Page 4 April 3, 2014

SPRING FEVER

Lighting sets
the stage for
outdoor fun
Tis the season for making changes in and around the
home. The arrival of warmer weather renews homeowners
vigor for various home improvement projects, and many
have grand plans for interior and exterior renovations
as they prep their living spaces for comfort, beauty and
entertaining opportunities. While there are many worthy
projects to pursue, adding outdoor lighting to a home can
help increase its value and make the home safer and more
attractive in the evening hours.
According to the American Lighting Association, with
a few updates to outside lighting, families can make even
better use of their homes at night. Adding outdoor lighting
is easier and less expensive than many homeowners may
know, allowing them to transform an existing patio, deck or
pool area into an enjoyable nighttime retreat. Pool parties,
dinners on the patio or barbecues with neighbors become
even more memorable when outdoor lighting is added or
improved. But homeowners who want to install or upgrade
their outdoor lighting should consider the following tips,
courtesy of ALA.
* Improve navigation. Lighting is typically layered into
a room or outdoor space in three ways: overhead, task
and ambient. Even outdoors, where there are no typical
boundaries and borders, those three layers are necessary.
Outdoor overhead lighting should improve visibility on
steps, paths and walking surfaces, especially where theres
a bend or an intersection. Task lighting can be used around
cooking or gardening areas. Ambient light will cast a
comforting glow around any outdoor space.
* Enhance security. To improve visibility and security,
combine a motion detector with a sconce to illuminate dark
corners or entryways. Be sure to aim lights away from the
door to improve visibility. Lanterns on either side of the
door can give a home a warm, welcoming appearance and
improve the safety of entryways.
* Create outdoor rooms. Outdoor lighting at the borders
of a space is a great way to create barriers, both vertically

Outdoor lighting can play up the more decorative features of a yard, including flower beds.
and horizontally. Lights in a tree create something akin to
a chandelier hung in the middle of the sky, and even accent
lights in the general area of the edge of a patio, deck or
porch will shine across the space and provide enough of a
comfort level for people to understand where things are.
* Reduce glare. Outdoor lighting that casts a glare can be
blinding, as can light thats too bright. Lighting along paths
should be cast downward, with fixtures that are hooded. A
variety of lighting options will create layers, allowing you
to add or subtract as necessary. Exterior-safe dimmers also
can provide flexible control over the level of light, as can
movable fixtures added to a patio or porch.
* Add decorative elements. Just as arbors, pergolas,
patios and other outdoor elements help to enhance the style
of an outdoor space, so, too, can lighting contribute to a well-

designed landscape. Lighting should play up decorative

features of a yard and add the ambience that homeowners
desire. Step lights make passage safe while also highlighting
molding or trim details. An outdoor chandelier can make
for a wonderful accent during dinnertime on the deck or
under a pergola. Patio lights provide atmosphere as well as
illumination for cooking outside.
* Enhance views from inside. Outdoor lighting can make
the view from inside pleasant and enjoyable. Use a variety
of lights, including spotlights on trees, lights dotted along
pathways and accent lights on unique landscape features,
to create an idyllic landscape visible from inside the home.
Outdoor lighting enhances functionality of yards and
landscapes while making such areas safer for homeowners
and their guests once the sun has gone down.

from this study:

* Wood releases less
greenhouse gases during
production;
* Wood uses 14 times less
fossil fuel than wood/plastic
composite decking; and
*
Wood
decking
production
causes
significantly less acid rain,
smog and overall ecological
impact than wood/plastic
composite decking.
Additionally, pressuretreated wood comes from
sustainable, well-managed
forests -- meaning the

on using real wood in your

backyard, the complete LCA
study, free downloadable
deck plans, inspirational
pictures and easy DIY

Go green with real wood

So
many
decking
materials in stores today
... which one to choose? If
a beautiful, usable, longlasting deck is your goal -and youd like to do your part
to protect the environment
-- then the choice is obvious:
real, natural, authentic
wood.
Wood has been a part of
outdoor living for centuries:
the first pine sawmill was
at Jamestown about 400
years ago. Look around: so
many historic homes and
sites feature wood -- because
its always been one of the
best building products on
the market. Wood is everpresent by the seashore
(docks, marsh walkways,
fishing piers, boardwalks),

in the mountains (decks,

arbors) and in backyards
across the country (decks,
gazebos, fences, trellises).
Wood plays a starring role
in high-traffic places, such
as the Santa Monica Pier,
the Destin boardwalk in
Florida and the Ocean City
boardwalk in Maryland.
Look all around you at the
beauty of wood -- then bring
that natural beauty home to
your backyard.
A recent Life Cycle
Assessment
(cradle-tograve study comparing
pressure-treated wood with
alternative
wood/plastic
composite decking) found
that wood was, by far,
the better product for the
environment. A few findings

industry
plants
more
trees each year than are
harvested. Fact is, U.S.
forests are healthier and
more numerous than they
were 100 years ago.
Pressure-treated wood is
rot- and insect-resistant and
readily available in both bigbox stores and independent
lumber dealers around the
U.S. Current tested and
approved preservatives are
safe for use around children
and pets --even veggies in
your raised garden beds.
For more information

ROOFERS INCORPORATED
Commercial Industrial Residential
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K NAP P
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OWNER: TYLER KNAPP | tyknapp00@gmail.com
1605 Nebraska St. | Mound City, MO | (660) 853-1632

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Poly-Urethane Foam Systems Specialists

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videos, please visit

www.realoutdoorliving.
com, on Facebook at Wood
and on YouTube at www.
youtube.com/wooditsreal.

Installation
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but not necessary

Fully Insured (Customers & Employees) for

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305 Central Ave. | Nebraska City

(402) 873-9000

PROCTOR & SONS CONSTRUCTION

Rock Port, Missouri (660) 744-4464

Jesse Brown | Serving the area since 1972

Esser Flooring

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hether your project is big or small,

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101 N. Main BANK NAME 744-5333

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(402) 713-8001
VJ

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