Five Ways to Add Lighting to Your Deck

When it comes to deck lighting ideas, subtlety is key. “It’s important not to have lights that are too bright and that are too obvious,” says Mor.

Lights that are built into the deck like stair and railing lights are permanent fixtures, but other options can be moved around to suit your needs.

Decorative Post Lamps & Stair Lighting

Decorative post lamps add a touch of elegance to a deck. Choose models that feature a soft-warm glow and subtle decorative overlays. These fixtures look great on stairs, along railings or as a focal point above a patio door. Some styles have slide-on face plates for easier, tool-free bulb replacement. To reduce glare, these lights should be installed about 18 inches above the deck surface.

If you’re using a stair light to illuminate your steps, install it at the bottom of the tread or about 16 inches from the top of the deck surface. That way, the fixture won’t be pointing directly at your eyes when you sit down to rest or entertain on the deck.

Stair lighting can also enhance the visual appeal of your deck by illuminating railing balusters and other architectural features. For a more elegant look, consider recessed uplights on the side of the steps. These hidden fixtures are controlled by a single switch inside the house or an outside receptacle.

Low-voltage deck lighting uses a transformer to convert household voltage into 12 volts, which is safe for exterior conditions. Most systems have a timer or photocell that turns on the lights when dark and shuts them off when daylight arrives. Identify the location of AC power sockets on your deck or plan to add receptacles for plugging in the transformer. Use a transformer calculator to determine the number and lengths of wire needed. Then, take your deck plan to a professional and ask a salesperson to help you select fixtures and a power source.

Rail Lighting

Like post lamps, rail lights mount on deck railings but they cast light downward for a more subtle effect. They’re also easier to install since you don’t have to drill into deck boards.

If you want to brighten up your railing without changing your decor, try a lighting kit. These kits contain everything you need to light up your railing, including the transformer, lights and cables. Some even include controllers, timers and dimmers to make it easy to adjust the brightness or set special effects.

Aside from a few safety precautions, installing low-voltage LED deck lighting isn’t hard. The key is to make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and never use metal staples or fasteners on electrical wiring, which can penetrate insulation and cause shorts.

Aside from deck rail lights, lanterns and string lights are great options for adding a touch of style to your outdoor space. They can also help bolster or complement other deck lighting ideas and can create a cozy sense of ambiance that’s perfect for summer evenings. Just remember that string lights are mainly intended for ambiance and may not be enough to illuminate areas where it’s necessary, such as stairs or other safety concerns.

Lanterns

Lanterns provide an attractive and simple way to introduce light to your deck. Unlike built-in lights (such as those that are embedded within the railing or on stairs) which can be more difficult to change, lanterns and other portable fixtures are easy to move around to different locations or bring inside for bad weather. These can be solar, battery-operated or simply candles in lanterns and are great for accenting a garden pergola or hanging over dining tables when entertaining outdoors.

While a single lantern can serve as an enchanting accent on your deck, multiples look especially lovely when grouped in trios or more.  A rounded handle makes it easier to carry them from place to place and these would look pretty dotted amongst a tangle of cherry blossom tree branches in full bloom in spring.

String Lights

If you want your deck to look like a cozy cabin in the woods, string lights can add that atmosphere. They’re easy to install and a simple way to create a warm and inviting space to relax.

Consider using LED string lights, which use 85 percent less energy than traditional halogen bulbs and have a much longer lifespan. You can find them in a wide variety of colors and lengths, from 12-foot options with Edison-style bulbs to 750-foot strands with shatterproof cafe-style bulbs that can be linked end-to-end.

To hang the lights, screw in cup hooks to your posts before putting them in the planters. Choose a color that coordinates with your deck, and choose hooks that are made for outdoor use. You can also add a weatherproof wire nut to connect the low-voltage cable to the fixture, and remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding polarity.