Christmas is a lovely occasion and almost every house and outside area gets decorated with colorful lights which makes it worth remembering. If you know how to hang Christmas lights outdoor, you can give your outdoors a great festive look.
Lighting the outdoor area is not a big deal but as Christmas is held in December when it is winter and often there are chances of ice storms and heavy snowfalls, so you have to hang the lights according to the weather condition so that they can tolerate all the things and your festive look does not get spoiled.
A perfect layout is very important. You should buy these many days before hanging them so that you can check them with enough time. Replace them from the store before Christmas.
You should keep in mind the wattage count too. If you keep adding more and more strings, it should not cross the capacity level of more than 80%.
Measure The Area
First of all, you should measure the area. Some people may know how to hang Christmas lights outdoor but have no idea about measuring them. This is the primary thing you need to do.
You have to plan how much area you will decorate this Christmas. The amount of string and light is dependent on the area you want to enlighten.
Plan how much area you will decorate, then you need to measure from the top to the end. Measure the rooflines, gutters, shingles, outdoor window and porch length and width, and the walkway. If you start from the top, measure side by side then measure the lower level. To hang straight, you need the length from the top to the base.
Plan A Layout
Planning is the most important task before starting the lighting. You can’t create a perfect outlook without proper planning.
Plan the layout of your outdoors. Once you have selected how much area you want to enlighten the outdoors of your house, you need to plan a proper layout.
You can straightly hang the strands from the roofline or create round curves using clips and zip ties. Select exactly in which areas you want to place the lights.
You can place a faux tree and then wrap two or three strands of lights around the branches or you can place a potted plant which you can make a Christmas tree with decorating items.
Required Tools
You should know which tools you need while hanging the light.
- LED hanging light
- Measuring Tape
- Zip ties
- Gutter hooks
- Glue gun
- Weatherproof extension cords
- GFCI-proof power outlet
- Battery (if you attach battery-powered light)
- Battery charger(if you attach battery-powered light)
- Light clips
- Ladder
Colors Of The Lights
Choose your own layout. You need bright colors to create an eye-catching look. Many people prefer green and red lights but white and golden colored lights are also a unique combination. You can mix several colors to create a beautiful outlook.
The color choice is absolutely up to you but it depends on the pattern you choose. If you want to keep it simple, then don’t make the look overwhelming, or don’t mix too many colors. Just keep it bright and shiny. On the other hand, if you want a bold outlook, you need to make it look gorgeous.
Create a soft and stunning outlook and add bright colored lights and you will be satisfied when you see the outlook once all the lights are hung.
There is one more idea that you can optimize. Draw a sketch of your outdoor area or click a picture. Now plan the lighting area and you will find it super easy to plan.
Type Of The Lights
First, you should know about the types of lights. Always choose wide-angle lights which look pretty from every angle. You can use battery-powered or mains-powered lights. If you want to attach battery-powered lights, you will need to buy a battery and battery charger and you have to keep them charged.
But if you want to use mains-powered lights, you need to plug them into the outlet. There are LED or incandescent lights. Incandescent lights are inexpensive but they can increase the electricity bill more than LED lights.
C7 and C9 bulbs are also great options for the roofline. You can attach C7 to the walkway as well. C7 bulbs are small and C9 bulbs are large but they both look great on the roofline. You can set them according to the layout you choose.
Choose The Proper Extension Cord
If you want to cover the maximum area with lights, you need to add an extension cord that you can connect to the power outlet. The strands may be short to reach the power outlet. So you have to attach an extension cord with the male end of the strand of light.
According to the experts, you can safely attach three strands to each extension cord. If you attach more strands with a single extension cord, it will not be safe. But if your LED strands are too short and the manufacturers allow more than three strands with each extension cord, then you can go for it.
You must buy a weatherproof extension cord that will be hung outdoors. In worse weather conditions, if you don’t connect weatherproof extension cords, it will be high risk and may cause a short circuit.
Search Nearby Outlet
If you are connecting the lights with a power outlet, then it is necessary to find a nearby outlet outdoors.
