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Why Install Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?

Security. High voltage floodlights leave dark shadows and unseen areas around a property. A better choice is strategically placed low voltage lights that provide low levels of even illumination.

Safety. Low Voltage lighting is the ideal choice for illuminating walkways and entranceways. This ensures that residents and visitors can safely navigate around the property.

Usability. Illuminating the private areas of a property allow the evening enjoyment of decks, sitting areas, and recreational spaces.

Beauty. Low voltage lighting accentuates the shapes and textures of a landscape and its structures. Lighting designers not only paint pictures with light, they create dramatic scenes that give the viewer a dynamic experience of the property.

Economy. Low voltage lighting consumes about 1/3 the electricity compared to high voltage systems and is far less expensive to install.

Rugged, beautiful, well designed, and economical – this describes CAST solid bronze fixtures. They are hand-made by skilled artisans using the ancient technique of sand-casting, then assembled with the highest grade of stainless steel sockets and tin-coated wire. These fixtures are unmatched as professional tools for the Lighting Designer.

Why Solid Sand-Cast Bronze?
Understanding why CAST Lighting is committed to Solid Bronze.

When David Beausoleil founded CAST Lighting, his mission was to provide the highest quality materials, workmanship and performance in the manufacture of landscape lighting fixtures. This mission came out of his personal frustration after years of working with products made of aluminum, copper, other metals and plastic composites. These materials simply failed to withstand the abusive outdoor environment and broke, bent, chipped, corroded, cracked and failed to perform their function.

Settling on bronze for its durability, resistance to corrosion and natural beauty, David launched large-scale production in a custom-built foundry to produce what have come to be known as the highest quality outdoor lighting fixtures on the market today. Casting bronze is a labor-intensive operation requiring skilled workers who have mastered the art of sand-casting. Because the process is so time-consuming and difficult, no other manufacturer has even attempted to duplicate CAST’s fixtures.

The following points explain why CAST is so committed to the use of solid bronze and why this rugged metal is valued so highly by the consumer.

What is Bronze?
Bronze is an alloy that contains copper (88%), tin (6%), zinc (2%) and lead (3%). It’s introduction over 5,000 years ago revolutionized metal work and launched the Bronze Age. By adding tin to copper, workers created a metal that was stronger and impervious to corrosion. Bronze artifacts have been found dating from as early as 3,500 BC.

How is Bronze different from Brass?
Brass (specifically yellow brass) is also an alloy of copper, but differs from bronze in that its primary additive is zinc (40%). Brass is similar to bronze in hardness but suffers from the process of ‘dezincification’. This process that begins upon exposure to heat and humidity is the leaching of zinc from the metal. As the zinc migrates from the copper it leaves a porous structure susceptible to cracking and corrosion. As a result, brass lighting fixtures may eventually exhibit persistent red spots (zinc oxide) and become more brittle and crack as they age.

Brass is commonly used for landscape lighting fixtures because the melting temperature is lower than bronze making it easier to cast in an automated production. The high melting point of bronze necessitates casting in sand (a more difficult process) since the metal molds used in brass production would melt. A new sand mold is created for every individual CAST fixture.

Understanding Corrosion
Corrosion of landscape lighting fixtures occurs through several mechanisms that are electrochemical in nature. In other words, chemicals react with the metals to produce an electric current. This current changes the structure and composition of the metal and results in pitting, flaking, chipping and cracking.

The following chart illustrates how various metals found in lighting fixtures compare in their resistance to corrosion:
Least Subject to Corrosion:

Stainless Steel
Bronze
Copper
Brass
Cast Iron
Wrought Iron
Mild Steel
Aluminum

Most Subject to Corrosion: shown in white

It should also be noted that while stainless steel is (in ideal conditions) more resistant to corrosion than bronze, it may be more susceptible at its edges, creases and at points where it contacts other metals.

In an attempt to prevent corrosion, manufacturers use various coatings (e.g. powder-coat, paint and sealers) on the more susceptible metals. These coatings invariably fail to prevent corrosion since even microscopic gaps or inconsistencies in the coatings (or physical damage to the coatings) expose metal. This provides points of corrosion that can rapidly grow. The result is that the coatings are undermined, separating them from the surface leading to cracking and chipping.

Is Bronze more Beautiful?
Moving from the scientific to the aesthetic, we can assess the superiority of bronze as a feature in the landscape. Bronze has a long history of use as the preferred material for outdoor sculpture, partly because of its durability but mainly because it weathers so beautifully.

Once installed outdoors, the metallic bronze darkens to an old-penny brown then eventually to a greenish/blue patina. These colors compliment the browns and greens in nature and do not distract from the natural beauty of the landscape.

Why Homeowners prefer Solid Bronze
SLC Designers will typically ask a homeowner to first hold a CAST solid bronze fixture and then a fixture from another manufacturer. The immediate impression is surprise at how the CAST fixture is so much heavier than the other. This translates into the (correct) impression of greater durability and value. Homeowners who are looking for both quality and value will always select CAST.

