How Do You Hang Fairy Lights On A Pergola
If you have a traditional pergola structure, installing string lights is quick and easy to do.
Make sure you pick outdoor lights that will stand up to seasonal weather conditions. It’s a good idea to measure your pergola before you get started, to work out roughly the length of lighting you will need.
Using a stepladder you can wrap fairy lights up and over the beams, securing with a staple gun and U-shaped galvanized staples specifically designed for wires and cables. Alternatively, you can attach them just to the bottom of the beams, working in a zig-zag or straight pattern or just around the perimeter whatever works for you. You can also wrap fairy lights around the posts of your pergola. Keep the lights switched off and unplugged whilst you are installing them.
‘Wrapping the lights closer together will give a fuller look and a brighter glow,’ explains the team at Lights4fun. Not sure how many youll need? There are plenty of shorter, connectable string lengths available. These ‘allow you to connect multiple lengths together for an eye-catching display,’ they add.
For heavier string lights, such as festoon lights, you may need to use something a little more sturdy than metal staples, such as metal hooks screwed into the structure.
Go For Smart Downlighters
These lights may be subtle but they’re certainly chic
If you like a minimal and modern look, then a series of sleek downlights may be the best option for you. These pleasingly symmetrical designs look smart, complement the contemporary design, and offer a warm glow to the sun loungers below.
What’s more, they highlight the potted trees, showcasing their verdant foliage and architectural form even when night falls. The slatted fence panels have caught our eye too a great approach for giving the space more definition and privacy. You can find more garden fence ideas in our guide.
Pergola String Lighting Idea
One of the most popular choices in pergola lighting is still outdoor string lights with glass bulbs. And for good reason! String lights are affordable, easy to install and versatile. For maximum light, cover the whole ceiling in string lights, as shown here by @houserenovationatno.47. You can also hang them along the perimeter for less light and a more moody atmosphere. Or, string them along a nearby fence.
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Modern Outdoor Living Room With White Paper Lanterns
For a multifunctional outdoor living room that would serve as a family gathering space and a meeting area for the owners clients and colleagues, landscape architect Mark Tessier created an accordingly varied lighting scheme. Traditional outdoor lighting illuminates the area without making a statement, while style enters from above and below, via a flickering fire pit and paper lanterns of various sizes hung randomly throughout the space. After dusk, these lights cast a warm, inviting glow festive for simple or elegant gatherings any time of the year, says Tessier.
Jennifer Cheung Design By: Mark Tessier, Mark Tessier Landscape Architecture, Inc.
Hang your lanterns at varying heights throughout your space to create visual interest. White lanterns are always a classic, but you can find them in different colors to help liven things up.
How To Prepare Area For Hanging Backyard Lights
The first thing I did was take down the old string lights.
We bought this metal pergola several years ago from Lowes Home Improvement and here is another similar option here.
Its been a great addition to our patio.
And it provides some shade from the hot North Carolina summer sun.
If you need even more sun protection see how Anne added shades to her wood gazebo here.
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.
Use our code Simply2Moms10 for 10% off your order.
You dont have to do this many strands but if you can the results will be amazing!
Just wait until you see them lit up.
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How Do You Light A Pergola
The first thing that probably comes to mind when you think of the pergola is the furniture that comes along with it. You start wondering about the events that youre going to be holding there and how youre going to set the entire place up.
Theres just so much to do if youre planning on adding a pergola to the exteriors of your home. There are patio chairs and tables, outdoor couches, fire pits, barbecue grills, and so much more.
One thing that you shouldnt miss, though, is the lighting fixtures. There are a lot of times wherein the furniture has been all set up and the lighting fixtures havent been figured out just yet. This can ruin the overall aesthetic of your pergola.
Thankfully, whether youre planning on getting a pergola built from scratch or youre updating a current one, you have quite a lot of options to choose from.
Add A Pop Of Color With Solar Lanterns
Bright and bold lanterns from Lights4fun add cheer to this alfresco scene
Add boho flair to your pergola by layering up festoons with colorful lanterns at different heights. For super-easy maintenance, look for solar-powered designs that way you won’t have to worry about an outdoor plug. Candle-lit lanterns below will make a welcome addition too, only boosting the inviting ambience.
Combine with a canopy of foliage for a particularly enchanting look you can find our pick of the best climbing plants in our guide.
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Keep Things Sleek With Spotlights
Recessed spotlights add to this contemporary scene
Once lit up, a pergola can become a key player in your lighting landscape ideas. Take this design for instance, which makes a stunning nighttime focal point for the plot.
The integrated spotlights are subtle in design yet provide all the illumination needed to enjoy the space at any time. Note how the style is extended throughout the nearby veranda too, for a streamlined and harmonious look.
