Most Popular Deck Lighting Options 2023

Deck lights are a wonderful DIY deck option to add beauty, safety, and security to your home and outdoor living space. Adding a deck lighting system is a straightforward way to extend the hours of enjoyment family and friends can have together in one of your favorite outdoor spaces.

Whether you want to improve the ambience of your space, add usable hours to your deck, or create safe footpaths for guests of all ages, you've got a wealth of deck lighting options. In this article, we'll break down some of the most popular options so you can figure out which fits your vision best.

The first choice to make is what type of lighting you want - wired low voltage lights or simple solar lights. After that, we'll break down all the places you can install lights of both types in your outdoor space.

Deck Lighting Types

Choose between solar lighting and low voltage deck lighting to find the perfect deck lighting design for you

Solar Lighting vs Low-Voltage Lighting

Low-voltage lighting and solar lighting are both excellent choices for outdoor lighting because they’re effective, easy to install and environmentally friendly. Here are the key advantages of both, and the differences between them:

Low-Voltage Deck Lighting

Key Benefits:

  • Most consistent brightness
  • Dimmable and customizable
  • Compatible with timers
  • Widest selection of options
  • Versatile lights that work well in every climate and region

Low-voltage deck lighting is the most reliable and consistent exterior lighting type available today. All low-voltage fixtures require the use of a transformer that plugs directly into your standard wall outlet and converts your home’s standard 110 volt energy down to a more workable 12 volt current level.

Low-voltage lights can also be used with dimmers and placed on programmable timers, allowing you to customize your outdoor space as you wish.

Solar Deck Lighting

Key Benefits:

  • No wiring necessary - easy installation
  • Eco-friendly
  • Cost-efficient
  • Easier to install in hard-to-reach spaces
  • Built-in photocell turns lights on at dusk and off at dawn
  • Easiest to add to existing decks

With little to no wiring, and zero electricity or transformers, solar lighting installation can be done in minutes. Ideal for areas that regularly get an abundant amount of direct sunlight, these outdoor lights use a solar panel to convert sunlight into energy for the batteries to run the lights.

These solar light fixtures are run via a photocell which will turn the lights on when the ambient sunlight is low.

Deck Lighting Ideas

Add stair lighting to your outdoor space to keep family and friends safe as they walk around throughout the night

1. Stair Lighting

Protect your family and friends by brightening up high traffic areas with unobtrusive stair and step lighting. Easily mount stair lights in the risers of your stairs, along your deck perimeter, or directly into your deck boards to accent other features. Browse through styles ranging from subtle recessed lights to strikingly designed riser lights to find the best look for your home.

Consider deck rail lighting along your deck railing layout to add an extra touch of illumination for your family's outdoor space

2. Rail Lighting

Illuminating cramped spaces, outdoor cooking areas, even midway through long railing spans, under rail lights allow you to brighten up certain sections of your deck easily. Low-profile in their design, under rail lights help you to highlight your deck at night without stealing the focus throughout the day. Add discreet rail lighting to your deck easily, with deck rail lights from brands you’ll love.

Deck post mount lights add a touch of architectural touch of detail to your deck lighting design for increased safety

3. Post Mount Lights

Cast a gentle glow down your posts easily with side mount lighting fixtures. A great addition to any outdoor railing that has a continuous top rail or an efficient way to add subtle lighting and highlight certain areas of your deck. Help your deck make a statement by adding distinctive low-voltage or solar post mount lights to your area.

Beautiful post cap lights can highlight your deck posts and deck railing design for an attractive nighttime outdoor space

4. Post Cap Lighting

A gorgeous way to both complete and protect your deck railing is with eye-catching post cap lights. These post lights seal off deck posts from any damaging debris while adding detail throughout the day, and a lovely ambiance at night. Choose from our wide range of solar or low-voltage post cap lights to illuminate your deck perimeter.

Planning in-floor deck lighting throughout your outdoor living space can highlight your home and deck railing design while providing safe light for walking

5. In-Floor Lighting

Include in-floor deck lights in your outdoor lighting plan to illuminate your deck railing throughout long, straight spans and highlight the grandeur of your outdoor living space. A lovely choice for accentuating features of your deck or patio such as water fountains, outdoor seating, BBQ grilling areas, and more, in-floor lighting installs flush with the composite deck boards for a smooth feel and a wonderful appearance.

Install Trex Soffit Lights or Recessed Lights in your Under Deck Ceiling for a bright lower level patio space

6. Under Deck Lighting

Give your lower-level patio a touch of brightness with under deck lighting installed within your deck drainage system. Whether mounting patio ceiling lights in the Trex RainEscape, ZipUP UnderDeck, or UpSide Deck Ceiling deck drainage system, give your backyard patio the warmth of light to enjoy nighttime rainstorms without issue.

Enhance the entire look of your outdoor space and backyard area with landscape lights along your deck, garden, walkways and more

7. Landscape Lighting

Let your yard leave an impression with a dynamic landscape lighting arrangement! Positioning landscape lights around the base of the deck, walkways, gardens can both accentuate your space while helping people find their way. A wide range of light spreads such as path, wall wash, accent and more are available to help light up your nights.

Learn more about the basics of deck lighting and more info on how to install LED deck lighting on your outdoor space in the Deck Lighting Guide. From stair lighting, rail lighting, post cap lights, and solar deck lights, we're here to help you every step of the way with your DIY deck build or remodel. Get started on your home's LED deck light project today and illuminate your outdoor space.

Browse more deck design and railing style notes to upgrade your backyard space and deck in the DecksDirect Railing Style Guide. The quickest way to learn if your home is more suited for a classic aluminum deck railing or a strong, composite railing line.

The more you know, the better your deck and backyard projects will be! Whether you're looking at a brand new start or a summertime deck renovation; give our deck designers a call at 1-888-824-5316 or send us an email at hello@decksdirect.com. Our deck experts will help you get the information, products, and tools you need for a gorgeous deck that you created and designed!