If you’re looking to brighten up your walkway with some pathway lights, give the experts at Mel Northey a call today! We offer a large selection of area lighting options, from area lights to lamp posts and more.

What are pathway lights?

Pathway lights help light up your walkway.

When you’re out late at night, it’s not easy to see where you’re stepping. Street lights and porch lights are often not bright enough for you to continuously see where you’re stepping. Installing outdoor lights is the easiest solution and is a great home improvement project.

However, you don’t want your neighbors to call the HOA because your lights are waking them up at night. That’s where pathway lights, or ground lights, come in. They provide light at the ground level. Usually, they come in warm or white lighting and are great for use from dusk to dawn.

What kinds of pathway lights are there?

You can choose to install electrical lighting, but you’d have to install a fair bit of wiring. You could also opt for battery-powered lights, but who really wants to replace batteries all the time?

So, a lot of homeowners opt for solar pathway lights. Each light features a small solar panel that soaks up energy from the sun during the day and automatically turns on when it gets dark.

In addition, there are multiple brightness options:

White light: Usually seen as LED lights, these are great for areas with a lot of darkness and no nearby neighbors to annoy. For example, you may add some along your driveway or even in your backyard in very rural areas.

Warm lights: Warm lights come in a variety of tones, ranging from a discrete off-white to a much more obvious ivory hue. They aren’t overwhelmingly bright, like white lights.

Yellow lights: Those who adore antiques love yellow lights. The color is an imitation of the old-style lightbulbs we used to put in our home. While you can get equivalent wattage as white light, you won’t be overwhelmed by brightness. In addition, yellow lights give you more of an old-world feel.

Blue lights: This is a growing, sort of modern movement. Blue lights can be blatantly blue or have a touch of blue hue. These are also considered dark-sky lights, as they don’t blind drivers or create “light pollution.”

Colored lights: Though not the best option for actually lighting a pathway, you could use a colored light bulb such as a red or green. Colored lights are more for show, though.

Lamp styles

Just like brightness, you’ll find many different types of styles. From more modern options to antique lamposts, the possibilities are endless.

Street, area, and pathway lights come in all styles, from contemporary to modern.

Modern path lights are often either completely square with a boxed light near the top. However, antique looks are trendy, too.

There’s also a happy medium, where it’s older style but not yet considered antique. Popular styles include:

In terms of lighting effectiveness, a boxed light will provide unblocked outward light. On the other hand, lights with a steeple or decorated cover will have projection limitations that are dependent on the decorative style.

If you love decorative styles, keep in mind that you can use a higher wattage or light color to increase the amount of projected light.

What kind of light do I need for my sidewalks?

Most homeowners, especially those in suburbs or even rural areas, will need a warm or blue light with a higher wattage. These will give off a bright enough light for your pathway without blinding the neighbors.

However, those located in the city limits likely won’t need the brightest options on the market. In fact, they could even safely go with an antique yellow. Generally, between closely spaced homes, street lights, and building lights, homeowners in the city have a lot more light around their house and sidewalk.

Ultimately, it depends on how much light you need or want. If you only need to brighten up your sidewalk, you could choose from any of the options, though you may want to stick with a lower wattage LED path light if you go that route.

If you don’t have any light at all in the area, such as in a large backyard, you may want to go with landscape path lights, which offer a higher wattage white or LED lamp.

Now, it’s important to note that there’s a difference between pathway lights and larger lamps. If you only want light at the ground level, you should choose a pathway light. However, if you want to really brighten up the backyard, you’ll probably want more than ground-level pathway lights.

At the same time, putting a street light in your backyard or over your house will irk your neighbors…and probably break your HOA’s rules. Thankfully, there’s a happy medium: a courtyard light. These can vary in height and usually are 7 to 8 ft, but there are shorter options, like a 5-ft lamp.

What should I look for when buying a pathway light?

Your lights are going to be exposed to the elements, so you’ll want to make sure you purchase something that can handle the extremes, especially if you live in Houston and surrounding areas. The best choices are:

Stainless Steel: Stainless steel is often more expensive than alternatives, but some shoppers like the look better.
Aluminum: This is the most cost-friendly option on the market. And it’s not low quality, so you’re still getting a great deal.
Rust free: There will be rain. Make sure what you’re buying won’t rust over time.
Durable: With all the high winds, possible tornadoes, hail, and even hurricanes that Houston has to offer, make sure the product specifically states–and can back up–that it’s durable.

Mel Northey offers the best variety of lights at affordable prices.

About Us

Mel Northey Co. offers quality, affordable commercial and residential lights, street signs, and mailboxes. We offer a variety of styles and choices that are sure to meet your needs. We pride ourselves on excellent customer services and quality products.

The next time you’re searching for the best pathway lights on the market, be sure to give us a call.

Fun facts about Houston, Texas

If you love beer, be sure to check out the Beer Can House, which John Milkovisch made using 39,000 beer cans.
There are more than 62,000 art pieces in Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts.
Houston is the only major city in the United States that does not have zoning ordinances.

Visit the Houston website for more fun facts.