How to Hang Outdoor String Lights Without Trees

Master how to string lights in your property with action by action guidebook to hanging out of doors string lights from fences, poles, and roofs.

Just one of my most preferred posts is my tutorial on how to hold outside string lights from our oak grove at the ranch. But our yard at our property seems quite different… and yours might, much too! 

How do you string globe lights in a backyard without having trees? Right now, I’m going to clearly show you.

Things to consider for Hanging Outside String Lights

In advance of I exhibit you accurately how we hung our lights earlier mentioned our pool, I want to help you believe by means of the out of doors lighting suggestions and alternatives for garden and patio lights.

Initially, while, permit me remind you to use caution if you have a pool. This tutorial is supposed to exhibit you how to dangle lights across a lawn without easy trees to maintain your lights it is not a extensive tutorial on electric power and h2o basic safety. Make sure you check out your community code and/or seek the advice of an electrician when functioning near h2o.

Overhead vs On the Aspect

I’m a sucker for twinkle lights, like Xmas lights, and the ambiance they supply when strung across a fence or through the trees is these a enjoyable element in backyard lighting. On the other hand, if you want the lights to deliver purposeful lights, like for dining, then you will want much larger lights strung overhead.

To string lights overhead, you have to have a preset place at least 8-10 toes off the floor that can hold the tension of a wire or light-weight strand. This can be a tree, the eaves of your residence or gazebo or coated patio, a pergola, a fence, a wood article, a 2nd story deck railing, a metal pole, or any other durable assistance.

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Solar String Lights vs Plug In

Talking of functional overhead light, I tried using several diverse solar light strands, and I could not locate a single that truly presented ample mild for our uses. We desired the place to be totally lit to love eating, swimming, sizzling tubbing, and even an out of doors sport night time we hosted. The solar light strands look pleasurable for ambiance, but not enough for activity lights.

So if you are wanting for undertaking lights, then you will have to have to think about your electric power supply. Your structure for stringing your lights will want to begin at a plug and/or consist of an extension cord that can mix into your area.

Wire vs No wire

At the ranch in the oak grove, I used this kit and strung a manual wire for the lights (which proved to be practical considering the fact that squirrels like to consume the light-weight cords – ugh – and that makes it possible for me to substitute sections with out getting rid of the pressure of the complete house). In our backyard, nevertheless, since I wasn’t certain I preferred the lights there completely, I chose to hold the lights with no a wire kit.

Long term vs Removable

Technically all of these string lights are fairly detachable, but there are undoubtedly approaches to make them less complicated to place up and choose down if you want that flexibility. Specifically if you have to increase posts to maintain the lights, you will want to consider how effortless it will be to clear away the posts if you at any time choose to. 

Glass Bulbs vs Plastic

We chose to use these professional strands with glass bulbs at the ranch. They are attractive, and because there is mulch beneath, we have not broken many… But if I had it to do over again, but I would in all probability pick out plastic just to clear away any considerations.

In our outdoor space at home, on the other hand, we have a huge concrete patio underneath the lights, so plastic bulbs ended up a ought to. We also chose a strand with out the extra dangling twine for just about every gentle considering that we preferred to gain as substantially headroom clearance as possible. 

How to Cling Out of doors String Lights Without Trees

With all these things to consider in mind, we selected overhead plug-in lights with plastic bulbs, and I bought inventive to install them in a way that seemed elegant and crafted-in but could very easily be removed if we selected to. Permit me exhibit you how!

Supplies we made use of to dangle our outdoor string lights:

1. Measure your area

Use a tape measure to approach the room and ascertain the quantity of gentle strands you will need and the finest configuration for them. You will also want to contemplate exactly where you can connect the lights (see #2 below). Fortunately, you can see the length of each individual strand of lights before ordering, so you can make your decisions appropriately.

We resolved that a VVV formation which begun at the outlet over our grill would be best. This suggests that the lights are absolutely unplugged most of the time. If you can, it can help to draw out the house from an aerial perspective.

2. Approach your supports

We knew we desired the strands to appear off the framing of the porch, so that gave us two of our factors. We have a mountain laurel tree that is in essence in line with the porch, so that delivered level #3 on the house facet of the lawn.

For those people points, we applied hefty-duty screw hooks. The hook screws into the wooden and holds the gentle strand.

On the other dimension, we experienced the mild pole for the grill, but we even now desired three far more supports to entire our VVV development. Did you know you can produce your possess supports?

We have a lovely wrought iron fence, but it is only about 4 ft tall, not virtually tall ample to guidance overhead lights. I thought of buckets or planters with cement or gravel, but I didn’t want to vacation more than them or have to lug them in or out if we ever determined to get the lights down. 

As an alternative, I acquired 8-foot long 1″ aluminum square tubing and painted it black to match our fence making use of the products and solutions shown higher than and this method for portray outdoor home furnishings. I connected the poles with weighty-responsibility black zip ties (which you honestly don’t observe except if you are staring at it up close): three at the leading for security and 1 at the bottom for highest security.

Note: aluminum is extremely slightly adaptable. You could see a little bend in the pole if the stress is superior, but you should not have any difficulties with durabilty.

3. String your lights

It was so uncomplicated to dangle the lights! We utilised zip ties close to the sides of the posts and light-weight pole to protected the light strands. The cup hooks didn’t will need any securing since they keep the wire securely.

It has been pretty much 10 months since we mounted these lights, and they nevertheless glimpse superior as new! I  installed them for a party, but I was not sure if I would want to hold them up all 12 months since our porch is raised and they are in your line of sight when standing on the porch… but I basically really like them!

Diy Yard and Patio Lights

In shorter, you may perhaps have to get inventive, but hanging your string lights can be completed. I do think it is achievable to cling stunning, expert hunting string lights even devoid of trees or lasting poles. 

A person far more welcoming reminder: If you have a pool or other h2o features in your lawn, be sure to keep in mind to use warning when using something electrical around drinking water! Our lights are totally unplugged when not in use, and we double look at their stability in advance of plugging them in.

Look at attaching to roofs and porch beams with heavy duty screw in hooks. Try extending metallic fences with aluminum poles painted to match or performing the same with a wooden pole versus a wooden fence. Use zip ties to keep it all jointly and appreciate your new room!