Covers and awnings are installed in order to allow access to your outdoor space in a variety of weather conditions; homeowners, furthermore, aren’t satisfied with just enjoying their spaces during the day and install various lighting fixtures to allow them to enjoy their outdoor space, be it their patio, deck, RV or camper. There are a wide variety of lighting options to illuminate outdoor spaces at night; a small group of this variety can be considered awning lights, to be hung from or attached in some way to an awning.
Camper lights or RV lights are what pops into mind at the thought of awning lights. String lights are the classic awning lighting fixtures, made popular by their widespread use as RV awning lights. Originally, these lights were traditional Christmas lights strung along the outer frame of an awning and allowed to hang down slightly to allow RV campers the enjoyment of a cool refreshing night with family members and neighbors.
Nowadays, the classic string lights have evolved to include lights in a wide variety of fun shapes. You can purchase string lights in the form of chili peppers, animals, palm trees, fruit and other forms both online and at local retail and RV stores; you can get inexpensive string lights at places like Target and Wal-mart. There are even forums where people request and/or sell particularly shaped string lights, especially as RV or camper awning lights. Because they are so affordable, you can get a large supply and mix and match; you can also periodically change the theme of your string lights to celebrate the seasons, a particular holiday, or anything else you fee like celebrating. Experts recommend that these type of string lights be hung on the inside part of your awning to avoid any damage due to weather; while many styles of string lights are weatherproof, not all are.
There are also globe awning lights that, as their name implies, are globe-shaped. You can find these in clear colors, bronze, or multiple colors. Because the popularity of these lights is increasing, the styles are becoming more varied and you can even find prismatic globe lights; these lights provide you with a good amount of illumination. The multicolored versions of this style work with 60-watt light bulbs. They also come with heavy-duty cord that is coiled and that resists tangling. The globes themselves are made of acrylic and are weatherproof. The standard size of a globe is about 6 inches in diameter, though if you shop around, you can find them in different sizes. There are around six globes per string, and you can even order replacement globes in any other color you’d like.
The acrylic with which these globe lights are made is tough and virtually unbreakable. They are perfect at diffusing light to avoid glare. Often, these lights come with vinyl hangers that facilitate attachment to your awning; these hangers come in a variety of colors and styles and you shouldn’t have trouble finding ones to complement the style of your awning.
As an alternative to a hanging awning light, you can purchase a continuous light strip that slides easily into the pull strap or utility groove an awning’s roller tube. This light strip does not require any drilling, mounting, or complex installation procedure. What’s more, there is no need for small parts like tabs, hooks, or snaps. The current for this type of awning light is usually 120 volts. This awning light works well for those people who have retractable awnings and wish to avoid having to take down any hanging lights when the awning must be retracted.
Make sure whatever lights you choose, be they patio awning lights or awning lights for campers, they are weather resistant; they should be UV resistant as well if you plan on keeping them out during the day. Also make sure that any lights you purchase are plugged into a circuit-breaking electrical outlet that is approved for use outdoors.
Again, you can find some types of awning light for outdoor spaces at retail stores like K-mart; if cute party lights are your desire, then this is the way to go to save you money. However, if you’re looking for truly bizarre shaped string lights, scour the net and various RV camper forums and you’re sure to find something that will delight you. If you’re opting for the more “serious” lighting alternatives, you can still scour the net or visit your local home improvement or garden center. If you’re looking for coach lights, awning lights for your RV, trailer awning lights, or a particular type of camper awning light, check out some RVing specific websites and online stores.
