After my sweet hubby built these beautiful garden trellises that I designed, I felt something was missing, but what? Then it hits me they needed something that added depth to them, and why not add his famous wooden lanterns? These wooden lanterns had to be different from any we had made before since they are hung outside, and a candle would not work. They needed light from solar power.
This project is one stop on a Lighting Tour, so please hop on over to all the stops and be amazed and inspired to see all the links at the end of this post. You will be glad you did.
Trellis with lanterns
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The trellis pictured below is the second one he built, and this one has a planter box at the bottom.
Solar Lantern DIY
DIY Wood Lanterns With Solar Lights
After deciding to make some solar wooden lanterns, I was on a mission to find the perfect solar light. I searched multiple stores but could find one I love, then I found this one and fell in love with the glass globe, and then that evening, I was dazzled by the shadow it casts.
Solar DIY Outdoor Lantern
How to Build Scrap Wood Lanterns
Gather your supplies
- Drill (with drill bits)
- Wood (I used pieces leftover from the trellis) pressure treated 3/4″ wood, 1 by 6 deck-board
- Screws 1.5″ trim screws 10 per lantern
- Eye hook 1″
- Solar light
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- Miter Saw
- Cuts (deck board cut 2 pieces at 5″ by 5″, 3/4″ woodcut 4 pieces at 1″ by 8″ and one-piece cut at 3.5″ by 3.5″)
- How to build the trellis
Wood scraps for wooden lantern
Gathering supplies
Marking Scrap Wood for Lanterns
Measuring the base and top of the lantern
Marking the length of my side pieces
Making all my woodcuts for the wooden lantern
Marking the placement for the sides
Pre-drilling for side pieces on both top and bottom
Adding Solar Lighting to DIY Lanterns
Taking the globe part off the solar light tube
Finding the right size drill bit
Marked the area to drill on the bottom wood square
Checking to be sure the solar globe fits
Screwing the on 2 sides
Lantern is ready for solar light.
I used a clap for the last to sides
Drilling holes to attach the top square
Last two screws on the top of the wooden lantern
Eye hook to hang
Installing the lantern
Deciding on which to use to attach it to the bracket
Finished wooden lantern
Attaching the bracket
Hanging my Easy DIY wooden lantern
Wooden Lantern on a custom trellis
Easy Rustic Wooden Lanterns
You can build beautiful DIY Wood Lanterns using the same techniques. These beautiful DIY lanterns are perfect for any event, holiday, or for parties.
Hint: For the centerpiece lantern you can use wood glue to attach the pieces together. Also, you can make them different heights and add a knob (like these knobs) instead of a hook.
Beautiful DIY Wood Lanterns
These simple DIY lanterns can be used as home decor or on your front porch. They are gorgeous a centerpiece. For visual interest simply add ribbon and floral to your lantern centerpiece. They make the perfect wedding table decor.
Rustic lanterns
Lanterns on Garden Trellis
Night Time Trellis and DIY wooden lantern with solar lights
If you would like the step by step plans to build a gorgeous garden trellis, fill out the form below, and I will email them to you.
You will be amazed and delighted to see how easy this lantern is to make. It took minutes to construct, and it is a real showstopper when added to my trellis (see how to make a trellis HERE), and at night they cast a beautiful glow.
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The promised DIY Lighting Tour Blog posts to dazzle and inspire you to create your own masterpieces:
The first stop on tour is over at Grandma’s House DIY. My friend, Tarah, shares how she updated her basement lighting to create a moody entertainment space.
How to Install a Chandelier
Chas from Chas’s Crazy Creations shares how she gave a lampshade a transformation.
Lampshade Makeover
Kirstin from White Arrows Home shares her gorgeous Christmas lighting ideas.
Christmas Light Projects
If you adore everything mercury glass as I do, then you are going to want to try out Kim from Shiplap and Shells DIY mercury glass lamp.
DIY Mercury Glass Lamp
This has been a long year for everyone, so creating a cozy home has been vital. Some tips and tricks for creating a cozy space with lighting I turn to my friend Niky from The House on Silverado for inspiration.
Cozy lighting tips and tricks
Cleaning a chandelier can seem like a daunting task. Mary from Life a Bella Terra shares her secrets on cleaning a chandelier.
How to clean a chandelier
While preparing meals, I find that under cabinet lighting provides the best task lighting—Amy from Health, Home, and Heart shares how she installs under cabinet lighting in five minutes.
under cabinet lighting
Chandeliers can be updated with paint, and my friend Andrea from Design Morsels shares how to get the best results.
