Front Porch Lighting

Wall Fixtures

• The general terms sconce and lantern describe a wide variety of wall-mounted light fixtures, particularly those with decorative brackets or frames. Sconces' mounting brackets or plates sit flush against vertical surfaces. Electrical wires typically enter a sconce from a hole at the mounting bracket's rear, meaning that wiring must run through a home's exterior walls to reach the sconce. Thus, sconces generally use conventional, hard-wired electricity as a power source. However, sconces occasionally have integral solar panels located on the top or front of their frames. Solar-powered sconces usually are ineffective in covered patios.

Exterior Lamps

• Exterior lamps resemble interior, freestanding lamps in both appearance and function. However, lamps rated for the exterior withstand the increased stress of outdoor temperatures and moisture. Like interior lamps, exterior lamps plug into standard wall outlets. If your patio has electrical outlets, exterior lamps allow you to add light without running wires or installing fixtures.

Overhead Lighting

• Overhead porch lighting options include ceiling-mounted fixtures and hanging fixtures. Similar to sconces, ceiling-mounted fixtures' mounting brackets or plates sit flush against a flat surface. Hanging fixtures typically consist of a mounting plate, which installs flush against the ceiling and a lantern, which hangs from the mounting plate by chain. Like wall-mounted fixtures, overhead lighting fixtures generally receive power from a conventional, hard-wired source.

Ground Lighting

• Ground lighting includes stake-mounted lights and in-ground or in-deck fixtures. Stake-mounted lights' small lanterns sit atop slender stakes that easily slide into the ground. Stake-mounted lights often surround a porch and continue along an adjacent walkway or path. Stake-mounted lights frequently receive power from integral solar panels, located on top of the lights' lanterns, or low-voltage, outdoor lighting power supply. In-ground and in-deck light fixtures' lamps sit flush with the ground's surface or the porch's deck. In-ground and in-deck fixtures usually receive power from a hard-wired source or a low-voltage supply system.