Outdoor wall lights, also sold as exterior or external wall lights, light a front door, a driveway or a garden wall, and each one needs an IP rating to suit how exposed its wall is. Outdoor wall lights for Irish homes, from an independent Irish electrical supplier. Up and down spotlights for walls and pillars, IP65 rated wall lights for driveways and pathways, and the Fumagalli lantern range for entrances and period properties. Free delivery applies to every order from the first euro, with no minimum spend.
What IP rating does an outdoor wall light need in Ireland?
IP44 is the practical minimum for a sheltered wall or porch. For an exposed wall, a driveway or anywhere coastal, IP65 is the rating worth paying for.
The second digit is the one that matters outdoors. IP44 resists splashing from any direction, which covers rain on a wall with some shelter above it. IP65 adds protection against low pressure jets and effectively means sealed, which is what survives an Irish winter on an exposed gable or a seafront. Every fitting on this page states its rating. Coastal sites are the harshest test, because salt attacks the fitting itself rather than just the electrics.
What is the difference between an up down wall light and a lantern?
An up down light throws two narrow beams along the wall for an architectural effect. A lantern spreads light outward in all directions to actually illuminate the area around a door.
They solve different problems. Up down lights look striking on a pillar, a rendered gable or either side of a garage door, but they light the wall rather than the ground, so they are decorative more than functional. A lantern beside a front door lights the step, the lock and whoever is standing there. Many houses want both: lanterns where people walk, up down lights where the eye lands.
How high should an outdoor wall light be mounted?
Around 1.8 to 2 metres for a lantern beside a door, so the light falls on the step rather than in your eyes. Up down lights sit higher, usually 2 to 2.5 metres.
The common mistake is mounting a lantern too high, which lights the top of your head and leaves the doorstep in shadow. For a pair either side of a door, keep them level with each other and roughly at head height or a little above. For a driveway or a path, spacing matters more than height: two modest fittings well spaced beat one bright one.
Are resin outdoor lights better than metal in Irish weather?
For longevity, yes. Resin cannot rust or corrode, which is the failure mode that ends most metal outdoor lights in an Irish climate, particularly near the coast.
The Fumagalli lanterns in this range are made in Italy from shockproof UV stabilised resin and carry a lifetime guarantee against rust and corrosion. They will not fade or discolour either. A powder coated metal lantern looks well on day one, but once the coating is chipped or breached the corrosion starts underneath and spreads. In a wet, salty climate that is a question of when rather than whether.
What bulb do the Fumagalli lanterns use?
A standard E27 screw fitting, maximum 60W. Bulbs are not included. E27 LED filament bulbs give the most convincing traditional lantern look with modern running costs.
All the Fumagalli lanterns in this range share the Bisso bracket system, which supports both upturned and downturned mounting from the same bracket, with no extra parts needed. Most models open without tools, so changing a bulb does not mean dismantling the fitting on a ladder. The hexagonal lanterns run from the compact Anna at 310mm tall and 220mm wide up to the Rut and Salem at 500mm tall and 315mm wide, and the Globe 300 is the largest in the range at 430mm tall with a 300mm globe head.
What is the best outdoor wall light for a house?
For most Irish homes, an IP65 LED wall light at the door plus up and down lights on the facade. Rate each for its wall.
For light you can see by, the Vesta 11W gives 900 lumens, is IP65 and switches between 3000K, 4500K and 6000K, and the Eclipse ECIR gives 1050 lumens from a 15W IP65 stainless steel body. For effect on a facade or a pillar, the Iris up and down wall light is IP65, and the EVOLEC PC up and down GU10 spotlights are IP44 with a polycarbonate body made for coastal air. For a period house, the Fumagalli resin lanterns suit the architecture and will not rust.
Should I choose an integrated LED wall light or a GU10 wall light?
Integrated LED fittings have no bulb to replace and, on this page, higher IP ratings. GU10 fittings let you change bulb brightness and colour later.
The integrated fittings here, including the Vesta, the Eclipse ECIR and the 11W LED wall light, are IP65, and the Iris 2 rotating wall light is IP54. The GU10 black up and down wall light is IP44 and takes two GU10 bulbs of up to 35W each, while the EVOLEC PC spotlights are IP44 and come with 8W GU10 LED lamps fitted. When a GU10 lamp eventually fails you replace the bulb rather than the fitting, and our GU10 LED bulbs fit both.
Can I get an outdoor wall light with a motion sensor?
Yes. The Evolec Nero LED exterior lantern comes in a PIR motion sensor version, or a standalone PIR sensor can switch an existing wall light.
The Nero PIR model detects movement from 1 to 8 metres across 120 degrees and gives 400 lumens of warm white light from 8W, with an IP44 rating. For more choice, including floodlights and Steinel sensors, see PIR and sensor lights. Where there is no cable at the wall, the solar security and wall lights need no wiring at all.
Do outdoor wall lights need an electrician?
Yes. These are mains fittings and must be connected to a fused spur or an existing outdoor circuit by a registered electrician. Outdoor circuits also need the right protection.
If you are replacing an existing outdoor wall light like for like, it is usually a short job for any qualified electrician. A new position is a bigger piece of work because the cable run and the protection have to be right. Either way it is not DIY, and outdoor is second only to a bathroom for the consequences of getting it wrong.
Where can I buy outdoor wall lights in Ireland?
Shamrock Electrical supplies outdoor wall lighting across the Republic of Ireland, online with free delivery on every order, or over the counter in Rathcoole, County Dublin.
We are an independent Irish electrical business at Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98, just off the N7 and well positioned for the M50. The counter is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. If you are unsure which size lantern suits a particular wall, or whether a position needs IP44 or IP65, call 01 401 9907 or email sales@shamrockelectrical.ie and we will talk it through.
