Do you mean putting lights into your decking or putting lighting down onto your deck? This page tells you about recessed deck lighting - the first option - look at the page on Patios and terraces for other options, although we should mention here the Elipta Compact Deck Bollard light, which is specifically designed for mounting around the edges of a deck for area illumination. Deck lighting by installing lights in a deck is usually concerned with outlining the shape to create an illuminated pattern at night. Small, low power l.e.d. deck lights are the best - use deck lights with a frosted lens (to protect the led from scuffing and soften the sometimes piercing appearance l.e.d. can have within the fitting) and a chamfered edge so there is less to stub your toe on. Make sure your deck lights are made in 316 grade stainless steel, not to be confused with cheaper deck lighting kits where brown spots will give away their inferior quality in just a few days.

Elipta's Navigator Minor are either good low power 12v miniature recessed deck lighting fittings or for many smaller deck applications. They offer a choice of blue or white 0.3w l.e.d.'s, tiny power consumption and "cool touch" operation in a 316 stainless steel body which is a push fit into a 28mm diameter hole. To create a lighting pattern with Navigator Minor -

• start by positioning lights near the corners of a (usually rectangular or octagonal) deck
• continue by placing deck lights near each balustrade or pergola post to form a regular pattern
• Complete the pattern by filling in with lights at 50-80cm spacings

For larger or more sophisticated deck shapes, you may benefit from using a combination of different sizes of lights but still matching materials and appearance for the sake of continuity: Navigators are a family of fittings in stainless steel, natural copper and fine sandblasted brass - materials which suit most deck materials, whether they be hardwood, stained softwood or synthetic. Navigator Minor is also the type recommended as miniature step marker lights in step risers at spacings of 30-60cm. They are supplied with a recessed sleeve usually used for installation in paving and walls: for decking applications the sleeve is discarded and the spring clip on the body fits securely into a hole drilled in the deck boards. Navigator Minor can be teamed with the 0.6w Navigator Major deck light, which also comes in a choice of blue or white led. Navigator Major provides higher impact uplighting when fitted around the perimeter of a deck, and can be used to highlight a walkway route across a deck or to frame a table location. The largest Navigator Maxor uses the latest 1w led's, which are bright enough for crosslighting deck steps if there is a flanking wall or board, as well as a higher power alternative around a large deck area or as a location marker highlighting an urn or column. Navigator Major is also now available with a choice of warm white led's as well as white led's, for those who prefer mellowness to brightness.

To create a lighting pattern with Navigator Major or Maxor -

• start by positioning lights near the corners of a (usually rectangular or octagonal) deck
• continue by placing deck lights near each balustrade or pergola post to form a regular pattern
• Complete the pattern by filling in with lights at 80-120cm spacings
• Frame a table location @ 60-80cm spacings
• Mark a walkway across a deck @ at 80-120cm spacings

Navigators can all be arranged in custom layouts using cable joint kits and 1.5mm cable supplied by the reel, which is more flexible than kit-type deck lighting products. The front bezel of all Navigator white l.e.d. deck lights can be removed to allow insertion of theatre colour gels for variety of deck lighting effect or warmer colour appearance. Navigators are now also available in 3 square sizes, the 0.3w Quad, Quatro and high power 1w Quo.

Elipta's new Waymarkers provide a variation on this theme, using a recessed body set in the deck to throw light up onto a conical mirror set under a domed head to broadcast a corona of light around it. This is a very decorative effect which will typically provide a 1m pool of light using the MR16 led modules recommended to keep the lights cool in deck mounting applications. You can also use lights in flanking walls to throw splashes of light across the decking surface: the new Navigator Eye led steplight is a good choice as it is compatible with Navigator recessed lights

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