How to Hang Christmas Lights on Your Home's Exterior

Table Of Content

• Next Up In Electrical
• How to Hang Lights From the Roof
• Attach the Clips to Your Home
• Expert Tips on How to Hang Posters The Right Way
• CommandOutdoor Rope Light Clips, Clear, Damage Free Decorating, 12 Clips and 16 Strips
• How to Hang Christmas Lights Outdoors Safely
• The 33 Best Outdoor Halloween Decorations of 2023

Artificial varieties often come pre-lit and are made with fire-retardant materials. No matter what, turn lights off before going to bed or leaving the house. Hanging Christmas lights outdoors doesn't have to be overwhelming. Let's take it in stages and make it a fun holiday tradition. The type and style of lighting that’s right for your home depends on the look you want. We break down what you need and how to install four popular holiday lighting designs.

Next Up In Electrical

You may need to connect light strings to illuminate the whole tree. To wrap the light strands around vertical columns, stick Command outdoor clear light clips to the column every 16 to 24 inches. Slide a length of wire or twist tie through the hook on the clip and around the lights. Do this around smooth-bark tree trunks and branches, too, or use floral wire or garden-plant twist ties to stop strands from shifting. Instead of a single light strand, wrap several strands to create a thick, dense mass of bright lights. Use any extra strands to decorate wreaths, garlands, or doorframes.

How to Hang Lights From the Roof

How To Hang Christmas Lights - Hanging Christmas Lights Outside - Popular Mechanics

How To Hang Christmas Lights - Hanging Christmas Lights Outside.

Posted: Fri, 14 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Your objective is to hang lights as easily and safely as possible without marring your home’s trim or walls. For attaching lights along gutters or the roof, use plastic clips made for the job—these grip shingles or gutters and have a lower hook that holds a light strand or extension cord. Lay the extension cord to the base of the tree and plug a strand of lights in to start the installation. Wind the lights upwards around the trunk, spacing them evenly, then wind them onto large branches. Here, leave larger gaps between each circuit of the branch then work back down the branch wrapping the string in the center of each gap to create the same spacing as on the trunk.

Attach the Clips to Your Home

For the shrubs and the light post, Heath added 150-Light 4×6′ Net Lights, which are manufactured by Brite Star and available at The Home Depot. Christmas lights brighten the neighborhood with festive cheer. The cozy glow brings to mind hot cider, a crackling fireplace and the promise of family and friends gathered together. Keep tools and supplies well organized and easily within reach by wearing this tool belt that features a comfortable, adjustable belt and 12 storage pouches. Wearing a tool belt is especially important when climbing ladders because it frees your hands.

Track Down Your Power Outlets

Ever wonder what the little extra red bulb that comes with a strand of lights is for? Just swap it in for one of the lights in the strand and you’ll have a string of blinking or flashing lights. Learning how to hang Christmas lights outdoors is just the beginning. Create amazing scenes by installing Christmas lights inside and outside your home.

Regarding extension cords, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) advises matching your power needs(the amperage) of the lights to the amperage of the extension cords. It’s absolutely essential to test all of your lights, on the ground, before you hang a single strand. Test them with the extension cord, any adapters, and the electrical outlet you plan to use for the display. If you’re pulling lights from storage, check for frayed strands and burned-out bulbs. Also keep in mind that you can typically connect up to 25 strands of LED lights, compared to six strands (at most) of incandescent lights, before blowing a fuse on the strand. It’s important to choose the right type of light for the task at hand.

Don’t hang the lights when it’s rainy, snowy or icy, and be sure to have a good ladder – an articulating design is useful. Work with someone else when hanging Christmas lights high up. Outdoor light ideas can inspire you to illuminate the house, trees, and shrubs, on the porch, along railings or even on an outside wall.

How to Hang Christmas Lights Outdoors Safely

15 Best Outdoor Christmas Lights of 2023, According to Reviews - Woman's Day

15 Best Outdoor Christmas Lights of 2023, According to Reviews.

Posted: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Hanging your Christmas lights in early October doesn't mean you have to switch them on. On that same note, if you really don't like putting Christmas lights up year after year, simply leave them up year round and plug them in only when the holiday spirit moves you. That'll simplify using them again next year, as you'll know that all of your light strands are safe to use outdoors.

The 33 Best Outdoor Halloween Decorations of 2023

It can give you some great ideas for what you might want to do with your own home. If you want to hang Christmas lights on the peak of your roof, first safely position your ladder. Slide ridge clips over the roof's shingles and slide the bulb into the clip. Choose lights on wires that match your tree so that they blend in among the branches. For your house's facade and roofline, opt for brown or green cords.

Both incandescent and LED string lights are sold in C6, C7, and C9 sizes. These strawberry-shaped string lights are the most traditional style and deliver a much-loved retro vibe. To showcase your roof, use C9s, which are larger, brighter, and more visible from the street compared to C6s and C7s.

Show off your holiday spirit by decking out your home with Christmas lights. If yes, plan your lighting design around the featured element to draw people in. Consider outlining your front entry, wrapping porch columns, showcasing holiday characters on the front lawn, or highlighting a perfectly shaped pine tree in your landscaping. Lighting designs that lack a focal point can feel random and less appealing.

Next, attach the magnet to the 1×2 with a screw and hang the hooks on the gutter one at a time. Do not use staples or nails to hang light strings—they can pierce or wear away the protective insulation, creating an electrical hazard. Once a light string is complete, plug it in and check for burned-out bulbs. Unplug the string before replacing faulty bulbs and then retest it to be sure all the lights work. If the string doesn’t work at all, check it for a blown fuse, per the manufacturer’s directions. If the fuse has blown, replace it; if it blows again, replace the entire string.

Use a long tape measure to figure the number of strands you will need. Be sure to take into account the eaves, windows, doors, shrubs, trees, railings, and the like. Again, plug in the lights to make sure they work before hanging them. To hang Christmas tree lights around windows inside your home, as ever, check the light strings for damage then plug them in to make sure they’re working. Calculate how many lights you need, allowing around 100 lights for every 1.5 feet (0.5m) of coverage.