How to install professional tree lighting (7 tips from an expert)
You can find professional tree lighting all year round. From the hospitality industry to shopping centres, municipal buildings or private homes: lit trees are becoming ever-more popular. But installing tree lighting requires a lot of care. We asked one of the country’s most experienced tree lighting technicians for his thoughts: Serge Stolk.
Serge, owner of ID Light in Oudkarspel, was one of the first in the Netherlands to work with professional tree lighting in 1991. His baptism of fire was lighting the trees along the Coolsingel in Rotterdam, which evokes the atmosphere of the Champs-Elysées in Paris...
In the years that followed, Serge accumulated a wealth of experience, and today he’s considered an authority in the field of professional tree lighting. Serge has seven useful tips to share.
“If you use hundreds of meters of lighting for a small tree, you’re guaranteed to get a beautiful result. But that’s also expensive! You can often get away with using fewer lights. Try to ‘read’ the tree to differentiate its main branches from the side branches, and base your lighting on that. Does it have around 10 branches that are 10 meters long? Then I’d recommend using 100 to 150 meters of lights.”
“We use AMP connections for branches in the lighting. But make sure you connect them the right way: keep the open side down and the closed side on top. That way you’ll reduce the chance of moisture getting inside the connectors, and you’ll extend the lights’ service life.”
“To attach your professional lighting, you can choose between binding with wire or wrapping. We prefer to use wrapping, because it fits much better with the tree’s meandering structure. Don’t wrap it too loose, but don’t wrap too tight either, so that the tree can grow without growing around the cables.”
“We never use tie wraps to attach lighting to the trunk or branches. That’s out of respect for the living tree; we want to avoid the risk of ingrowth at all costs. So how do we attach the lights to the tree? By wrapping the lights around the tree in wide loops. That securely fastens the lights to the tree, while giving the tree the freedom of unlimited growth.”
“When you install professional lighting, you want to be able to manoeuvre around the branches of the tree. A curved arm telescopic lift gives you the flexibility you need, for example to fold the lift around the branches. That makes the work more pleasant, safer and faster.”
“The tree’s location largely determines how you install the lighting. If you’re working with trees in a shopping area, ask yourself if you really want to illuminate the trunk. We usually choose to only install lighting higher up in the tree. That enhances public safety, and it reduces the chance of vandalism.”
“A tree is a living thing; branches grow or break off. So periodic monitoring of the lighting is a must. It allows you to notice when the cables are starting to get tight around the branches. That helps prevent ingrown cables, avoids dangerous situations, and extends your material’s service life”
Serge saves his most important tip for the end: when in doubt, always call in an expert. “An experienced installer is at home in the world of lighting, knows the pitfalls and is aware of the risks. If you don’t have as much experience, but want to get started on your own, then I’d recommend using 36V lighting instead of 24V. That’s because 36V is connectable, and you don’t have to cut it to size.”
Are you curious about our solutions for professional tree lighting? Our light specialists would be happy to assist you! You can call them at 0413 330 380 or by using the contact page.
In the years that followed, Serge accumulated a wealth of experience, and today he’s considered an authority in the field of professional tree lighting. Serge has seven useful tips to share.
‘Read’ the tree
“If you use hundreds of meters of lighting for a small tree, you’re guaranteed to get a beautiful result. But that’s also expensive! You can often get away with using fewer lights. Try to ‘read’ the tree to differentiate its main branches from the side branches, and base your lighting on that. Does it have around 10 branches that are 10 meters long? Then I’d recommend using 100 to 150 meters of lights.”
Respect your material
“We use AMP connections for branches in the lighting. But make sure you connect them the right way: keep the open side down and the closed side on top. That way you’ll reduce the chance of moisture getting inside the connectors, and you’ll extend the lights’ service life.”
Wrap your professional tree lighting
“To attach your professional lighting, you can choose between binding with wire or wrapping. We prefer to use wrapping, because it fits much better with the tree’s meandering structure. Don’t wrap it too loose, but don’t wrap too tight either, so that the tree can grow without growing around the cables.”
Be conservative with tie wraps
“We never use tie wraps to attach lighting to the trunk or branches. That’s out of respect for the living tree; we want to avoid the risk of ingrowth at all costs. So how do we attach the lights to the tree? By wrapping the lights around the tree in wide loops. That securely fastens the lights to the tree, while giving the tree the freedom of unlimited growth.”
Use a curved arm telescopic lift
“When you install professional lighting, you want to be able to manoeuvre around the branches of the tree. A curved arm telescopic lift gives you the flexibility you need, for example to fold the lift around the branches. That makes the work more pleasant, safer and faster.”
Think about public safety
“The tree’s location largely determines how you install the lighting. If you’re working with trees in a shopping area, ask yourself if you really want to illuminate the trunk. We usually choose to only install lighting higher up in the tree. That enhances public safety, and it reduces the chance of vandalism.”
Inspect the lighting
“A tree is a living thing; branches grow or break off. So periodic monitoring of the lighting is a must. It allows you to notice when the cables are starting to get tight around the branches. That helps prevent ingrown cables, avoids dangerous situations, and extends your material’s service life”
When in doubt: call!
Serge saves his most important tip for the end: when in doubt, always call in an expert. “An experienced installer is at home in the world of lighting, knows the pitfalls and is aware of the risks. If you don’t have as much experience, but want to get started on your own, then I’d recommend using 36V lighting instead of 24V. That’s because 36V is connectable, and you don’t have to cut it to size.”
Are you curious about our solutions for professional tree lighting? Our light specialists would be happy to assist you! You can call them at 0413 330 380 or by using the contact page.
Overview
