After having built the rear double-tiered deck on my property, it felt so nice to finally have the luxury of relaxing by the pool, and lounging on a hot summer day. When the sun began its descent into the horizon, we would often retire next to the firepit in the yard, to further enjoy the remains of the day. But there were also times when we wished to appreciate a late-night swim that didn’t include fumbling along the deck in the dark.
There are many types of outdoor lighting available, especially these days with the advent of solar lighting. As a matter of fact, strewn throughout the yard along the outer perimeter of the main decks are several solar-powered motion sensor lights. These units convert solar energy into stored, by way of recharging the internal batteries of the lights by day, for use at night. And for the most part, they have worked quite well.
For night-time deck use however, solar lighting did not seem adequate as the experience itself may outlast the battery life, despite a full charge – hardwired lights were a must. And although there is a slew of dangly-style string lights available that simply plug and play, my desire for deck lighting was more formal: static lights permanently mounted as a set array at very specific locations along the deck. As such, the hunt for the perfect lighting began, and it didn’t take very long to source.
While walking through the lighting aisle at a big hardware store, a vertical mount light fixture caught my eye – I believe it’s coined a boat light because of its shape and design, synonymous with lights used in marine applications. Nonetheless, the style of the light met my intentions, although they would be mounted topside along the deck’s perimeter in lieu of cluttering up the railings as a vertically-mounted lighting solution.
Along the close long side of the upper tier, three boat lights were positioned in equidistant fashion while only two were needed along the close short side. The far side of the high tier did not require any lighting. Five more light fixtures were placed on the lower tier, in much the same way.
With the top-deck lighting units in place, the hard-wiring was achieved from below, tied in together onto the same isolated ground-fault circuit. This circuit is controlled by a dimmer switch located inside the house at the sliding patio door, which allows the precise amount of deck luminosity at any given moment of the evening into nightfall.
To compliment the deck lights, four water-proof lights were installed along the long sides of the oval above-ground pool, set within the upper tier of the main deck. These lights were configured on a separate ground-fault circuit, also controlled by a dimmer switch, allowing complete control over pool water brightness. Additionally, the pool lights are controlled by a 24-hour timer, which allows pre-determined on/off control at half-hour increments. This feature allows the glow of the pool to occur without input, much like the solar sensor controls motion lights.
Although there are a few wall-mount sconces off to the side of the house, as well as a main porch light below the pergola canopy (which rarely gets used), it is the array of top-deck boat lights (and pool lighting) that truly sets the mood of evening deck use. The rear deck truly becomes a night-time oasis that often feels like a completely different location. During evening swims, the subtle lighting even elevates the view of the house, for a satisfying staycation experience.
To maximize the potential of any project, it is necessary to incorporate features specific to different occasions, and multiple times of day. Although it’s quite likely that the rear deck (and pool) would still be used at night without any lighting, it might not have been enjoyed as often. The mood set by top-deck lights (as well as the pool lights) is much more welcoming, and creates a a more inviting environment. After all, in this climate we all know summer doesn’t last forever so taking advantage of the outdoors is of the utmost priority, even after the sun goes down.
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