The thing we love most about the business is how excited the homeowners get about their home in lights. The look on many of our customers faces when they see their home lit up at night is truly rewarding. We love the end result of our work and feel lucky to be a part of a business that beautifies homes. We are homeowners ourselves and try to treat each and every client as they, themselves, would want to be treated. We want our customers to be completely satisfied with the whole SLC experience from design to installation. Our business wouldn’t survive without all the referrals we have received based on our good work. How we treat our customers is a top priority for us.
Why Install Low Voltage Landscape Lighting? Security. High voltage floodlights leave dark shadows and unseen areas around a property. A better choice is strategically placed low voltage lights that provide low levels of even illumination. Safety. Low Voltage lighting is the ideal choice for illuminating walkways and entranceways. This ensures that residents and visitors can safely navigate around the property. Usability. Illuminating the private areas of a property allow the evening enjoyment of decks, sitting areas, and recreational spaces. Beauty. Low voltage lighting accentuates the shapes and textures of a landscape and its structures. Lighting designers not only paint pictures with light, they create dramatic scenes that give the viewer a dynamic experience of the property. Economy. Low voltage lighting consumes about 1/3 the electricity compared to high voltage systems and is far less expensive to install. Rugged, beautiful, well designed, and economical – this describes CAST solid bronze fixtures. They are hand-made by skilled artisans using the ancient technique of sand-casting, then assembled with the highest grade of stainless steel sockets and tin-coated wire. These fixtures are unmatched as professional tools for the Lighting Designer. Why Solid Sand-Cast Bronze? Understanding why CAST Lighting is committed to Solid Bronze. When David Beausoleil founded CAST Lighting, his mission was to provide the highest quality materials, workmanship and performance in the manufacture of landscape lighting fixtures. This mission came out of his personal frustration after years of working with products made of aluminum, copper, other metals and plastic composites. These materials simply failed to withstand the abusive outdoor environment and broke, bent, chipped, corroded, cracked and failed to perform their function. Settling on bronze for its durability, resistance to corrosion and natural beauty, David launched large-scale production in a custom-built foundry to produce what have come to be known as the highest quality outdoor lighting fixtures on the market today. Casting bronze is a labor-intensive operation requiring skilled workers who have mastered the art of sand-casting. Because the process is so time-consuming and difficult, no other manufacturer has even attempted to duplicate CAST’s fixtures. The following points explain why CAST is so committed to the use of solid bronze and why this rugged metal is valued so highly by the consumer. What is Bronze? Bronze is an alloy that contains copper (88%), tin (6%), zinc (2%) and lead (3%). It’s introduction over 5,000 years ago revolutionized metal work and launched the Bronze Age. By adding tin to copper, workers created a metal that was stronger and impervious to corrosion. Bronze artifacts have been found dating from as early as 3,500 BC. How is Bronze different from Brass? Brass (specifically yellow brass) is also an alloy of copper, but differs from bronze in that its primary additive is zinc (40%). Brass is similar to bronze in hardness but suffers from the process of ‘dezincification’. This process that begins upon exposure to heat and humidity is the leaching of zinc from the metal. As the zinc migrates from the copper it leaves a porous structure susceptible to cracking and corrosion. As a result, brass lighting fixtures may eventually exhibit persistent red spots (zinc oxide) and become more brittle and crack as they age. Brass is commonly used for landscape lighting fixtures because the melting temperature is lower than bronze making it easier to cast in an automated production. The high melting point of bronze necessitates casting in sand (a more difficult process) since the metal molds used in brass production would melt. A new sand mold is created for every individual CAST fixture. Understanding Corrosion Corrosion of landscape lighting fixtures occurs through several mechanisms that are electrochemical in nature. In other words, chemicals react with the metals to produce an electric current. This current changes the structure and composition of the metal and results in pitting, flaking, chipping and cracking. The following chart illustrates how various metals found in lighting fixtures compare in their resistance to corrosion: Least Subject to Corrosion: Stainless Steel Bronze Copper Brass Cast Iron Wrought Iron Mild Steel Aluminum Most Subject to Corrosion: shown in white It should also be noted that while stainless steel is (in ideal conditions) more resistant to corrosion than bronze, it may be more susceptible at its edges, creases and at points where it contacts other metals. In an attempt to prevent corrosion, manufacturers use various coatings (e.g. powder-coat, paint and sealers) on the more susceptible metals. These coatings invariably fail to prevent corrosion since even microscopic gaps or inconsistencies in the coatings (or physical damage to the coatings) expose metal. This provides points of corrosion that can rapidly grow. The result is that the coatings are undermined, separating them from the surface leading to cracking and chipping. Is Bronze more Beautiful? Moving from the scientific to the aesthetic, we can assess the superiority of bronze as a feature in the landscape. Bronze has a long history of use as the preferred material for outdoor sculpture, partly because of its durability but mainly because it weathers so beautifully. Once installed outdoors, the metallic bronze darkens to an old-penny brown then eventually to a greenish/blue patina. These colors compliment the browns and greens in nature and do not distract from the natural beauty of the landscape. Why Homeowners prefer Solid Bronze SLC Designers will typically ask a homeowner to first hold a CAST solid bronze fixture and then a fixture from another manufacturer. The immediate impression is surprise at how the CAST fixture is so much heavier than the other. This translates into the (correct) impression of greater durability and value. Homeowners who are looking for both quality and value will always select CAST.

In a market flooded with low quality fixtures out of Asia, designers who select solid bronze set themselves apart from their competitors and build reputations as professionals who will not compromise their high standards.