How to Install Outdoor Lighting for Beauty and Function

Knowing where and how to install outdoor lighting can make a huge difference in your home’s appearance, safety, and value. Updating your outdoor lighting will enhance your outdoor living spaces and add a little curb appeal to your house. L-Train Electric is here to help you find and install the perfect lighting for each of your outdoor spaces.

When it comes to learning how to install outdoor wall lighting, there are several factors and options to consider.

Types of Outdoor Wall Lighting

Any light fixture you attach to a wall is called a sconce. Sconces provide reliable illumination and provide beauty and interest for your home’s exterior appearance.

One aspect to consider when adding outdoor lighting to your home is whether to choose electric, solar, or battery-powered sconces:

Electric sconces are hardwired into your house’s electrical system and controlled by a light switch. For reliable, permanent outdoor lighting, choose electric lighting to provide beautiful ambiance in your backyard.
Solar sconces are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and easy to install! You just hang them where you want them without having to drill holes or run wires through the walls. Most models use a light sensor to automatically turn the lights on at sunset, which can be a nice feature for hands-free ambient lighting on your deck.
Battery-powered sconces are the solution when you need exterior lighting but don’t want to drill holes into your siding and can’t rely on solar panels to charge every day.

Styles of Outdoor Wall Lighting

Picking the style of sconce for your outdoor space can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of styles to choose from, and selecting the right outdoor wall fixtures will make all the difference in your exterior spaces. Consider your home’s exterior materials and colors, your landscaping, and your personal style.

General outdoor wall sconce styles include:

Flush wall sconces allow you to shine light sideways or vertically, illuminating the surrounding area while adding a little drama and visual interest to the space.
Hanging lanterns come in countless styles and finishes, making them a versatile but classic choice that can enhance all architectural styles. Make sure you place these types of lights carefully, as they can jut out from the wall quite a bit, causing a head-bump hazard if installed in the wrong spot.
Torch lights are a unique, attention-grabbing sconce style growing in popularity. Made to resemble old-fashioned torches you might see in a castle, torch sconces are a superb choice if you want your exterior lights to double as conversation pieces. Pair with flickering bulbs to get the full torch effect.
Pendant lights are attractive, classic, and stylish.

How to Install Electric Outdoor Wall Sconce Lighting

Once you have selected the light fixtures you like and have chosen just the right location for them, it’s time for installation. Solar and battery-powered lights require very little setup, so we will focus on how to install outdoor wall lights that will be wired into your home’s electrical system.

Installing sconces where there’s no existing wiring is always a job for a certified electrician. An electrician can install wiring for new outdoor wall sconce lighting fixtures in a few different ways. The method used will depend on the existing wiring to which the new light will be added. For example, an electrician may add a light fixture mid-circuit by splicing wires and adding another junction box. If there’s already a light nearby, the new light may be pigtailed into the existing light fixture box.

Installation should be much simpler if you’re replacing old outdoor wall sconces. Just turn off the circuit breaker that delivers power to that light fixture. Disconnect the old one, and reverse the same steps to install your new fixture. One tricky part of installing exterior lights is ensuring that the gasket is flush with the siding to prevent water from leaking into where the wires are. When in doubt, call L-Train Electric.