1. What is LED Wall Washer?
LED Wall Washer is a lighting product that illuminates the facades and landscapes such as the exterior of residential buildings, patios, plazas, restaurants, malls, etc. This type of lighting creates a pool of light that distributes evenly across any surface. As a result, the target wall is flooded uniformly with light.
2. The Different Types Of LED Wall Washer?
There are two purposes that a LED wall washer lights can serve:
- Wall Washing
- Wall Grazing
Wall Washing
Wall washing is mainly done to enhance the smoothness of the wall. It uniformly floods the light on the wall creating a smooth effect.
Wall Grazing
On the other hand, in wall grazing, the lights are placed close to the wall to highlight the patterns on the wall. Such lighting technique will create shadows and consequently accentuate the brick, stone, or any other carved pattern on the walls.
3. Why is LED Wall Washer Important For Facade?
LED wall washers are high in demand because they can greatly enhance the exterior of any architectural element by providing a pleasing and uniform illumination to the important features.
Wall washing basically ‘washes’ the exterior with light, creating an intriguing luminosity that will make your building stand out in the nighttime. Wall Washing is important for the facade and landscape as it not only highlights certain portions of the wall but takes care of the whole exterior.
For this reason, it is particularly desired in museums, historical buildings, galleries, and exhibitions.
What’s more? Wall washers can be linked together to provide a better control system. Using the RGB and RGBW LEDs you can even change the hues according to your needs. Go for wall washing if you want to highlight your projects exceptionally.
4. LED Wall Washer vs. LED Strip Light?
You may find LED Wall Washer similar to LED strip lights, but they are quite different in their functions and applications. Here is what you need to know to decide which is best suited for your project.
LED strip lights do not have a high power enough to illuminate the exterior of a building. Such lights are small, thin, and lightweight and are mostly used for highlighting certain features on the wall. LED strip lights are used for smaller projects.
Whereas the wall washers are heavy-duty lights that can illuminate the exterior beautifully owing to their high power and adjustable voltages. They are best suited for larger outdoor facade projects.
5. 4 Steps On How To Choose LED Wall Washer For Your Projects.
If you are confused about what to look for while choosing the best LED wall washer for your project, then this will answer your difficulties.
Step 1: Check The Drive Power Of Wall Washers
Drive power says a lot about the LED products, so if you want to select LED wall Washer, have a look at our product description to check the drive power of our LED lights. R&C Lighting provides a stable drive power, with low heat dissipation and greater efficiency that is perfect for heavy-duty lighting projects.
Step 2: How Bright Do You Need Your Lights To Be?
Another important feature is the light source, i.e., LEDs used in the wall washers. For different LEDs, the heat dissipation is different, and brightness varies. Low-quality LEDs cannot provide high brightness and reliability. However, R&C Lighting is in partnership with CREE/OSRAM who provides high-quality LEDs that are used in our wall washers.
Step 3: Radiator Material
The radiator is the part of wall washers that are made of high-quality metals and serves the purpose of heat dissipation. It increases life and improves the quality of lighting. You must choose the wall washers that are made of high-quality material such as aluminum. R&C Lighting uses the highest quality products to manufactures LED wall washers.
Step 4: What IP-rating do you require for your project?
One of the most important attributes that you must consider is the weather-resistant properties of the lights. Wall washers that are installed on the exterior of the building are subjected to rough weather conditions. R&C lighting performs 13 different tests to ensure the wall washers are waterproof and heat resistant. Choose the product that has a sufficient IP-rating and can stand the test of time.
You can always consult our customer support to discuss your needs, and we will suggest the best solution for your projects.
If you have more questions, continue reading the guide as we have made sure to cover all the aspects of LED wall washers for you.
FAQ
1. How Do You Install a Light Fixture On a Brick Wall?
Once you have the LED light fixture of your choice, you need to showcase it outside your place. Installing this elegant light outdoors may pose a little challenge. Two scenarios may occur during installation. First, if you have electrical wiring running through the brick, then it is easy to mount the light fixture. On the other hand, if wiring is not present, then you must use conduits to bring the supply. Everything is covered below for you:
Follow these five easy steps and get your light fixtures installed in no time.
Step 1: Safety first
Use proper rubber gloves and shoes for insulation. If possible, switch off the breaker from the circuit board. With proper tools and gear, you are ready.
Step 2: Measurement
Locate the area for fixture installation. Mark the area with a tape or marker.
For a wall without prior wiring, mark the length from a light fixture to the supply source. Add 15% extra length to the total length. Buy an electrical conduit and wire of that length. You can buy the matching conduit with a brick wall, which can be costly.
Step 3: Installation
With a masonry bit, drill a ½ inch diameter hole in the wall. Make it ½ deeper than the ‘Sleeve Anchors’ to be used. Insert sleeve anchors in the holes. Now you have a solid base for light fixtures.
You can also use nails to hold the mountings, but sleeve anchors provide greater grip. Use screws to install the light fixture on the wall.