Pergola Stairway Lighting Idea
The ever popular string lights are used on this pergola by @pride_hardscape but just as important as lighting up your pergola, is lighting the pathway to reach it. As shown here, the built-in stair lights and pathway lights provide safety and character along the walkway. Heres a solar option for stairway lighting you can install yourself.
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Pergola With Old String Lights
Weve had our patio pergola decorated with inexpensive string lights that I bought a few years ago from Michaels.
And they were finereally they were just fine.
They gave a nice subtle glow to the patio area at night.
But when AQLighting reached out to us and offered to send me brand new lighting for my pergola I jumped at the opportunity.
Not that the old lights werent ok but just wait until you see the after photo with the new lights.
Use code Simply2Moms10 to get 10% off any order with AQ Lighting
How To Hang Outdoor String Lights
Outdoor string lights add instant ambiance to any porch, deck, or yard, allowing you to stretch summer evenings late into the night. But figuring out the simplest, safest, sturdiest, and most aesthetically pleasing way to hang them can be tricky.
To help you determine the best setup, I spoke with some of our experts at Wirecutter to get their suggestions on the best ways to hang outdoor string lights, mistakes to avoid when hanging them, and how to get them looking their best.
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Go For An Led Chandelier For Easy Elegance
Elevate any outdoor dining experience with an LED chandelier
Boost your outdoor dining ideas with a graceful chandelier overhead. Suspended from your pergola, it will make even a casual weekday breakfast feel fancy, and once night falls, will cast a warm and welcoming glow.
To give it a botanical edge, wrap faux foliage around the branches. Just remember to choose LED candles rather than real to avoid fire risks.
Pergola Curtain Lighting Idea
Turn your pergola into a sparkling showstopper with LED curtain lights. Hang them on one side for a twinkling backdrop, or cover all four sides if youre feeling extra sparkly! Theyre beautiful for special occasions, like weddings and backyard parties. They also work great as an everyday lighting source.
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Lights For Pergolas Outside
Weve compiled a list of various pergola lighting options for your outdoor area.
Hanging Lights
Pendant lights can give your outdoor pergola a sleek, contemporary appearance. You can get right to work with only a few simple beams to hang them from.
Pendant lights should be your first choice if you want to make your outdoor pergola area seem more like an interior environment. A modest pergola with a few simple tables and three or more pendant lights may provide enough illumination. They may also make it a convenient location for you to host parties or entertain guests.
Pendant lights are an excellent way to illuminate your pergola. The greatest thing is that they wouldnt obstruct the view at all, allowing for even more room to be used.
If you have a larger area, you may set up an artificial tree and hang your pendant lights in different lights for a dramatic effect.
Integrated Lighting
If youre planning on starting your pergola building, another excellent option is to add lights. Built-in lighting is simple to install and may give your outdoor area a finished appearance.
But theres a word of warning. These items may be more expensive than other lighting choices. With your contractor, you may need to discuss your budget and your limitations.
However, if done correctly, it has the potential to enhance the total value of your house. Thats an advantage to think about for your lighting plans.
Lights on a String
Light Fixtures That Are Mounted
Up-Lights
Down-Lights
Contemporary Rooftop Dining Area
This rooftop design features a custom cantilevered Ipe pergola with stainless steel trim and tempered glass inlay, wall-mounted Ipe planter boxes and stainless steel light fixtures. The dining area under the pergola features a simple glass dining table, while an adjacent sitting area features contemporary wicker furniture.
If you’re about to embark on an outdoor renovation project, think through the areas you’d like to include lighting. You can work with your contractor to create a space like this one, where beautiful exterior lights are integrated directly into the pergola structure for a polished look. These projects require higher budgets, but the overall look are big benefits.
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Outdoor And Backyard Lighting We Love
Whether youre looking to illuminate a backyard or balcony, or a picnic table or tent, we have recommendations for 8 delightful and weather-safe options.
As for what not to do: Doug warns that common nails are likely to stain your siding as theyre usually not made from stainless steel or galvanized metal, and that you shouldnt try to cheat by using picture hooks, which arent going to do well with wind or even someone bumping up against the lights.
Magicpro Solar Indoor & Outdoor Led Lights
This solar lamp gives off just the right amount of light so you can sit outside and enjoy the evening without disturbing your neighbours or attract bugs.
MagicPro manufactured their solar hanging gazebo lights with waterproof and shatterproof materials that can withstand the toughest of weather conditions.
They have 4 amazing lighting modes steady, slow flash, quick flash, and pulsating that will add more liveliness to your gazebo.
