How to Hang Outdoor String Lights in Any Space

Hanging outside string lights exterior your house is without doubt one of the quickest methods to enhance your exterior’s ambiance and unlock your house’s night outside entertaining potential. In contrast to commonplace outside lighting, which require in depth electrical work and solely mild up one designated spot, string lights can merely be plugged in and strung up nearly anyplace, casting a heat glow all through the whole lot of their attain.

Beneath, we have got all the most effective suggestions for hanging outside string lights, whether or not you need to dangle them on timber, on the deck, on a patio, on posts, or different supplies.

Earlier than You Start

Earlier than you begin hanging your string lights, ensure you have entry to a GFCI energy receptacle. When you verify this, store for string lights which might be supposed for outside use. Should you plan to easily dangle the string lights with none supplemental assist corresponding to a wire or string mild hanging package, search for lights with a robust, thick strand hooked up.

Should you’re planning to depart your string lights up year-round, go for commercial-grade string lights moderately than homeowner-grade. Business-grade string lights are extra heavy-duty and may face up to extended outside publicity higher than commonplace string lights.

Grasp Out of doors Lights on Timber

Make use of Mom Nature to carry your string lights by hanging them on timber.

1. Measure to search out the required strand size. Measure the space between the timber, accounting for the quantity of slack you need the string lights to have.
2. Drill pilot holes. Drill a small gap within the timber on the peak the place you want to the string lights to hold. Select a drill bit barely smaller than the shank of your lag-thread hooks.
3. Mount the hooks on the timber. Screw stainless-steel lag-thread hooks into the timber.
4. Connect the string lights to the mounting {hardware}. Slide the string mild’s built-in mounting holes onto the hooks.

Grasp Out of doors Lights on the Deck

Wish to brighten up your deck? Grasp string lights from the railing, or choose to connect posts to your deck to droop them overhead.

1. Measure to search out the required strand size. Measure the perimeter of your deck’s railing to find out what number of string mild strands you want.
2. Drill pilot holes. Drill small holes into the underside of the railing across the perimeter, positioning a gap each few ft. Select a drill bit barely smaller than the shank of your lag-thread hooks.
3. Mount the hooks to the deck railing. Screw small stainless-steel lag-thread hooks into every pilot gap. Staples could be utilized to manage the slack of the string lights, however you should not depend on them for sturdy assist. When stapling string lights, watch out to not staple by way of the wire itself.
4. Hook the string lights to the mounting {hardware}. Slide the string mild’s mounting holes onto every hook.
5. Connect posts to your deck to droop string lights above the deck. Should you favor to have your string lights above your deck moderately than alongside the railing, connect a submit on every nook of your deck by screwing it into the prevailing railing utilizing heavy-duty decking screws.
6. Drill pilot holes. Drill small holes into every submit on the peak the place you need the string lights to hold. For greatest outcomes, use a drill bit that is barely smaller than your lag-thread hook’s shank.
7. Thread the hooks into the pilot holes. For cussed hooks that do not need to thread by hand, slide the deal with of a wrench or pliers into the hook and use it for leverage whereas turning.
8. Slide the string bolts onto the hooks. Use the built-in mounting loops on the string lights to hold them from every hook.

Grasp Out of doors Lights on a Patio

A patio is made for cafe lights. This is how one can up your patio’s ambiance by hanging string lights.

1. Determine mounting factors in your string lights. Decide one of the best ways to hold outside string lights in your patio by assessing the environment. Search for sturdy surrounding constructions that may assist the string lights, corresponding to poles, columns, or timber. If there aren’t any relevant surrounding constructions, set up string mild poles or construct string mild planters, which include poles securely held in massive planters with concrete.
2. Measure to search out the required strand size. Measure the space between every relevant mounting construction to find out what number of string mild strands you will want, accounting for the specified slack.
3. Safe the strands. Mount the string lights into the encompassing constructions utilizing the suitable technique and appropriate {hardware} in keeping with the construction’s materials.

Grasp Out of doors String Lights on Posts

Whether or not you mount your posts within the floor or construct string mild planters, this is how one can firmly connect string lights to wooden posts.

1. Measure to search out the required strand size. Measure the space between the posts to find out what number of string lights you want, accounting for the specified slack.
2. Drill pilot holes. Drill small holes into every submit on the peak the place you need the string lights to hold. Keep in mind to account for slack within the traces when figuring out this peak. Select a drill bit that’s barely smaller than the shank of your lag-thread hooks.
3. Mount the hooks to the posts. Screw stainless-steel lag-thread hooks into every pilot gap.
4. Connect the string lights to the hooks. Utilizing the built-in mounting holes hooked up to the strand, mount the string lights to the hooks.

Grasp Out of doors String Lights on Different Supplies

In lots of instances, you’ll be able to dangle string lights immediately on your house, no matter your exterior materials.

1. Determine potential mounting factors and measure to search out the required strand size. To mount outside string lights on different supplies corresponding to concrete or stucco, find a number of mounting factors in your construction, then measure the space between the mounting factors to find out what number of string mild strands are wanted.
2. Match your {hardware} to the mounting floor’s wants. Select {hardware} based mostly in your construction’s materials. For concrete, stucco, and related supplies, you will probably want hooks with anchors. Should you want to dangle the string lights to vinyl siding, go for vinyl sliding clips, which slide into the seam of the siding and clip into place.
3. Drill pilot holes. If utilizing a hook with anchors, drill small holes into the fabric. Base the scale of the opening on the scale of the anchor you are utilizing.
4. Slide the anchor into the pilot gap. Push the anchor in. If it will not match, frivolously faucet it with a hammer Make the opening barely bigger if essential.
5. Screw the hooks into the anchors. As soon as the hooks are tight, take a look at each for a agency maintain.
6. Thread the string lights onto the hooks. Use the built-in mounting holes for a agency maintain.

Suggestions for Hanging Out of doors String Lights

The following tips and methods for hanging outside string lights will make it easier to obtain long-lasting exterior ambiance.

• Take away the bulbs. In case your string lights come outfitted with bulbs, take them out whereas hanging the lights to keep away from breaking them within the course of.
• Account for slack. Hanging your string lights too tightly will make the house look stiff. String lights are speculated to really feel informal, and accounting for a bit of slack within the traces is one of the best ways to attain an informal look.
• Improve your retailers with good plugs. Sensible plugs will allow you to management the string lights along with your telephone, so you do not have to plug and unplug them each time you utilize them.
• Grasp them larger than you suppose. Nobody desires to hit their head in your string lights. To keep away from this destiny, dangle them excessive to make it possible for the slack does not dangle too low.