How to Light a Patio: Solar, String, and Path Lights

Good outdoor lighting turns a patio into a place you actually use after dark. The trick is to use a few types of light for different jobs, rather than one bright fixture trying to do everything. Here is how to plan it.

Think in layers

Indoor rooms use a mix of overhead, task, and accent light, and a patio works the same way:

• Overhead or ambient: the general glow that lets you see the whole space. String lights strung overhead are the easiest way to get it.
• Path and safety: low lights along walkways and steps so nobody trips on the way to the door.
• Accent: small pools of light on a planter, a tree, or a wall to give the yard some depth.

String lights for the main glow

String lights do most of the work on a patio. Run them above the seating area, either across the space in a zigzag or around the perimeter. A few tips:

• Look for a weatherproof rating of IP44 or higher so they stand up to rain.
• Warm white bulbs around 2700K feel relaxed, while cool white reads more like a work light.
• Shatterproof bulbs last longer outdoors than glass.
• Measure the run before you buy, and add slack for the drape between hanging points.

You can see weatherproof sets in the string lights collection.

Solar for the spots without an outlet

Solar lights are the simplest option for paths, borders, and corners far from a plug, since there is no wiring to run. They charge during the day and switch on at dusk. The trade off is that they need real sun to charge, so a panel under a deep awning or a north facing wall will struggle. For walkways and garden beds that get sun, they are hard to beat on effort. The solar lights collection has stake, path, and wall styles.

Floodlights for security and big spaces

For a driveway, a large yard, or a dark side gate, a brighter floodlight covers ground that string and solar lights cannot. Motion sensor models only switch on when something moves, which saves power and avoids lighting the whole block all night.

A simple plan to start

For most patios, start with one run of string lights over the seating, add a handful of solar path lights along the walkway, and put a motion floodlight by the back door. That gives you atmosphere over the seating and a safe, lit path to the door, without running an extension cord across the yard. Once the lights are sorted, the outdoor furniture collection has the chairs and loungers to enjoy them from.

Stay safe with outdoor power

Outdoor lighting runs on the same electricity as everything else, so a few habits keep it safe. Plug lights and cords into an outlet protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter, or add a portable GFCI if your outdoor outlet is not protected. Use only lights and extension cords rated for outdoor use, and look for a mark from a recognized testing lab. Inspect cords for cracks or frayed spots before each season, keep connections off the ground and out of standing water, and switch everything off before bed. The Electrical Safety Foundation has a short outdoor checklist worth a read.

Helpful resources

• Electrical Safety Foundation: outdoor decoration safety tips

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