Solar Lantern DIY

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 lanternsThis post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you purchase from one of these links, I will make a small commission, but rest assured, you will not pay more for any products. 

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