View Full Version : Advice on outdoor porch lights please!
veggieburger
09-09-2019, 12:49 PM
Gang,
We live in an old red brick farm house. When I flick on my outdoor light, a singe bulb that hangs from the porch lights up. I would like more light!
The from porch wraps around 1/3 of the house, but like the pic below, there isn't any 'ceiling' to the porch. Just slats. You can see the nails from the plywood poking through.
I would like something akin to pot lights - something that gives that same sort of glow and/or downlighting - but since there's no ceiling to hide them in (and cover up the exposed wires, we'll have to think of something else. Boxes mounted on the support beams? A string of lights?
Anyone come up with a creative solution, or is there something out there I don't know about?
thanks!
NOT my house, but you get the idea..also, would like to avoid wall scones.
http://referats.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/farmhouse-porch-swing-porch-swings-for-sale-with-farmhouse-porch-and-calm-columns-contemporary-farm-house-modern-farm-house-valley-outdoor-living-outdoor-pillows-outdoor-farmhouse-front-porch-swing.jpg
Plum Hill
09-09-2019, 12:54 PM
Track lights?
veggieburger
09-09-2019, 01:08 PM
Didn't even know they made outdoor track lights. The things you learn here.
Just use a metal flush mounted conduit and put down lights where you need them. Paint the conduit the same color as the underside to try to minimize the look. If you don't have a way to get above the porch ceiling this is the easiest thing to do.
You could build something and hide strings of the LEDs encased in a plastic tube under them.
We have those under our kitchen counters and they're quite nice.
It looks you have an area protected from direct moisture but I still feel like you need care if you're in "the frosty north".
Our house was built with outdoor lights from Hampton Bay IIRC... they are intended for outdoor use and yet are clearly not engineered to be outside. Unfortunately there was some custom woodwork done to make them fit really nicely into the house.
In one case we had a light by the back door that had a motion sensor + light sensor in it. Great idea, it would shut itself off during the day, go to a dim setting at night, and then brighten up when you approached it.
Bad Idea, it wasn't properly weather sealed AT ALL. The PCB rusted from humidity. Because it was built into a bit of custom woodworking I ended up taking the lamp off the wall and gutting it and just rewiring it as a plain light.
One thing that has worked if you really want that kind of functionality is the screw in light sensors... screw it into the socket, then screw the bulb in. It keeps the inside of the lamp simple but the light sensor circuit becomes a consumable like the lightbulb if/when it fails.
eippo1
09-09-2019, 01:59 PM
There are lots of solutions from pendants that can do outdoors to simple outdoor strings like you mention. Many people, including me, go for the easy, cheap solution of stringing up some lights. So much better now and actually give off some light.
You could also check out page 11 of this PDF for a pretty cool light. But check out Cooper/ Eaton, and other manufacturers for idea.
http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/lighting/resources/library/literature/General/eaton-outdoor-stock-catalog.pdf
Also, this online mag tends to have good ideas.
https://www.archlighting.com/
Hindmost
09-09-2019, 02:04 PM
Very short pendants with industrial-style shades like shown above? Might have to mount them using conduit, the conduit could keep them from swaying in the breeze.
pdonk
09-09-2019, 02:17 PM
I would check out Lee valley Tools - something like this might work as a "track light"
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=75464&cat=1,43349,72177
Or for a hanging lamp fixture something like
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/lithonia-lighting-xwled4-120-24-w-grey-integrated-led-strip-light-wet-location-energy-star-/1000862742
I would also just visit pretty much any LED place near you to see what damp rated lighting they may have, you may need to build small boxes to set them into and wire the fixtures through conduit, but neither of those would be that difficult.
veggieburger
09-09-2019, 02:43 PM
That LED tape light is amazing! That would be so sharp around the edge of the roofline.
I ran a string of outdoor (sort of like Xmas lights) along our back covered patio...looks nice...provides nice light. Not enough for security purpose, but good sitting out back after the sun goes down.
I've ordered lights from this place to: https://www.christmaslightsetc.com/Patio-String-Lights-and-Bulbs--930.htm
Ken Robb
09-09-2019, 05:00 PM
The good news I see is the underside of your roof/ceiling is bright white which will reflect, maximize, and diffuse whatever light hits it. I like the idea of strings of LEDs in plastic tape for its simplicity, durability, and low price.
FlashUNC
09-09-2019, 05:03 PM
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Wrigley_Field_lights_August_2003_03_B.jpg
Louis
09-09-2019, 05:17 PM
We live in an old red brick farm house.
You definitely don't want track lights, or anything modern-looking.
You want something rustic that will fit in with the rest of the house.
A Google image search on "rustic outdoor lighting" brings up tons of options:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&authuser=0&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=655&ei=v852XaCdHdT2-gSR5a7QBw&q=rustic+outdoor+lighting&oq=rustic+outdoor+li&gs_l=img.3.0.0l10.369.5577..7320...1.0..0.169.3112 .0j20......0....1..gws-wiz-img.....0.nRyVlkhSM08
9tubes
09-09-2019, 06:15 PM
You might try using the little LED lights they use for trees. Run a swag along the cross 4x6 that supports the rafters.
Also, for period lighting fixtures for my 1926 house my first stop is always Rejuvenation Lighting in Portland. The prices aren't inexpensive but they are very high quality.
If you don't like sconces then you could do hanging pendant lights if the winds aren't too severe.
K3RRY
09-09-2019, 06:58 PM
Per last comment, Christmas style lights would be a nice simple fix imo. They make them with large round stylish bulbs for uses like this.
charliedid
09-09-2019, 07:08 PM
Why not just hire an electrician or handy person to run a piece of conduit and hang 3 farm lights?
It's simple
Peter P.
09-09-2019, 08:48 PM
Just use a metal flush mounted conduit and put down lights where you need them. Paint the conduit the same color as the underside to try to minimize the look. ...
cmg is thinking what I'm thinking.
You're going to reuse the existing light box as your power source. Remove the fixture and use that as the center of a conduit run, both left and right. Evenly space out the junction boxes to hold the new fixtures. Maybe spray paint the conduit and junction boxes in advance, a contrasting color. They sell decorative escutcheons large enough to obscure the junction box that the fixture will attach to, giving an attractive finish.
I'd roughly assemble it on the ground to test it at night to see if the number of units you purchased provide sufficient light and to make sure you have all the correct parts for assembly. You can snap a chalk line across the porch rafters as a guide to ensure everything is straight.
Google "hanging lights (https://www.lampsplus.com/products/casa-sierra-16-and-one-half-inch-high-outdoor-hanging-lantern__40137.html)" or "porch lights" to get some ideas what's available.
rwsaunders
09-09-2019, 09:46 PM
Like others have said, run conduit with the porch roof framing to pendant mount boxes and fixtures and paint the conduit to blend it in. Keep the farmhouse look with appropriate light fixtures...be prepared for more bugs too.
veggieburger
09-10-2019, 08:53 AM
Why not just hire an electrician or handy person to run a piece of conduit and hang 3 farm lights?
It's simple
Love the look of the hanging lights, but we are perched on a hill and it's windy as heck. Keeps the mosquitoes away, but want to avoid loose, swinging things.
Got some great advice so far, thanks all!
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