{"title":"Landscape Lighting","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLandscape lighting is the only exterior category most homeowners can install themselves\u003c\/strong\u003e — and the one that changes a property's appearance the most for the least money. It runs on 12V through a plug-in transformer, so there's no junction box, no permit, and no electrician.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow a low-voltage system actually works\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThree parts. A \u003cstrong\u003etransformer\u003c\/strong\u003e plugs into an exterior GFCI outlet and steps 120V down to 12V. \u003cstrong\u003eLow-voltage cable\u003c\/strong\u003e runs from it, buried a few inches deep or tucked under mulch. \u003cstrong\u003eFixtures\u003c\/strong\u003e clip onto the cable wherever you want them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it's 12V, it's safe to work on and safe to move. Decide in June that a spotlight is aimed wrong, and you reposition it in five minutes instead of calling a trade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSizing the transformer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAdd the wattage of every fixture and \u003cstrong\u003eleave 20% headroom\u003c\/strong\u003e. Ten 4W fixtures is 40W, so a 60W transformer is right. Buying a transformer at exactly your current load means replacing it the first time you add a light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost transformers include a timer or photocell. A photocell is the better choice at Canadian latitudes — sunset moves by more than four hours between June and December, and a fixed timer is wrong most of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe four techniques worth knowing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUplighting\u003c\/strong\u003e — a spot at the base of a tree or aimed up a wall. The highest-impact technique, and the one that makes a house read at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePath lighting\u003c\/strong\u003e — staggered along a walkway, never lined up like a runway. Space them 8 to 10 feet apart and alternate sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrazing\u003c\/strong\u003e — a fixture close to a textured surface, aimed sharply upward, to bring out stone or brick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDownlighting\u003c\/strong\u003e — mounted in a tree, aimed down. The most natural-looking effect and the least obvious once installed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWinter\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCable buried shallow is fine through frost, but \u003cstrong\u003epath fixtures shorter than your average snowbank disappear in January\u003c\/strong\u003e. Taller stems stay useful. Many people pull path lights in late fall and leave uplights running year-round — uplights are usually clear of snow and they carry the house through the dark months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLook for the \u003cstrong\u003eCSA or cUL mark\u003c\/strong\u003e and a wet rating on every fixture. From a Canadian company that knows what a February looks like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I install landscape lighting myself?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Low-voltage 12V systems run off a plug-in transformer and are designed for homeowner installation. No junction box, no permit, no electrician.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat size transformer do I need?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdd the wattage of all fixtures and add 20% headroom. Ten 4W fixtures need a 60W transformer, not a 40W one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should path lights be?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8 to 10 feet, staggered on alternating sides of the walkway rather than lined up symmetrically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes landscape lighting survive winter?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWet-rated fixtures do. Path lights on short stems get buried by snow and are often pulled in late fall; uplights generally stay clear and run year-round.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eTimer or photocell?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhotocell. Sunset shifts by more than four hours across the year at Canadian latitudes, so a fixed timer is wrong for most of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can I install landscape lighting myself?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Low-voltage 12V systems run off a plug-in transformer and are designed for homeowner installation. No junction box, no permit, no electrician.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What size transformer do I need for landscape lighting?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Add the wattage of all fixtures and add 20% headroom. Ten 4W fixtures need a 60W transformer, not a 40W one.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How far apart should path lights be?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"8 to 10 feet, staggered on alternating sides of the walkway rather than lined up symmetrically.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does landscape lighting survive winter?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Wet-rated fixtures do. Path lights on short stems get buried by snow and are often pulled in late fall; uplights generally stay clear and run year-round.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Timer or photocell for landscape lighting?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Photocell. Sunset shifts by more than four hours across the year at Canadian latitudes, so a fixed timer is wrong for most of it.\"}}]}\n\u003c\/script\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/maisonmonashee.com\/collections\/landscape-lighting.oembed","provider":"Maison Monashee ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}