How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well (2024)

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well

This Is How Many Lumens It’ll Take To Get Our Maryland, Virginia, And Washington DC Client’s Landscape Lighting To Look Amazing

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well (1)

It’s a great idea to know how many lumens exterior lighting needs! It can help you DIY the project or let you estimate how much it can add to your electricity.

In this post, you can discover how many lumens outdoor landscape lighting needs. You can also find out how many lumens you need for path lights, step lights, floodlights, and more.

So It’s Not Wattage Anymore?

“What happened to watts?” asks Christina.

“They’re still around for now,” answers Matt. “But lumens are where the future is. It’s an actual measure of brightness, making it more accurate.”

“Ooohhh,” says Christina. “Ok, then how many lumens do outdoor landscape lights need?”

Matt shrugs. “This is where my knowledge stops. We can do what we did when looking up the best brands of outdoor lights and look on Google.”

“That,” -Christina fishes her phone from her purse- “is a great idea! Let’s go ahead and see what we can dig up.”

Here’s what the couple discovers:

How Many Lumens For Outdoor Landscape Lighting

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well (2)

The best range of lumens for outdoor lighting is 12 to 1,300 lumens. How many lumens you need for outdoor landscape lighting is between 50 and 700. The amount of brightness most people want changes based on location.

The Best Amount Of Lumens For Landscape Lighting Based On Area

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well (3)

Path lights. Pathway lighting is best at about 100 lumens. This is bright enough to see the difference between the path and your other areas without blinding anyone. You’ll want to know what pathway lighting is and how to best place them.

Step lights. Step lights are also best at around 100 lumens. You don’t want to blind anyone as they walk upstairs. You also don’t want too many shadows hiding the steps or what might be on them (like a pet toy, stick, etc).

Floodlights. Floodlights tend to work best at around 700 lumens. You want to flood the area with light so it’s easier to see what’s happening.

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well (4)

Security lights. How many lumens you need for security lights is about 700 too. Bright and sudden lights will surprise anything from raccoons to people. Security light placement is key.

Underwater lights. These work best somewhere between 200 and 400 lumens. It mainly depends on how well-lit you want your water feature to be.

Wall lights. How many lumens you want for wall lights is between 50 and 185. They’re mostly for accenting the texture, not to make seeing easier.

General landscape lights. These can range from 50 to 300 lumens. They’re mostly to make seeing easier and show off the best parts of your landscape.

The differences in brightness don’t just make seeing easier. It also adds more interest and visual appeal.

You May Also Like To Know

“So, we have a breakdown, which means we can start our project, right?” asks Christina. Matt shakes his head. “I don’t know enough to tell if it’s DIYable or we need a pro. Let’s keep exploring this blog and see what all we can find out.”

2 Responses

  1. I am looking for a dusk to Dawn LED to put on the front peak of my 1 storey home. I would like it to illuminate an area of 24’x24′. The light would be approximately 15′ off the ground.
    Your recommendations please?

    1. I’d go for 200 lumen

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well (2024)

FAQs

How Many Lumens Outdoor Landscape Lights Need To Work Well? ›

Recommended Lumens for Specific Outdoor Needs

How many lumens are good for landscape lighting? ›

The best range of lumens for outdoor lighting is 12 to 1,300 lumens. How many lumens you need for outdoor landscape lighting is between 50 and 700. The amount of brightness most people want changes based on location.

Is 50 lumens very bright for outdoor? ›

80 lumens is considered bright enough for most walkways — including commercial properties. For garden lights used as accent lighting, 50 lumens is generally sufficient to add safety, dimension, color and interest in your yard.

Is 500 lumens bright enough for outdoor lighting? ›

For minimal background illumination, such as near your garden and walking paths, 50 to 100 lumens are more than enough. However, for entertainment spaces like patios and decks, you might need closer to 500. Garage and security lighting rank even higher at 1300 lumens to sufficiently cover the property.

