Compare luminarias -

There are many things to consider when deciding which luminary company to buy from. There is a big difference between qualities and designs. We offer the only luminaries made in the USA and come with a warranty (10-year luminary durability warranty). Here is a website that will help you decide: Compare Luminaries

Visualize and Measure -

Your first course of action is to visualize where you want to place luminaries.  Luminaries have been successfully placed just about everywhere, from running on the ground to rooftops. If you have questions about where you are considering placing luminaries, please feel free to contact us for help.  If you want to install them on your parapet wall or rooftop, visit this page for help.

Most of the time, people organize luminarias in a line, whether straight or curved. Measure the distance of your luminary lines (layout). This measurement will give you the linear feet measurement. If using light strings, realize they can be connected end-to-end to reach the needed length. The standard space between luminarias is around 36". Our light strings have 36" spacing between the sockets, but allow a little looseness in the strings, so figure about 34" between luminarias. So the total usable length of a 12-socket light string is around 34', and for a 6-socket light string, about 17'. Usually, you can create the distance you need by using these two different-length light strings. You can also shorten a string by using our socket caps to cap off light sockets not needed.

Browse and Decide -

Browse our website. A good starting place is "Most Popular Sets" and "Complete Luminary Sets."

Now our most recent popular luminarias are our FLAMING LUMINARIAS! Check them out!

Luminary color choice?  White luminarias are our most popular color.  White is also the most versatile choice because you can make it glow whatever color of light source you use.  For example, maybe you keep them white in your front lawn for Christmas, then use them with our color-changing LED tea lights around your patio in the spring for a birthday party.  Red/White/Blue lights are perfect for Independence Day!  Orange and purple lights create a great theme for Halloween! Brown luminarias are our second most popular color because they look most similar to the traditional brown paper bag luminarias that started this whole trend.  They are also a great match for adobe-style homes and the desert landscape of the Southwest. Brown luminarias are extremely popular throughout the southwest United States, including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah!

How many luminary sets?  We offer luminary sets of 12 and 6.  You can combine these sets to create the custom quantities you desire.  You can also combine light strings of 12 and 6.  Both light strings have a female plug at the end, so you can connect them end-to-end to create one long, custom string length.  Because of the potential for electrical overload on an extended light string, there is a limit to how many sockets can operate on one extended light string.  You can connect the most light strings if you use low-wattage bulbs.  Our lowest wattage bulb is our LED C7 bulbs (.3 watts each).  Our second-lowest-wattage bulb is our new FLAME bulbs, using approximately 1.5 watts each.  Our highest watt bulb is our incandescent bulbs at 7 watts each! 

The following table illustrates your limits on the maximum light sockets you can use on one extended string (meaning, the total number of sockets added together of each string connected). NOTE: 2 6-socket light strings equal 1 12-socket light string.  If you are counting sockets, LED bulbs can handle up to 1080 sockets on one extended string, LED FLAME bulbs can handle up to 216 sockets on one extended string, and incandescent bulbs can handle up to 48 sockets on one extended string.  If you need more sockets on an extended string, try to bring your power cord into the middle of the extended string instead of starting at one end.  When your power cord reaches your light string, use a power cord splitter block at the end and split your one long, extended light string into two strings, sending power in both directions from the power cord.

Light source choice?  You can select a light source on your luminary product page, or you may want to visit our Lighting Options page to consider your possibilities.  Typically, it is a safe bet to select a light source from the luminary product page because those sources are known and tested with the luminarias you are selecting.  C7 light strings (110-volt) are most popular for luminary home use.  Usually, this is your brightest light option and can be easily automated with one of our power timers.  By far, the popular choice today is to use a light string and match it with our FLAME bulbs! These bulbs do more than flicker; they dance like a flame because each bulb has 39 LEDs inside! If you prefer a soft flicker light, select either our real candles or be safest from fire by selecting LED tea candles (tea lights).  Either of these choices offers you more luminary spacing flexibility since there isn't a light string running between each luminary.

Need luminary stakes?  Luminarias should be secured to the surface they sit on.  High winds can move luminaries out of position.  Our luminary stakes are the best way to secure luminaries to earth surfaces (lawn, dirt, flower beds).  If you will place luminarias on concrete or other hardened surfaces, you can secure them down by adding small rocks or sand in the bottom of each luminary.  This is the original, traditional method.  Or, if you will only use luminaries for a day or two, you can add water to the bottom of luminaries, up to the light source platforms.  Adding water will work unless you punch out the drain holes in the bottom of each luminary.  For extended outdoor use, it is best to have your luminarias drain water in case of rain or snow.

Need other accessories?  If you choose light strings, consider a power timer to automate your lighting.  Or, do you need additional outdoor matching power cords?  Extra light bulbs or batteries (for LED tea lights)?  It's best to be prepared if you select LED tea lights by buying extra batteries so you aren't caught short later.  Those batteries tend to be quite expensive at hardware stores, but affordable here.

Typically, your best pricing strategy will be to buy your luminaries together with your light source and stakes on the same product page, instead of putting each item in your shopping cart separately because of better pricing and discounts.