Tips for the Modern Cave Man

Modern man, like his ancestors, finds the dark, except in movie theatres, uninviting, so he, king of his castle (cave), invented path lighting to navigate his driveways and walkways. Though generally intelligent, modern man still has many questions about path lights.

Tip 1: This is closely related to our cave roots. Dark holes are not inviting. Don?EUR??,,????'???t be stingy with the number of fixtures. Leaving large gaps between the path lights leaves dark holes. Some installers think shadows are a design element. They are, if you don?EUR??,,????'???t mind the tripping element, or being surprised by a fanged varmint, possibly a possum (or a crazed person with a knife).

Tip 2: This is also related to the good ol?EUR??,,????'??? cave days. When doing path lighting, some installers make a point of putting brighter lighting at the path?EUR??,,????'???s end, a kind of psychological device that invites one down the path and gives a greater sense of security.

Tip 3: No, you don?EUR??,,????'???t want dark holes and, yes, you want to see the end of the path, but it should not look like your window seat view as your United flight approaches LAX at night. Think ?EUR??,,????'??inviting?EUR??,,????'?? and ?EUR??,,????'??safe,?EUR??,,????'?? not flashy like a fashion show runway.

Tip 4: Light levels for path lighting are the lowest level lighting on a property. Lower watt lamps, shielded fixtures and or screens are appropriate.

Tip 7: Halogen incandescent lamps have a color rendering index (CRI) of 95-100, compared to reflector compact fluorescent lamps (CRI of 82). The higher CRI means the light source will render the color of objects more naturally or, dare we say, more vividly.

Tip 8: When placing path lights along a curving walk, one line of thought is placing the fixtures at the apex of each curve (the top or outside of the curve). This applies to a horse shoe-shaped path, also. Placing the lights only on the outside of the curve draws the walker down the path, or so goes the assertion.

Tip 9: For the straighter, narrower walks, stagger the lighting from one side to the other. A uniform row of fixtures works well for a wide walkway or driveway.

Tip 10: This tip also harks back to Gorg?EUR??,,????'???s days and his kill two birds with one stone mind set. You can light the path and the adjacent landscaping at the same time. Such a broader light field may be required, for instance, a 20-watt halogen bulb in a 24-in. tall fixture spaced every 10 ft. MR16 lamps, for example, are designed to have beams as small as 7 degrees or as wide as 60 degrees, giving the light installer/designer much greater flexibility than carrying a torch.