One of the most attractive and sought after forms of deck lighting on the market today is inset lights. These lights go by several different names and can also be called well lights or recessed lights, but they are all lights that are install flush with some surface on your deck, with the only visible part of the light being the front plate. But are they right for your deck? Find out below.
Generally, planning out and installing inset deck lighting should only be done if you have the time and expertise to do so. But you don’t need to be a licensed landscape architect for this to be true, you just need a little time and creativity! When done correctly, these lights will give any deck or patio a professional finish.
The hardest part about installing inset lighting is making hole for the light fixtures themselves. You’ll have to drill precise holes in your existing deck, stairs, planters, or wherever else you choose to install these lights so that they will fit in. Obviously, the holes are permanent, so if you’re not comfortable doing this, you should use an easier to install type of light fixture, like post lights.
Since the holes you’re drilling into your deck for these lights are permanent, you should also make sure that you have a great plan behind installing the lights. You don’t need to spend days and days designing the lights, but make sure that you know what you want because once you install the lights, you won’t be able to easily uninstall them.
Finally, you also have to setup and run a system of low voltage cables to each of these lights. You’ll need to make sure that each cable has the proper voltage and is properly hidden to prevent trips and falls. Once again, if you’re not comfortable working with electricity you shouldn’t be installing these lights.
Installing inset lights gives any deck a great finish to it, but installing those lights isn’t for everyone. Make sure that you are comfortable making permanent changes to your deck and working with electricity before you start installing them.