Best Materials and Finishes for Garden Lighting Fixtures

After deciding what type of lighting you want for your landscape, you will need to determine the best material and finish for your needs.  There are a variety of finishes and material for you to use in your garden lighting fixtures.  Only you know what will look best for your yard.  Advice from a qualified contractor may be helpful.  Ask for a free demonstration.  We will temporarily place lights in your yard overnight to see take your landscape lighting for a trial run.

The best garden lighting fixtures are made from long-lasting materials such as aluminum, copper, brass, and stainless steel. These materials are used because they can disperse heat evenly  so that they do not over heat and cause issues. The finishes can be natural for some metals, or an applied color. If artificial color is applied it is usually a powder coat instead of liquid, making the finish much more durable. Each of the materials has their own colors or finishes that they come in.

Aluminum is a material that comes in a variety of finishes.  Examples of these are green, black, white, and silver. However, customized colors are also available upon request. When choosing the finish, you want it to blend in with the surrounding as much as possible for a natural look instead of something tacky.  Green is a color that might be used to blend in with plants and shrubbery, while white could be used to match window panes and so on. Many people also use the silver look as an inexpensive alternative to stainless steel.

Brass, bronze, and copper are all examples of finishes that come in natural colors only. However each does have their own distinct look and color. Brass is one of the lighter options that is weathered to blend in with stone, gravel, and light timber and contains a sheen to it. For a more rustic look copper is the best option. It blends in best with bricks, dark gravel, and bark mulch. Bronze has a much darker finish than these and does not have much of a sheen to it.

The final two finishes are chrome-plated and stainless steel which are polished. Both are used as a decorative finish for more of a modern look, but stainless steel is much more durable outdoors and can be used in coastal settings.

As with everything, you generally get what you pay for. Aluminum is not as durable as stainless steel, therefore  it does cost a significant amount less. The material that is right for you depends on your location and how long you want your garden lighting fixtures to last. No matter what finish and material you decide, make sure it is a quality product and that you have a complete understanding of the warranty of each fixture.