Illuminate Your Outdoor Space With An Affordable Solar Light DIY

Dotting your yard with solar lights is an eco-conscious way of illuminating your outdoor space once the sun goes down. After all, how else will you set out for a leisurely stroll post-dinner, host day-long social gatherings, or set the mood for a romantic evening? But if you're not a fan of their generic design and need something a little more interesting to light up your patio on summer nights, here's an affordable outdoor solar light DIY. You'll need two bowls, a solar ground light, spray paint (optional), and multipurpose glue to DIY a beautiful orb lighting feature.

Although the end result will look fancy and the lighting idea will brighten up your deck, you don't need expensive supplies to DIY the brightly-lit globe. Case in point, the $1.25 decorative plastic punch bowls from Dollar Tree are ideal for this DIY. If you want smaller globes in your yard, trade the plastic punch bowls for the 8-inch decorative glass bowls (retailing at $1.25 each). If you have a few extra glass or plastic (clear) bowls gathering dust in the home, grab them instead. Once you have the bowls, check out the nearest home improvement store for good-quality (possibly water-resistant) ground solar lights — alternatively, order Rayolon's 12-pack waterproof landscape solar lights from Amazon for about $40. You'll also need a strong and durable adhesive, like E6000, to put together the globe. For homeowners wanting a high-end look, keep a can of frosted spray paint (white) handy.

The first step is to take the bowls outside and coat them in a thin layer of frosted spray paint. You want to use it on the inner side of the bowl, leaving the outer portion as is to let the sun's rays penetrate the glass dome and recharge the solar light nestled inside. While an affordable way to light up your yard after dusk in style, the paint might hinder the amount of sunlight reaching the solar lights. To ensure your solar lights function as intended, use a hot knife (or wood-burning tool) to create tiny holes in the bowls. In addition to allowing sunlight to enter, adding holes to the bottom will allow water to drain. Remember, this tool-type will only work if you're using plastic bowls. You'll need to be handy with a drill to poke holes in glass bowls.

Once the paint is sufficiently dry, place a ground solar ground (sans thorn) in the center of a bowl. It'd be best to place the bowl in its intended spot before adding the solar light to avoid jostling it unnecessarily. Another step is to pour a little concrete mix or landscaping pebbles into the bowl to weigh it down so it doesn't topple amidst high winds. Now, glue the other bowl on top (steer clear of hot glue for a waterproof arrangement), and your DIY solar globe light is ready!