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A pergola becomes much more inviting with the right lighting. In many cases, a good string light is enough to make the entire outdoor space feel warmer, more welcoming and more usable in the evening. At the same time, it is not always obvious which string light to choose. Many people get stuck on questions such as whether to choose a flat or round cable, which bulb strength works best, and whether wire is needed or not.
The short answer is that for most pergolas, a premium outdoor string light with replaceable E27 bulbs is the best choice. It gives a better-looking result, feels more solid, and also makes it easier if you ever need to replace a bulb instead of the whole string.
For most customers who want a really cosy pergola, we usually recommend 1W bulbs first and foremost. That is the brightness that most often gives that warm, soft atmosphere that people usually want in a pergola.
That mainly depends on how you want to install it. If the string light should follow the pergola roof frame, a flat cable is usually the best choice. It feels robust, sits neatly along the structure and works well when you want a more tidy and well-planned look.
If the string light is instead supposed to hang a little more freely over an area, a round cable is usually the better option. It is lighter and more flexible, which often makes it easier to work with when you want a softer type of installation. Around walls and beams, the round cable works exceptionally well.
Simply put:
Both work well outdoors, but they suit slightly different types of installations.
A pergola is almost made for this type of lighting. You already have a structure to work with, which means the string light can both frame the space and provide a very pleasant light. The nice thing about string lights in a pergola is that they do not just provide light, but also atmosphere. An outdoor area that feels fairly anonymous during the day can in the evening become a place where you actually want to stay for a long time.
That is also why many people choose a better-quality string light here instead of a simpler decorative one. The difference is often more visible than you might think, both in the actual light output and in how the overall impression feels.
This is probably the most common question, and it is also an important one because the cable type affects both the appearance and how easy the installation will be.
A flat cable works very well when you want to install the string light along the pergola’s wood or metal. It feels sturdy and often gives a more “built-in” and permanent impression. It is especially suitable if you want to:
A round cable is a bit smoother and more flexible. It often works best when the string should not sit tightly against the structure but hang a little more freely. It is especially suitable if you want to:
So it is not a question of one always being better than the other, but of what suits your pergola best.
We think many people make this more complicated than it needs to be. In a pergola, the strongest possible light is usually not the best option. On the contrary, in many cases a softer light is nicer because it creates atmosphere instead of feeling too harsh.
1W – our first choice
For most pergolas, we recommend 1W. That is also what many of our customers choose. The reason is simple: it usually feels the cosiest. The light feels warm and calm and works very well above a dining area, a lounge set or a regular patio where you want a pleasant atmosphere rather than strong task lighting.
2W
2W works well if you want a bit more light without it becoming too much. It can be a good alternative if the pergola is larger or if you know that you want clearer light above, for example, a table.
3W
3W is for those who really want more light. It can work well in larger environments or where the lighting also needs to serve a more practical purpose, but for a regular pergola this is rarely where most people end up.
If you want to play it safe for a pergola and get that warm, pleasant feeling that most people are looking for, we would choose 1W.
The colour temperature also makes a big difference. 2200K gives a warmer, softer and more golden light. It is the option that most often feels the most atmospheric, which is why it is very popular in pergolas, on patios and in other spaces where you want a cosy feeling.
2700K is also warm, but somewhat clearer and whiter. It is better if you want a slightly fresher look or if you feel that 2200K becomes too warm.
For most pergolas, 2200K is usually the best choice.
Not always, but sometimes it is a good idea. If you are installing the string light tightly along the pergola frame, it is usually not needed. But if you have longer spans or want the string to hang more freely, wire is often a good solution. It relieves the string and gives a more stable installation, especially if it can get a bit windy.
So it does not have to be complicated, but it is good to think it through before installing. We have a suspension kit that you can buy separately, which includes, among other things, 50 m of wire.
There are several ways, but some solutions tend to work especially well in pergolas.
Many people choose to let the string light follow the outer frame or beams to get a clean and stylish look. Others prefer to run it across the roof section in a softer pattern to spread the light more evenly across the whole area. No matter which method you choose, the result is usually best when you think through the whole setup before you begin:
It is often the small installation details that make the result feel well thought out instead of just hung up.
Yes, we actually think they are. If the string light is going to be installed in a pergola and used a lot, being able to replace individual bulbs is a big advantage. It makes the solution more long-term and more practical. It is also one of the clearest differences between a simpler string and a more premium model.
In practice, that means you do not need to replace the whole string just because one bulb stops working.
In that case, a white string light can be a very nice choice, especially if the pergola is light-coloured or if you want the cable to blend in more.
If you have a pavilion instead of a pergola, we at LY Sweden think that in many cases it becomes both nicer and easier with a string light designed specifically for pavilions. A regular string light can absolutely work, but with a ready-made pavilion string, the overall impression is often more thought through and easier to get really right.
Our pavilion string light is suitable for those who want even and attractive lighting throughout the whole pavilion without having to think as much about how the strings should be arranged. We think it is an especially good choice when you want a more ready-made solution that naturally follows the shape of the pavilion and creates a neat, framed result.