Integrated Lighting for Retaining Walls

Purpose

• Lighting integrated into the retaining wall adds an element of safety to your landscaping. Exterior lighting makes it difficult for potential thieves to get near your home undetected. You also provide lighting for yourself and visitors when walking near the wall to avoid tripping. If the retaining wall leads toward your home, the lights in the wall serve as a guide to the front of the house. Lighting also adds accents to the wall, making it look more attractive and highlighting it even at night.

Types

• Some retaining wall systems allow you to replace blocks in your wall with special lights that look like the regular blocks. This allows you to integrate lights at various points both high and low throughout your wall. Another style of lighting to integrate is a narrow light fixture that fits in between two rows of bricks and casts light downward onto the wall. This type of lighting typically goes right under your cap pieces at the top of the retaining wall.

Design

• When designing the integrated lighting for your retaining wall, first determine how much light you want and the type of fixtures you want to use. Whether you choose the lighted blocks or the fixtures that go between the blocks, your design must include the spacing and location of each light. Equal spacing of the lights makes the wall look balanced and appealing from a distance. Determine how wide the fixture casts its light to help determine how far apart to place them. For the highest degree of safety, you'll want the lights close enough so they don't leave large gaps of darkness.

Installation

• Before choosing and installing hardwired retaining-wall lights, check the local building codes to ensure you handle the wiring properly. The wiring typically runs through the retaining wall blocks behind the structure, where it is connected to the power source. An electrician is able to run the wiring if you have no experience with electrical work. Depending on the type, you may have to attach the lighting fixture to the retaining wall with masonry screws. Read the manufacturer's directions thoroughly to understand how the specific model works and is installed.