How to Choose an Outdoor Wall Washer

How to Choose an Outdoor Wall Washer

Outdoor Wall Washer are a great way to highlight unique architectural designs and surfaces. They are ideal for enhancing entrances, facades, and other structures with rich textures.

They can also be positioned in landscape areas to accentuate trees, shrubs, and other greenery, transforming outdoor spaces into mesmerizing scenes. In addition, they can be used to create dynamic lighting displays that are sure to capture the attention of visitors.

Color Temperature

If you are looking for a way to brighten up your outdoor space, then consider using an LED wall washer. These lights are very versatile, and they can be used to accentuate walls or create shadows on them. However, when choosing these lights, it is important to check that they can withstand the elements and are not too harsh on the eyes. Another thing to keep in mind is the color temperature of the lights. If you want your wall washers to look more festive, then it is best to choose warm colors like red and green. However, if you want a more relaxing feeling, then it is best to go with cool colors such as blue.

The mounting height of the LED wall washers also plays a role in their lighting distribution and effect. Fixtures mounted at lower heights provide more intense illumination closer to the wall, while those installed at higher elevations cast a broader wash of light. The intended lighting objective must be taken into account when fine-tuning the fixture angles and positions.

LED wall washers can be enhanced with the use of a lighting control system that supports various types of dynamic color-changing effects. Popular control protocols for these fixtures include DMX, Wi-Fi, and remote controls. These systems offer an array of options for illuminating building facades, highlighting sculptures, and enhancing landscape features.

LEDs

A high CRI rating indicates that LED Wall Washers illuminate colors with more accuracy than other lighting options, delivering vibrant and natural-looking illumination. This is Theater spot lights critical for art galleries, museums, and retail spaces that want to showcase artwork or merchandise in its most true-to-life form. A low CRI rating, on the other hand, can cause objects to appear faded or unnatural under an LED Wall Washer.

The mounting height of an outdoor LED Wall Washer is a crucial factor in determining its lighting distribution. Fixtures mounted at lower heights provide more intense illumination closer to the surface they’re illuminating, while fixtures mounted at higher elevations cast a broader wash of light over larger areas.

Lighting designers often utilize the wall washing technique to accentuate unique architectural designs, such as curved surfaces or textured textures, with alluring luminosity. This technique is also well-suited for accentuating a specific element of a building facade, such as a pillar or a staircase.

Wall Washers also serve functional illumination roles in retail and commercial settings, enhancing visibility to facilitate safety and security. The energy efficiency of LED Wall Washers further reduces operating costs by consuming up to 80% less voltage than halogen-based lights. In addition, they feature long life expectancies of up to 50,000 hours, which further increases operational savings and minimizes maintenance requirements.

IP Rating

When choosing a wall washer, pay attention to its IP rating. The higher the number, the more protection it offers against dust and water ingress. This ensures that the fixture is suitable for outdoor installation, even in challenging environments.

In addition to IP ratings, consider the fixture’s mounting requirements and intended use. For example, a wall washer that can be mounted on a vertical surface is ideal for highlighting a sculpture Side Emitting Led Light Bar or artwork. In contrast, a wall washer with a narrower beam angle is best for creating a “grazing” effect on textured surfaces.

Aside from evaluating the lighting objectives and desired effects, it’s important to evaluate the fixture-to-wall distance. Closer positioning typically produces a more intense or brighter illumination, while greater distance may produce a softer or more diffused effect. On-site testing and adjustment is often required to fine-tune the positioning of fixtures to achieve the desired result.

Unlike flood lights, wall washers are designed to illuminate vertical surfaces. They are often used in landscape applications to emphasize the architectural style of buildings and hardscapes, or in facade lighting for buildings and monuments. They can also be used to highlight photographs, artwork or pieces of furniture in interior spaces.