Gemstone Lights vs DIY Permanent Lights: Govee, eufy and a Professional Install
LK Installations ·
Walk into a big box store in the fall and you’ll find permanent outdoor lights in a box: Govee, eufy and others, sold as kits you put up yourself. Search for “permanent outdoor lights” and those kits fill most of the first page. They’re a real option, and for some homes they make sense.
Gemstone Lights, which we install, works differently. It’s a professionally installed system, and Gemstone doesn’t sell a DIY version. Here’s how the two approaches compare, using what each brand says about its own product.
Brand details below are from each company’s own product and support pages, checked October 2026. Products and specs change, so check the current page before you buy.
How they go on the house
DIY kits stick on. Govee says its Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 go up with “the provided VHB glue and clips”. eufy’s E22 uses adhesive tape with a screw hole for each light, and eufy’s own FAQ says it “strongly recommend[s] the use of screws”, so the strip doesn’t hang loose if the adhesive gives way. eufy also notes that some surface coatings can affect how well the adhesive holds.
Gemstone fits a track. The lights sit in a slim aluminium track that runs along the soffit. On most houses one edge of the track slides under the L-trim on the fascia and a colour-matched screw holds the other side. The track comes in more than 150 colours, so it can match your trim, and it can be custom made for unusual soffits or houses with no soffit at all.
That’s the biggest practical difference. With a kit, you’re on the ladder and the finish depends on your surfaces. With Gemstone, an authorized dealer does the install and the track is part of the look.
Weather ratings
| Product | Lights | Controller / power |
|---|---|---|
| Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 | IP67 | Control box IP65 |
| eufy E22 | Strip and controller IP65 | Power supply IP67 |
| Gemstone Lights | IP67 | Sealed, threaded connection at every light |
eufy lists an operating range of -20°C to 45°C for the whole unit. Gemstone says it designs its lights for freezing cold, high heat and strong wind, with UV-rated cables.
Brightness and colour
- Govee lists 40 lumens per light, RGBWIC colour (16 million colours plus white) and a life of up to 50,000 hours.
- eufy describes a triple-LED design with RGB, warm white and cool white LEDs, up to 90 lumens, a colour temperature range of 1500K to 9000K and a life of 55,000 hours.
- Gemstone lists up to 46 lumens per light, red, green and blue diodes plus a dedicated warm white diode at 2800K to 3000K, and a 50,000-hour rating.
On paper, the brightness figures are in the same range. The bigger differences are in how the lights are installed and supported.
Length
Govee sells 50, 100 and 150 foot kits, and says the total shouldn’t exceed 150 feet with extensions. eufy’s FAQ gives a maximum of about 40 metres from up to nine 5-metre segments. Gemstone systems are sized to the house: we measure the roofline and plan the runs, and the Hub2 controller handles up to 4,096 lights.
Apps and smart home
All three are app controlled. Govee lists its Govee Home app, Alexa and Google Assistant. Gemstone’s app has more than 14,000 ready-made patterns and free Autopilot calendars that change the lights for holidays and game days, and works with Alexa, Google Home and Control4.
Warranty and support
This is where a professional install makes the most difference. Gemstone’s warranty is lifetime on its roofline and deck lights and 10 years on the rest of the system, once it’s registered within 30 days of installation. If something goes wrong, you call the dealer who installed it, and the dealer takes the claim up with Gemstone.
With a kit, check the warranty terms for the exact model you’re buying. Either way, you’re the installer, so any reinstalling or rework falls to you.
Which is right for you?
A DIY kit can make sense if you’re comfortable on a ladder, your soffit or fascia gives the adhesive a good surface, and you’d rather spend less up front.
A professionally installed system like Gemstone makes more sense if you want the lights to look built in, you’d rather not do roof work yourself, or you want one company to call if anything goes wrong. The cost page explains what goes into a Gemstone quote, and the permanent outdoor lights page has the full details.
