Outdoor lighting can turn ordinary yards, walkways, and patios into stunning areas after dark. They can create ambience, enhance safety, and highlight architectural and landscape features.
Waterproof LED strip lights are helpful in setting the mood, adding visual depth, and elevating the whole outdoor experience. It’s a flexible, durable, and energy-efficient outdoor lighting solution with high customisability options.
And that’s what we’ll explore in this guide. We’ll shed light (totally intended pun) on several creative and practical outdoor uses for waterproof LED strip lights you can do to upgrade your yard!
Why Choose Waterproof LED Strip Lights for Outdoors?
Imagine everything you can do with standard LED strip lights, but outdoors. Unlike the standard LED strips, its waterproof counterpart is designed with an added coating to help it withstand harsh weather conditions such as rain and snow. They are typically rated IP65 or IP68, indicating their high resistance to dust and water. Which means you can leave them exposed to the elements and they’ll light up just fine.
And since the lights are made with LED technology, they share the same benefits as other LED lights:
Long lifespan
Compared to traditional incandescent outdoor lighting, which typically lasts only up to 2,000 hours, waterproof LED strip lights can last up to 50,000 hours. In comparison, fluorescent and halogen lights usually last up to 15,000 and 4,000 hours, respectively. That, combined with other features, makes LED strip lights a cost-effective choice for outdoor lighting.
High energy efficiency
LED technology allows for less energy waste by directly converting electricity into light, with minimal energy converted into heat energy. This means brighter, more consistent waves of light that don’t cause eye strain, fatigue, or headaches.
Flexibility
Literally, LED strip lights are flexible. Although the waterproof LED strip lights may have less flexibility with the added coating, they’re still quite flexible. Perfect for your outdoor installations.
In other words, waterproof LED strip lights are reliable and durable lighting solutions for outdoor decorations.
Creative Outdoor Applications
Garden Pathways and Landscaping Accents
Keep your whole garden safe and bright by placing outdoor LED strip lights on walkways, garden beds, trees, or shrubs. You can set the lights under low edging, alongside stones, or embedded in clear tubing to create a dramatic lighting effect.
Deck and Patio Accents
Strip lights can be installed under railings, steps, and around seating areas (under-table or under-bench lighting) for a cosy glow. Adding a dimmer and colour controllers can help you customise the mood you want for any occasion.
Outdoor Dining and Entertaining Areas
Install LED strip lights to highlight specific areas, such as bar zones, outdoor kitchens, or grilling stations. You can also use the strips to highlight the outline of pergolas and gazebos while illuminating the area around them at the same time. Use smart LED controllers for colour and brightness changes.
Pool and Water Feature Lighting
This is where the waterproof feature of the outdoor LED strip lights will shine the brightest (another pun, I’m on fire). You can use the waterproof strips to outline pools, fountains, or other water features. Water reflections from the light can create a dramatic effect.
Safety first: always use LED strips with the correct IP rating (IP65 or higher) and ensure they are correctly installed.
Highlighting Landscape Features
Got any feature/s you’re proud of? Use the LED strip lights to highlight them! Or, if you just want to showcase the whole landscape, you can wrap the strips around trees, sculptures, or planters to make focal points stand out at night.
Tip: Don’t overpower the natural beauty by using too much light.
Holiday and Event Decorations
Customise lighting for Halloween, Christmas, weddings, or backyard parties. These are more temporary lighting, depending on the occasion, but no less impressive than the more permanent outdoor lighting installations. You can also easily change colours and dynamic lighting effects using smart LED strip lights.
How To Properly Install Outdoor LED Strip Lights
Surface preparation and adhesive tips
In cases where you need to use adhesive to mount your LED strip lights, make sure to properly clean the desired surface first before sticking the strips. Also, make sure the surface is completely dry to prevent the adhesive from being compromised.
LED strip lights come with pre-applied adhesive, which works, but they don’t usually last long. For a longer-lasting adhesion, opt to use stronger adhesives.
Use mounting clips
For a clean, durable setup, use mounting clips and screws instead of adhesives. This is best for areas where rain or snow might come into contact with the LED strip lights. Adhesives will lose their adhesion when they get wet.
Power source considerations
Make sure you’re using the right power source for your strips. Other options aside from connecting to a mains socket are outdoor-rated transformers and solar. Proper installation should be observed, especially when dealing with a power source. Get professional help from a qualified electrician when unsure or not confident.
Safety reminders (proper waterproof connectors, IP67/IP68 rated products)
Especially for long runs where you need to use connectors to connect two separate strip lights, ensure that the connectors are also waterproof. If the strips are waterproof, but the connectors are not, you’ll run the risk of electrical failure. Again, make sure that your LED strip lights are at least IP65 rated (the higher the better).
Ready to Transform Your Outdoors?
Get your waterproof LED strip lights from a trusted UK supplier with a long track record of providing high-quality lighting solutions for both commercial and residential settings. Simple Lighting boasts a wide range of LED strip light options that will fit any design you have in mind. Head on over to our website to take the first step in transforming your outdoors: choosing the right lights.
Conclusion
Simply adding lights as an accent to your outdoor space can transform ordinary areas into stunning works of art. Using waterproof LED strip lights can elevate the outdoor experience. Just use any of the creative application ideas above and pair them with a proper and clean installation of the LED strip lights, and you’re good to go.
Just a reminder that safety should always come first while installing the LED strip lights, especially when you’re dealing with the power source. Hire a qualified electrician for assistance when needed.
