Pergola Lighting Guide: LED Selection and Placement
Pergola lighting uses LED strips recessed into the profile. A recessed solution shows no cabling and keeps the visual integrity of the system. But it can only be done during production; strips surface-mounted afterwards leave visible cabling.
Why Decide at the Production Stage?
The cleanest result in pergola lighting comes from recessing the LED into the profile: no cabling shows. For that, the cable route and the position of the LED must be settled before production. Surface-mounted strips added afterwards leave visible cabling.
What Does the Protection Class (IP) Tell You?
An IP protection class describes how well the enclosure of an electrical component is protected against dust and water. It means something only for that component and together with its documentation: the class of the LED strip, the driver and the control box can each be different.
Two points to watch:
1. The protection class of electrical components is stated for the selected model; ask which class applies to which component in the quotation.
2. The protection class of the lighting says nothing about the rain tightness of the roof or a glass façade. How the roof performs in rain is planned together with slope, joints and drainage.
Colour Temperature
Warm white gives a softer atmosphere in seating areas; neutral white is preferred in working and service areas. Colour-changing options exist too. The decision follows the intended use.
Placement
- Perimeter lighting: along the load-bearing profile
- Along louvres or beams: following the louvre direction on a bioclimatic pergola, the beam line on a motorised pergola awning
- Dimming: adjusting light intensity is decisive for evening use
Control
Lighting can be controlled together with the roof controls or separately. Compatibility depends on the control model used; the selected model is stated in the quotation.
Cabling
The supply point, the position of the driver and the cable route are shown in the design. The electrical connection must be made by a qualified person.
Common Mistakes
1. Leaving the lighting decision until after installation
2. Not thinking about dimming
3. Not planning where the driver sits and how it is reached
4. Taking the protection class of one component to be a property of the whole system
Conclusion
Lighting decides whether the space is used in the evening, and the decision is made before production. To plan it together with the roof systems, visit the products page.