How to Install Low-Voltage Decorative Outdoor Lighting

Today's first HouseCall took Ron to a stately suburban neighborhood in the sprawling metropolis of Dallas, Texas. Here he met Cynthia Hirsch who wanted to showcase her beautiful home by day and by night. Cynthia already had some floodlights on the house but she felt they were too bright and she wanted a softer look. She also wanted to highlight the driveway at night so people would not miss the pavement and drive across the grass. Ron's solution was to help Cynthia put in an easy to install outdoor lighting system would make her house, front driveway and trees glow and sparkle after dark.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

1. Create a Plan:

• Cynthia and Ron selected an energy efficient, low voltage lighting system that would meet all her needs. First they sketched out a plan, determining the location and particular lighting requirement most appropriate for each section of the yard.

• Ron suggested that they use several ground level well lights to cast a soft glow onto the front of the house.

• They also decided to use a well light fixture to light the pecan tree on the front lawn.

• To accentuate a pair of smaller trees, they chose vertical beam lights. These were similar to the well lights but cast a more directional beam.

• Finally, they would line the driveway with decorative lanterns.

2. Power supply:

• Ron showed Cynthia the power supply for her new low voltage lighting system. The box would reduce the household current of 110 volts down to 12 volts making the lighting system very safe. They needed to mount the unit on the outside of the house at least 12 inches above the ground.

• They started by positioning the mounting bracket in the mortar joint where it would be easier to drill holes.

• Ron made a couple of starter holes with a spring loaded center punch and then used a carbide tipped masonry bit to drill the holes into the mortar.

• After inserting lead anchors, they attached the mounting bracket with screws.

3. Run low voltage cables:

• They attached the low voltage electrical cable to the terminals on the power supply. The first cable would carry power to the lanterns along the driveway and the well light under the pecan tree.

• The same cable would then cross the driveway and power the vertical beams under the small trees as well as additional lanterns on the other side of the driveway.

• A second cable would carry low voltage current to the well lights flooding the front of the house and nearby lanterns.

• To run wire along the edge of the driveway, Ron showed Cynthia how to use a garden spade to pry up the sod just enough to tuck the wire neatly out of sight. They gently pushed the grass back into place after the wire was in position.

4. Install well lights:

• They used a well light to light the large pecan tree. This light needed to be buried into the ground flush with the surface, which is a big advantage when mowing the lawn.

• Generally speaking, a well light should be placed about three or four feet from the trunk. It is also best to look up and pick a location that will allow the light to go as far up into the tree as possible. They used a clamshell posthole digger to dig the holes for the light fixture.