Spike lights are very underrated, historically thought of as a short-term solution that did an okay job. Nowadays they are an efficient, effective lighting solution, and not just to use on a temporary basis. The best way to give your garden a face lift is to use spike lights, this is because they are fairly cheap and that they are DIY low voltage.

If you look at the image below and think how different it would like without the lighting, spike lights are perfect here because they are highlighting the main features. With any lighting you want to have just the right amount, not to much and not flooding the area, here the light has small pools and points away from the area to avoid glare.

Spike Light Material

1. Material is an important choice when choosing your spike lights. There are lots of options so you don't need to compromise between looks and practicality. Below are some of the most common materials you'll see, and which is best when:

304 Stainless Steel 

304 stainless spike lights are a stylish option that works in almost any garden or outdoor space. It's a good option for areas that are outside of 15km of salt water, or not too close to salt water pools. If you're coastal, opt for 316 stainless steel.

316 Stainless Steel

316 stainless steel spikes will last the distance no matter the condition. With high-quality steel casing, made to handle heavy marine environments, these look great too. However, we do advise that you will still need to use a rejuvenating maintenance kit every 6 months or so to keep your fitting looking at it's best.

Aluminium

Aluminium garden spike lights are in the middle of the two stainless grades, typically holding a life-span of 3 - 8 years. Aluminium is the most common material used, available in either gloss or matt finish. Our favourite is the matt black casing as this hides any weathering and looks sleek and stylish wherever you put it, giving you a few extra years before they need replacing.

Brass & copper spike lights

Brass and copper lights will not corrode, but instead will change colouring over the years from a darker brass or copper, to eventually green. The natural feeling of copper lights, with warm white globes will be give soft, magical mood lighting to your backyard. Particularly for period properties, bass or copper spikes are a lovely way to light up your garden path, flower bed or other area.

2. Colour temperature for a garden is crucial, The Lighting Outlet always recommends a warm white between 2500k - 3000k to create a soft, warm and ambient mood lighting system. Bright white lights will also attract more bugs.

3. The right wattage is important to achieve the purpose of your new spike lights. Creating a small pool of light with lower wattage gives a greater ambient mood, due to its low LED lighting. A higher wattage will eliminate a whole area, ultimately losing some of the atmospheric lighting. We recommend you choose around 5 watts (250 lumens) and space the fittings every 1.5 meters.

4. Beam angle again depends on the purpose of your spike light. If you wish to light up a statue or tree, you would need to have a narrow beam angle of anything between 20 - 60 degrees. However, if you’re wanting to achieve relaxed mood lighting, choosing an outdoor light with a 60+ degree beam angle is preferable (the higher the beam angle, the better in this case).

5. IP rating is a very important factor to consider for spike lights. You should always look to purchase an IP of minium IP54, or better yet IP65. Anything with a lower IP rating should have a covering over the light, so that it is not fully exposed to the open and harm of rain or dust. Conditions a fitting with an IP rating of 54-65 would resist.

 

Our Top Spike Light Picks