Start at the top edge
From the street, what you actually see at night is an outline, and the roof draws it. Nothing else on the house runs that far uninterrupted, and nothing else is backed by open air. Put light on it and the outline comes back, which is the effect people are actually after.Which is why almost every permanent lighting system starts at that line rather than anywhere else on the building. It is the highest impact run on the building, measured by what it changes for what it takes.
What roofline lighting actually consists of
The system is a slim aluminum track, matched to your trim color, with the LEDs running inside it. The channel does two jobs at once: it aims the light and it conceals the hardware. Because it matches the trim, it disappears into the roof edge in daylight.
Where the run goes
Every plan starts with the primary roof edge, and works outward. Gables, dormers, porch roofs, posts and second story lines are all candidates, though a good plan leaves some of them dark. Lighting every edge on a house removes the depth you were trying to create.The run itself is worth looking at closely on a finished job, because a straight line held over a long span is harder than it looks.
Daylight is half the job
The hardware does not come down, so the daytime look is part of the product. That is why the channel gets matched to your trim rather than sold in one color. Mount it tight to the edge, match the color, and route the wire out of sight, and the daytime house is unchanged.
One line, a lot of uses
Once the run is in, the rest is what you set it to. Warm white on a normal night. Red and green in December. A single color for Halloween. School colors on a Friday. Most owners settle on a single warm white, using color for the handful of days that call for it.
What makes one roofline cost more than another
Two houses on the same street can be very different jobs. Linear feet is the first one, but it is not the main one. Complexity does more: a simple gable runs fast, and a roof with six changes
https://johnathantpap018.quillnesty.com/posts/custom-lighting-design-the-difference-you-pay-for-is-your-lighting-quote-actually-a-design-here-is-how-to-check-why-custom-design-matters-in-outdoor-lighting-a-buyer-s-guide of direction, three dormers and a turret does not. Two stories is a different day than one.
Does it attach to the gutter?
The gutter comes up in almost every consultation. The channel fastens to the roof edge itself, rather than to gutter that flexes and fills. Fastening to solid structure is what keeps the line straight for years.
Getting a plan for your own roofline
Because houses are not interchangeable, the design has to be drawn for your building. EverCrest Lighting installs permanent roofline lighting for homes and businesses across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, working out of Greenville. Consultations are free. Reach them at (864) 252-1732 or
[email protected] to book the free consultation.