New houses have outdoor outlets as they are designed like that. But in old houses, the outlet is indoors. So you need to connect the cord through the window to reach the power outlet.
The power outlet should be GFCI-protected so that it is free from the risk of causing electric shocks due to moisture.
Be Careful with the Ladder
Place the ladder in a leveled place and set it against the wall. Take the help of an adult to hold the ladder when you climb up on the ladder.
Don’t overextend yourself while hanging the lights to reach more area. Rather change the placing of the ladder and change the position of the ladder several times to reach the whole area.
The ladder should be made of wood or fiberglass. If the ladder is made of metal, there is always a risk of conducting electricity through the metal body. So it is better to use a wooden ladder.
Use Strong Clips
You need to select strong plastic clips which are able to hold the weight of the light strands without damaging the wall. Moreover, you don’t even need to drill or create holes in the brick walls.
There are many sizes of clips available. The clips are inexpensive and you can put them off after Christmas without leaving any mark on the walls.
Choose The Proper Shape for Gutter Hooks
The gutter hooks are mainly used while attaching the light strings to the gutter. Choose “S” shaped gutter hooks and attach the first half of the “S” with the gutter. Then put the Christmas light string on the second half of the gutter hook.
In this way, you can easily arrange your gutter area by using gutter hooks in a proper way.
Check it Before Hanging
To learn how to hang Christmas lights outdoor, first learn to maintain the basic things. It should be checked properly before hanging them.
You can hang them randomly in your garage area to test if any of them are broken or missing.
Check it for at least a week before hanging them so that you can replace them if there is any problem with any of them. When checking the problems, keep the lights aside which have problems so that you can find them easily when you will replace them.
Right Time To Hang
You can hang them at the end of November or some people prefer to enlighten them on the first day of December. To learn more tricks on how to hang Christmas lights outdoor, continue reading the article till the end carefully.
Use Clips To Hang Them
Start hanging them from one corner, and keep hanging them according to the layout. You can have a look at the picture or the sketch to make it more perfect and easy.
Use the ladder and tell someone to hold the ladder safely. Now start attaching from the roofline. Use clips after each 8-10 inches. Keep changing the position of the ladder as you go further.
Now you can hang some strings straightly from the roofline after each 12-15 inch. Attach the Christmas lights outside the porch or on the deck roof with clips.
You may need large clips on the rooflines. Place a net light on the potted plant or on the shrubs. You can set one or two faux plants beside the walkway and wrap them with Christmas lights.
Use Zip Ties And Gutter Hooks
Use gutter hooks on the gutter and use clips on the shingles and rooflines. You can use zip ties to secure the lights more safely.
The zip ties keep them strongly attached to the position even if there are worse weather conditions like storms or heavy snowfalls.
Apply Glue Guns
A glue gun is another safe way to use staples or nails. The glue is strong and weatherproof. You just need to plug it in and heat it. Then you can use hot glue on the surfaces.
The glue can be used on every surface and it strongly holds the lights in their position. It leaves no mark after you remove it once Christmas is over.
Just put off the old glue so that you can put the glue again next year.
Turn On The Christmas Lights
Once all are hung, you should turn on the lights without wasting any time. Just have a look at your created pattern and shiny gorgeous outlook and feel happiness.
Set The Timer
After turning it on, it is time to set the timer. People who even know how to hang Christmas lights outdoor, often forget to set the timer.
If you set the timer, it will automatically turn it on when it is dark and will turn off when the sunlight comes out even if you are not at home. So the Christmas outlook of your house will give people an amazing feeling if you set the timer and you don’t have to turn it on or off manually.
Conclusion
Christmas lights create an outstanding outlook outdoors of your house which everyone will keep mesmerizing and you will feel great.
The outlook will be a piece of your creativity and make your eyes shine and your heart smile. Make your Christmas worth remembering with your creativity by hanging them on your own.
If you have enjoyed this article which is about how to hang Christmas lights outdoor, let us know through your comments. Feel free to share your opinions. Enjoy your day!
