DIY Solar Chandelier
We have repurposed an old electric wagon wheel chandelier into this beautiful and functional Solar Porch Chandelier!
Our front porch makeover project is a multi-step process with small projects built into it. The first part to be completed is the one I’m sharing today: The Solar-Powered Chandelier Makeover.
The inspiration for our outdoor chandelier came from 2 places. This first one was this outdoor chandelier we saw on a Secret Garden Stroll back in the spring. Our second inspiration came from an outdoor chandelier we saw for sale at a local marketplace event, also back in the spring. The vendor had used tea cups to create little planters from which were hanging ivy vines.
Supplies Used
- Thrifted Changelier
- Krylon Outdoor Spray Paint
- Soapy water
- Scrub Brush
- Paper to wrap the chain
- Solar lights
- Gorilla glue
We enjoyed the shopping process while hunting for a chandelier that would suit us. We looked at quite a few in flea markets, thrift stores, and the Habitat for Humanity Home Store. We actually purchased a lovely wall sconce at the Habitat for Humanity store, which we repurposed into a Tea Cup Sconce Planter for the porch.
My favorite thrift store was having a sale! Now, if you’re a thriftier, a sale at a thrift store is a big deal! We found ‘the one’ at the sale, and I enjoyed ‘dickering’ the price down. I was able to get it for $7 less than asking and paid only $12 for it! Budget-friendliness is a must for any project!
Step-by-Step Upcycle Process
Cleaning the thrifted chandelier was the first step in the process.
After removing those ugly light shades, we placed the chandelier onto a couple of sawhorses, outside, and gave it a good scrubbing. It’s pretty ugly right now. You really do need to have a vision for these types of projects!
Step 2
After it was clean and dry, Stacy removed all of the faux oil lamps and all of the electric lighting cords to prepare the chandelier for the painting process.
The chandelier is basically stripped down to just the wood wagon wheel.
Step 3 Painting
I wrapped the chain while painting the wood to keep the white paint from getting onto it. Then I hung it from a branch in a tree to spray paint it. Hanging it made the painting process easier and quicker.
I applied 2 coats of paint and 2 coats of lacquer to the wood. A coat of fresh paint can make amazing transformations, can’t it?!
While I was painting the wood, Stacy gave these faux oil lamps 2 coats of fresh paint.
After the wood was dry, he also covered the wood with paper and painted the chain to match the faux oil lamps.
Step 4 Rebuilding
Time to put it all back together! We only needed 2 tools for this project: a ratchet or wrench and a screwdriver.
Once he had it all put back together, it was time to attach the lighting features. We used a six-pack of Hampton Bay Solar Path Lights for this step.
The only part of the solar lights we used was the decorative lighting part. The poles, which would normally be stuck into the ground to support the lights, will be repurposed as guides for the water hose in the yard to keep the hose from crushing flowers and shrubs. (My Marigolds will be happy!)
Stacy used Gorilla Glue to attach the solar lights to the place where a bulb would normally be. FYI, Gorilla Glue dries white, so don’t make a mess!
Step 5 Hang the chandelier
The chandelier is complete and ready to hang! We used a simple pulley system to hang the chandelier.
The pulley system will allow us to lower the chandelier in the event that the solar panels don’t charge sufficiently. We were concerned about this because the solar panels are on the top of the lights, which will be facing the ceiling. Our front porch gets full sun in the afternoons, so we thought we would be ok. There may be a need to lower the chandelier in the wintertime when the sun doesn’t shine so bright, though.
Update: The solar lights are always charged with no need to lower the chandelier to catch the sun. It is necessary to lower it to change the batteries from time to time. Yes, solar lights use batteries.
After the Solar Chandelier had been hung for several days, we discovered the panels DO get sufficient sunlight to charge every day. We both love the pulley system with the rope because it adds to the rustic ambience of the chandelier, and of course, if the need arises, the chandelier can be easily accessed.
We both love the way our Solar Chandelier turned out! (a storm blew down those siding pieces, and it sticks out like a sore thumb; that is on the porch project to-do list!)
It’s a little hard to tell, but this is a nighttime picture with the solar lights on. It really does create a cozy, romantic ambience on the front porch.
This repurpose project came in under $50, which we were happy with. Probably the highest cost was the paint.
Great transformation! Thanks for linking up #SustainableSundays
What a wonderful transformation. It’s fabulous when things that might head to the landfill can be revived and made beautiful and useful.
Thank you so much for sharing with us at Sustainable Sundays! I look forward to seeing what you share with us next week.
Not only did you repurpose this project, but you made it solar too! I love it!
Wow! What a great project!!! I love that it is solar!
Visiting from #SustainableSundays
How awesome?!? I love this almost as much as the tea cup sconces! I think the rope pulley, while it ended up not being needed per se, is a brilliant idea! I love the vibe and will have to figure out a way to do one of these solar chandeliers myself 🙂 Thanks for sharing with the creative challenge!
I love how you turned it into solar powered. Fantastic job it’s awesome! Thanks for linking up to Scraptastic Saturdays.
Thanks for sharing your creativity on the Art of Home-Making Mondays! Please join us again next week!
What a wonderful idea…. I love the look of it and the reusing of items for a different purpose. Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by. We had fun on this project and are really enjoying it on our front porch!
What a neat DIY project~ thanks for sharing! I found you at the “So Much at Home” Link up and wanted to invite you to our weekly link up on the Art of Home-Making Mondays too… Hope you can join us 🙂
Thank you for the kind words and the invitation, Jes. I’m on my way to your party!
I love this idea!! What a great project! thanks so much for linking up to Create Link Inspire party! Emily
It was indeed a fun project to do with my sweet husband. Thanks for stopping by,Emily.
So cute! Projects like these always have multiple steps and to see them laid out like this is super helpful! Thank you so much for sharing on the Merry Monday Linky Party! We hope you will join us next week. – Treana from http://houseofbennetts.com
What a great idea! I can not wait to try this…Pinning it now!
Thanks Kim. Please be sure to tag me when you make one. I’d love to see yours too! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the Pin 🙂
Wow, I can’t believe that you made this for less than $50. Such a clever idea and so unique.
Thanks for linking up with the Monday Parenting Pin It Party!
Thanks Carolin. The only purchases we made was for the chandelier and the paint which was under $50. Those thrift store finds are awesome!
What an awesome project, and all for under $50! Love the tip about the spray paint, too. I always buy it full price at Home Depot and forget that I can get a better deal at Michael’s.
This is SO cool, Shirley! I’m actually in the process of re-doing my BACK porch LOL
Very cool!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
http://neatly-packaged.blogspot.com/
Oh wow, I really had to go back to the first picture to see if it is the same chandelier as you bought, what a transformation! Love it, you did an awesome job!
Thanks Anna. A little paint make a big difference! It was not hard at all and very inexpensive.
That turned out beautifully!
Thank you Sarah.
Wow that’s awesome! I love that it is so budget friendly.
Thanks Logan. We enjoyed the fact that it didn’t break the budget!
I love to see things redone and spray paint is my BFF! Love what you did with the old chandelier to revive it and make it your own. It’s neat that you used the solar lights – never thought of that one!
Thanks Alli. We are sort of on the warpath around here with the power bill. Really trying to be creative with ways to cut energy cost. Since we already had the Porch makeover project underway, we thought why not make our chandelier into solar instead of with plants hanging from it!