What lumen level for outdoor lights? ›

Primarily, around 600 lumens – 700 lumens would suffice if you have a small patio. On the other hand, if you have a more enormous patio, try aiming for 1200 lumens to 1600 lumens. Well, patio lighting would include a variety of fixtures.

Is 7000 lumens too much for plants? ›

HPS lamps emit a much narrower spectrum with no UV and plants will achieve saturation at about 6000-7000 lumens per square foot, depending on the type of plant. At and beyond light intensities of 8000-10000 lumens per square foot, there is real risk of damage to plant tissue.

Is 5000 lumens too bright for plants? ›

5000-lumen bulbs work well for seedlings and mature plants. 5000 lumens is enough to start seeds, which require 2000-3000 lumens.

How many lumens do I need for outdoor viewing? ›

3,000 lumens can be a good starting point for locations with plenty of shade, but 4,000 or 5,000 lumens is the better option. However, most portable projectors currently have lower lumens. It's recommended to opt for a portable projector with 1,000 lumens, ideal for creating your outdoor theater anytime.

Is 800 lumens bright enough for an outdoor light? ›

Every garden's size is different, and the height of the plants also matters. A small garden can work with 400 to 600 lumens. A larger one from 800 to 1200 lumens. For the trees, any lighting between 100 to 200 lumens is okay.

How bright is 4000 lumens outdoor? ›

Brightness in the shade is 1,000 lumens, while in places with large areas such as highways, the brightness is 6000 lumens. Below 3500 lumens, our eyes feel comfortable. When the brightness of direct or reflected light reaches 4000 lumens, the human eye starts to struggle to receive light.

How many lumens is a 60 watt bulb? ›

For example, a traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens of light. By comparison, you can find an LED (light-emitting diode) bulb that produces that same 800 lumens but uses only about 9 watts.

How many lumens are best for solar garden lights? ›

Below is a list of recommended LED lumens for specific outdoor lighting:
  • Landscape lights: 50-300 lumens.
  • Path lights: 100-200 lumens.
  • Landscape spotlights: 120 lumens.
  • Lamp posts: 120-180 lumens.
  • Pond/pool lights: 200-400 lumens.
  • Motion sensor lights: 300-700 lumens.
  • Flood lights: 700-1300 lumens.

What is the best wattage for landscape lighting? ›

The best wattage for outdoor lights is 40 watts and lower. Up to 40 watts is ideal for lighting pathways, garden beds, and other landscape areas. 40 to 80 watts are great for brightening areas like driveways, smaller yards, and the inside of your home.

How many lumens should landscape lights be? ›

Wall-mounted Hardscape Lights: 50 to 185 lumens. Landscape Lighting: 50 to 300 lumens. Pathway Lighting: 100 to 200 lumens. Landscape Spotlights: 120 lumens.

What light is best for outdoor lights? ›

Outdoor Living and Entertainment Areas

Warm lights, such as 2000K-3000K, tend to work best for these purposes.

Can outdoor lights be too bright? ›

Yes, outdoor lighting can be too bright. Super-bright outdoor lighting can disturb areas inside your home. Not only that, but it could also shine into the homes of your neighbors or distract passersby.

Is 3000 lumens good for outdoor lighting? ›

The number of lumens needed for outdoor lighting depends on the purpose and location of the light. For example, a porch light may require 800-1000 lumens, while a floodlight may need 2000-3000 lumens. For pathway lighting, 100-200 lumens per light are sufficient.

Is 3000 lumens enough for plants? ›

If your plants are in the vegetative phase, 2000 to 3000 lumens per square foot is the minimum amount needed. However, in the flowering phase, 5000 to 10,000 lumens are recommended.

How much area will 20,000 lumens cover? ›

Lumens, Wattage and Footcandles

If you want the light to cover 15 to 20 feet it is best to look for 16000-20000 lumens. On the other hand, if you want cover 20 to 30 feet, 40000 lumen light is an ideal choice.

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