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Correct height for exterior lights that flank the front door?

12 years ago

Our home sits rather high as we have a water table and several steps up to the front door. The electrician needs to know where to wire for the lights that will be mounted on the front of the house on either side of the front door and I have no idea what the height of those should be. Any ideas? thanks!

Comments (7)

renovator8
12 years ago
6" above my eye level.
threeapples
Original Author
12 years ago
ok, so should i take the height of the average adult man when standing on what will be the landing in front of the door?
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athensmomof3
12 years ago
I think it depends on the door and whether you have one or two doors and whether you have a transom above. If you google it you might find some guidelines on lighting sizes and height . . . I think that is what I did but now can't remember where I found it!
threeapples
Original Author
12 years ago
we will have an elliptical transom above the front door. my concern is that the door is quite a bit elevated above ground level--I wonder if that makes a difference. i'll do a google search, thanks, athensmom.
mydreamhome
12 years ago
Also, what size lights are you using?
lazy_gardens
12 years ago
The usual height for the wiring is about 25% of the way down the door frame ... That puts the top of a tallish sconce even with the top of the door and it looks balanced.

Then you can pick fixtures that will cast light that doesn't glare into your eyes
athensmomof3
12 years ago
What lazygardens suggested is roughly what we did in the back (we have a hanging gas lantern in the front) - We put it at the mull between the transom and the door, which was roughly 1/4 of the way down.

I am going to do fixtures that hang down from the electrical so mine were a little higher than I would have done if the fixture went up from the electrical, if that makes sense. . . .

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