Deck upgrades · 6 min read
Deck Lighting Ideas That Don't Need an Electrician
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Good lighting is the upgrade customers thank me for most, and a lot of it doesn't need an electrician. Here are the options, from easiest to most finished.
Solar post cap lights
The easiest win. They sit on top of your railing posts, charge during the day and come on at dusk. No wires at all.
Before you buy: measure your post sleeve. Caps are made to fit specific post sizes, and the wrong size won't seat properly.
Solar step and stair lights
Small lights that mount on the stair risers or the side of the stringer. They make steps safer at night, which matters most in fall and winter when it's dark by dinner.
String lights overhead
String lights turn a deck into a place you want to sit after dark. Solar strings need no outlet. Plug-in strings are brighter and more consistent.
Tip: hang them from posts or a pergola with hooks and clips, never by stapling or nailing into composite railing. That can void the railing warranty.
Plug-in low-voltage kits
This is the most finished look without calling an electrician. Low-voltage kits run on a transformer that plugs into an outdoor outlet, and the wires carry safe, low voltage out to the lights.
- Plug the transformer into a covered, GFCI-protected outdoor outlet.
- Run the low-voltage wire under the deck along the framing, where it's protected.
- Most transformers have a built-in timer or dusk sensor.
If you don't have an outdoor outlet where you need one, that part is a job for an electrician. Adding outlets is regulated in most areas.
Planning a new deck? Plan the lights now
If you're building, tell your contractor you want lighting before the decking goes down. Running wire through open framing takes minutes. Adding it after the boards are on takes a lot more work.
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