What can I use on my short rail back deck to add lighting?

Tracie Davidson
by Tracie Davidson
The deck off the back of my house has short waist high rails and I'd love to add lighting but am not sure what to put around the deck to add height for string lighting.
  10 answers
  • Lokie Lokie on Nov 21, 2017

    Rope lighting would look really nice. You could also do solar lights.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Nov 21, 2017

    Solar lamps

  • Pg Pg on Nov 21, 2017

    If you want something brighter, you can install a motion-activated solar light, to one of the posts.

  • DesertRose DesertRose on Nov 21, 2017

    There are many solar lights, have you tried one of them? They come in all sizes and shapes at the local improvement stores. You could hang then all along the rail or set them as foot lights that flood the edge of the deck all the way around depending on how you want the light.

  • Tracie Davidson Tracie Davidson on Nov 21, 2017

    Thanks guys for your answers on lighting but my question isn't what kind of lighting, it's how can I put lighting around the deck when the rails are so short? I want to add lighting up high strung around the deck but I don't know what to use to bring it up.

  • Patt Patt on Nov 21, 2017

    solar fairy lites are an awesome look and can be left up all year.

  • Tracie Davidson Tracie Davidson on Nov 21, 2017

    I want advise on what I can put to have tall poles or something like that. I want lighting as well as something like lanterns so that's what I was asking really. How to put lighting up on the deck, not on the rails themselves.


  • VEM VEM on Nov 22, 2017

    PVC pipe! I would use something substantial - at least 1.5" diameter, 2" is better. Secure it to the wooden posts with a galvanized steel two screw pipe strap, two per pipe (top and bottom) will keep them from tipping over. Cap the pipe to keep rain water out.


    Paint everything with a dark bronze spray paint. Rough up the PCV with a little sandpaper to make the paint stick better. Clean them and spray the paint


    It's easy to secure the wires of your lighting to the PVC with little clips. You can hide the wires if you run them up through the pipes.


    You can take them down by sliding the pipe out of the holder or leave them up year round.


  • VEM VEM on Nov 22, 2017

    Answer this Hometalker's question!

    The PVC pipes come in 10' lengths to get the lights high over your deck.

  • 62q10370829 62q10370829 on Nov 29, 2017

    I used teakie torch lights with top of can cut off & cut solar light off to fit all the way in to put up around upstairs deck & zip tied to deck. Can leave up all yr. Can put up every 2-3 ft. Good luck.