Where the light goes on deck stairs
One of our decks at night. Each number is a light you can see in the photo.
Composite deck with cable railing, lit at night.
- Lights in the risersSet into the face of each step, they light the tread below. Here: low-profile fixtures in composite risers.
- LED strip under the top railRuns along the underside of the railing cap and washes the deck edge with light.
- A light at the top landingThe code asks for a light source at the top landing of every exterior stairway (CRC R325.7). A wall light beside the stairs does it here.
Lights in the risers
This is what we install on deck stairs: a small fixture set into the riser, the vertical face of each step, throwing light down onto the tread below. You see the edge of every step at night without light shining in your eyes.
In redwood the fixtures are round and sit flush with the wood; in composite we have used low-profile rectangular ones. The wiring runs inside the frame, so it goes in before the boards, not after.
What the code asks for
One thing: an exterior stairway needs a light source at its top landing (CRC R325.7). Lights in every step are not required. For stairs you walk at night, they are what makes the difference.
Lights wired into the house also fall under California’s Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6, section 150.0(k)), which sets how outdoor lighting is switched. The electrician on the permit sorts out which controls your fixtures need.
Building new stairs? Our stair and railing code guide has the ten numbers an inspector measures.
Price new deck stairsBefore you build: questions
Does the code require lights on deck stairs?
It requires a light source at the top landing of an exterior stairway (CRC R325.7). Lights in each step are not required; they make the stairs easier to use at night.
When should step lights be planned?
Before the boards go on. The wiring runs through the frame, and it is far simpler to route it while the framing is open than to fish it later.
Do step lights work in both wood and composite?
Yes. We have set them into redwood risers and into composite risers; both are on this page.
Is there a California rule for outdoor lights?
Lights wired into the house fall under the state Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6, section 150.0(k)), which sets how outdoor lighting is switched. The electrician on the permit sorts out which controls apply to your fixtures.