FAQs

What are Stone Globe Lights?

Stone Globe Lights are outdoor garden and exterior lights that look like natural stone spheres by day and give a warm, welcoming glow after dark. They are designed and made in the UK, and are used on pathways, patios, driveways, borders, gateposts, gateway pillars and around entrances. They suit private gardens as well as projects designed by garden designers, landscapers and architects.

Who makes Stone Globe Lights and where are they based?

Stone Globe Lights were created by Joanna Wallis and are made in the UK by Joanna Wallis Handpainted Lamps Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 04895812). The business is based in Suffolk, UK, and visits are by appointment only. You can reach the company by email at joanna@stoneglobelights.co.uk or by phone on 01638 577745.

How do the lights work by day and by night?

Each globe has a dual day and night function. During daylight the stone-effect finish makes the globe an ornamental garden feature. After dark, an internal light source turns the same globe into a soft, glowing lamp. This lets one product act as ornamentation, ambient lighting and task lighting at the same time.

What ranges of globe lights are available?

There are four ranges. Spherical Globe Lights are round globes for general garden and exterior lighting. Finial Globe Lights combine a ball and plinth in one moulded piece for fixing to gateposts, pillars and piers. Solar Globe Lights are spherical globes powered by a solar panel. Plug and Play Globe Lights are 12 volt spherical globes that connect together without an electrician. A range of accessories supports all of them.

What sizes do the Spherical Globe Lights come in?

The Spherical Globe Lights are available in three diameters: 280mm, 380mm and 500mm. They weigh roughly 1kg for the 280mm, 1.75kg for the 380mm and 2.25kg for the 500mm. The base bracket measures 12.5cm in diameter and is interchangeable, so it fits all three sizes.

What are the globes made from?

The Spherical, Solar and Plug and Play globes are made from tough, durable, non-corrosive polyethylene with a unique rough stone-effect surface that is UV resistant and frost resistant. The Finial Globe Lights are made from non-corrosive fibreglass and resin, again finished to look like natural stone.

What power options are available?

Spherical globes can be supplied as mains voltage (230v), low voltage (12v), 12v Plug and Play, or solar. Mains and low voltage versions are the usual choice for permanent, professionally installed lighting schemes. Plug and Play suits people who want to install it themselves and reposition lights easily. Solar suits gardens where running a cable is not practical and where zero running cost matters. Finial Globe Lights run on mains 230v.

Do I need an electrician to install them?

It depends on the power option. Any 230v mains globe, including all Finial Globe Lights, must be installed by an electrician who is qualified and registered to Part P of the electrical regulations, and proof may be required. The 12v Plug and Play range and the solar range need no electrician and can be set up by anyone.

How does the Plug and Play system work?

Plug and Play is a 12v system that connects together without an electrician and is safe for gardens, pets and family use. Each globe comes with a 0.45 metre cable and an LED bulb as standard, and you can upgrade to a 5 metre cable. For a small area near a socket, you plug the globes into a transformer, using a 3-way connector to link up to three globes. For a larger garden you buy a mains cable pack of 10m, 25m or 50m, lay it alongside the lights, connect each globe with a connector, then plug the cable into the transformer, adding a timer or sensor if wanted, before it plugs into a standard UK covered 13 amp power socket.

How do the Solar Globe Lights work?

The Solar Globe Lights are powered by a small solar panel connected to the globe by a discreet 2.5 metre cable. The panel charges during the day so the globe lights up at night, with no electricity cost and no electrician needed. They are an environmentally friendly option and are easy to set up yourself.

What are Finial Globe Lights for?

Finial Globe Lights are a single moulded piece with the ball and plinth combined, designed for fixing to pillars, piers and gateposts at pedestrian or driveway entrances. They run on 230v and come with a fixing bracket. The standard finish is Sandstone, and they can be given a custom colour finish to match the stone or brickwork on site. They can be adapted for use in the USA and overseas.

