Path lights, sometimes called spread lights, are usually the most visible fixtures in the lighting design. Because of their specific function, they stand taller to throw light out over a larger area below, like a walkway or flowerbed.
But placing this type of above ground, more decorative fixture in a turf area is almost always a terrible idea. Here is what we see happening all too often: there’s a long walkway from the road or driveway to the front door (or side door, or pool area out back …), with no mature trees nearby to allow for down lighting (almost always the preferred method), and there are no flower beds on either side of the walkway either.
So, the landscaper decides to go ahead and just put some regular path lights along the way, usually in the two-by-two method that I like to call the “runway look.” First of all, this just looks bad unless you are trying to land a plane at your front door. Second, the ladies using this walkway can easily knock the tar out of these lights with their purses. Then comes the lawn care dude with his ZTR (zero turn radius) mower rockin’ and rollin’ with his ear buds in and iPod blasting – and he takes them down at the stem. Usually within a few months half of the lights are broken, and the remaining fixtures are leaning in every direction. It’s a total disaster. Certainly not the high-end look the homeowner was hoping for when he invested in landscape lighting.
What can be done to avoid such an expensive blunder?
You know there must be some lighting on that walkway; people do have to be able to move around after dark safely, right? Of course they do. Here are some options:
· My favorite option is a cast iron fixture that is built like a tank. We have access to a fixture which is made from 4X4 or 6X6 square iron tubing. It has several different beautiful patterns available which can help the fixture blend into just about any outside décor. We can also get this durable fixture in heights from 13” to over 6’! We’ve been installing this workhorse for about 6 years now, and have never seen one damaged ever – and the natural rust finish looks the same from day one.
· Then there is the in-ground fixture that can throw light out horizontally. We’ve only used this option a few times, and its biggest drawback is that the growing grass can block the light if the fixture is installed low enough to not be damaged by a lawn mower.
· When all else fails, we have recommended that some type of flowerbed be built on either side of the walkway or path area to accommodate the traditional path fixture to keep it safely operating properly.
All of this is to say that the single stem, usual path fixture is an expensive “accident waiting to happen” when placed in grassy turf areas. The damage created by the lawn service equipment will never be covered by a warranty, and the cost of replacing a high-quality fixture, including labor, will be more than the average homeowner or lawn maintenance company would like to spend for a service call. Let us assess your outdoor walkway lighting needs, maybe we can be of help. Contact us here.
