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Have you ever glanced at a particular lighting fixture and said, this is the one, only to find out that it is meant to be used outdoors? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Apparently, a lot of people have been asking the same question about using outdoor lights inside.
In this blog, we’re going to discuss the difference between indoor and outdoor lighting, things you need to consider before interchanging its primary function, and finally, answer whether you can use outdoor lights inside or not.
Outdoor lights are lighting fixtures that are primarily used for outdoor settings. Some of the most prevalent fixtures are pathway lighting, floodlighting, directional lighting, and other lighting used to illuminate outdoor landscape areas.
That said, these outdoor fixtures are intentionally built to withstand weather conditions, temperature changes, and other elements that they’ll need to function well outdoors for long periods without deteriorating their performance. Outdoor lighting often holds non-corrosive materials and waterproof features.
Meanwhile, indoor lighting is optional to be as durable and weather-resistant, unlike the lights we use outside. Indoor lighting focuses more on its decorative element since it won’t be exposed to varied weather and temperature changes like outdoor lighting.
While there is no specific way of telling which one is better as they have their particular functionality and purpose, still it’s helpful to know their primary differences.
Before you showcase your outdoor lighting fixtures and use them for your interior design, we’ve got a few things you’ll need to consider.
UL refers to underwriters’ laboratories, a test in which lighting standards are rated for safety requirements before distribution. There are only three categories you need to remember regarding UL Rating.
1. UL Rated for Dry Locations: Bulbs or lighting fixtures that are labeled as UL Rated for Dry Locations are naturally used indoors since these fixtures cannot be subject to any water or moisture. These lightings are commonly used for the living room, study room, office, bedroom, and other non-wet areas indoors.
2. UL Rated for Damp Locations: Some lightings are rated to be ideally used for damp locations. These fixtures are effective for humid and moist areas like patios, kitchens, covered walkways, etc.
3. UL Rated for Wet Locations: Outdoor lighting fixtures are required to be UL Rated for Wet Locations since they are meant to be exposed outdoors and should have the durability to withstand splashes of water and even heavy rainfall.
Technically speaking, yes. You can definitely use outdoor lights indoors as you won’t have a problem in terms of quality and durability as opposed to using indoor lights for outdoor use.
If you feel like the outdoor lighting fixture matches your indoor lighting, then go apply your creative ideas. However, one thing you should consider first is the voltage requirements.
Most outdoor lights use 12 volts plugged in with a transformer, while indoor lighting uses 120 volts. Ensure that the voltage requirement of your fixture and your electrical source matches before incorporating those beautiful outdoor lighting inside your home or office.
Also, outdoor lights tend to be brighter than indoor ones since they are built to illuminate a wider area, which could also be something to consider when decorating.
There you have it. You may now improvise and use your creative imagination to decorate both indoor and outdoor areas as you wish. If you want to learn more about these topics, visit us here at Best Pro Lighting!
Have you tried using outdoor lighting for indoor use before? Drop a comment below and share your insights with our readers.
