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 solar lights.
We have been working on a backyard makeover. In addition, we have finished a few other projects that needed to coordinate with the DIY lanterns such as, window flower boxes, DIY birdhouses, garden trellis, garden obelisk, floating deck, and the garden hose storage.

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. First, 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 (this is the one I used)
- 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 two 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 gorgeous 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. You can also make them different heights and add a knob (like these knobs).



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, 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.
🌸Do you enjoy a beautiful garden and yard? Please join me HERE for everything you will need to create a beautiful garden/yard one project at a time.
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
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 Shell’s DIY mercury glass lamp.



DIY Mercury Glass Lamp
This has been a long year for everyone, so creating a cozy home has been vital. I turn to my friend Niky from The House on Silverado for inspiration and some tips and tricks for creating a comfortable space with lighting.



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
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
Cara Weigeshoff
Friday 12th of March 2021
I love your projects! I am making 12 of these lanterns for my trellis that i have built. I noticed that you have used rope to hang your lanterns, how did you attach the rope to the bracket? I know it's not part of your tutorial, but I love that look!
Amy
Sunday 6th of December 2020
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. ;)
Kristin
Sunday 6th of December 2020
These are stunning Kippi! I love them so much. And I love them as lanterns in black and white too! So inspiring!
Kim | Shiplap and Shells
Sunday 6th of December 2020
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!
Chas Greener
Sunday 6th of December 2020
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!