Outdoor solar lights are easy to hang on a deck. They will give an ordinary outdoor space a vibrant and relaxing vacation feel. Install them on your deck and enjoy hours of warm, soft, and alluring glows in the evening that create the perfect relaxation ambiance.
To hang solar lights on deck, start by purchasing high-quality solar hang lights. Add hooks to any tall support structure on your deck. If your deck does not have adequate pillar structures, add wooden posts. Attach a wire or cable to these supports and then hang your solar lights threaded on the cable.
Unlike electrical hanging lights, solar lights do not have complicated wiring and safety measures due to not needing extension cords. This article will show you how to choose the best solar hang lights and how to suspend them on your deck.
Hanging Solar Lights On A Deck
Below are the supplies and tools you will need:
- Some hanging solar lights
- Wire or thin metallic strip
- Tape measure
- Tape and pencil
- Ladder
- Drill
- Metal eyes and cup hooks
Decks that do not have railing will need:
- A few 8 foot 2×2 wooden posts if you do not have an opposing wall to hang your lights on
- Sturdy planter weighted with rocks or concrete and a PVC pipe in the middle to hold the post
The Process To Hang Solar Lights On Deck
Follow the steps below on how to hang solar lights on your deck:
Step One: Prepare For Hanging Solar Lights On Deck
- Measure the size of your deck. Make a rough estimate of the string light dimension you need. Choose your solar light design of choice.
- Lay down your lights along the ground of the deck and make a mark to identify areas that need a support pole to hold the lights up. Your walls, roof, or eaves of the house can support if they are within reach. Position a hook on every marked spot.
Step Two: Hang The Wiring For The Solar Lights
- To mount the solar lights, attach them to a sturdy piece of lengthy wire. The wire has adequate tension acting as a light suspension kit for large decks. The sturdiness of the wire will keep the lights stable in breezy weather.
- If you do not want to use wire, attach cup hooks on all your marked spots. Screw the cup hook into the posts, wall, nearby tree trunk, roof, or railing. You will need to drill into these objects to place the screw in.
- If your deck does not have any supports to hang the light on, you will need to put up a few posts and attach hooks on them. Fill your planters with concrete and have a PVC pipe in place in the middle.
- Fill the planter with just a little concrete to keep it steady, then add soil or gravel on top. Gardening soil may be a preferable alternative because you can plant beautiful flowers in the planter to add to the deck’s beauty. Ensure that the planters have enough weight to keep them from tipping over.
Step Three: Hang Your Solar Lights On The Wiring
- With the wire or cup hooks in place, put up your solar lights. Work your way across your deck, hanging the lights in the design that you deem fit. Solar lights already have a half-moon handle or clips, so hanging them should only take a few minutes.
- The half-moon handle is a metallic wire that shapes into a half-moon that suspends the lights. The half-moon handle allows you to hang the lights on a shepherd’s hook. The clips are small but will hang perfectly on your cord or wire.
- When hanging your solar lights, ensure that you do not block their access to sunlight. Avoid blocking the solar light’s sides to ensure that they fully charge when the sun is at its brightest.
Things To Watch Out For When Hanging Solar Lights
Though the process of hanging solar lights is easier than hanging regular string lights, there are some additional things you should take into consideration. First, you need to make sure the solar panel has access to direct sunlight. The solar batteries will never get fully charged without direct sunlight. This will cause the batteries to lost capacity faster, meaning you will have to change your batteries more frequently.
Secondly, you should be cautious of causing too much tension if you are hanging solar string lights. Hanging solar string lights on a wooden post provides a solid base for the lights that will not move very much. However, hanging solar string lights on trees or branches can lead to broken wires later. This is due to trees growing, which can stretch the string lights.
Choosing A Hanging Solar Light Design
Solar lanterns have a beautiful aesthetic. They are simple but very classy. They are also easy to hang, giving enough light without being too harsh on the eye. There is a variety of solar hang lights out there.
Their diversity offers you more benefits beyond their decorative nature. They have a medley of designs and forms that can play a huge role in your purchasing decision. If you plan to give your deck that holiday ambiance, you need first to purchase the right solar light.
Below are a couple of the most popular solar hanging lights to fit any taste, preference, and budget.
Solar Lanterns
Most homeowners think of lantern lights as permanent light fixtures that they can mount as landscaping or interior lighting equipment. Their design evokes an old-world aura, where they were portable sources of lighting. The modern-day lantern design preserves that old school wick in oil or candle aesthetic.
There are electric outdoor lantern light designs that operate most streets at night. The solar lantern is a portable upgrade of the battery and electric lantern light. It is easily portable, safer, and convenient and generates less heat than its older counterparts generate.
The solar-powered lantern has become a very popular outdoor lighting fixture that offers energy-efficient and hardy light to many outdoor spaces. The solar lantern light can be a central light, a string of fairy lights, a light bulb, or an artificial candle inside a circular or rectangular lantern shape box.
These lights will have a wire-based half-moon handle or clips to enable easy hanging. These solar outdoor lights are a no-fuss alternative to the stringy electric versions and are very easy to handle.
The candle solar lantern has a flameless flickering light that will add a romantic atmosphere to your deck. This candlelight look is so authentic that you will need to get very close to the light to note the lack of waxy candles.
These lights are brighter than actual candles are and will last longer, giving hours of light when fully charged. Their soft amber brightness makes them the perfect ambient lighting source when all you need is to relax and not have to deal with glare.
The solar fairy lantern light has a dainty light that can light up much of your deck. The light gives off a pleasant and romantic glow that does not dominate a space and will have you spending more time on your deck.
Orbs
A wide majority of solar string lights are orb-shaped. These orbs of lights have a sphere design that has a plastic or metal mount. The mount holds the string light’s solar panel and the hanging mechanism. Solar string lights are perfect for the deck because of their decorative effect.
When shopping, you will encounter animal-themed string lights such as a butterfly atop an orb or a hanging owl. There are jellyfish orb lights and turtle or elephant string lanterns. The flower lights are especially captivating.
There are also classic designs, such as the SUNWIND Outdoor Solar Lanterns Lamps. A mid-range cost type of hanging light, this two-pack Edison style bulb is big enough to carry around your backyard, but you can also hang it on your deck to complement it.
Their bulbs produce 5 lumens of light, and you can string a few of them together to make a chain of orb lights for your outdoor space. If you do not want the industrial feel, you can go for Mason Jar Solar Lanterns Lights, which comes in a four-pack.
With this option, purchase your mason jars, but these beauties are worth the hassle. You can have them hanging on your deck for a hippy look, and they will have you craving for an evening cup of coffee as you enjoy your quiet time.
A fantastic characteristic of these solar lights is that they use a standard mason jar seal so that you can screw them onto your idle jars. Since mason jars are spill-free, once screwed on, they will keep the light waterproof. The lids on these lights have a solar panel and a wire handle in a half-moon shape. They are very easy to mount.
Conclusion
Hanging solar lights is a straightforward procedure. You can wrap them around poles, trees, furniture, shrubbery, or branches in any pattern of choice. They have various themes, colors, designs on the sphere, and shape of the glass, casting unique shadows when on.
These lights also have a variety of mounting options. You can:
- Clip them onto a metallic strip, wire, or string of lights on your deck.
- Hang them on a hook or wire loop.
- Place them on a flat surface on their square base.