Hanging Lights With Wire
Whether its an outdoor patio, pergola structure, open yard, or tree-filled glade, outdoor string lights will add magic. But in order to ensure longevity , I think the best way is to use support wire.
Using support wires isnt required. If you want to drape them through the trees, thats ok, too!. But it does relieves stress on the electrical wire and allows you to keep the lights taught above your head and all hanging the right direction.
It is especially useful if you have long stretches of lights, like all the way across the yard or a clearing. In short, using wire to hang outdoor lights gives more stability and a cleaner look.
You could purchase stainless steel wire and eye hooks from your local hardware store, but I found it simpler to purchase these string light hanging kits at the same time that we ordered our lights. We used three of them for ~320 ft of strung lights.
Measure The Space To Determine How Many Lights You Will Need
Get out your tape measure and determine the measurements of the space you are considering for your lights and see how that compares with how many feet of lights you have.
There are so many different options and different designs for the configurations of the string lights. Do what works for you and your space. We changed our minds several times, but in the end, we just went with what made the most sense for our deck.
If you have a challenging layout, you might find criss crossing your lights, or using a zig zag pattern helps to pull the look together. Straight lines with your strings of lights can also be a great option!
Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. In my opinion, draping the string lights with a little slack always adds a pretty touch.
Since my sister gifted the lights to us, I knew we had a total of 48 feet of cord to work with . In some ways, being “limited” made it easier as we knew exactly the length we were working with.
We had enough length to string them from the wooden posts and around the majority of the deck perimeter. We did the same configuration on our covered patio which is just below our deck.
Ensure a power source / electrical outlet is conveniently located to the starting point of your string lights when you are determining your configuration.
You could always use an outdoor extension cord if needed if you are struggling to start hanging your lights at the exact point of your power outlet.
Best Places To Use Inexpensive String Lights
Inexpensive patio lights can work really well when theyre hung in a protected location, and when theyre not likely to get jostled or blown around in the wind. Here are a couple of places where they might serve your needs just fine:
- hung along a fence
- hung directly on a house or building
A couple of other benefits of these smaller, more budget-friendly string lights is theyre undeniably cuter, lighter-weight, and take up less storage space when not in use. Just dont plan to leave them up year-round if you live in a harsh or windy climate.
Here you can see the inexpensive lights I hung in my kids playhouse below.
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How To Safely Use Outdoor String Lights
Always carefully inspect the specifications of any lighting to ensure its safe for your intended use. Only use lights rated for outdoor use on your patio. These lights are approved for use outdoors because they can withstand exposure to elements like snow and rain without compromising their electrical connections or creating a safety hazard.
Commercial Outdoor String Lights
Any amount of string lights can add magic, but I knew two things: I wanted lots of light , and I wanted them not to break.
I began by choosing the type of lights that would provide the most light and ambiance for our outdoor living space. Globe lights were going to give us more light: enough for outdoor dining and yard games. But I decided that a vintage style globe light provided more ambiance than simple round lights.
I then compared regular string lights to commercial grade lights, and it was no competition. I read reviews and compared and decided that these commercial grade vintage-style string lights were the way to go.
Even better, theyre LED, which should last longer, stay cool to the touch, and allows for more strands to be connected together from a single outlet because the wattage per bulb is lower. If you need a lot of strands, the price can certainly add up. But I think its worth it to have something that should survive the outdoors and last for years to come.
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Prepare Area To Hang Backyard Lights
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The first thing I did was take down the old string lights.
We bought this metal pergola several years ago from Lowes Home Improvement but I found a similar option here if you are looking for one.
Its been a great addition to our patio.
After the old lights were down I gave the pergola a good cleaning with a scrub brush and soapy water.
The structure has held up great for years but if Im being honest Ive never cleaned it before and it needed to be cleaned.
I think Im actually going to need to paint it in another year or two.
But not today!
Today were hanging outdoor lights!
I didnt need many supplies for this simple DIY project, so I just grabbed a small step ladder and the lights and went to work.
Be sure to measure the space where you will be installing your outdoor lighting.
Our metal pergola is 10×10 so we installed 2 strands of giant globe and 4 strands of small globe string lights.
