Spacing Guidelines for Outdoor Eave Lighting

Adding eave lighting to your home’s exterior boosts curb appeal, improves safety, and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. But get the spacing wrong, and you’ll end up with harsh hotspots or dark, disappointing gaps. So how far apart should your lights be?

The golden rule for downward-facing eave lights (like small gimbal or flush-mounted fixtures) is simple: space them roughly twice the mounting height from the eave to the ground. For example, if your eaves are 10 feet high, place lights about 20 feet apart. That calculation assumes you want soft, overlapping pools of light on the ground.

However, most people install eave lighting for wall washing – lighting the vertical surface of the house. In that case, a better rule is: spacing = distance from the wall to the fixture. If your light sits 2 feet out from the wall (e.g., on the fascia), space fixtures about 2 feet apart. For wider spacing (4-6 feet), aim the lights slightly away from the wall to blend the beams.

For LED String lights recessed into the soffit, spacing isn’t an issue – the continuous strip gives perfect uniformity. But for puck lights or small round fixtures, stick to 3–5 feet apart for smooth, shadow-free illumination on siding or brick.

A quick trick: after installing a test light, mark where the beam’s brightness drops by 50%. That’s your maximum spacing. Always err on the side of closer together for a luxurious, seamless effect.

Finally, avoid placing lights directly above doors or windows – step back 1–2 feet to reduce glare. And for two-story eaves, tighten spacing to every 4–6 feet to compensate for the extra height.

With these guidelines, your outdoor eave lighting will look professionally planned, beautifully balanced, and functional all night long.