|
|
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| by:
Iain Mitchell
photos: Tracy Cox |
DRIVEWAY SAFETY |
| Throw
a little light on the subject |
What can you really say about the need for outdoor lighting?
I mean, it’s a pretty basic concept: if you’ve got
a spot that’s in dark that you want a illuminated, put
in a light. It’s not the kind of idea that needs 500 words
of explanation.
 However,
the thing about outdoor lighting that’s all-too-often ignored
is its aesthetic appeal. How many times have you seen lights
on a house (someone else’s, of course) that look like they’ve
been there since the thing went up in 1965? Rusted-out husks
of builder-quality fixtures covered with cobwebs so thick they
have to be cleared away with a machete before you can get a
new 100-watt bulb in there. Even if these fixtures have been
replaced, it’s often with dubious-looking modern-day replacements
like the double-trumpet floodlight or the motion-detecting klieg
light that fills your yard with a 5,000 candlepower glare every
time a raccoon happens past.
We decided the thing to do was
take a step back to the classic simplicity of the humble outdoor
coach light. This installation is pretty straightforward and
basic, but it’s perfect for the DIYer who hasn’t got
a great deal of experience working with electricity.
Get Lit
If
there isn’t a preexisting light fixture, start by identifying
where you want the light to go. Coach lights usually go on either
side of a garage door, but you’ll have to make sure you
can drill a hole all the way through the wall from the spot
you’ve chosen so you can fish the wire through from the
inside. Because this is a new installation, we fastened the
light to a surface-mounted pancake-style junction box, itself
fastened to the wall with Tapcon screws.
| WHAT
YOU'LL NEED |
 |
| This
project doesn’t take a great many tools: Safety
glasses, 1" masonry bit, hammer drill, regular
drill with 3/16" masonry bit, utility knife,
wire stripper, tape measure, multi-headed screwdriver.
You’ll need some Tapcon screws, cable ties
and wire nuts. |
|
Inside
the garage, we tapped into an existing light circuit (that of
the interior garage light) to power the new light. When you
make a connection to an existing power source, you must use
a junction box. This we located up high, which allowed us to
simply use regular Romex insulated household cable for the bulk
of the installation. We used cable ties to fix the cables to
a nearby building tie to keep everything looking neat and tidy.
Because
the wires that lead to and from the light switch come within
8' of the floor, we used metal-shielded cable for those areas.
The metal-clad cable protects wire from moisture or inadvertent
slicing and is flexible enough to wind its way around obstructions.
It’s the stuff you generally see strung between fire bells
and the like.
Once the light’s wired up
and attached to the pancake-style junction box (that’s
the one on the outside) you’re in business. Just imagine
the luxury of walking up your driveway without having to wonder
if you’re about to bark your shins against anything. At
the very least, the guy who delivers your pizza will thank you.
|
| READ
STEP BY STEP GUIDE |
|
|
|
|
| FREE
NEWSLETTER |
Subscribe to our newsletter. Every few weeks, you'll get a behind-the-scenes
peek at the magazine, the web site and the folks who put it all together.
CLICK HERE |
|
|
PROJECTS