You dont have to do this many strands but if you can the results will be amazing!
How To Hang Outdoor String Lights From Diy Posts: Paint Planters
Wipe planters clean with a damp cloth. Place planters upside down on a drop cloth and cover completely with spray paint. Apply additional coats as necessary for full coverage. Turn planters over and paint the rim and inside the rim.
Sam Henderson
If desired, paint one end of the 2 x 2 x 8 posts with the same paint by masking off the last 5-6 with painters tape. Allow to dry completely before masking again at the end of the painted portion and 1 below that, leaving a 1 band to be painted.
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Dont Ruin Your New Set Of Lights
Thats 2,000 watts plugged into the wall, which exceeds the capacity for most standard stringers and household sockets. Lets assume that the most amazing vintage bulb has found you and you immediately fall in love with it. Its a work of art. Its also 40 watts per bulb and you need 50 of these bulbs for your new patio light stringer. One problem: your fuses blow every time you plug the lights in or worse, your stringer cant handle the load. You can rewire your house to accommodate this. Or, you can plan to buy strings and bulbs that are meant to work within their electrical safety limits.
Quick Tips For Hanging Outdoor String Lights
Spring is here and beautiful summer nights are just around the corner! Today, I wanted to share some really easy quick tips and layout ideas for hanging outdoor string lights. Im also sharing my favorite sources for lights and things youll need to consider when purchasing outdoor string lights, bistro lights or cafe lights.
Over the years, I have designed outdoor lighting layouts for outdoor events, client spaces and in my own outdoor space and it can be very challenging. I have learned so much over the years what works and what doesnt work and youll find all of my tips below.
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Where To Hang Outdoor String Lights
Making a plan was definitely the slowest part of the whole project for me ha! There are four major considerations:
We decided to hang ours in two groupings: one over the larger clearing, which we will use as a game area, and one of the smaller clearing for dining. Each grouping comes to a single peak on one side and spreads out to four other points on the other side.
Hanging The String Lights
Begin the string at an outlet. Our outlet was professionally installed by our builder and is located near a corner, just outside our door. We ran an extension cord up to the roof behind the inside corner trim of our vinyl siding. Keep the connection point under the overhang, so it is not exposed to the weather. We also wrapped it in electrical tape.
Using a zip tie, we secured the lighting to the gutter hanger. Use care not to over tighten the zip tie and pinch the wire. I will use two zip ties next year for added safety.
As an extra backup and to secure extra wire, we also used gutter hanger clips.
Then we strung it out to the first 2X2 and again secured the string to the hook on the 2X2 with another zip tie. Here is another picture of the layout we used.
Then, back to a middle gutter hanger and out to the corner of the deck. Next, out to the other 2X2 and back into the center of the gutter. Note: We did not attach it to the same gutter hanger on the way back. This spreads out the weight on the gutter.
The process of hanging the lights, including installing the 2X2s only took about an hour and a half. This did not include planning the design, staining the wood or purchasing the supplies.
I will post a quick update at the end of the season, to let you know how they held up.
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String Lights On Umbrella
If you dont have a gazebo, but you have an umbrella, you can add string lights to it. Then you can keep the umbrella open at night to showcase the lighting.
If you prefer, you can also look for umbrellas that already have integrated lighting in them. We love our cantilever umbrella with integrated led lights that we got from Lowes.
Go For A Midnight Swim
Bring romance to your everyday life with a dip after dark. If youre lucky enough to have a pool, bistro-style overhead lighting can add beauty and functionality. Of course, any electricity near water requires caution, so read up on the risks before installing your string lights safely. One option is shatterproof and waterproof solar-powered bulbs, like these by Brightech .
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Wrap The String Lights Around Trees
You can use any trees in your yard as impromptu light stands.
While its perfectly fine to do this, youll want to make sure to shift the lights regularly. You want to avoid having the string lights grow into the tree .
You can choose to drill directly into the tree, but be careful not to permanently damage it.
How To Hang String Lights In The Backyard Without Trees
It is a common thing to hang outdoor string lights on trees in the backyard. However, if your backyard has no trees, then you will need to look for alternative ways on how to hang string lights in the backyard without trees.
Here are some tips on how to hang string lights in the backyard without trees.
