Landscape Contractor / Design Build Maintain

NOV 2015

LC/DBM provides landscape contractors with Educational, Imaginative and Practical information about their business, their employees, their machines and their projects.

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I hate to say this, but I'm still hearing that my indus- try, low voltage landscape lighting, has a bad reputa- tion. So, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for me to get back on my soapbox. There are a couple of big reasons why this is true: • The first reason is shoddy lighting products that just can't hold up in the natural outdoor environ - ment. You know the products that I'm talking about — the economy merchandise at the big box or discount store, or online sold at a fraction of the cost of a real quality product: cheaply made of inferior materials. • The other reason is poor installation by people who have no idea what they are doing. This is due to little to no training. Now imagine a combination of poor products in - stalled poorly. How long could it last? Not long at all! Therein lies the problem — and why all low voltage outdoor lighting gets a bad rap. (This article shows) examples of what I'm talking Above, Left: The proper way to mount fixtures to trees is with stainless steel stand-off (hanger) bolts with washers and nuts. Using stainless steel hardware does not harm the tree, and the stand-off bolts allow the tree to grow without growing around the mounting bracket that should be used. This method applies with either upward or downward aimed fixtures. Top, Right: Here you see an example of how not to do it. (Besides the obvious mounting gaffe) you also see that they are using sheetrock screws - which will poison the tree - instead of using stainless steel. Above, Middle: As for the attachment of the wire, never staple the wire to a tree of any kind. Staples are not stainless steel and will, consequently, harm the tree. Also a serious problem is this: When the tree tries to heal itself and grows, it will grow right around that staple and the wire (see sidebar). Naturally, this cannot be good for the tree, and will eventually cause a short circuit in that wire. Above, Right: The proper way to attach the wire to a tree is with stainless steel screws and nylon zip tie straps. This method allows for backing the screw out as the tree grows (Gosselin's maintenance crews check this regularly). It also means that if maintenance is not done for an extended period of time, the tree may consume the screw, but the zip tie strap will break free allowing the wire to float freely so the tree does not grow around it. The stainless steel screw will not corrode, causing no harm to the tree. 20 LC DBM Lighting Rights & Wrongs By Paul Gosselin, CLVLT, NightScenes Landscape Lighting Professionals

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