Adding landscaping lighting to your patio or backyard is a great way to add enjoyment to your outdoor living spaces and boost the value of your home too. Before you start installing these illuminating landscape accessories, you should become familiar with some of the basics of outdoor lighting.

Where to put landscaping lighting

As you plan your outdoor lighting set-up, there are two things you should keep in mind:

• Areas which need to be lit (such as walkways)
• Places you’d like to illuminate (like a landscaping rock garden)

While there are many fixture to choose from the majority of professional outdoor landscape lighting is 12V-15V, which is considered low voltage lighting.

Wait until it’s dark, and then…

When nightfall hits, take a drive around your neighbourhood and note the houses which are well-lit. What do they have? What type of lights are they using? Where did they place them? After you get home, grab a flashlight and walk around your own property. It’ll give you a sense of what things will look like when they’re illuminated.

You can also position your flashlight at certain angles, such as:

• Downward
• Upward
• Straight-on
• Off-centre

To mimic the lighting effect you’d like to achieve.

What type of landscape lights to choose?

Grand River Natural Stone carries a wide range of In-Lite landscape lighting styles for you to choose from, including:

• Wall accent lights: To be mounted on vertical surfaces such as; partitions, fences, walls or front entry ways. Just make sure they’re not too blinding when you or visitors approach or pass by.

• Pathway lighting: These are low-voltage lights designed to brighten up a walkway by throwing pools of light downward.

• Spotlights: If you have a small, specific area you want to showcase (like a birdbath or water feature), use a narrow-beam spotlight.

• In-ground lights: Just as their name implies, these lights are inset into the ground and provide an accent to walkways or driveways.

Questions you should ask any landscaping lighting contractor

You’ve selected the lighting you want. You know what areas you want to brighten (such as flagstone walkways, interlocking paver paths or stone steps).

Now it’s time to hire a contractor for installing the low voltage lighting system.

As you do your research, make sure you ask the following questions.

1. Do you use a multi-tap transformer?

A majority of outdoor lighting projects used LED bulbs. Using a multi-tap transformer is the best way to maximize their performance because:

• They can control voltage drop (that’s when some lights burn brighter than others)
• It extends the lifespan of your outdoor light system
• Multi-tap transformers are designed for long wire run installations

While asking about multi-tap transformers, don’t forget to ask about what fuse protection system your contractor will install to protect your outdoor lights from shortages, outages or power surges

2. Are your fixtures and transformers UL listed?

The industry standard is to use products which are UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listed. Products which don’t feature the UL logo mean they haven’t been tested for safety.

You (and your contractor) won’t know how they’ll perform in the rain, heat, snow, wind and other weather conditions they’ll eventually be exposed to. Non-UL products may cost you less in the short-term, but here’s something to consider:

If they cause an electrical fire, your home insurance policy may not cover the cost of the resulting damage. Should you have any doubts about the products your contractor plans on using, ask to see their catalogue and UL certification stamps beforehand.

3. How will you bury the wiring?

Two things you don’t want with your landscape lighting wires:

• Your lawn, topsoil and aggregates to be torn up during burial
• Exposed wires sitting above ground

A skilled landscape lighting contractor will be mindful of regular lawn & garden activities (like cutting the grass or kids playing on it) when installing your system.

If necessary, they’ll create a very small trench in which to bury the wires. Once they’re inserted, that trench is closed up. And if the wire is buried near a very sensitive area (like, say a children’s playset), the contractor will use a conduit to protect the line.

Need help brightening up your property? Come to Grand River Natural Stone

You have beautiful outdoor living spaces which look great in the day. Now it’s time to bring out that beauty at night with a custom outdoor lighting system.

Whether you need products, design advice or technical information, Grand River Natural Stone is your source for all things landscape lighting.

You can start by asking for a FREE quote (or anything else you want to know). Our in-house landscape lighting experts will get back to you quickly to discuss your particular needs.

The post Landscaping Lighting 101 appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.

• Interlocking stone pavers come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and styles
• They are strong, durable, and can last a lifetime

However, like everything in your landscape, they will need occasional maintenance and repair.

How to prevent surface damage and discoloration

Without properly sealing your pavers, it is common to see some colour fading, discoloration, and surface damage in your interlocking patio.

Coating the surface of your pavers with a sealer will help…

• Maintain the colour and finish
• Minimize surface damage
• Avoid staining that occurs over time

Sealing and resealing does not need to happen too often. Resealing your pavers every 3-5 years is sufficient enough if you use a good quality sealer.

If you need advice as to which professional paver sealer is best, contact us and we can make a recommendation based on our intimate knowledge and expertise.

Are weeds coming through your pavers?

Since there are narrow spaces between the pavers, it is not uncommon for unwanted plants, weeds, or pests to push their way through.

But this causes an unsightly appearance on your driveway or walkways.

Landscapers regard polymeric sand as the best material to fill the narrow spaces between pavers. Polymeric sand comes in various colours, and adds strength to the overall pavement system, while deterring weeds at the same time.

Why not use plain joint sand?

It’s simple. Unlike polymeric sand, plain jointing sand will wash out over time and can allow weeds and pests to push through. Polymeric sand lasts much longer, which will reduce your overall maintenance time and costs.

If your interlocking pavers were not installed with polymeric sand, you can replace it with these steps:

1. Use a pressure wash or jet spray to wash out the old sand
2. Once dry, polymeric sand can be swept into the paver joints
3. Lightly mist the surface so the sand settles
4. Sweep additional sand into any empty, sparse areas

Always read the instructions on the bag before you start, and make sure your paver surface is clear of residual sand before you apply water.

Need further assistance with replacing your sand? Ask one of our expert staff for help!

Are your pavers shifting?

After a long Canadian winter, it’s common for paver edges to shift out of place if they haven’t been properly restrained with edge restraint. Sometimes this can also happen when the plastic or metal edging dislodges, but it’s not too difficult to fix:

1. Remove the edge pavers
2. Re-stake the edging to the proper alignment
3. Replace the pavers, and be sure to add a little more sand underneath so that the surface is even
4. Finish by sweeping polymeric sand into the joints

Is your interlocking paver surface uneven?

Occasionally a few individual pavers may settle or rise differently than the rest of your pavers.

But this can post safety and appearance problems, so it has to be fixed right away.

Luckily, the repair is not as difficult as you may think:

1. Remove all of the pavers that need to be reset
2. Add small amounts of sand to the base course to make all the pavers level and even
3. Replace the pavers and tamp into place
4. Sweep polymeric sand into the joints

It’s a fairly simple process, but if you need assistance, give us a call and we’ll walk you through it.

Need More Information?

Interlocking stone pavers are a great investment for your home, but just like any long term investment you make, but they will need some routine maintenance at least once a year.

If you’re ever unsure of the best way to proceed with a repair, contact us to speak with one of our experts at Grand River Natural Stone. We’re always happy to help!

The post Is it Time to Repair Your Interlocking Pavers? appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.