A well-executed outdoor deck lighting design can extend the nighttime use of your space while creating a warm and inviting ambiance for evening enjoyment and increase safety. As the sun sets, you have the perfect setting to relax under the evening sky or continue entertaining your company.
There are several ways to make your deck safer and shine brighter at night. At McKay Lighting, we have over 25 years of experience providing homeowners with lighting designs for all types of decks. From our gallery, we selected these popular and stylish ways to light a deck through the use of several different techniques.
Make Your deck an extension of your home
With proper lighting, this covered outdoor deck becomes an extension of the home. It's where the homeowners enjoy spending their evenings. We intentionally staggered the fixture on every other joist to enhance the architectural detailing and create a nice, soft entertainment light that doesn't overpower the space or cause glare. This versatile little fixture provides a gentle ambient light and a wonderful option for covered decks.
deck Pergola lighting
These specially designed lights make an impressive statement at night on decks with pergolas. It provides a nice and unique opportunity to light the entire deck area from high above. Outdoor bistro lights offer a different type of ambiance and would be another great option for this type of deck.
Specially designed deck railing light fixtures
Another popular option involves installing custom-designed fixtures on the railing of a deck. These small and mighty fixtures can be customized to match the finish of your deck. They'll blend into the deck and go unnoticed during the day. And at night, the light shines down to illuminate the area to provide a tremendous effect. We commonly install these on larger decks and stair railings. You can see another example of this application being used this deck.
increase deck stair safety with SEAT wall lights
This is one of our most popular photos. For this cozy deck, we installed seat wall lights into steps. The fixtures go unnoticed during the day, yet provide adequate light after the sun has set. Properly illuminating steps can prevent falls that might otherwise happen in the dark. Outdoor stair lighting is a very important safety component to any home.
LED TApe Lights for deck stairs & Railings
LED tape light provides another unique way to illuminate deck stairs and railings. It is different from other options because of its unique tape-like nature that creates a uniform spread effect across a relatively large area. Besides decks and stairs, this versatile option works well for outdoor kitchens and bars too. We recently used it to illuminate the stairs leading up to this pergola too.
As you can see there are many different options for lighting a deck - shining light on an outdoor dining or gathering area from above; illuminating an area by incorporating light onto the railings; or highlighting steps, stairs, and different levels to make them more visible. Deck lighting not only provides a nice ambiance for evening enjoyment, but it's also a practical way to increase nighttime safety.
If you need help, a lighting designer can help you figure out the best ways to light your space. At McKay, deck lighting is one of our specialties! We'll meet with you to discuss your needs and how you use your space to develop a custom lighting design. Not only will your deck look great at night, but you'll find yourself spending more time enjoying it.
You can schedule a free consultation online to meet with one of our designers or get more inspiration from our Deck & Patio Lighting Idea Book or browsing our galleries.
Looking to Enhance Your Property?
Our dedicated team at McKay Landscape Lighting works with you to create a custom landscape lighting design that's unique to your property. From design to installation to service, you can count on our team of experts to make sure you are happy with your lighting system for years to come.