Easy DIY Outdoor Chandelier without Electricity

One of my favorite things to do in the summer and fall is dine outside on the patio when the weather is nice. And while I love the glow of the string lights, I wanted to add a little something extra to the dining table too. I imagined a warm glow that created a magical and romantic vibe for evening meals. Because let’s be honest, the lighting can make all the difference!  So I set out to find a way to make my outdoor DIY chandelier dreams come true without electricity. The best part is I am sharing all the details in six easy steps in this full tutorial.

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DIY Outdoor Patio Chandelier

Why a chandelier on the patio you ask? Why not? It seemed like a bright idea to me, haha! But seriously, I thought a chandelier would add a little something extra to the outdoor dining room. 

On the quest to make a beautiful chandelier for my patio, I had to solve a few obstacles first. While much of my outdoor space has string lights over the yard, the covered patio isn’t hard wired for a chandelier or a light fixture. So this outdoor lighting situation was going to need to be done without electricity. And since the chandelier would live under the roof of the patio, it could not run off the power of the sun. With a solar-powered chandelier out of the question, I was left with one glaring option. The magic light trick.  

With the outdoor lights solved, there was just one more question? How would I make a chandelier? That was a good question that all came to me on a trip to Hobby Lobby. Let me show you how I did it. 

Outdoor DIY Chandelier Materials

Rattan Basket or similar
Magnetic Puck Lights
Metal Oven Burner Covers
Drill
2 Eye Hooks
2 Carabiners
Chain 
Black Spray Paint 

Step 1 – Find a Basket

Find a basket. This will ultimately be a hanging basket but upside down. So keep that in mind when you are are on the hunt. I found my rattan basket at Hobby Lobby on sale for 40% off. I really wanted something natural in color that added a lot of texture to my dining area so this was the perfect choice.  

Depending on what look you are going for, you could also use a wire basket, an old lamp shade, or an old chandelier (drum style works best here). You just want to make sure it doesn’t have handles or they should be easily removable. You will also want to make sure the whole thing isn’t covered so the perfect amount of light can shine through. 

Step 2 – Find Battery Powered Lights

Find battery powered lights. I wanted lights that were rechargeable, that came in black, and had a remote. These were exactly what I was looking for. Bonus, they are also magnetic which gave me a new idea for my outdoor fixture, but we will cover that in the next step.   

They also have several different colors of white light too. I really like this because I want a warm glow on the patio rather than a florescent blue hued light. 

Step 3 – Magnetic Metal Plate

I promise this will make sense soon. Remember, the puck lights are magnetic. 

I went to the Dollar Tree in search of a cheap pizza pan. I figured this would be the perfect size to sit inside my basket for the puck lights to stick to. But then I saw these electric oven burner covers. Since I wasn’t exactly sure on the measurement, I bought both. 

As it turns out my instinct was correct and the larger oven burner cover was the perfect size.

Step 4 – Hanging Materials

You will also need items to hang your chandelier. For this I used two eye hooks, two carabineers, a washer and nut, and a metal chain. I had all of these materials on hand but any hardware store, Home Depot, or Lowes will carry these items.

Because I wanted all of the components to match, I spray painted them all black except for the carabineers which were already black. 

Step 5 – Assembling the Chandelier 

To assemble the chandelier I first turned my basket upside down and put one of my eye hooks through the basket. Because my basket is rattan, it was easy to just spread the material but you may need to drill a hole if you use a basket made from a different type of material. 

Then I attached one of my carabineers to the end of the eye hook and the chain. I attached the other carabineer to the opposite end of the chain. This end will attach to the other eye hook in the patio ceiling. 

Then I took the oven cover and drilled a large hole in the center. You will need to start with a small drill bit and work your way up in size until the eye hook fits through the hole. I did this on top of a cardboard box so I didn’t drill into my kitchen table. 

Once the eye hook fits, place the oven burner cover on the inside of the basket with the hollow part facing the opening of the basket. Then add the washer and the nut and tighten the nut to secure the oven cover to the inside of the basket. 

With the metal plate securely attached to the inside of the basket, add the puck lights. The ones I used are magnetic and stick to the metal of the oven burner cover.

Step 6 – Hang the Chandelier 

You will first need to add the other eye hook to your ceiling. I screwed mine into the ceiling joist. If you are hanging yours under a covered patio like me, you will want to do the same. Do not screw it into the plywood. This will likely go through the roof and no one wants to deal with that. 

To hang the chandelier, attach the other end of the chain with the second carabineer to the eye hook in the ceiling.

And voila! You have a gorgeous chandelier for your outdoor dining space with no hardwiring required! In my opinion this is the perfect way to add new life to your outdoor dinners. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do this with fairy lights? 

Totally! I actually contemplated fairy lights but the battery packs are quite big and I didn’t want to have to find a way to hide them. If your outdoor setup sits in the sun, the solar fairy lights would be a great way to power your chandelier.     

Why didn’t you use a real chandelier and run an extension cord from the string lights?  

For two reasons. First, I wanted this chandelier to be easy to take down because we get a lot of high wind. Secondly, I would have had to hide the extension cord on the patio ceiling. That didn’t feel like a clean look to me. Not to mention I didn’t want too many light bulbs giving off a ton of light, just an ambient glow. 

Where can I find a basket like this?   

I found this basket at Hobby Lobby in the large size. If you prefer to shop in person, check out your local thrift store or craft store. For a more modern patio look you could also use lamp shades or pendent basket fixtures.

What size is your basket?   

My basket is 20inches in diameter and  14 inches tall. 

How low does your chandelier hang? 

My chandelier is 22.5 inches from the table top and the chain is 24 inches long but this will vary depending on your ceiling height.  

So go on, seize the opportunity, and let the warm glow of your outdoor chandelier illuminate your your own backyard. 

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This post, Easy DIY Outdoor Chandelier without Electricity, appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.