Landscape lighting can greatly illuminate the features of a home or building, including trees, bushes, gardens, doors or windows. Lighting can improve property value, increase safety, and generally enhance your outdoor living experience.

When considering outdoor lighting, choice of materials is important. Durable materials are ideal to withstand weather conditions like wind and rain, not to mention the occasional bump by a mower or trimmer. Yet there is a range of materials to choose from that can both blend in aesthetically with the outdoor design while also fitting your budget. Listed below are a few of the popular manufactured materials for low voltage lighting.

POWDER-COATED CAST ALUMINUM $

Powder-coated cast aluminum is the most common material, accounting for about 90% of all fixtures. It is lightweight and allows for many different colors, which can complement any look. (Such as green, for hiding the lights in shrubs, or red, to match a red brick wall). There are also many different styles offered such as antique bronze or faux wood. Powder-coated cast aluminum is good for many consumers on a budget and will last for many years, though eventually the paint may chip. Epoxy or polyester are the main two types of powder coating. Epoxy is the more resistent in most cases, except when in the sun. While most outdoor lighting products are made of polyester, epoxy is sometimes used in a covered setting.

Photos courtesy of Dabmar Lighting. www.dabmar.com

FIBERGLASS $$

Fiberglass is a material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. It can be manufactured in many colors, though it is more metallic looking than powder-coated cast aluminum. Fiberglass is considerably resistant to the elements. The glass fibers in fiberglass contain a high ratio of surface area to weight, making it very lightweight and very useful in many applications. Fiberglass is an excellent choice for shoreline areas, due to its resistence to salt air. However, fiberglass is not invincible to corrosive materials, such as chemicals in the soil or acid rain.

Photo courtesy of Dabmar Lighting. www.dabmar.com

STAINLESS STEEL $$$

Stainless steel gets its name from the fact that it does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel. It also has a higher resistance to oxidation (rust) and corrosion, though it is important to select the correct type and grade of stainless steel for a particular application. Stainless steel?EUR??,,????'?????<

Photos courtesy of Dabmar Lighting. www.dabmar.com

BRASS $$$$

The most durable and long-lasting material is brass. Brass is a metal usually of an orangish color that is composed of proportions of copper (55%?EUR??,,????'?????<

Brass is very resistant to the elements such as salt air, acid rain and elements of nature that are corrosive to most metals, making it excellent for most applications. Brass is much heavier than other materials, like fiberglass. Many lighting manufacturers promote brass as the highest-quality material available, also making it the most expensive.

Photos courtesy of Dabmar Lighting. www.dabmar.com

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These are pictures of work completed by Nitelites Landscape Lighting. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The outdoor lighting industry is growing, with sales estimated at a very bright $1 billion annually. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer; August 16, 2003)

Landscape lighting is a growing market. Sales are being driven by the increasing number of homeowners seeking safety, security and aesthetics, as well as an increase in property value. This, coupled with the growing trend for people to spend more time in and around their homes, presents a great opportunity for franchise owners to sell and service outdoor lighting systems.

If interested, there are several franchising opportunities to explore including Lighthouse Landscape Lighting, Home & Outdoor Lighting, and NiteLites Outdoor Lighting, which is currently expanding their operations throughout the U.S. These are just some of the many outdoor lighting franchises; to learn more, visit the web or attend a local lighting convention where you will be illuminated on all the growing opportunities.