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Lantern Path Lights for a Gothic Halloween Front Porch
- Goes in Set along the path edges
- Weather Use waterproof or rated lights
- Best for Safest light
Lanterns do two jobs on a porch: they make the approach look haunted and they light the way. Battery lanterns along the path edges are the easiest way to get both.
What you will need
- Six to ten black lanterns with battery LED candles
- Fresh batteries and spares
- Optional: step or stair lights
- A timer or remote if the lanterns support one
- Outdoor-rated lanterns if rain is possible
How to set it up
- Walk the path from the sidewalk to the door at dusk and note the dark spots, especially steps.
- Place a lantern on each side of the first step and of the porch entrance, so the edges of the steps are clear.
- Space the rest every four to six feet along the path edges, not across it.
- Stagger them: put one on each side, slightly offset, so the path looks like a corridor.
- Test every lantern after dark and replace any weak batteries.
- Set the timer for dusk until bedtime, or switch them on by hand.
Where it goes
Placement. Put the lanterns along the edges of the path and next to each step, never in the middle. Keep at least three feet of clear width, which is the minimum for an accessible route. A wider path, closer to four feet, is easier for a wheelchair or walker.
Weather
Use lanterns rated for outdoor use if rain or sprinklers are likely. Indoor lanterns can short out in the wet, so bring them in during storms.
Mistakes to avoid
- Lanterns on the steps themselves, where they can be knocked or tripped over.
- Lights too dim to see the step edges.
- Cords across the path. Use battery lights.
Make it better
Add a lantern hanging from a shepherd's hook at the corner of the path and a single larger lantern at the door.
Where to buy
Amazon links; check the product page against the notes before you order.
- Outdoor black lantern (check that it is rated for outdoor use)
Safety for every piece
- Keep an accessible route from the sidewalk to the door at least 36 inches wide, and wider if you can. Nothing sticks out into it, no cords cross it and no stakes line it.
- Light every step edge. Fog, webs and costumes make edges hard to see.
- Use outdoor-rated lights and cords, plug them into a GFCI outlet and keep connections off wet ground.
- Keep decor off the handrail, the door, the house number and the doorbell.