Outdoor wall lights face what indoor fixtures never do: driving rain, freeze and thaw, and salt air near the coast. That is why the bodies here are aluminum, stainless steel and treated metal instead of the finishes used inside. Each fixture names an outdoor location in its specifications.
How to choose outdoor wall lights
Start with how exposed the wall is. A fixture under a deep porch roof sees splashes and humidity. One on an open garden wall takes rain straight down and wind driven spray from the side. Those are different environments, and they call for different bodies. Check the rating line on each product page against the spot you have in mind before you look at anything else.
Then choose the light direction. A shielded downlight puts a clean pool on the path and keeps the source out of a neighbor's window. An up and down cylinder splits the beam and grazes the wall texture, which suits brick and stone. A traditional lantern with a visible bulb throws light in every direction, including sideways into eyes, so it works better with a low output bulb than with a bright one.
Material is the third call and it decides how the fixture looks in five years. Powder coated aluminum stays light on the wall and does not rust. Stainless steel handles coastal air better than most alternatives and keeps its color with an occasional rinse. Treated and painted steel is the one to watch, since a chip in the coating on an exposed wall is where corrosion starts.
Mounting height and placement for outdoor wall lights
These are the conventional figures for a front elevation with a standard 80 inch door.
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Beside a door: center the fixture 66 to 72 inches above the threshold.
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A flanking pair: size each fixture at about a quarter of the door height.
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A single fixture: about a third of the door height, mounted on the handle side.
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Garage doors: one fixture per bay, set beside or above each opening at 66 to 72 inches.
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Along a wall or fence: 8 to 10 feet between fixtures for an even run.
Fixtures for an exterior wall almost always look too big in the box and correct on the wall, which is why the door height rule exists. Two details are worth settling before installation. The junction box needs a weatherproof cover with a gasket behind the backplate, and the surface under it has to be flat, so lap siding calls for a mounting block. Both are ordinary work, and both are easier to plan than to retrofit.
Questions about exterior wall lighting
How high do porch lights go?
Center at 66 to 72 inches above the threshold, which puts the source just above standing eye level. On a covered porch with a low soffit, drop toward the lower end so the fixture does not crowd the ceiling line.
What size fixture suits a front door?
About a quarter of the door height for each of a matched pair, and about a third for a single fixture. On a standard 80 inch door that means roughly 20 inches for a pair and 26 inches alone. Scale up for a double door.
Can any of these go on an uncovered wall?
Read the rating line on the product page against the exposure at that spot. A covered entry and an open garden wall are different conditions, and the specification is where the difference is spelled out, so check it rather than assuming from the look of the body.
Which finishes suit a coastal house?
Stainless steel and coated aluminum hold up longest in salt air. Plated finishes over a base metal lift and pit soonest within sight of the water. Whatever the material, rinsing salt off the body two or three times a year does more for it than the specification alone.
How do I stop light spilling into a neighbor's window?
Use a shielded downlight or a fully hooded body instead of an open lantern, and aim the beam at the ground inside your own boundary. A lower output bulb and a lower mounting height both cut spill more than any change of shade shape.
Related pages: Solar Outdoor Wall Lights, Black Outdoor Wall Lights, Boho Wall Sconces and Minimalist Wall Sconces. The full category is Wall Lamps.