If you are using conduits, then use clamps and fittings to fix it along the wall. Run the wire through it and fish it out from the other side.
Step 4: Connection
Insert the lamp in the light fixture. Connect it to the main supply and switch on the main circuit breaker. After completion, cover the electrical box with a removable plate.
Step 5: Check the Installation
Switch off the supply and check if the light is flashing. If not, retrace the steps backward and check if the wires are connected properly.
R&C Lighting produces quality fixtures, and they are made to withstand the harsh outdoor environment. And by going through these steps, you can easily install LED light fixtures. We also provide installation support on-site and online.
2. How Far Should Wall Washers Be From The Wall?
LED wall washers bring character to the dull outdoor walls. These lights are the subtle touch that showcases the beauty in the simplest of walls. But simply placing it anywhere will not produce the desired effect.
To bring the best out of LED wall washers, they must be placed at a certain distance from the wall. We are not going to confuse you with difficult technical details. Rather our simple guide will help you place these lights perfectly.
· Wall Washing
For this lighting effect, you need to install LED lights at the top of the ceiling. The light thrown on the wall makes it appear smoother, hiding all imperfections by removing the shadows and charming.
These LED wall washers light up 8 to 9 feet of vertical walls. For that, you have to place them at a considerable distance from the wall. The goal is to throw the light on the wall at a wider angle. Usually, a distance of 2.5 to 3 feet is sufficient.
By doing this wall shines brighter, and it highlights the architecture more beautifully. It also makes the place appear bigger and spacious. R&C Lighting produces high-quality LED wall washers that enhance the look of outdoor patios, restaurants, malls, clubs, etc.
· Wall Grazing
Another technique you can use is called ‘wall grazing.’ It is opposite to the above-mentioned technique. LED-wall washers can be used in this way to highlight the beauty of stone walls and other such walls.
By placing directly above the wall, these lights create an elegant combination of bright light and shadows that depicts the beauty of a textured wall.
The placement can change the perception of the wall. Go for distance placing if you have plain walls and want to showcase their elegance.
You can go to place the lights directly above the wall if it is textured like stone or brick walls. In this case, the wall grazing will give the contrast it needs, and your wall will stand out.
3. Where Should Wall Washing Lights Be Placed?
RC lighting LED wall washers are a must-have if you want your outdoors to pop out. These are specifically designed to bring out the best of places.
What is amazing about this is that you can become creative with these lights. Getting high lumens is one thing, but the placement of these LED wall washers is something else. This is where the magic happens.
You can have an amazing wall washing effect by placing it at a slight distance from the wall. Our LED lights have customizable beam angles such as 8° – 90° *60° (Optional), which gives you the flexibility of space.
· Mounting Distance and Spacing
Mounting distance refers to the gap between LED light washers and the wall. And the spacing tells the space between each LED washer.
You can place the lights without spacing and have a continuous wash. This works best for simple outdoor walls. By having an even spacing of 2-3 feet, you can have more shoots of lights. If you are opting for this, then it’s better to have a mounting distance equal to spacing. It is usually 1/3 of the ceiling height.
Pro tip: A general rule is that spacing of 2-3 feet is necessary for 9 feet wall. Increase it to around 3-4 feet for even higher walls.
4. How Do You Light A Stone Wall?
If you are a fan of stone and brick walls, then you must be wondering how to light up a stone wall. There are many ways you can bring out the real beauty of masonry. We have listed the lighting techniques you must utilize for your stone walls and similar projects.
· Wash Lighting
The best way to accentuate your stone wall is to throw the light from above. The wall washing brightens up the whole wall, bringing out the hidden features of the patterns on the wall. A masonry deserves to be illuminated; otherwise, the stone wall doesn’t stand out.
· Wall Grazing
Wall grazing is another best option as it is used to highlight the patterns and texture on the wall. A stone wall is known for its beautiful texture, so the wall grazing technique must be used for this purpose.
You can check out our previous answers to see where wall washers must be placed to achieve washing and grazing effects.
· Uplighting
Uplighting is yet another technique in which light is thrown from below the wall. The lights are installed at the bottom of the walls to create an unusual effect of light that highlights the stone crevices and carving more aesthetically.
· Reveal Effect
The reveal effect is a brilliant way to accentuate a stone wall. But for this, you will have to build a fold/reveal in the stone wall during the construction. The lights are fixed behind the folds to allow the light to splash out from the inner sides of the folds. This technique has the added advantage of having the lighting fixtures hidden inside the folds.
· Sconces
Sconces are mainly used to illuminate the stone walls in the interior of the building. The cylindrical light casings help in pushing the light from the top and bottom to create a nice lighting effect.
5. Do LED Lights Ruin Walls?
As much as you think that installing LED lights can damage the walls, it is not quite true. Here us out! Whether LED fixtures cause damage to the wall or not depends on the following reasons.
- Kind of adhesive and installation method used.
- How long has the fixture been installed?
