Outdoor Lighting — Islamabad

Buying Guide

About Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting has two jobs: making a property safe to move around after dark, and making it look good from the street and from inside. This is our range for gardens, driveways, building exteriors, pools and open grounds.

Everything outdoors has to survive dust, monsoon rain and summer heat, so the first thing to check on any exterior fitting is its IP rating, before its shape or price.

Reading an IP rating

The first digit is protection against dust, the second against water. IP44 copes with splashes and suits covered areas such as porches. IP65 is sealed against dust and water jets and is the usual minimum for anything exposed to rain. IP67 and IP68 are for fittings set into the ground or under water.

Lighting the outside of a home

• Paths and driveways: bollards or low path lights, spaced so their pools of light just meet.
• Planting: spike lights aimed up into trees and shrubs.
• The building: wall washers and up-and-down wall lights on the elevation.
• Steps and decks: recessed step lights and in-ground fittings.
• Gates and boundary walls: pillar lights and pole lights.

Warm or cool outside?

Warm white (around 3000K) is kinder to planting, brick and stone and is the usual choice for homes. Cooler light suits security lighting and large commercial yards. Aim fittings away from windows and neighbours, and light the surface rather than the eye.

Common questions