Driveway Lights

For most homes the best result is a combination: bollard or inground lights every 2 to 3 metres to mark the edges, a pillar light or lamp post at the entrance, and a sensor flood light over the garage or parking area. If you only buy one type, bollard lights give the most useful light for the money because they light the surface without glare.

Space bollards 2 to 3 metres apart, and inground or deck markers every 2 to 3 metres set 100 to 200mm back from the edge. On a long driveway, staggering bollards on alternate sides lets you use fewer fittings while still showing the line of the drive. Keep the spacing even from the gate to the garage so the eye can follow it.

Use 240V for lamp posts, pillar lights and sensor flood lights that connect to the house supply, and 12V low voltage for bollards, spike lights and inground markers along the drive, where a shallow trench and a weatherproof driver make installation simpler. On long runs, check cable size with our voltage drop calculator so the lights at the far end stay as bright as the first.

Only if the fitting states a drive-over load rating. A standard IP67 inground light is fine beside the drive or in a garden bed, but a light in the wheel path needs a rated body and toughened glass. Check the product specifications for a load rating in kilograms or tonnes, and see our inground and uplighter range for drive-over models.

Look for IP65 as a minimum on wall, post and pillar fittings, and IP67 on anything recessed into the ground or paving, because those sit in water after rain. Within a few kilometres of the coast, also choose 316 marine grade stainless steel, brass or a marine grade powder coat. Our IP rating guide explains what each number means.

Solar lights are bright enough to mark the edges of a driveway and light a path, and the better solar driveway lights and solar bollards now run all night from a full day of sun. They are not a substitute for a wired sensor flood light over the parking area, and they need a panel that is not shaded by trees or the fence.

Any 240V fitting must be installed by a licensed electrician in Australia. Plug-in 12V low voltage kits and solar lights can be installed yourself, as long as the driver plugs into an existing weatherproof outlet. If the run is long or you want the lights on a switch or timer inside the house, have an electrician wire the driver and the switch.

3000K warm white is the best choice for the lights you see every night, such as bollards, pillar lights and lamp posts. It suits brick, render, stone and timber and produces less glare than cool white. Choose 4000K or 5000K only for sensor flood lights, where clear, crisp light on demand matters more than atmosphere.