The garage is an integral part of your home. It is typically a visible part of your home. There are numerous advantages to installing a light fixture above your garage door, including improving curb appeal, dissuading criminals from breaking in, driveway and the nearby area becoming more visible, and overall, enhancing the security of your household.
Choosing the correct outdoor lights for your garage, on the other hand, might be challenging. Let’s look at a few tips to help with this process.
What is The Fixture Rating Required?
Before getting exterior lights above your garage door, you must establish which fixture rating is needed. There are three types of ratings which include a wet, dry, and humid rating. However, we recommend installing wet-rated lights above garage doors because they can withstand ice, snow, and heavy rainfall.
How Many Outdoor Lights above the Garage Door do you need?
Having a dusk view from across the street or from the end of your driveway gives you an idea of the number of exterior lights you need above your garage door. However, the appropriate amount of outdoor light above the garage door mostly depends on the size of your garage.
For a single door garage, one light placed 15-16cm above the garage door is usually enough, although you can also make use of two lights above each side of the door.
For a double garage door, you can use two lights equally spaced above each garage door. If desirable, you can install an additional light above the middle of the garage doors.
For three garage doors, you use three lights centered above each door.
Read about: Inside garage lights
Choosing The Right Size?
The size of your light fixture above the garage door is essential in that choosing the wrong size of light fixture can negatively affect your home’s curb appeal. Homeowners frequently make the error of using small lighting. Don’t make the mistake of going too small. Generally, we recommend that the size of your fixture should be at least one-third to one-quarter of the height of your garage door or multiply the height of your garage door by 0.25 or 0.33.
Which Style of Garage Door Lights Are Best for You?
There are different styles of outdoor light fixtures you can put above your garage door. Some fixtures are specific to a particular home style, while some go with varying home styles. Different above garage light fixture styles include:
- Coastal/nautical (bulkhead lights, lanterns)
- Cottage (barn lights, lanterns)
- French country (wall-mounted lanterns)
- Industrial (bulkhead lights, barn lights)
- Modern/contemporary (flush or semi-flush sconces, barn lights)
- Rustic/lodge (wall-mounted lanterns)
- Traditional (barn lights, wall-mounted lanterns)
Security Lighting
Aootek Solar Lights with 120 LEDs
Aootek Solar Lights with 120 LEDs – Reflector Arranged. 270 Degree Wide Angle, IP65 Waterproof.
Security Lights for Front Door, Yard, Garage Door, etc…
The motion sensor turns the light on when triggered by the object passing and automatically turns off after 15 seconds. Once charged (using sunlight for 4-5 hours) this solar light lights up all night.
It has a smart brightness control, meaning it stays all night and turns brighter when it detects motion. Designed to work with premium PIR motion inductor. The motion detector comes pre-installed, and it is sensitive enough to detect motion up to 8m/26ft.
Some homeowners have optimal security as paramount when installing outdoor lights above garage doors. That involves the use of spotlights or floodlights.
Spotlight shines direct light to a smaller, more focused region, producing a very bright target. Spotlights are perfect for areas in front of pedestrian and garage doors.
Floodlights are incredibly functional, even if they aren’t necessarily aesthetically beautiful. They often have motion sensors and cast a strong splash of light across a vast area.
Also read: Installing recessed light inside the garage
Exploring Possible Features with Outdoor Lighting above your garage
When choosing outside lighting for your garage, solar lights, timer-controlled bulbs, and motion detectors are all viable options. For home security, motion detectors are essential. Timers make it simple to ensure that your home’s outside is lit at specific times and avoid leaving lights on when they aren’t needed.
How to install lights above the garage door?
- After identifying the area of the light fixture installation, take a look behind the area where you will install the fixtures. That can be problematic if the garage has been finished with insulation and drywall. If necessary, use a stud finder to measure and note the location of the fixture on the interior wall. Cut a small access hole in the drywall on the garage walls if there is any. Make sure there’s enough area for the fixture boxes to be mounted.
- Locate a power source that you can use. It’s important not to overload the circuit. If required, contact a licensed electrician.
- Cut a hole in the desired spot on the outside wall. The hole should be the same size as the retrofit box, with as little extra room as possible surrounding it. In this hole, place the box.
- Connect the electrical line from the box to the power source. If the garage has drywall, you may need to cut access holes or route the wire through a surface conduit.
- Please turn off the power and wire the light fixture(s) according to the instructions that came with it. A wire for hot, neutral, and ground should all be present. Fixture(s) should be mounted on the box
- Reconnect the power supply and test the fixtures. If the fixtures have motion or light sensors, make sure they’re working as well