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Deck Lighting

If you're planning to do any back yard entertaining after dark, you'll have to consider lighting as part of your deck plan. Putting in floodlights might be a good security precaution, but they do not lend themselves to ambiance. Low-voltage lights set into unobtrusive areas such as steps or posts provide better mood lighting.

To install line-voltage lights that operate on 120 volts (like lighting inside your house), you would probably need the help of a licensed electrician, but it is fairly simple to install low-voltage lighting that operates at 12 volts instead of 120 volts. Check out Decks 1-2-3 for the nitty gritty details.

When you choose lighting fixtures for your deck, you'll want to select fixtures that look good by day as well as at night. You'll want to light up not only the deck area but any steps or paths leading into the yard. If you have a water garden, or maybe even a regular garden, you may want to illuminate some of the key features visible from the deck at night. Use in-ground fixtures for this, set to cast their light upward. This will create eye-catching combinations of shadow and light on the shrubbery.

Source: Design Ideas for Decks