- The quality of wall surface, paint, or wallpaper.
- Climate can also affect the wall and fixture joint.
For different LED lights, the installation process varies. Unlike the LED Strip Lights that use strong adhesives to stick to the wall, the LED wall washer fixtures use nuts and bolts.
Strip Lights use strong adhesives (3M) to stick to the wall. Such lights will likely damage the wall when you try to remove them. The wall paint and wallpaper can strongly stick to the tape and peel off as you try to remove the LED lights.
However, there are certain techniques, such as using a dryer to heat the tape or using a Laquer thinner to reduce the adhesiveness. You can easily avoid damaging the wall if you perform the uninstallation smartly, or you can always contact us to get a consultation.
6. What Is Light Grazing?
Light grazing is a stunning lighting effect that you can achieve using our LED Wall Washers. It is used to achieve a visual aesthetic that accents the wall’s important details such as textures and patterns.
The technique is similar to wall washing; however, grazing is particularly done to create shadows and enhance the texture on the wall.
Light grazing involves placing the LED wall washers at the ceiling height. The light falls on the wall from a narrow angle. The short distance from the wall is essential to create the shadows and grazing effect.
If the wall washers are mounted at a larger distance, then the effect produced is termed as washing, and no shadows are produced; rather, a smooth surface effect is achieved.
Grazing is used to enhance the pattern, whereas wall washing is used to hide the imperfections on the walls.
7. What Are RGB and RGBW Wall Washer Lights?
LED wall washers are divided into three main types, white color, 4-color RGBW, and 3-color RGB color LED wall washers.
· White/Warm White Color LED Wall Washer
White LED wall washers use the white-colored LEDs that are used to create a smooth and graceful illumination on any wall. White color is mainly required to provide a subtle illuminating to a wall.
We can provide a customizable white color temperature, warm, neutral, or cool, depending on your architectural requirements.
Such wall washers are ideal for hotels, office buildings, residential structures, and plazas to give a sophisticated and ambient look to the exterior.
· RGB and RGBW LED Wall Washers
RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. Such LEDs use 3-in-1 LED chips. By mixing the three colors, these LEDs can produce a wide range of hues. It can also create white light if all colors are mixed at high brightness.
RGBW uses four colors, i.e., Red, Green, Blue, and White. The added white LED is important in creating purer and clearer white color.
RGBW LED wall washers are a better option if you require pure white color as well. Such lighting can create vibrant hues that can give a classy and fun look to a place, such as clubs, bars, concerts, sports events, restaurants, etc.
8. Is LED Wall Washing Only For Exterior?
LED Wall Washing is the kind of technique that can be used to light up both the interior and exterior of the architecture. Usually, wall washing is required to illuminate the outer structure of the building to give an enhanced look that makes the building stand out. When used indoors, wall washing is done on a particular wall, such as a brick wall or masonry, to beautify it further.
R&C lighting provides outdoor LED wall washers to cater to your bigger architectural needs.
9. How Can LED Wall Washer Be Customized?
Every project needs a different lighting design to do justice to its exterior. R&C Lighting is fully aware of this fact; hence we create customizable solutions for your projects. You can get your LED Wall washers customized in terms of:
· Beam Angle
For adjusting beam angle, a versatile fixture is of utmost importance. We produce fixtures that can provide ease in installing the light at a particle angle best suited for the project. A perfect beam angle will spread the light over a larger area of the wall and create an even better outlook. R&C Lighting can customize bema angles in the wide range of 8°– 90° *60°.
· Color temperature
The color temperature greatly influences the mood of your exterior. You can choose between a warm, neutral, or cool color temperature. The warmer light will give a cozy and comfortable feel to your project, whereas a cool color temperature symbolized energy and freshness. Learn more about color temperature from our post: What is Color Temperature and How To Choose?
Our CCT customization falls between the range of 2700K – 6500K.
· Voltage
For outdoor lighting, two types of voltages are usually preferred: low voltage (12V/24V/48V DC) and high voltage (100-265V AC).
Low voltages offer higher safety in the installation process, and you do not require a technician to mount them. They are safe in wet conditions and are not hazardous in any way. Such lighting is preferred in residential areas because of the safety and ease of installation. Moreover, they are less expensive.
On the other hand, Line voltages are used to decorate larger buildings and facades such as big plazas and other commercial areas to offer security and safety. They are expensive and provide greater illumination and reliability. The installation process requires an expert because proper wiring must be done and have larger fixtures.
Learn more about voltage from our post: Line Voltage VS. Low Voltage Landscape Lighting: What’s the Difference?
· Appearance and size
Depending on the area, the size of the lights must be adjusted. It will be unwise to use a large wall washer on a small wall. We can adjust the sizes according to the area of the walls to be illuminated.
Conclusion
Your architectural facade lighting project needs something more exciting that can do justice to its already built features. Our LED wall washers will perform that duty for you.
Do you think you have more questions? Contact us and we will help you out instantly.
