Outdoor Patio Umbrella Lighting Made Simple • 04.23.10
Patio umbrella lights can be a great way to extend backyard fun. By adding illumination to your patio, you can continue to enjoy your patio furniture long after the sun has gone down.
Patio umbrellas are a charming way to add shade and comfort to any patio, yard or deck. However, once the sun has set, a shade umbrella can be somewhat superfluous. Rather than removing, or just ignoring your umbrella come evening, installing lighting on a patio umbrella turns it into a useful and beautiful decoration that extends your outdoor enjoyment well into the evening hours.
Patio umbrella lights come in a variety of sizes, styles and materials, each with their own advantages and drawbacks.
Umbrell Led Lights
Umbrella lighting can utilize LED lights, incandescent lights, or old-fashioned flame lanterns. LED lights are becoming a highly popular choice in home decorative lighting. They are smaller than incandescent bulb lights, longer lasting and very inexpensive. In addition, insects are less attracted to the glow of an LED light, a definite advantage when used outdoors. They burn brightly for their small size while generating minimal heat, making them safe even when positioned close to the canvas of an umbrella. The white lights give off a cold, bluish glow that some people find unattractive, although they are also available as colored lights or with colored shades or covers. Incandescent lights come in white, colors or covered varieties and have a soft, warm glow similar to indoor lighting. They can get warm over time and should not be placed directly adjacent to flammable or heat sensitive fabrics or objects.
Umbrella Candle Lights
Candles, lanterns and oil lamps rely on burning flammable substances to produce light. This is the most basic form of illumination, requiring nothing beyond the lamp, oil or candles and matches. The light is warm and soft, but can produce smoke and is almost certain to attract insects. Lanterns that use burning oil or candles should be placed and monitored carefully, due to the risk of fire. A safer alternative might be ‘flameless candle’ lights, which imitate the flicker of firelight.
Patio umbrella lighting can take several forms. The simplest is string lighting, a variant of old fashioned Christmas style fairy lights. They can be a single string, attached to the outer edge of the umbrella or wrapped around the umbrella pole, or a radial string designed to attach to the spokes of the umbrella. String lights are available in a wide variety of styles and colors. Many string lights feature molded plastic covers, such as flamingos, dragonflies or other designs, making them useful for themed parties or any occasion on which whimsical or unusual lighting is desired. String lights are also available with miniature Asian paper-lantern covers, for an elegant, understated look.
As with holiday lights, try to purchase string lights that stay on even when one or two bulbs have broken or burnt out to avoid having to replace the entire string when one bulb fails. Lantern-style lights can be hung from the spokes of a patio umbrella for concentrated lighting, though care must be taken to choose lighting that is not too heavy for the umbrella supports. Chandelier or pole lights are affixed to the center pole of the umbrella, and can be raised or lowered as needed. This can be particularly useful for activities such as playing cards late into the evening. They can be a simple lighted disk, or an elaborate multi-bulb sconce. Chandelier lights give a classic look to outdoor decorating, particularly suited to formal events such as evening weddings, but require removing the umbrella pole from its stand to install and remove.
Umbrella String Lights
Outdoor patio umbrella lights can be powered by batteries, electricity or solar batteries. Solar power lights can be placed anywhere, but depend on several hours of direct sunlight to charge the battery fully and may not charge properly on overcast days. Electric lights plug into any outlet or extension cord and are most suitable for patio sets located near the house outlets or an outdoor generator. Battery powered lights can be strung anywhere without regard to outlets or available sunshine, though keeping a spare package of batteries nearby might be advisable.
A patio umbrella with lights is a wonderful way to extend your patio entertaining or relaxing late into the evening without being dependent on harsh flood or porch lights. A patio umbrella light is available in a variety of styles and powering formats and can be as elaborate or as simple as your budgeting or entertaining needs require.
