LED exterior lights are a versatile and energy-efficient lighting option. Light and good visibility help to create safe areas and spaces. In this article, we will discuss safety from both a physical and psychological perspective, and the lighting options LedStore offers for creating safe lighting in outdoor areas.
The house number light guides you quickly to the right destination
Exterior wall lighting on the house and a bright light at the boundary of the property, for example in a gateway or corner of a courtyard building, will help you find the right place. For example, the emergency services benefit from clear and visible house numbering. There are many possibilities for number lighting but its main function is to act as a landmark for entry and/or finding the right house. LedStore's solutions for illuminating a loose number are to illuminate the number with a wall light from above or below, or to use LED lighting that can be mounted behind the numbers.
As regards the light sources to be installed in the number lights, it is a good idea to choose light sources of appropriate intensity, but not too bright, as a dazzling number light makes it difficult to see the house number.
Light at the plot boundary marks the edges of the plot
A safe area is created because it is easy to perceive visually. It may be useful to use light to illuminate the boundaries of the plot and yard buildings, for example in areas where the contours of the plot are otherwise not visible. For example, lighting helps to identify figures moving around the plot, and the cause of noises and rustling in the yard can be found more quickly. Illuminating the contours of the yard also adds to the atmosphere and pleasant use of the yard.
Such lighting should not be overpowering or cold-toned, as the aesthetics of the yard may suffer, for example, if it is illuminated with powerful spotlights that create sharp light and shadow boundaries. The average power of an LED light is about 10 watts per light source and the colour temperature of the light should be below 4 000 Kelvin in the dark. However, experience with the colour temperature of light is individual.
The direction of light so that it stays within its own boundaries must also be taken into account when choosing lighting. It is also important to prevent stray light, and to use judgement in the placement and amount of light.
Good lighting at the entrance helps to identify entrants
Entrances are the house's calling cards, with inviting lighting to welcome, but also to help identify uninvited guests. Proper lighting at the front door also adds practicality, for example by making it easier to find and fit keys in the lock.
The shape of the entrance and the colour of the materials provide a framework for the type of lighting that is best suited to the entrance. The most challenging entrance to illuminate is a dark grey or black house with a recessed entrance. If the door is completely closed and there is no window next to the door, the amount of diffused light is minimised. For safety and practicality, the entrance has lighting on both walls and ceiling in the optimal situation. Light sources should be evenly spaced or have a wide beam angle. This reduces dark corners and sharp shadows at the entrance, and adds space and invitingness to the area.
Led lights for safety outdoors on stairs and terraces
The visibility of stairs is an important factor in outdoor safety. Outdoor lighting should be designed so that different levels, steps and landings are illuminated. When there is enough light to see, it is easier to spot any damage to the stairs, raised strips, slippery leaves, insects parked on the stairs and other invertebrates. It is also a good idea to take into account people who pass by the stairs more occasionally by lighting the passage in a visitor-friendly way.
Safety lighting reduces the risk of accidents and improves usability. Many solutions are available for lighting stairs and different levels. The design and lighting needs to take into account that shadows are not cast at the wrong points in relation to the steps and that the rhythm of the lights follows the rhythm of the steps, e.g. a light is on every second or every third step throughout the staircase.
Railings can also be used to provide safe access and illumination of outdoor staircases or terraces. By installing LED strip lights in aluminium profiles at the bottom of the railings, pleasant and even lighting is created.
Led exterior lights in outdoor buildings
The lighting in the courtyard creates a safe and cosy environment. Lighting in courtyard buildings should be designed so that lighting is uniform throughout the buildings. Separate warehouses, tree houses, garages and sheds, and other courtyard buildings are lit more effectively from the directions from which they are accessed. Lighting should make good use of the wall surfaces and eaves of buildings. Wall lighting creates a soft illumination and accentuates the materials of the surfaces.
For recessed lighting, moisture-resistant flush-mounted spotlights or LED strip in aluminium profile can be used. The choice of profile can influence the direction of the light. Some lights should be on all the time, such as low-power wall lights. Some can be fitted with practical motion sensors.
Car shelters are low-light spaces in terms of basic lighting needs, but it is good to plan for enough light for care and maintenance work in the shelter. Similarly, wood sheds and warehouses need enough light for safe working and organisation.
LED exterior lights in corridors and lounges improve safety
The characteristics of the yard will determine how much of the pathway through the yard can usefully be marked by lighting. The location of a house in or outside an urban area also often influences the lighting conditions in the yard. However, in Finnish conditions, yard safety is important, as it is good to take yard safety into account when lighting, for example in winter.
It is useful to light the main passageways, and it is also useful to have adequate lighting in the seating areas and adjacent areas such as cooking areas. Safe working is facilitated when lighting, for example on work surfaces and around cookers or barbecues, is easy to use and correctly directed to the area. Many types of lights can be used to illuminate garden pathways, from garden bollards to ground lighting and recessed patio lights.
Roof spots can be used for illuminating covered courtyards in the same way as indoors, but are often used in more discretionary quantities for outdoor lighting. Wall lights can also be easily installed on the poles of roof structures, and LED strips in aluminium profiles can be installed on the walls. This creates a varied and interesting lighting scheme.
For more information on the range of lights featured in this article, please visit the LedStore online store and read the product description below.
Welcome to Lamppukauppa LedStore's showroom to explore lighting possibilities and design the perfect solution for your space. We serve a wide range of customers-consumers, resellers, and businesses alike.
You'll find us at Mesikukantie 16, 01300 Vantaa (Koivuhaka).
Feel free to contact us by phone at +358 45 251 4510 or by email at myynti@ledstore.fi.