Hardscape Lighting Design for a Retaining Wall

Today we talk about hardscape lighting design for a backyard retaining wall. This client has a backyard that needed a retaining wall in order to build them their space, so we take the opportunity to be able to add some hardscape lighting to the wall to ensure they can use their space well into the evening.
We talk about spacing, design, hot spots, but if you want to learn installation, check out this video:
• Hardscape Lighting Ins...
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[@vburke9232]

dude, do you think that style of retaining wall will look good through the years & aging? I don’t know how i feel about it. &, roughly what do you charge per pallet of pavers? $1200?

[@iamahardscaper]

We can only wait and see. We don’t have a per pallet charge or square foot charge. Each project is different so we quote on the project

[@seanb2491]

You should always divide your lights by 1 extra to get perfect spacing instead of 2 you should divide by 3 u spaced 27 off ends with a 55 middle when it should of been 110 divided by 3 = 36.6”

[@iamahardscaper]

I used to do it that way but I found the ends were spaced too far apart.

[@FSt-Jean]

Nice project! Looking pretty nice! What brand lights are those? I thought you were installing in-lites in the past

[@iamahardscaper]

These are Kichler. I am and still am installing inlite. But this job was quoted three years ago at first and just thought I’d stick to what I quoted in the material list.

[@Brianp150H]

How do you replace a light under the wall cap if it goes bad?

[@iamahardscaper]

You’d have to pull up the cap to replace it. WAC lighting has a light where you can just pull it out which is worth looking at

[@Brianp150H]

Is there a video on removing a wall cap?

[@iamahardscaper]

unfortunately not. It would be a matter of prying it off and trying not to chip it. Another reason why I use natural stone caps. If they chip, they are natural stone all the way through. I also use a flexible adhesive that helps as well.

[@josephgroeneveld4989]

How do you plan to compact the polymeric sand into the joints on this job with the large slabs - rent a roller compacter? Put down plywood and use normal compacter?

[@iamahardscaper]

We have a roller compactor I picked up last year just before starting this project we will be using on this one.

[@josephgroeneveld4989]

@@iamahardscaper would you use plywood and normal compacter if you didn't have a roller?

[@iamahardscaper]

We have a compactor and a removable pad that we relied on in the past. I've used plywood once or twice in a pinch, but the pad is better.

[@josephgroeneveld4989]

@I Am a Hardscaper I just find that my removable pad always scratches the stone, even when I've brushed sandpaper on it ahead of time. Somehow the poly sand is large enough to cause surface scratches which is frustrating

[@iamahardscaper]

Yeah we try to sweep off as much of the polymeric sand from the surface as possible before compacting

[@nathanielunderwood5233]

What type of blocks are those?

[@iamahardscaper]

Graphix wall by Techo bloc

[@nsy7]

Boom first 💥

[@iamahardscaper]

💥💥