What stone finishes and colours are available?

The Spherical, Solar and Plug and Play globes come in six stone-effect finishes: Granite, Weathered Stone, Bath Stone, Portland Stone, Limestone and Sandstone. Finial Globe Lights come as standard in Sandstone, with a custom colour match available on request to suit the surrounding stone or brickwork.

Are the lights weatherproof, and can I use them near water?

The Spherical Globe Lights are IP65 rated and rated for a temperature range of minus 30 to plus 80 degrees Celsius, which makes them suitable for installing around hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds and water features. The Finial Globe Lights are IP44 rated and carry the CE mark. All ranges are made from non-corrosive, weather-resistant materials.

What bulbs do they use, and are bulbs and cabling included?

The Spherical globes use an E27 lampholder. For a mains 230v globe the recommendation is an LED GLS bulb of 5.5W to 12W depending on globe size and how bright you want it, and the cabling and bulb are not included. For a 12v low voltage globe the recommendation is an LED 12v bulb of 3W to 9W with a suitable transformer, and again cabling and bulb are not included. The 12v Plug and Play globes are the exception and come with a suitable 12v LED bulb and a 0.45 metre cable as standard. Finial Globe Lights use a BC lampholder, with a 12W LED GLS bulb recommended, not provided.

How much do the lights cost?

Spherical Globe Lights are priced from £138 to £238 depending on size. Plug and Play globes are priced from £149 to £257. Solar Globe Lights are priced from £193 to £300. Finial Globe Lights, which are larger and can be customised, are priced from £514 to £995. Prices may change in line with manufacturing costs, and the company is not VAT registered.

What guarantee comes with the lights?

The Spherical and Finial globe covers carry a 10-year guarantee. On solar sets the solar panel carries a separate 2-year guarantee. The guarantee does not cover lamps or lampholders, which are treated as consumables, and it excludes accidental or malicious damage, general wear and tear, and electrical faults caused by misuse or incorrect installation. For 230v products the guarantee applies only where installation was carried out by a Part P registered electrician.

Do you deliver, and how much does it cost?

Delivery is free to the UK mainland, with the exception of the large Finial Globe Lights – the standard size are £16 for delivery but the larger version and need a separate quote, so please contact the company about those. There may be a small additional charge for delivery to remote areas. Spherical Globe Lights usually arrive within a few days, while the bespoke Finial Globes take a little longer. If you have an urgent order, contact the company and they will do their best to help.

Do you ship overseas or to the USA?

Yes, overseas orders are possible. For any delivery outside the UK mainland, email joanna@stoneglobelights.co.uk before ordering so a delivery quote can be arranged. The Finial Globe Lights can be supplied with an adaptor for use in the USA and overseas.

What is your returns policy?

If a standard globe is unsuitable, you must tell the company within 7 days of receipt by recorded mail and return the globes within 14 days of receipt. They must be re-packaged in the original packaging and in perfect condition, and you cover the return postage. A refund, excluding the original delivery cost, is made within 7 days of receiving the goods. Customised Finial Globe Lights cannot be refunded because they are made to order. Postage is only refunded or exchanged where the returned item is faulty. Proof of posting is strongly advised, as the company cannot accept responsibility for parcels lost in transit.

Are you VAT registered?

No. Stone Globe Lights is not VAT registered, so the prices shown are the prices you pay, with no VAT added.

Can I see the lights before buying, and do you work with the trade?

The business is based in Suffolk and welcomes visits by appointment only, so contact the company to arrange one. Garden designers, landscapers, architects and other trade customers are welcome, and there is a dedicated trade enquiry route. Get in touch by email or phone to discuss a project or a trade enquiry.

How do I place an order or ask a question?

You can order through the online shop at stoneglobelights.co.uk or contact the company directly. Email joanna@stoneglobelights.co.uk or call 01638 577745. Joanna is happy to talk through the setup sequence for Plug and Play sets or answer any questions before you buy.