Garden Gate: Garden Lighting

DIY Jar Lanterns

Carrie Topp — Fri, 28 May 2021 19:00:00 GMT

Create simple mood lighting with DIY jar lanterns

A summer evening sitting on the patio is even more enjoyable with the soft glow of a lantern nearby. Rather than buying one, I gave a 32-ounce pickle jar a new look using spray paint, a stencil and outdoor craft paint. Battery-operated firefly lights provide the illumination, but a tea light candle works, too. If you use the firefly lights, make sure the battery housing fits through the opening of the jar and ideally lies flat on the bottom. Watch the video above to see how this project came together!

Materials

2-in.-wide painter’s tape
2 cans of spray paint; I used Krylon Matte Rain Drop (color 1) and Satin Cactus Green (color 2)
32 oz. pickle jar
Craft stencil (6×8 inch)
Outdoor craft paint; I used Apple Barrel® Gloss White
Stencil brush
2 6-in. strands of beads
LED firefly battery-operated lights
Spray adhesive, hot glue gun
Clear stretch cord (for beading)

Avoid overspray by masking off the top portion before painting the bottom section.

How to make DIY jar lanterns

Step 1: Prep and paint the jar

Wrap 2-inch-wide painter’s tape around a clean pickle jar. This will leave a section of the jar clear after you’re done painting, making a nice textural contrast and a window for light to shine through. I’ve found that positioning the stripe toward the top of the jar makes it easier to hide the battery pack for the firefly lights.

To prevent overspray when you paint the bottom section, put a second piece of tape around the top portion of the jar — you can see how it looks in the photo above. Apply color 1 to the bottom. Let it dry for 30 minutes, tape the bottom portion of the jar and spray paint the top panel with color 2. The photo below shows you how I added a piece of rolled paper to the mouth of the jar so the spray paint didn’t get inside.

Keep the interior of the jar clean with a piece of rolled up paper inside its mouth.

Apply a light layer of paint to the jar so it doesn't bleed under the edge of the stencil. Dabbing excess paint onto a paper towel before stenciling will help, too.

Step 2: Stencil the jar lantern

I chose this intricate stencil pattern because the smaller shapes allowed more light to shine through than chunkier designs did. To attach it to the jar, apply a light coat of spray adhesive to the back of the stencil and let it dry for 5 minutes. Wrap the stencil around the jar as I did in the photo and secure each side with a piece of tape.

Use a stencil brush to lightly dab the outdoor craft paint into the design. The paint’s glossy appearance is a nice contrast to the matte of the spray paints. One thing I learned was to avoid using a thick layer of paint or it will bleed under the stencil even with the adhesive. It’s better to go back afterward and touch-up light spots than to have blobs of paint where you don’t want them. When you’re done, carefully peel back the stencil and let the paint dry.

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Stringing beads with clear stretch cord creates a snug fit around the rim.

Step 3: Cover the rim and add lights

Covering the threads of the rim dresses up the lantern — you wouldn’t even know it was a jar! I really liked these rectangular beads from the craft store. I strung them on clear stretch cord and used a hot glue gun to secure them. Place the battery-operated firefly lights in the jar and you’re ready to set the mood. If you decide to use tea light candles, be careful because they can heat up the glass, making it hot to touch.

This project was so much fun that I came up with all the variations you can find below. Mix and match your favorite looks to add a warm, friendly glow to your favorite outdoor (and indoor!) living spots.

An assortment of candle holders used as a base elevate the lanterns in this grouping.

More DIY jar lantern inspiration

The great thing about this project is that you can use it in so many different ways on all sorts of jars, with different colors and patterns — let your imagination take off!

Add height to a grouping of lanterns

When your jars are the same shape and size, adding height is a great way to keep the grouping interesting. I found a variety of candle holders at a local thrift store that did the trick. For the tea light holder and pillar base, turning them upside down made an attractive and sturdier base.

Add words and phrases with mailing labels or stickers.

Mix it up with different jar lanterns

Use a variety of jar shapes and colors to create this eye-catching display. Add a phrase or words to the unpainted center panel using Avery^® mailing labels. Templates can be found online to make labels from home using your computer and custom fonts. Just design, print, peel and stick!

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Turn it upside down and mount it on a stake.

Create an elevated light

Get your lantern up high by making a post. I used 2½-ft. from a broken broom handle and a glass candlestick turned upside down. Since the jar is also inverted, rainwater stays out and it’s easy to unscrew the lid to add the firefly lights. To put it together, epoxy the broom handle inside the candle holder and then the jar lid to the base. Paint the post to match.

How to build copper patio torches

Garden Gate staff — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 00:01:00 GMT

A great patio torch does a lot of work. It looks good, sheds light on your outdoor space and keeps pesky bugs away. And now you can have a set of copper patio torches without burning cash! At your local hardware store, pick up the items in the materials list below along with a medium-grit abrasive pad and a pipe cutter. (Be sure it can cut through pipe more than 1 inch in diameter). Then, click through the slideshow at the end for step-by-step instructions for illuminating your garden with your own handiwork!

Related Post: Best Outdoor Fire Pits

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The pipe (mounting post), air chamber (oil reservoir), reducers (base/cap), bushing (wick holder) and wicks are shown here.

