen.

What is required to install step lights?

All step lights will be installed a little different and will come with specific instructions. The key thing to remember is to turn of the electricity before hooking up the lights and to hire a professional if it does not seem like the type of job you would be comfortable with. The basic steps to installing outdoor lights are:

1. Plan lighting placement and turn off the electricity
2. Install the light fixtures
3. Wire the deck lights (ensure you have a transformer if the lights are low voltage)
4. Connect the Deck lights to the transformer or power outlet
5. Secure the wiring
6. Turn the electricity back on and you are good to go!