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What Is The Best Way To Hang Outdoor String Lights
Fancy brackets, hooks, and poles can be expensive. By using EMT conduit and PVC conduit, you can hang beautiful string lights over your patio inexpensively.
All you need to do is add one-hole straps to the top of the EMT, which will hold the guidewire. Then, add a little spray paint really gives the whole thing an expensive look. Next, secure the EMT into PVC ‘holders’. After that, all that’s left to do is string up the lights! Maybe that was too quick, let me walk you through it!
Screw The Screw Eye Hooks Into Place
Hanging string lights without the use of nails is my preference. Screw hooks are more durable!
We opted to put up screw hooks for the mounting points to fasten the lights into place every 4 to 5 bulbs. Our home sits up fairly high and gets A LOT of strong wind gusts. So, I was concerned the bulbs could potentially break if they were not secured well.
There have been several storms since we’ve put our lights up and this appears to work well for our location.
PRO TIP: Use a drill to start the hole prior to screwing in the screw hooks. Makes the process a lot easier and keeps the wood from potentially cracking or splitting!
I highly recommend getting the heavy duty commercial grade lights. They are made to withstand the elements! With most commercial-grade string lights, the bulbs are spaced every 24 inches. At the top of every bulb there is a molded loop to making hanging easier.
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Choose A Staple Brand Of Lights That Are In Stock All Year
I have tried pretty much all big brand lights out there but I now only buy my outdoor lights from Home Depot because they keep them in stock all year . If you buy off brand string lighting, you will run the risk of the lights not being available for replacement bulbs or if you want to add more strings over time. I also buy two extra boxes for replacement bulbs because at $12.00 a box, its cheaper for me to just buy more string lights than buy replacement bulbs.
How To Hang Outdoor String Lights: A Step
For an outdoor space thats sparkling with charm, create a glowing overhead galaxy of string lights. Energy efficient, affordable, and easy to install, patio string lights can make a huge impact with just a little bit of planning and preparation. Even better, learning how to hang outdoor patio string lights can be completed in one afternoon!
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Easy Tips For Hanging Outdoor String Lights From A Pergola
Check out these easy tips for hanging outdoor string lights from your pergola for beautiful ambience in your backyard all year long.
Do you love the look of outdoor string lights?
Yes?? Me too!
Id love to hang lights everywhere
on my patio
in the trees
everywhere!!!
But I think my backyard would soon resemble a carnival if I started stringing them everywhere, dont ya think so?
Plus, I cant imagine how much our electrical bill would be with all that lighting.
So, since I cant possibly hang them everywhere, I keep it simple and string them from the pergola on our patio.
Thats the perfect spot in our backyard to add a bit of glowing ambience.
Choosing The Right Brand
After learning the best ways to hang string light bulbs, you will need to choose the right brand for your house. Some brands are appropriate for temporal hanging during events while others are appropriate for permanent fixing. Therefore, you should purchase the best string lights that fit your needs.
The most common string light brands are:
1. Bistro lights
These lights consist of glass bulbs that give off a yellow glow. They are ideal for outdoor lighting. They are ideal ambiance lights that offer a pleasing night experience with warm overhead light.
2. Twinkle lights
They are available in both plastic and glass bulbs which is efficient in energy production although, they give off cool blue light.
3. Edison bulbs
They are a pseudo-vintage type of string bulbs that are of higher end. They have an orange filament that gives out a warm glow with a timely ambiance. However, they are expensive to replace.
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How To Attach String Lights To A House Or Building
For most houses and buildings, you should be able to simply drill a pilot hole and screw in a cup hook. Youll want to be sure you arent compromising your siding.
My house has HardiePlank siding and we were able to screw the hooks directly into it. Theyve been in place for three years now without any problems.
When youre just planning to drape the smaller inexpensive lights like I did on my front porch , you can use smaller cup hooks, or even try these outdoor Command Hooks.
Can You Hang String Lights With A Staple Gun
Staple guns should not be used to hang string lights. Not only will staples damage your home’s walls, but it could also completely damage the lights. The recommendation is to just use a drill to install hooks and/or screw eyes or potentially find plastic clips and hooks that are strong enough to hold up your string lights.
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