Skip to main content

Field Manual

Outdoor Living One-Pager

A single-page pre-wire reference for outdoor living zones. Covers speaker stub-up positions, conduit burial depths, weatherproof enclosure requirements, and the key coordination points between landscape and low-voltage trades.

What This Standard Covers

  • Speaker conduit stub-up positions and heights for landscape and hardscape zones
  • Burial depth requirements for direct-burial cable versus conduit in landscape runs
  • IP enclosure ratings required for outdoor volume controls, keypads, and distribution hardware
  • Outdoor lighting control conduit routing from interior to fixture locations
  • Power outlet and data port placement for outdoor entertainment zones
  • Conduit sleeve requirements through outdoor structure walls and under hardscape

Who It Is For

  • Landscape contractors placing conduit before hardscape installation
  • General contractors briefing outdoor trades on low-voltage infrastructure requirements
  • Architects reviewing outdoor technology scope before landscape drawings are issued
  • Homeowners confirming speaker and lighting positions during landscape design

When To Use It

  • Before landscape grading begins so buried conduit runs are properly positioned
  • During hardscape layout to confirm stub-up positions relative to furniture and planters
  • Before outdoor structure framing to verify conduit routing through walls and posts
  • At pre-installation walk to confirm all outdoor conduit is accessible before AV hardware arrives

Read or Download the PDF

The full standard, including specifications, diagrams, and field references, is in the embedded PDF below. Read it inline or download it for your jobsite folder.

Your browser does not display embedded PDFs. Download Outdoor Living One-Pager (PDF).

Field Notes

Outdoor infrastructure moves fast because the landscape contractor is on a schedule. Once the stone is down, the opportunity to add conduit without breaking something is gone. This one-pager is designed to be in the landscape contractor's hands before excavation starts.

Speaker placement outdoors is not the same as indoors. The coverage zone calculation changes with open-air diffusion, furniture blocking, and background noise from water features and wind. The stub-up positions on this page account for those variables.

Browse the Full Standards Library

Forty-six authored field manuals, one-pagers, and pre-wall standards. Free for trades, architects, and dealers across NJ, NY, and CT.

View All 46 PDFs