Further, these solar led lights also have a dual charging feature, which allows you to charge your lights using either the big solar panel or the USB port making them perfect for indoors and outdoors usage.
Pros
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Sunlitec Solar Hanging Led Lights For Gazebo
This is a great solar pergola light that wont only brighten your backyard or home, but also give you a warm nostalgic feeling with a variety of lightening modes designed to soothe you in every mood.
I really love that this amazing 27ft light comes with a dual charging option that allows you to charge your batteries whether with the premium 3w/5w solar panel or the USB charging port.
In other words, you will still be able to enjoy this amazing solar hanging gazebo light indoors or outdoors even during the cloudiest days.
Also, Sunlitec added a connector to the end of the string, which allows you to connect up to 50 light bulbs to the existing string so you can enjoy an even longer and brighter string.
Pro Tip: You can reuse one of your old electrical led lights and they will work just fine.
When it comes to performance, these little babies will run for 8 hours after about 8 hours of sunlight or 4 hours of electricity .
Pros
Best Solar Powered Gazebo Lights Selection
We spend hours researching, testing, and comparing different solar lights, so we can provide you with the best options on the market.
All products reviewed in this list are manufactured by trusted companies, made with high-quality materials, energy-efficient, guaranteed high customer satisfaction, and of course, well priced.
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Cozy And Romantic Pergola Lighting Idea
The smart choice of lighting used in this dreamy pergola from @fancyfixdecor helps make it the perfect spot for an intimate gathering. Using a combination of industrial-look string lights, a hanging chandelier and candles a soft glow lights up the whole area. Using a varied mix of light sources, instead of simply overhead lighting, creates a more welcoming ambiance.
Where To Hang Outdoor String Lights
In a small space, you may not have much choice on where to place your lights. But if you have some flexibility, different spots are best for different purposes, such as adding functional light, defining a space, or simply improving the aesthetic. For Rachel, stringing lights underneath her deck added a welcoming feel to a previously not so cozy space. Doug, ever the handyperson, gathered up some 10-foot branches, buried them in the ground around his patio, and used them as light posts for a cool, rustic look.
Even if you arent burying your own branches, running lights between two posts or trees is a popular and good-looking choice. If you go that route, consider using a string-light hanging kit, which Doug calls a nice, all-in-one option, to help do the job. What those kits do is, they string a wire taut between two posts and then you can hang the lights off of the wire, he explains. It takes the stress off the light wire and its an effective way to maintain the proper slope, but without stretching and taxing the lines.
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Brighten Up Your Alfresco Dining Scene
White festoons from Lights4fun add plenty of elegance to this dining set-up
A string of small-bulbed, warm-white festoons are perfect for brightening up an elegant dining scene, whether it’s for a special birthday celebration or simply a Friday night dinner with loved ones.
Add crisp white linen, pillar candles in glass jars, and vintage tableware to set a rustic yet pretty tone. Then, surround with your favorite potted plants for a final finishing touch your guests will never want to leave.
There are lots more stunning patio lighting ideas in our guide.
Image Solar Curtain Lights For Gazebo 8 Modes
Image crushed the market with one of the best solar curtain lights for pergola. This net light is manufactured with PP, TPR, and copper wire material that can withstand the toughest weather conditions.
This 9.8 x 9.8 Feet solar light is made of 10 strings with 30 LEDs in each string, so overall, you get 300 super-bright LEDs
It has 8 lighting modes: combination, in wave, sequential, slo glo, chase, slow fade, chasing, twinkle, and steady on that will suit all your decoration needs.
Further, there is a built-in memory chip that remembers the last setting, so you dont have to adjust the lighting setting every time you use the light.
Thanks to the 2400mah battery and the large solar panel, you can fully charge the lights within 6 hours of sunlight, then enjoy up to 12 hours of bright light.
Pros
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Ways To Light Up Your Pergola
When deciding the main use of a pergola, people tend to focus on furniture needs, such as dining tables, outdoor patio chairs, and couches, or barbecues and fire pits. And at times, lighting is not decided until the furniture is picked out, and must then fit in with the rest of the décor. Whether looking for something simple, elegant, or creatively unique, the following lighting ideas will help to finish off any design.
Pool Area With Swing Bed Pergola And Lighting
The swing-bed pergola defines a space for homeowners to sit back and enjoy their backyard. Palm trees were added to add more of a resort-vibe to nights by the pool. Touches of home can be seen in the columns, which mimic the front porch, and dainty white picket fences on either side.
Steve Silverman Imaging
If you don’t have access to an electrical outlet near your pergola, consider lighting the spaces around it. Here, the owner added string lights to a large tree next to the pergola, creating a relaxing ambiance. Add solar-illuminated planters throughout your space for additional lighting.
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