Hello everyone, my name Cory Moore, the Owner and Founder of Beacon Outdoor Lighting. With our advanced design processes, dedicated team, and partnership with Brilliance LED, we’ve successfully brought thousands of coastal lighting projects to life. Coastal living presents unique challenges for landscape lighting due to exposure to salty ocean breezes, high humidity, and storm-related hazards. To ensure your lighting system remains functional and beautiful, it’s essential to select fixtures made from durable materials like copper, brass, and stainless steel.
In this article, we’ll explore why these materials are ideal for coastal landscape lighting and highlight some of the top fixtures designed to withstand coastal conditions.
The Importance of Durable Materials in Coastal Lighting
Coastal environments can be harsh on outdoor lighting fixtures. Salt air and high humidity accelerate corrosion. On the same note, coastal areas are highly susceptible to storm related damage furthering the importance of using durable material for your next lighting project. Choosing fixtures made from materials that offer both durability and resistance to corrosion is crucial for maintaining the longevity and appearance of your landscape lighting system.
Copper: Timeless Elegance and Robust Durability
Copper is a popular choice for coastal lighting due to its exceptional resistance to corrosion and its ability to develop a beautiful patina over time. This material not only withstands the harsh coastal elements but also enhances the aesthetic appeal of outdoor spaces.
Benefits of Copper Fixtures:
- Corrosion Resistance: Copper’s natural properties make it highly resistant to corrosion, especially in salty and humid environments. This resistance ensures that copper fixtures remain structurally sound and visually appealing for many years.
- Patina Development: Over time, copper develops a greenish-blue patina that protects the metal from further corrosion. This patina adds a unique, rustic charm to the fixtures, blending seamlessly with natural landscapes.
- Durability: Copper is a durable material that can withstand physical impacts and harsh weather conditions. Its strength ensures that the fixtures remain intact and functional even in coastal storms.
Top Copper Fixtures:
- Sequoia Copper Path Lights: Brilliance’s Sequoia path-lights have the perfect ratio of hat to stem height and provide a consistent warm, inviting glow to pathways and walkways while withstanding coastal conditions.
- Glacier Copper Perforated Pendants: These pendants are ideal for illuminating outdoor living spaces, offering a subtle but dramatic lighting effect.
Brass: Classic Beauty and Longevity
Brass is another excellent material for coastal lighting fixtures due to its durability and resistance to corrosion. It combines the aesthetic appeal of a classic finish with the durability needed to withstand coastal environments.
Benefits of Brass Fixtures:
- Corrosion Resistance: Brass contains copper and zinc, making it highly resistant to corrosion, particularly in marine environments. This resistance ensures the longevity of the fixtures. It’s important to note that not all brass is created equal. Some manufacturers use lower quality brass that can corrode more easily. Brilliance, however, uses a perfect ratio of copper and zinc to create brass fixtures that withstand corrosion with ease.
- Strength and Durability: Brass is a strong material that can endure physical impacts and severe site conditions, helping the fixture retain its structural integrity over time.
- Timeless Aesthetic: Brass fixtures offer a classic, timeless look that complements various architectural styles and enhances the overall aesthetic of outdoor spaces.
Top Brass Fixtures:
- Brass Denali: The Brass Denali’s are perfect for highlighting trees, architectural features, and mature palms, providing focused illumination with a touch of elegance.
- Brass Black Diamond Wall Wash: The wall wash is ideal for illuminating short and squatty palms and tree specimens as well as architectural features due to its unique ability to cast a broad illumination
Stainless Steel: Modern Appeal and Exceptional Strength
- Stainless steel is renowned for its modern appearance and superior strength, making it an ideal choice for coastal lighting fixtures and transformers. Its high resistance to corrosion and sleek finish make it a staple in the lighting industry.
Benefits of Stainless Steel Transformers:
- Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel contains chromium, which forms a protective layer on the surface, preventing rust and corrosion. This property is especially beneficial in coastal areas with high salt content.
- Strength and Durability: Stainless steel is incredibly strong and can withstand physical impacts, making it ideal for transformers exposed to harsh coastal conditions.
- Low Maintenance: Stainless steel requires minimal maintenance, retaining it’s appearance and functionality with little effort.
Combining Durability with Design
While durability is paramount for coastal landscape lighting, aesthetics should not be compromised. The best fixtures combine durable materials with elegant designs to enhance the beauty of outdoor spaces. When selecting fixtures, consider the overall style of your landscape and choose materials that complement your design vision.
Design Tips for Coastal Lighting:
- Layered Lighting: Use a combination of path lights, spotlights, and wall lights to create a layered lighting effect. This approach adds depth and dimension to your landscape, highlighting key features and providing balanced illumination.
- Warm Color Temperatures: Opt for warm color temperatures (2700K-3000K) to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Warm lighting complements the natural colors of plants and architectural elements, enhancing the beauty of your outdoor space. In some coastal environments, “Wildlife/Turtle Safe Lighting” codes must be followed. Brilliance’s fixture catalog includes many “wildlife certified” lighting fixtures.
- Focus on Key Features: Highlight key features such as trees, sculptures, and water features with strategically placed spotlights. This focus draws attention to the most attractive elements of your landscape, creating visual interest.
- Use Dimmers: Incorporate dimmers to adjust the brightness of your lighting fixtures. Dimmers allow you to create different moods and atmospheres, adapting the lighting to various occasions and times of day.
Conclusion
In coastal living, choosing the right landscape lighting fixtures is essential for both durability and design. Copper, brass, and stainless steel are excellent materials that offer exceptional resistance to corrosion, durability, and aesthetic appeal. By selecting fixtures and transformers made from these materials, you can ensure that your coastal landscape lighting system remains functional and beautiful for years to come.
At Beacon Outdoor Lighting, located in coastal South Florida, we understand the unique challenges of coastal lighting. Thanks to Brilliance LED for manufacturing a wide range of high-quality fixtures designed to withstand the harshest environments, we can rest assured that the products we are installing today will be able to withstand the harsh conditions of tomorrow!