Materials & Tools

5 ft. of ½-in. pipe (mounting post)
2 1-in. to ½-in. reducers (base/cap)
½ in. × 14 in. air chamber (oil reservoir)
½ in. × ⅜ in. bushing (wick holder)
Replacement torch wicks
Epoxy
Water-based polyurethane spray
Patio torch oil
Medium-grit abrasive pad
Pipe cutter

Create the oil reservoir

In order for the torch to burn for long periods, you need to have an supply of oil available to the wick. To make the 12-in.-long oil reservoir, cut off the open end of the air chamber. Just cinch down the length of pipe, like we did in the photo, and rotate the cutter.

Add a shiny, brushed look

If you’d like, add a brushed, shiny look to the oil reservoir (and other parts of the pipe) by rubbing a medium-grit abrasive pad across the copper surface. Then wipe away any residue with a clean cloth.

Mount the oil reservoir on the post

For the mounting post, we just used a 5-ft. length of ½-in. copper pipe, but yours can be any length you like. Connect the oil reservoir to the post with a reducer. Spread a small amount of epoxy inside the reducer, just like we did here, and then slip it on the post as a base that will hold the oil reservoir.

Protect the copper finish

Preserve the copper’s sheen by spraying a few coats of clear water-based polyurethane over the torch. Make sure it’s rated for outdoor use and has dried fully before continuing to the next step.

You can also leave it bare, and the copper will age, forming a patina.

Add the cap and the wick

Make a cap for the oil reservoir using another reducer, but slip this one on without any epoxy so it’s easy to remove when you need to refill oil.

Slide the wick through the bushing so only ¼ to ½ in. of it is exposed. The bushing acts as a wick holder, keeping the right length of wick ready to light.

Fill the reservoir with oil

Here you can see how easy it is to lift off the cap and pour oil into the reservoir. Make sure there’s enough to saturate the wick before replacing the cap.

Kick back and enjoy!

Push your torches into the ground throughout your garden or around your patio, light them and relax. It’s time to enjoy your handiwork!

DIY garden chandelier

Chloe Deike — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 05:01:00 GMT

Your garden is a reflection of your unique preferences, so add a special touch to your evening garden with a DIY garden chandelier! It will add variety to your simple sparkling lights strung around the patio, and give you a great reason to enjoy your garden late into your evening. Read on for the simple how-to!

Materials list for a DIY garden chandelier:

One strand of Edison-style blub lights
One upcycled wire basket
4 to 10 black hair ties

Hair ties keep the light cord in place.

Find the right lights for your DIY garden chandelier

Because all of the bulbs are bunched together to make one light, find a strand of lights that have Edison-style bulbs; they are easier on the eyes when you look directly at them. And they look great! We chose a strand of 10 3-inch Edison-style bulbs. After we removed it from the packaging, we found a great surprise: there was a kink in the cord at an even interval, making the cord easy to fold. Fold the cord at this kink so that all the lights bunch together. Fasten the cord with some hair ties and it’s almost ready to go! It looks good on its own, but you can make it more whimsical with a lampshade.

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A metal basket becomes a light shade and adds a touch of farmhouse chic.

This decorative basket was easily repurposed into a lampshade because it already had an opening in the bottom. When turned upside down, the cord for the lights fit easily through to reach the extension cord that it hangs from. Use wire to connect the basket to the cord. There are many different styles of wire baskets available at home goods and home decor stores. So be creative, and shine on, gardeners!

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DIY Solar Garden Light

Garden Gate staff — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 06:00:00 GMT

Rather than spending a lot on a solar light fixture for the garden, use glass orbs from garage sales or secondhand stores. Stick an inexpensive solar light into the ground, then place the orb over the stake.

During the day, the solar light inside charges, and in the evening, the orb will glow, illuminating surrounding blooms and foliage. Even through opaque glass like the orb in the photo, the battery should charge, and may power the light through the night. An orb of any size will work, as long as it’s big enough to fit over the light stake.

How to make wine bottle garden lights

Garden Gate staff — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 06:00:00 GMT

Here’s a clever idea for lighting your garden path that uses empty liquor or wine bottles and icicle holiday lights. Collect enough empty colored bottles to line both sides of your path — you can ask a local bar to save bottles for you. This is especially helpful if you want them to all be the same color. Cobalt blue glass gives off a soft blue light, but any color will work. After you’ve collected enough bottles, follow our simple steps below to swiftly install the wine bottle lights along your garden path.

Steps for making wine bottle garden lights:

Dig a trench 6 in. deep and as wide as a single bottle along both sides of the path. Spread about an inch of sand in the bottom of the trench.
Next, take a string of icicle-style holiday lights, slide a single short strand into a bottle and set the bottle upside down into the trench.
To stabilize it, pour more sand around it, until you have about 4 in. total. Not only does the sand hold the bottles up, it also helps water drain away from them. Continue in this way down the rest of the path.
After you’ve set all the bottles along your path, pack about 2 in. of soil over the sand and around the bottles. About 5 in. of the lower part of the bottles should be sticking out above the ground. These garden lights can last for several years or longer depending on how frequently you turn them on.