Categories: Outdoor

Best Color Temperature for Outdoor Lighting

Published by
James marcus

What About Security Lighting?

While security lighting can double as aesthetic lighting for your household, its primary purpose is to ensure that guests can easily navigate your property while reducing potential hiding spaces for intruders. Security lighting traditionally uses light temperatures that are around 4600K-6500K. Lights closer to 4600K are often used for path lighting or porch lighting as they help chase away shadows without being too blinding.

Spotlights are traditionally closer to 6500K as they create a wide expanse of light to ensure that homeowners can see all parts of their landscape when needed.

Need Help Finding the Perfect Temperature for Your Austin or San Antonio Home?

If you’re looking to get the perfect lighting installed on your landscape, contact Enhanced Outdoor Lighting & Design. We’ll come up with an outdoor lighting design that will highlight all the best features of your yard and install lights with the best color temperature for each element. Contact our team today for more information on our lighting services or to schedule an appointment.

Color Temperature FAQs

How Is Light Measured?

Outdoor lighting is measured by its illuminance. This metric shows how intense light shines within a space. Illuminance is based on two units of measurement: lumens and lux.

What Are Lumens?

Lumens (lm) indicate the amount of light visible to the human eye. The higher the lumen output, the brighter and more intense the light source is.

What Is Lux?

Lux measures the number of lumens that fall on a square foot of a surface from a light source. For example, if you have a light source with 1,000 lumens and all of those lumens spread out over an area that is 1 square foot, then you have an illuminance of 1,000 lux.

How Many Lumens Should My Outdoor Lighting Be?

Outdoor lighting should fall between 12-1,300 lumens, depending on the purpose of the lighting. For example, you wouldn’t want an intensely bright light for your outdoor living area because it could overwhelm you and your guests. However, a brighter light would work perfectly to show off gorgeous landscaping features such as statues or trees.

Is Cool, White, or Warm White Light Better for Outdoor Lighting?

It depends on what you’re illuminating. Here is a breakdown of how to use each color temperature range.

Warm White: 2000K-3000K

Warm white light creates an intimate atmosphere that promotes calmness and relaxation. This is perfect for decorative outdoor lighting or areas such as outdoor living rooms and outdoor kitchens.

Cool White: 3100K-4500K

Cool white light is bright and vibrant, which is excellent for chasing away shadows and giving individuals a clear view of their surroundings. Using cool white light is ideal for areas that require focus for safety purposes, including the following:

  • Stairs
  • Outside of sheds
  • Outdoor workshops
  • Pathways

What Color Light Is Best for Gardens?

When it comes to garden lighting, you want to highlight your plants’ colors, patterns, and beauty. To make these the focal points, you should have a temperature range of 4600K-6500K. This range imitates daylight and moonlight. It is crisp and clear, bringing attention to the details of your plants.

Are LED Lights Good for Outdoor Use?

Yes! LED outdoor lighting is the best type of outdoor lighting. Here are some benefits you can expect from these lights:

  • Safer to use than traditional types of lighting as they don’t get as hot
  • Better quality of light
  • Higher energy efficiency, which can save on your electric bill
  • Longer life expectancy
  • More cost-efficient than incandescent lights
  • Low maintenance
  • Durable
  • Easier to direct the light

This post was last modified on 10/10/2023 06:10

James marcus

Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.

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Published by
James marcus

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