Painted chandelier
More DIY Projects
Emory Farm shows us How to Make a Wooly Sheep Toy
Sheep Toy
Joyful Derivatives teaches How to Frame a Canvas Painting
How to Frame a Canvas Painting
Sand Dollar Lane made a Dog Leash Holder
Dog Leash Holder
1905 Farmhouse made a DIY poster frame for vintage prints
magnetic picture frame
The DIY Nuts made a DIY word canvas art
Word Art Canvas
I hope you enjoyed learning how I made these wooden lanterns with solar lights. I adore them, and my neighbors have enjoyed them too.
Thank you for stopping by; please say hello in the comments below.
Merry Christmas,
Kippi
Emory Farm says
These are gorgeous!!!
Kimberly says
Thank you so much for stopping by your kind comment made my day.
Happy summer,
Kippi
WEndi says
That is gorgeous.
Kimberly says
Thank you for stopping by. I had a blast making them.
Happy summer,
Kippi
Erin says
Hi Kippi. I love the globe laterns. The pattern is awsome. As always, I love your tutorials. Thanks for the info!
Kimberly says
Thank you so much for stopping by. I love your post too. Have a wonderful 4th of July.
Thank you,
Kippi
Amy says
These look so great! I love the light that they cast!
Kimberly says
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I love your poster post too.
Happy summer,
Kippi
Jenn Summers says
I love how these turned out Kippi! They look amazing with your beautiful trellis!
Kimberly says
Jenn, that means the world to me! I hope you have wonderful summer.
Happy crafting,
Kippi
Donna @ Modern on Monticello says
Love these! We put in a privacy fence last year – not as gorgeous as yours – but this year we are finally getting around to adding the landscaping and the lights. Love this idea. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
Kim @Serving Up Southern says
Hi Kippi!
Your lanterns are perfect for your beautiful trellis! I love how the reflection from the crackled glass globe looks at the top inside of the lantern. I’m letting you know that this is one of my features this week at Homestyle Gathering! Thanks for joining everyone and sharing!
>>> Kim
Alexandra says
These are beautiful! Pinned. I would love to get into wood working. Maybe once we move.
Alexandra says
I’ve actually chosen it as one of my features for this week’s Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make Party, this will go live this Saturday at 5pm EST.
Marilyn Lesniak says
Thank you for sharing at #ThursdayFavoriteThings. Pinned and shared.
Julie says
Hi. I was wondering if you’d had any issues with the lights recharging during the day considering the top is covered and maybe blocking the sun. Or do they just charge from the light as opposed to direct sunlight.Thank you.
Julie says
Okay so I’ll answer my own question in case anyone else has the same query. I made the lantern and very nice it is too. However my light doesn’t charge anymore because the sun is not hitting it directly. I have to now find a spot for it somewhere else where the angle of the sun can charge it.
Lorie says
I absolutely love every aspect of your creation, from the trellis to the oh so cute hanging solar lanterns. I am excited to try this soon. Thanks for sharing
Jonathan says
Perfect tip! I’ve created my own wooden lantern for my family trip last month. Work like a charm! Thanks for sharing 😉
Nene says
OMG! Thank you so much for this step by step tutorial. I was all over Youtube lookin fo tutorials I couldn’t find what I was looking for then something told me to go to Pinterest I came across yours I was amazed especially about how it was. Thanks again! I wil be stealing your idea for my front garden.
Brenda says
Love your lanterns! I want to make some for our patio area. I am wondering how the lights charge with the wood top over them? Do you have an issue with this?
Thanks.
Jeff Landers says
Where do the solar panel, batteries and wires go.
Peter DIYPD says
First of all well done to your hubby for these beautiful garden trellises! And you are absolutly right, the lanterns is exaclty what was missing. Big bonus that is solar 🙂 Stunning!
Chas Greener says
Such a stunning project and I can’t wait until I get to start building more solar light creations for our yard. Thanks for sharing and wonderful hopping with you!
Kim | Shiplap and Shells says
I LOVE this project! I would really like to try this for next year. Thank you for the inspiration. Happy to be hopping with you today!
Kristin says
These are stunning Kippi! I love them so much. And I love them as lanterns in black and white too! So inspiring!
Amy says
The lanterns are beautiful, and that trellis is AMAZING! Love them both! I can totally see how you would fall in love with those globe lights. I think I would have, too! And the shadow that they cast is lovely. Thanks so much for sharing the how-to! I’m going to go scope out my yard to see where I can maybe use some of these. 😉